The Hobbit Film Trilogy Thread

[QMM 4]

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

By the way, if part two of The Hobbit is actually going to be a film version of the Appendix, I wonder if Shore will write music for it. Well, I'm jumping ahead here, I wonder if *anyone* will write original music for it

What do you mean? What appendix?

[gkgyver 1,645]

As for "The Hobbit," Sloan confirmed that MGM was in advanced talks with Peter Jackson to make two movies based on JRR Tolkein's "prequel" to "The Lord of the Rings."

The first would be a direct adaptation of "The Hobbit," and the second would be drawn from "footnotes and source material connecting 'The Hobbit' with 'Lord of the Rings,' " he explained.

[LongTallJodie 59]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/30085

I saw that. Yeah, we're supposed to be writing The Lovely Bones, but of course Phil, Fran and I read the thing on the net and spent most of this morning talking about The Hobbit. We think the two film idea is really smart. One of the problems with The Hobbit is that it is a fairly simple kids story, and doesn't really feel like The Lord of the Rings. Tonally I mean. It's always may be a little worried, but with two films that kinda gets easier. It allows for more complexity. At that implied stuff with Gandalf and the White Council and the return of Sauron could be fully explored.

Sounds to me like the Hobbit would be spread out over two films, with other Tolkien material from the same time period plugged in to fill the gaps.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

I don't think making part two an "in between movie" would work. I'm all for including the "greater events" that happen around The Hobbit, but I can't see a Hobbit movie (or series) ending with anything but Gandalf and Balin coming to visit Bag End. And I'm not sure it would be a good idea to emphasise Bilbo's possession of the Ring in that scene, though I guess chances are that this might happen.

Les Miserables (Basil Poledouris)

[gkgyver 1,645]

I for one don't think a Hobbit film spread over two movies could work very well. Simply because there's no point in the story where you could successfully let the first one end without having a very TV- like cliffhanger feeling.

I find the idea of the "In- Between- Movie" very intriguing actually. In a way, isn't that how the Lord of the Rings books are structured? Including the greater events behind the Hobbit would actually make Bilbo's journey seem less important in my eyes. Unless you really turn it into a darker story, but nobody really wants that to happen, non?

Two separate entities (they wouldn't really be two separate films) make alot of sense.

[ST-321 4]

I would certainly hope that they make the proper cuts from The Hobbit. Beorn should end up with Tom B.

[Red 75]

Either way, I'll be seeing it.

Rabbit--who is looking forward to seeing the dwarf battle played on screen

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

I think it could work well in two parts. End part 1 with Thorin & Co. leaving Esgaroth, and you have plenty of time to explore the dwarves' greed and all that stuff in part 2.

[Quintus 5,399]

Jacko says bye to The Hobbit. New Line now officially sucks.

http://www.empireonl...d.asp?NID=19984

I'm pretty pissed about this. I can feel a storm brewing throughout the world of online LOTR fans.

Oh and rumours elsewhere suggest that Michael Bay is interested.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Bastards. How can you make another Tolkien picture without Wingnut? It's madness. Madness, I say!

[robthehand 3]

Idiots.

I know some people will be delighted about this, but I think Jackson was the best man for this job.

[fommes 153]

Hehe, these companies always manage to screw things up, it's like they're doing it on purpose. Unbelievable.

Anyway, their loss.

Btw, what does he mean, they're still bickering over some financial dispute from the time of FOTR? Regardless of Jackson's and the film's popularity?

[crumbs 14,316]

Shit, does this mean Shore will return? McKellan? Serkis?? WETA??? Holm????

This a monumental disaster!

[Joe Brausam 214]

Well ths really stinks. I actually got chills when I read PJ's statement.

[David Coscina 3]

I've got it. Hire David Cronenberg for The Hobbit- that way Shore can stay on the project writing the score! Of course, maybe someone like Chris Columbus or even Steven Spielberg might work on it and hence our favorite maestro Williams can show everyone how it's done. Actually, a Williams Hobbit score would probably sound fantastic.

Otherwise, my vote goes to getting Anthony Minghella who is quite adept at adapting novels into films and his composer of choise Gabriel Yared would provide an outstanding musical score for The Hobbit. Very lush I can imagine,

[Vaderbait1 1]

I think they all did a good job, but Jackson is a terrible director. I'll be glad to see a new director in the chair, if they go through with it through some other means. So long as they stay true the book and don't dumb things down. If that Michael Bay comment is true, we're in trouble

[Demodex 557]

I actually think it would be best to not make any prequels to LOTR. We all know how that other trilogy's prequels came out.

[David Coscina 3]

I think they all did a good job, but Jackson is a terrible director.  I'll be glad to see a new director in the chair, if they go through with it through some other means.  So long as they stay true the book and don't dumb things down.  If that Michael Bay comment is true, we're in trouble

While I don't think Jackson is a terrible director, he is quite overrated in my opinion. He's not Spielberg that's for sure.

[Richard Penna 3,690]

I agree - New Line Sucks.

And the fact that it appears to be just about money is particularly disappointing to me, everything seems to be these days.

[Quintus 5,399]

Here is the email which OneRing.net received from PJ and Fran Walsh concerning the matter.

If you're a fan of PJ's LOTR adaptation, then that makes for grim reading. But even if New Line wishes to push forward without him and his collaborators, can you really see the likes of Ian Mckellen and perhaps Ian Holm agreeing to reprise their respective roles? Methinks the loyalty (to PJ) element will kick in there. Anyway, as far as I'm concerned there will only EVER be one Gandalf. It would be nearly as bad as replacing Harrison Ford in an Indy movie.

It seems New Line have REALLY shot themselves in the foot. They deserve all the misfortune they get, f*ckers.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Meh.

I could even stand another shore and WETA work and having a consistent Middle earth movie series than this.

I suppose the crew will not make this movie, at least willingly. I mean like Superman II. The wont want to make it, but they may have already signed some contracts for these movies and have to stick with them.

[gkgyver 1,645]

From PJ to Michael Bay ... I think I'm gonna cry.

[Richard Penna 3,690]

It seems New Line have REALLY shot themselves in the foot. They deserve all the misfortune they get, f*ckers.  

Indeed. I hear they did some accounting 'trick' to reduce the amount of money Wingnut received. Given the overwhelming success of the trilogy, that's just unacceptable, particularly as they were trying to deprive the very people who made them so much money AND approached the project with such passion.

The fact that they're willing to dump PJ I think shows how money obsessed and desparate to make this they are.

[Quintus 5,399]

One of the worst things about this whole episode, is the fact that PJ and crew were good to go as early as next summer!!! :cry:

[Romão 2,274]

As much as I admire Jackson´s dedication, I am quite curious to see another filmaker´s take on LOTR, which I´m sure won´t just be anybody.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Oh well......

[MrScratch 294]

Jacko says bye to The Hobbit.

Dammit, Michael Jackson would have made a great Gollum.

Jeff

[Quintus 5,399]

And to think I wouldn't have made the comparison until you pointed it out.

[Red 75]

I'm confident that this decision will come back to haunt New Line. I just hope that there's still time for a good Hobbit film to be made.

[John Crichton 4]

...Balls.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

As I just said at MM.com:

And just when I was starting to believe the latest positive rumours (seeing them pop up in some more serious newspapers).

But we better wait and see what comes of this. If there's really a time limit involved, who knows if they can find a "replacement" in time. Or if they cannot still come to arrangements.

Anyway, it surely would be interesting to see someone else have an attempt at The Hobbit. The only thing is: I want a PJ & Co. Hobbit *and* I want different takes on it as well as LOTR...

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

No big loss.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Jacko is Michael Freak Jackson,

somebody needs to get a clue

[ST-321 4]

Well this is the pits. I wanted Shore's score for this film and to see Jackon's take on it.

[Ollie 1,059]

http://www.empireonline.com/news/feed.asp?NID=19984

I'm pretty pissed about this. I can feel a storm brewing throughout the world of online LOTR fans.

Oh and rumours elsewhere suggest that Michael Bay is interested.

Middle earth done with synth pounding drivel ala Hans Zimmer, Trevor Rabin.........or 30 other composers.

[David Coscina 3]

Let's just wait to see what transpires out of all of this.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

And just when the Tolkien family rights and the films rights were starting to play together (Example Battles of middle eath II videogame)

[ChrisAfonso 186]

According to "Variety", an MGM spokesperson has said that the matter of PJ doing the hobbit is "far from closed" ... let's wait and see. From what I understand, if MGM refuses to do the film without PJ, New Line could shoot it, but not distribute it. And that would be kind of dumb.

[Albaicin 0]

Though I don't think that Peter Jackson is more than just average as director, it's undeniable that the LOTR project owes him everything, and will be a 'classic' trilogy in the years to come.

I would have liked to see him at least as a producer or as a co-screenwriter.

With "two projects" I guess that they refer to the idea of lilming "The Hobbit" into two movies. I supose that they pretended to ocupy two Christmas seasons with just one big budgeted movie.

As a possible solution for "The Hobbit", I suggest:

Option a)

Producer/Director: Quentin Tarantino

Bilbo: Harvey Keitel

Gandalf: Samuel L. Jackson

The action would take place in modern L.A. and the orks and goblins would be policemen and F.B.I. agents, respectively. The dwarfs would be characters taken from "Reservoir Dogs" and so, "The Hobbit" would be its prequel.

Option B)

Producer/Director: Woody Allen

Bilbo: Scarlett Johanson (a feminized version of "The Hobbit")

Smaug: Woody Allen

The action would take place in modern New York City; the Tolkienesque character of the Dragon would be transformed into a Doctor in Psychiatry, and so, the dialog between Frodo and Smaug, when the former creeps down the tunnel, would take place at the psychiatrist's; the dwarfs from the book would be turned into Scarletts's former family-in-law (she is a widow), all of which are typical freakies from modern life (including some John Williams-fans).

Option c)

Producer/Director: Clin Eastwood

Bilbo: Clint Eastwood

Gandalf: Morgan Freeman

Smaug: Gene Hackman

At the end of the movie, Bilbo kills everybody, including the dwarfs, the elves, the Goblin-King (played by Scott Glenn), Smaug and Gandalf; he recovers the mountain-treasure and opens a fast-food restaurant in a highway that has just been built in The Shire.

[Justin 2]

Option d)

Written and Directed by Brian De Palma

Bilbo: Josh Hartnett

Gandalf: Rebecca Romijn

Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto

Bilbo meets Gandalf a down on her luck stripper who erotically teases him with here sensuous body only to frame him for the murder of seven people. She abandons him and he spends 7 years in prison. He breaks out and finds here in the dwarven porno industry where he finally seeks revenge on her. Lots of gore and sex. After he kills her, he's sent to a mental institution where he lives out the rest of his days having terrible nightmares.

Option e)

Written and Directed by George Lucas.

It sucks.

Justin

[MrScratch 294]

I am quite curious to see another filmaker´s take on LOTR, which I´m sure won´t just be anybody.

A new director will not be given the kind of creative freedom that Jackson had. Think David Fincher and Alien 3.

New Line are a bunch of fools for not working things out with PJ. You can't ask for more successful films than what PJ delivered. Settle the lawsuit, throw a little money at him and let PJ make a couple more cashcow movies for you. I mean, really, the LOTR movies are going to continue to sell for decades. They were such a hit, that sequels and prequels will be successful no matter what, which is why New Line will keep reins on any new filmmaker brought in. The films won't be personal projects to anyone involved, they will only try to mimic the success of LOTR, nothing more.

There is still time to get PJ back on the project, but I highly doubt it. Fan demand won't be enough, given the global success of the trilogy. I would like to see Howard Shore do the music, however. Given what happened on King Kong would Shore stay loyal to Jackson and not score the film(s) if offered the project.

Jeff

[Quintus 5,399]

Jacko is Michael Freak Jackson,  

somebody needs to get a clue

I call him Jacko for the same reason I call my friend Jacko. If your surname is Jackson, then scousers (like me) tend to call the person "Jacko". Stop whinging about something which isn't important.

[Marian Schedenig 8,193]

Option B)

Producer/Director: Woody Allen

Bilbo: Scarlett Johanson (a feminized version of "The Hobbit")

Smaug: Woody Allen

The action would take place in modern New York City; the Tolkienesque character of the Dragon would be transformed into a Doctor in Psychiatry, and so, the dialog between Frodo and Smaug, when the former creeps down the tunnel, would take place at the psychiatrist's; the dwarfs from the book would be turned into Scarletts's former family-in-law (she is a widow), all of which are typical freakies from modern life (including some John Williams-fans).

I'd actually like to see that.

[Ollie 1,059]

Option c)

Producer/Director: Clin Eastwood

Bilbo: Clint Eastwood

Gandalf: Morgan Freeman

Smaug: Gene Hackman

At the end of the movie, Bilbo kills everybody, including the dwarfs, the elves, the Goblin-King (played by Scott Glenn), Smaug and Gandalf; he recovers the mountain-treasure and opens a fast-food restaurant in a highway that has just been built in The Shire.

LOL

[crocodile 8,013]

I think it would be interesting to have a new creative team. Sad thing to say, but to me LOTR is getting worse and worse with each viewing. Not a classic it was meant to be, I'm afraid.

But it's still unfortunate that the main decisions made in the business are anything but art-related.

Karol

[Ollie 1,059]

And Michael Bay isn't the correct answer.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Or Roland Emmerich would be excellent, or perhaps Uwe Boll, or Paul W.S. Anderson, or even the renowned director of the critically acclaimed Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla Kensho Yamashita would do an excellent job.

[Ollie 1,059]

LOL You are insane!!!!!

[Jeshopk 8]

Spielberg as director

Robin Williams as Bilbo