So, THIS is now a thing... (Anime Lord of the Rings prequel)

[Jurassic Shark 12,236]

5 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

Ahem...

 

*clears throat*

 

Hardingfele!!!

https://www.instagram.com/stephengallaghermusic/p/C4_OEdcsRd3/

 

Fixed.

[Chen G. 4,032]

Okay, so what to make of this? Stephen is going back to New Zealand: https://www.instagram.com/stephengallaghermusic/p/C5HJVHLyeIb/

 

Now, when he left for London, Gallagher had only recored 80 minutes of music for a film of some 130 minutes. Now, there is the distinct option that that's all the music he wrote for the film, which is not impossible being that this is the first project of this scale for Gallagher. I'm less taken with it, because if this was a wrap, he'd probably say so. 

 

Another reason why I think its less likely, is this (clearly joking) comment from Stephen: "Unfortunately this trusty model’s high ‘A’ key is now not working (after many years of being thrown in a backpack or suitcase) so I guess this means the the rest of the score has to be in E-flat minor…"

 

Of course, there's the possibility that Stephen had recorded additional string and wind parts in London - he certainly recorded more crumhorn parts in London - which would amount to a more substantial length of score. But I feel like we'd know if he drafted another body of strings and woodwinds. He had been in London an awful long time, but from watching his posts its more that he wanted to make such a long trip worth his while, rather than necessarily being in the weeds recording: in fact, we know they went into mixing shortly after he arrived: his visit to Air Lyndhurst a few days back seems to have not entailed any recording being done there.

 

Another possibility is that the film is not entirely "locked" and so they're recording the score in a couple of separate sessions. This seems supported by this comment from producer Joseph Chou:

 

[JNHFan2000 2,981]

 

[Chen G. 4,032]

Thanks for sharing, but that's not new (although I suppose its nice to have a confirmation with the state New Line is in these days). Rohirrim had been delayed to the holidays a while back, due to the actor's strike.

[Edmilson 7,627]

Sony/Marvel movie Kraven the Hunter has now moved to December 13, 2024. It's the same date as War of the Rohirrim. So I think there might be a good chance that the LOTR movie will be moved to another date in the future.

 

https://www.cbr.com/sonys-kraven-the-hunter-movie-gets-delayed-yet-again/

 

[Chen G. 4,032]

Rohirrim does seem to be barging into a very crowded year, and whatever helps its chances at the box-office is fine by me. The crew certainly seem to make good use of the spare time, as we're told they're still animating at a point in which the film would have originally been out in theatres. But a part of me does want to see the film sooner rather than later, and missing the December date does lose a certain symbolic kinship with the live-action films.

[Edmilson 7,627]

I have the feeling that Rohirrim will move out to some point in 2025 - perhaps December of that year? But then again Christmas 2025 will have Avatar 3 and 2026 will (I think) have the Rey Star Wars movie.

 

In other words: if Rohirrim wants to be the "big fantasy movie" of the end of the year like all three LOTR and The Hobbit before it, this will have to be the year.

 

Of course, there's a good chance that Avatar and Rey may end up being postponed...

[Chen G. 4,032]

39 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

In other words: if Rohirrim wants to be the "big fantasy movie" of the end of the year like all three LOTR and The Hobbit before it, this will have to be the year.

 

 

I mean, it was originally a summer release, so they have no qualms about putting it there...

[Nick1Ø66 4,871]

1 hour ago, Chen G. said:

Rohirrim does seem to be barging into a very crowded year, and whatever helps its chances at the box-office is fine by me. The crew certainly seem to make good use of the spare time, as we're told they're still animating at a point in which the film would have originally been out in theatres. But a part of me does want to see the film sooner rather than later, and missing the December date does lose a certain symbolic kinship with the live-action films.

 

What's the budget on this film?

 

I think the box office tops out at 350 million worldwide. 

[Chen G. 4,032]

58 minutes ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

What's the budget on this film?

 

We don't know.

 

Philippa did say its a "big film" so there's that.

[Nick1Ø66 4,871]

3 hours ago, Chen G. said:

 

Philippa did say its a "big film" so there's that.

 

Wider, not taller.

[Chen G. 4,032]

It will be weird seeing a New Line Tolkien film that's roughly 130 minutes...

[Nick1Ø66 4,871]

Who you think the audience for this film is?

[Chen G. 4,032]

1 minute ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

Who you think the audience for this film is?

 

You know, I'm not sure. Accounts from Annecy, and official descriptions of it as being "bloodsoaked", all seem to suggest a pretty graphic anime. I need to see something more substantial to really get any semblence of a feel for the thing, but for the moment I'm inclined to think of it an intermezzo "between" the live-action entries.

[Nick1Ø66 4,871]

I’ll say pretty much the same thing I said when ROP was announced…I'm not sure who the audience for this is.

 

In my judgement, as much as I love all his books, the ability to expand the rest of Tolkien's legendarium in film and television, beyond the novels (i.e. The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings), has been greatly overestimated in terms of audience appeal. I think people love the Jackson films, and there's a lot of nostalgia for LOTR in particular. But do I think there's big hunger among the average viewer to see more Middle-Earth on screen? I'm not sure about that. The last one was ten years ago. And twenty for ROTK.

 

I do think it has the Jackson connection going for it. Going against is the generally poor reception to ROP (which the general public will confuse it with), and, frankly, being animated is going to limit the audience.  The fact that it's being released during a crowded movie season isn't going to help. And again, I'm not sure the hunger is there for more Tolkien "content" that the studios seem to think. Look what happened to the Wizarding World.

 

If it's really good, has strong word of mouth and decent legs, I can see it hitting 350 million worldwide (which will be OK if the budget is no more than 100-120 mil). But even under the best of circumstances, I think that's about the ceiling. 
 

 

 

[Schilkeman 1,011]

I think I'd be a little more interested if Kenji Kamiyama was doing the whole thing, having loved both Ghost in the Shell: SAC and Eden of the East. There's a nepo baby quality to this production that needs to prove itself, I think.

[Chen G. 4,032]

11 hours ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

I do think it has the Jackson connection going for it. Going against is the generally poor reception to ROP

 

I think so, too. And not because the Jackson interpertation is more "valid" than any other, but at least this film will stake itself to the Jackson interpertation, not to some confusing, muddled, frankensteined middle ground as Rings of Power did (and, in spite of the move from New Zealand, seems to still do in its second season).

 

I'm not getting my hopes up too high for the film, but its a story that I think is worthwhile. That's enough for me to go on for now. It also doesn't seem to cast its net too wide, in a vain attempt to give audiences the Full Middle-Earth Experience^TM with Hobbits, Dwarves and the whole enchilada.

[Nick1Ø66 4,871]

 

10 hours ago, Schilkeman said:

There's a nepo baby quality to this production that needs to prove itself, I think.

 

Indeed.

 

[Chen G. 4,032]

Oh, I forgot!

 

https://www.instagram.com/stephengallaghermusic/p/C6SM-AGypB3/?img_index=2

 

More London recordings circa June.

[Nick1Ø66 4,871]

Why isn't Shore scoring this? 

[Faleel 5,447]

10 minutes ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

Why isn't Shore scoring this? 

If the absence of Shore means the presence of Shawm's and Krumhorns, I'm fine with his absence.

[Chen G. 4,032]

14 minutes ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

Why isn't Shore scoring this? 

 

Sounds like a Doug and Jim question!

[Nick1Ø66 4,871]

I wonder what happened to him. Shore hasn't done much since The Hobbit.

[Faleel 5,447]

1 hour ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

I wonder what happened to him. Shore hasn't done much since The Hobbit.

He's had several scores since then.

 

Song of Names

Pale Blue Eye

Pieces of a Woman

Denial

Crimes of the Future

Funny Boy

The Catcher Was a Spy

[Chen G. 4,032]

And a couple of significant concert works, from memory. And he did The Rings of Power Main Titles, which I quite like.

 

I'm happy that he's being "inherited" by somebody who worked on his OG scores in the guise of Gallagher, and that Gallagher seems to keep tabs with his orchestrations, cf. the Hardingfele.

[Stark 339]

1 hour ago, Nick1Ø66 said:

I wonder what happened to him. Shore hasn't done much since The Hobbit.

He’s… old.

[Nick1Ø66 4,871]

1 hour ago, Faleel said:

He's had several scores since then.

 

Song of Names

Pale Blue Eye

Pieces of a Woman

Denial

Crimes of the Future

Funny Boy

The Catcher Was a Spy

 

1 hour ago, Chen G. said:

And a couple of significant concert works, from memory.

 

Well that's what I get for missing Howard Shore fan club ("Shories") meetings.  

[Schilkeman 1,011]

11 hours ago, Stark said:

He’s… old

Yeah, I think we get a little spoiled by ol' J dubs. Most people don't work into their 90s. That said. Shore seems to be keeping busy, if the film interests him.

[Chen G. 4,032]

FYI, they're recording again in New Zealand.