"The Hobbit" film now in development hell

[Stegura]

Christopher Lee may not reprise his role as Saruman

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.cinematical.com/media/2008/07/christopher_lee1.jpg


Christopher Lee attended the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival this week, and our friends from RushBlogg, Karsten and Eirik, were on hand to talk to him. Of all the attendees, Meinich was the only one who asked Lee about his involvement in The Hobbit. Lee's answer came as quite a surprise -- first, he's adamant that he won't be appearing in The Hobbit, because as we all know, Saruman isn't in the book. This comes as no surprise -- Lee is a Tolkien purist (thank goodness!) and he won't allow himself to be shoehorned in, even if Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro were interested in doing so.

But what about the much discussed second film, which would likely deal with the Council of Wizards? That's a location problem. Lee isn't interested in filming in New Zealand again because it is simply too far away, for too long of a time. You can hear the tiredness in his voice -- and perhaps a bit of regret too.

That doesn't mean Lee isn't interested in being in The Hobbit at all, however! He'll appear in the film as long as he can stay in London, and there's a character he's quite keen to play. Or rather, voice. Someone very large, with a penchant for gold...

http://www.cinematical.com/2008/07/13/christopher-lee-wont-return-to-middle-earth/

[Freomæg]

Good on the man. What an upstanding actor.

I remember - I think it was when I was watching through the extra features on the LOTR DVDs - Christopher Lee being the only one among the cast who had a serious fanaticism for the books prior to being involved with the films. He re-reads the books every year apparently.

[Eldritch]

It's understandable for a man who's pushing ninety to be reluctant to travel to the other side of globe.

I liked the LotR films, but Jackson's portrayal of the hobbits (discounting the monstrously unfair way they portrayed Gimli) was by far the most annoying aspect in them, so I ddon't really have high hopes for this one.

[Creeping Death]

He has to be pushing one hundred, I think any role should go to an active career actor, seeing Lee is retired he so desnt need the work.

[Beorn]

Christopher Lee has always been nothing short of a gentleman and an upstanding example to anyone, whether it be to aspiring actors, or the common person.
His example here should be registering with those who espouse being genuine LOTR fans and wish only to produce the film versions of the books.


Here's the interview with him.

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[Eldritch]

He has to be pushing one hundred, I think any role should go to an active career actor, seeing Lee is retired he so desnt need the work.

Well, he's not quite that old, he was born in 1922.

But you're right about him being a perfect gentleman. He is also extremely well-read.

[Baron Samedi]

Such a great actor, what a shame.

Here's to hoping he will voice Smaug!

[Brynhild]

Aww, he's one of my all-time favourite actors. :( Perfectly understandable given his age. I hope at least he's able to do Smaug.

[Stegura]

Christopher Lee has always been nothing short of a gentleman and an upstanding example to anyone, whether it be to aspiring actors, or the common person.
His example here should be registering with those who espouse being genuine LOTR fans and wish only to produce the film versions of the books.

Gods, I wish I had his voice. Just such power, wisdom, and compassion that he can produce with his voice.

BTW, Christopher Lee came very close to skipping the premiere of "The Return of the King". He was infuriated that he wasn't featured in the final film of the LOTR Trilogy!

I didn't expect to see the Scouring of the Shire in ROTK. The Theatrical edition was already close to 3 and a half hours long and the addition of that scene would've been anti-climatic. However, I was also mad to see the "Voice of Saruman" dropped from the Theatrical Version!

It was featured in the Extended Edition though. The power of Lee's voice is indeed amazing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JjFr6z5jGk

[Brynhild]

^ I was rather miffed myself at how Saruman's part wasn't written in the main feature, and even on the extended version it didn't end with Saruman coveting the Shire as he had in the book.

[Stegura]

Christopher Lee may not reps Saruman in the Hobbit Filmsrise his role a

I must have been drunk when I entered the title for this thread! :p

[Stegura]

Christopher Lee has mentioned that he would like to show how Saruman was corrupted by Sauron in the second Hobbit film.


“They lived for thousands of years and they were sent to the earth and they are virtually immortal. When it all started, Saruman was the noblest, the finest, the bravest, the most dependable and reliable of them all, he was number one. But somewhere, somehow, and it was never actually explained, he turns and it’s probably the Palantír (the wizard’s crystal ball thingy) that makes Saruman realise that if Sauron can do this, why can’t I do it and Saruman wants to become The Lord Of The Rings himself.”

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=22681

[Eldritch]

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100531/capt.c3e2d6c5aa0b48c99e58164843b3185c-c3e2d6c5aa0b48c99e58164843b3185c-0.jpg?x=400&y=273&q=85&sig=g9RMsoJA6JQyEjyxXNpS0w--
Guillermo del Toro

Director quits 'Hobbit' film over production delay

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Hollywood director Guillermo del Toro said Monday that production delays have forced him to quit the planned film version of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," a two-part prequel to New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson's blockbuster trilogy "Lord of the Rings."

"In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming The Hobbit, I am faced with the hardest decision of my life," del Toro told a "Lord of the Rings" fan website.

"After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien's Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures," he said, noting the film still hadn't been given the green light by MGM, the struggling Hollywood studio.

Matt Dravitzki, a spokesman for "Hobbit" producer and "Lord Of The Rings" director Jackson, said del Toro would not be speaking to reporters Monday.

The announcement by del Toro reflected Jackson and del Toro's "full sentiments at this time," he said.

Del Toro would continue to co-write the screenplays with Jackson and his wife, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens.

Jackson reached a deal in late 2007 to make two films of "The Hobbit." He is serving as joint executive producer with Walsh.

Last week, del Toro, who directed "Pan's Labyrinth," "Blade II" and the two "Hellboy" movies, told journalists the "Hobbit" films, which have been plagued by delays, still hadn't been given the go ahead.

"There cannot be any start dates until the MGM situation gets resolved," del Toro said. "They do hold a considerable portion of the rights."

Reports emerged late last year that MGM was teetering on bankruptcy and del Toro said those issues had caught the "Hobbit" films in a "tangled negotiation."

"We have designed all the creatures. We've designed the sets and the wardrobe. We have done animatics and planned battles sequences ... We are very, very prepared for when it is finally triggered," he said.

Jackson told http://www.TheOneRing.net: "We feel very sad to see Guillermo leave The Hobbit, but he has kept us fully in the loop and we understand how the protracted development time on these two films, due to reasons beyond anyone's control, has compromised his commitment to other long term projects.

"The bottom line is that Guillermo just didn't feel he could commit six years to living in New Zealand, exclusively making these films, when his original commitment was for three years. Guillermo is one of the most remarkable creative spirits I've ever encountered and it has been a complete joy working with him."

He would discuss options for a new director with MGM this week, Jackson told the website.

"We do not anticipate any delay or disruption to ongoing preproduction work," he said.

Last month, Jackson dismissed rumors that the "Hobbit" movies have been delayed by production problems, insisting the project was still in its early stages.

More: www.theonering.net

[mvbeleg]

Peter Jackson Reportedly Negotiating To Direct 'The Hobbit'
Guillermo del Toro stepped down as director just over three weeks ago.

By Eric Ditzian

In a stunning development in the long-delayed big-screen adaptation of "The Hobbit," just over three weeks after Guillermo del Toro abandoned directorial duties, Peter Jackson is reportedly negotiating to step into the director's chair for the two-part production.

Deadline.com reports that Jackson is in the midst of negotiations with Warner Bros., New Line and MGM. Jackson, of course, is intimately familiar with Middle-earth, having directed the three installments of the "Lord of the Rings" franchise and winning the Oscar for directing in 2003. He was already co-writing the "Hobbit" screenplays, based on the 1937 book by J.R.R. Tolkien, and shepherding development as a producer. And while rumors surfaced last week that Jackson was being courted to direct as well, that possibility seemed like wishful thinking for Tolkienites.

Both "Hobbit" films are said to be gearing up to shoot back-to-back in Jackson's native New Zealand. MGM has been waging a very public struggle with financial issues, and Deadline repots that the studio is being encouraged to "loosen the purse strings and make the movies happen."

Since del Toro left the production late last month, after two years of pre-production, directors like David Yates ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows") and Neill Blomkamp ("District 9") have been rumored to be circling the job. But Jackson and his creative team have reportedly scheduled trips to London and Los Angeles to meet with potential actors, lending further credence to the idea that Jackson will, in fact, take on "Hobbit" directing duties.

MTV News' requests for comment from Jackson's representative and MGM were not returned as of press time.

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1642416/20100625/story.jhtml

[Eldritch]

I for one took it for granted that Jackson would do The Hobbit as well, as soon as he was annouced as the director of LotR.

[Cato]

Too much expectation maybe, especially after the Jackson trilogy?

[Cato]

Too much expectation maybe, especially after the Jackson trilogy?

Jackson was only the producer, which is more hands-off than hands-on. My belief is that it's just a film that's goot to much expected of it.

[Norse Sword]

It was about money. No director wants to be responsible for directing a flop after the LOTR made Billions. The pressure must be Immense. But after Hollywood Execs at NLC tried to screw Jackson out of millions of Dollars, they are now in a Vice, Without Jackson Involved, the films are destined not to repeat the financial success.

I hope such actions in the future allow Independent Filmmakers to create such
Epic Independence from the Monopoly In Jollywood. I personally am sick of Constant Race Mixing Story lines and Inbred Heroes.

[mvbeleg]

Since the news broke this weekend of actor unions putting pressure on the producers of “The Hobbit” regarding wages and working conditions of non-union actors, hundreds of stories, and re-hashes of stories, have hit the internet. It’s enough to boggle the mind! So, we thought we’d provide a recap of what’s happened so far, complete with a number of useful links. Bear in mind that the ‘facts’ presented in one story may conflict with the ‘facts’ presented in other stories. Our goal here is not to take sides, to separate the fact from the fiction, nor to link to 100% of the related articles. Rather, our goal is to give our readers some basic resources as a starting point for their own research. Keep checking TheOneRing.net for the most recent updates!

For more details see the following link:

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/09/28/38825-recap-of-recent-hobbit-developments/


In particular, note that Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellan, and Hugo Weaving are proponents of a The Hobbit boycott, while Peter Jackson has suggested that filming The Hobbit in Eastern Europe is a possibility.

[Murphy]

I hope the project doesn't come to fruition. Tolkien's world has been raped enough.

[Wyn]

^ Agreed. I was barely awake through the last one.

[mvbeleg]

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[Don Brick]

So, Osweo, how´s the work coming along? :D C´mon! Give us some inside scoops!

[mvbeleg]

Official The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Trailer # 1 now available.

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It looks like it will be in 3D.

[GeistFaust]

I can't wait to see it come out, I liked the book although it was a bit more childish then the Lord of the Rings triology, but this made it a perfect original sketch.

[Saruman]

:D
rCh_xuI10B8

[Norse Sword]

Cate Blanchett is the best Galadriel I could have ever imagined.

I just hope they don't bow to politically correct bullshit and deviate too much from the books, that really destroys the mood of the movies.

[Pallantides]

http://www-images.theonering.org/torwp/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/thorin-richardarmitage.jpg
Thorin needs more beard like a proper Dwarf. now he just looks like a short Gondorian, in the book he is described as having a long beard.

[Scrapple]

I can't wait to see it come out, I liked the book although it was a bit more childish then the Lord of the Rings triology, but this made it a perfect original sketch.

Don't dismiss childish. A good story is a good story.

[Beorn]

I still chuckle this "actor" (http://www.theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18996) was thrown off the set.

[Pallantides]

Hmm so far Gloin is the only Dwarf I like in the new Hobbit movie, the other really don't look "dwarven" enough, Dwalin don't even have is iconic beard tucked under his belt. :mad:




Proper Dwarf(Gloin)
http://www-images.theonering.org/torwp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/gloin-peterhambleton.jpg

That's no Dwarf(Kili)
http://www-images.theonering.org/torwp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/kili-aidanturner.jpg

[Norse Sword]

That's no Dwarf(Kili)
http://www-images.theonering.org/torwp/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/kili-aidanturner.jpg

That is because Kili and Fili were young for dwarves in Tolkien's works. They may not grow full beards yet.

Not all the dwarf families in Tolkien's works had very long beards.

http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Dwarves

While there were several tribes (Houses) of the Dwarves, the most prominent had been that of the Longbeards.

[Pallantides]

They have no excuse for Thorin's lack of beard though.

[Pohjatuuli]

:D
rCh_xuI10B8

That's great! Sir Christopher Lee has been one of my favourite actors ever since I saw Hammer's Dracula films as a kid, and he did a pretty good job portraying Saruman in the LOTR trilogy.

By the way, there's one interesting fact about Christopher Lee that not so many people seem to know: he actually volunteered to fight for the Finnish forces against the Reds during the Winter War, but in Finland he (along with other British volunteers) was kept away from the actual frontlines. They did give him winter gear though, and he also served on guard duties. Yes, he is really that old, but still as awesome as ever! :thumb001: