I'm not 100% certain but I may have sold/sell that on dvd at work during the past six months.
I'm pretty sure we recently had either that or The Lord of The Rings in stock.

You've never seen that one? It's one of the better-known works produced by the duo of Arthur Rankin, Jr., and Jules Bass. Good voice casting, and some nice songs.

They also produced the animated version of The Return of the King, whereas Ralph Bakshi was responsible for the animated The Lord of the Rings film.

They've made the entire film! Thorin's played by a girl! Gandalf speaks with a Ian McKellan voice and then says stuff like "but anyway" really normally! They use the same overly dramatic music for having dinner at Bilbo's house as they do for the battles! They just take themselves so seriously. It's like someone has filmed a bunch of live roleplayers...Which I suppose they have.

This is an additional scene in which Thorin and Gandalf discuss taking Bilbo before the begining of the book. Surely The Hobbit doesn't need additional scenes?

What's wrong with that?

*Tucks in elven ears*

McKellen keen to be Gandalf again.

If the rumour mill is to be believed, and contrary to the BBC's report above, it also looks Jackson may be back in the frame for directing this.

Im glad he is, I loved him as Gandalf and I still think he would be good as Dumbledore.

It does look like things are moving ever so slowly towards a positive resolution. From what I've read it seems like things are thawing out and it is looking better than it all did a year ago. Will probably still be three years until they actually start making it, though.

The main chap at New Line seems to have backed down from his "It will be a cold day in hell before I work with Jackson again" type comment.

I saw something recently where even he was making positive noises.

It seems to be the work of his co-head of New Line that has led to more cordial relations. I can imagine there was much ''You want to throw away a billion dollar franchise over a squabble! How fucking dumb are you?'' between them in the immediate aftermath.

Possibly, but I seem to remember one of the bods from Universal, who have equal rights on the film, making a "it's not set in stone yet" type comment at the time, so I wonder if New Line came under pressure from them.

Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema join with MGM to produce 'The Hobbit'.

Note that Peter Jackson is lined up as the executive producer, not the director.

I'm not sure what this means:



What is this sequel of which they speak? Or are they going to cut the book into two films?

I'm not sure about this, but I think they are either cutting the Hobbit in two, and adding in additional material from some of Tolkien's other works, or the Hobbit will be the first film with some of Tolkien's other stories making up the second film.

This was outlined quite a while back, but I can't find any links to it on the Beebs news site anymore.

I'm fairly sure there was talk last year about if the films were to be cut in two, then some of his other work would creep into it, mostly from Unfinished Tales. Yeah, I don't think I like the look of PJ and FW executive producing, but Sloan, the guy at MGM, said that it was still possible he would direct either film, or both. They'll have a year to work all that out I'd imagine, and I'm sure PJ would try and free himself up as much as possible for The Hobbit, especially if they're shooting in New Zealand.

I hope PJ directs. If it ends up having a feel to it that is different from the Rings films, it really won't wash with me.

I won't get myself excited about this yet.

I think that they should do all of the Hobbit and then the last forty minutes of the second film should be a short entitled "What the scourging of the Shire would have been like if the theatrical release of Return of the King hadn't left you bursting for a pee."

I think Jackson being involved as a producer is a good thing in itself since, even if he doesn't get the chance to direct, it will guarantee the participation of WETA and all the wonderfully talented people who made the trilogy so technically stunning and, assuming he doesn't get too bogged down with Tintin and his other production duties, he should also be able to be fairly heavily involved on the creative side as well. Of course, him being the director would ensure a more solid connection with the other films but at least having him onboard is a better prospect than not at all.

Fuck Tintin.

Seconded, PJ needs to get his priorities sorted... sincehe got all skinny he has just been lost to us... look at King Kong.

If WETA are involved and put half the effort into it as they did with Rings, it will be all kinds of awesome. Chris and I just recently watchedall the special features on the extended DVDS (about the 100th time for me) and man, they worked hard.

Ok maybe I am a bit excited

So you've just dissed PJ for Kong, but you expect the Hobbit to be awesome because WETA are involved.

Who was it that did the effects on Kong again?!

And they looked damn good. Kong did at least. In fact I only really remember Kong.

I dissed King Kong as a film... it was a disappointment to say the least, I did not diss the effects in King Kong done by WETA

Article about the current situation, a little of what the second film will be about and the chances of Jackson directing

So the first film is the Hobbit, and the second is Jackson and Co's stab at what happened between that and Fellowship . . .

I know Tolkien wrote a lot of material that could be used in a bridging film, but is any of it strong enough to carry film in its own right?

What are they going to put in? Gollum being held in Mirkwood? Aragorn living in Gondor? Actually, I could see that plot line working as the backbone for the film . . . (but thinking about it, wasn't that before the Hobbit?).

Everybody's favourite Hobbits partake of a little too much Shireweed and venture off on some crazy adventure to Minas Tirith in Frodo and Sam go to The White City?

Or Gollum in Dude, Where's My Precious?

Inaccuracies ahoy!

Elijah Wood keen on 'Hobbit' role.

Hobbit II: The Shire Strikes Back?

The Shire Strikes Back To The Future?
Elijah Wood ventures back in time to replace untrustworthy Uncle Bilbo on magical journey.

It's topical, so why the hell not?

Everyone loves that song!

...but is betrayed by Lando, son of Lloin. He had no choice, Smaug arrived just before they did.

Genius.

The hobbit eared women in that are more attractive than they should be.

You are a tweaked one sir . . .

That really made me laugh.

Guillermo del Toro rumoured to be in talks to direct Hobbit films

Could be great news, could lead to absolutely nothing since, as the article points out, he's a busy, busy boy at the moment.

Still, the possibilities...

Yay! I was rather proud of that one.



Ooooh, hintyresting.....

All seems pretty much confirmed judging by this.

English translation:
"Today it is our great pleasure to announce something everyone was hoping for, Guillermo del Toro will direct ‘The Hobbit’"

(around the 40 second mark)

Hhmmm. I dunno. Pan's Labyrinth was beautifully shot, but PJ put so much of himself into the LOTR movies whilst still staying faithful to Tolkein, that I'm rather doubtful about anyone else taking the helm for these new films. I say this as a seriously obsessed fan of the LOTR trilogy.

Feel the (Hobbit) love.
dolfyn.

This will be interesting and I like Del Toro... I just hope it doesn't loose the all of the 'PJ feel' because it wouldn't fit. If they are doing this I can't help but want the new films to fit comfortably alongside the LOTR trilogy.

I am also so obsessed with the LOTR trilogy, it is unhealthy. But hey, if not PJ, then at least they have made what I'd think is the right choice from the list of other directors.

Del Toro may well have it in him. I was initially quite sceptical of Jackson, at the outset -- I mean, Braindead, Bad Taste, The Frighteners? -- but he pulled it off well.

As long as Del Toro's got Doug Jones along for the ride, it'll be fine. He's good at putting the visuals in service of the story, which is what's needed in the digital age.

This is true, I loved Jacksons oldworkway beforeRings ever came about,but when I heard my reaction was 'What, the Braindead guy?'

I will be first in line at the cinema regardless.

I had a very similar reaction... "What that geezer who did Bad Taste?"

Bilbo ends up encased in Mithralite...

Either that or Smaug is Bilbo's father.

I think Del Toro's background in fantasy films will serve him well. the sheer amount of detail and research he put into Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth suggests that he will be able to create a really interesting vision. He's also no stranger to big budget films so he should be able to take it in his stride.

Nailed it.

*nod* It's an exciting prospect, to be sure. (Much as I adore LOTR, I think it might be kind of refreshing to see this through an eye that is not strictly PJ's. Keeps things interesting.)

I suppose, though, that this means Del Toro's adaptation of "In the Mountains of Madness" is on the back burner again.

Seems that way; if they want to start shooting next year they'll have to start writing, designing and all the other pre-production stuff at some point in the next few months. It also looks like the intriguing ghost story 3993 won't get made for a few more years either, unless he lets someone else direct it and he just produces.

His what? I didn't even know about this! Fucking Dungeons & Dragons people getting all up in H.P.Lovecraft's shit again.

Are you saying it's a bad idea or a good idea?