The Hobbit (film series)

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"What news from the North, Riders of Rohan?" — Aragorn
This article is about a current event; it is subject to frequent revision as more information becomes available.
The name The Hobbit refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see The Hobbit (disambiguation).

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey[1] and The Hobbit: There and Back Again[1] are two upcoming live action films based upon J.R.R. Tolkien's novel of the same name. They are conceived as prequels to The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy with which they will form one "continuous journey".[3] The film will be distributed by MGM and New Line Cinema. Peter Jackson will serve as executive producer, co-writer and director for the two movies. Filming began on March 21, 2011.[4]

Plot

The Hobbit films are set to be released in December 2012 and 2013, they will cover the events in The Hobbit, and possibly Gandalf's visits to Dol Guldur. The main plot however will be of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and Thorin and Company as they set forth to the Lonely Mountain.

"Film Two"

Film Two has been recently revealed in an interview with Del Toro and Jackson, to be a continuation of The Hobbit. The interview which was included in Empire magazines 20th Birthday Special, expressed how the pair believed it would be better not to cram The Hobbit into one movie, but span it over two.

"We've decided to have The Hobbit span the two movies, including the White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur"
Guillermo Del Toro[5]

This interview goes with what Jackson and Del Toro said in a web chat with fans, when it was said that the story could take place during the events of the Hobbit; because of the fact that Gandalf continually disappears in the book. Jackson said "Those gaps are great! There's a lot of stuff going on, which is distracting him".[6]

Issues concerning production

Directorship

The Hobbit as a movie has been anticipated by many fans since the release of The Lord of the Rings. Even before the pre-production began there had been and are still issues which could delay the production of Guillermo del Toro's The Hobbit. In early 2005 it came to the public attention that Peter Jackson was suing New Line Cinema.[7] This cast doubt on whether or not The Hobbit would ever be made. Jackson later told fans that, due to the dispute, he would neither direct nor produce the film.[7] In late 2007 it was confirmed that Jackson would not direct, but would be an executive producer for two Hobbit movies.[8] It was later announced that Guillermo del Toro would direct the films, and that Jackson will be an active 'executive producer' with the possibility that he would help direct some scenes if necessary.[6]

However, on 30 May 2010 it was revealed that del Toro could no longer commit himself to direct The Hobbit films, citing the continued delays in production in his reasoning. [9] Peter Jackson later announced that he would direct both films. [10]

Christopher Tolkien's lawsuit with Newline Cinema

In May 2008 it was reported that Christopher Tolkien would ask "for 'one last crusade' against the film's producers in his long-running legal battle over money owed for the Lord Of The Rings movies."[11] On June 6, 2008, it was scheduled for him to go before a Californian judge to ask to "terminate" film rights to The Hobbit. However the dispute was later settled on 8 September 2009.[12]

Industrial dispute in New Zealand

In September 2010, the production of The Hobbit films was again delayed when the International Federation of Actors issued the following order to all members of its associated unions:

"Resolved, that the International Federation of Actors urges each of its affiliates to adopt instructions to their members that no member of any FIA affiliate will agree to act in the theatrical film The Hobbit until such time as the producer has entered into a collective bargaining agreement with the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance for production in New Zeal]and providing for satisfactory terms and conditions for all performers employed on the productions."
― International Federation of Actors [13]

This meant that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema considered moving the production elsewhere, possibly to eastern Europe.[14] However, following talks with the New Zealand government, Warner Bros. decided to proceed as planned to film The Hobbit in New Zealand as originally planned. The New Zealand government subsequently passed legislation to amend their labour laws to ensure that production stayed in the country.[15]

Plot details

Special effects

Weta will continue their role in handling the special effects. Del Toro has stated he wishes to focus more on animatronics for the films.

"The only thing I will be pushing for more in these films that the other three are full animatronics and animatronic creatures enhanced with CGI, as opposed to CGI creatures themselves. We really want to take the state-of-the-art animatronics and take a leap ten years into the future with the technology we will develop for the creatures in the movie. We have every intention to do for animatronics and special effects what the other films did for virtual reality."
― Guillermo del Toro [16]

The film will be released in both 2D and 3D.[17]

Possible rating

In an interview with the BBC Del Toro has commented on the level of horror and violence in the The Hobbit, being, like Jackson, a director with a background in that genre.

"The intensity of the scenes of the Hobbit will have the intensity they had in the book when I was a kid reading them.

The spiders of Mirkwood are a pretty harrowing experience and facing the great goblin in the caves is quite a thrilling moment. The Battle of the Five Armies, the first encounter with Gollum - there are scary moments in the book.

But they are already there. We are not inventing or trying to do horror for horror's sake we are trying to imbue those moments of intensity in the book into the movie.
"
― Del Toro [18]

People involved

Confirmed Cast

File:Hobbit Cast.jpg
'Bilbo' and the 'thirteen dwarves'.
Actor Role
Martin Freeman Bilbo Baggins[22]
Richard Armitage Thorin[22]
Aidan Turner Kili[22]
Graham McTavish Dwalin[22]
John Callen Oin[22]
Stephen Hunter Bombur[22]
Mark Hadlow Dori[22]
Peter Hambleton Gloin[22]
Sylvester McCoy Radagast the Brown[23]
James Nesbitt Bofur[24]
Adam Brown Ori [24]
Cate Blanchett Galadriel[25]
Ken Stott Balin[25]
Mikael Persbrandt Beorn[25]
Ryan Gage Drogo Baggins[25] and/or Alfrid[26]
Jed Brophy Nori[25]
William Kircher Bifur[25]
Elijah Wood Frodo Baggins[27]
Andy Serkis Gollum[27]
Ian McKellen Gandalf[28]
Christopher Lee Saruman[29]
Jeffrey Thomas Thror[19]
Mike Mizrahi Thrain[19]
Bret McKenzie Lindir[30]
Ian Holm Older Bilbo Baggins.[31]
Lee Pace Thranduil[32]
Dean O'Gorman Fíli[32]
Hugo Weaving Elrond[33]
Stephen Fry The Master of Lake-town[26]
Conan Stevens Azog[26]
Orlando Bloom Legolas[34]

Unconfirmed/rumoured

  • Early reports indicated Lawrence Makoare was in talks to return,[35] but nothing has been heard of this since then.
  • Martin Freeman let slip that his co-star in Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch, was also in the production, but this has not been confirmed yet.[36]
  • Dominic Keating has auditioned for multiple roles, but has not heard anything since.[37]
  • Brian Blessed was expressed interest in a role.[38]
  • Shane Briant auditioned for the role of "Mayor".[39]
  • Bill Nighy was in talks for the voice of Smaug.[40]
  • Saoirse Ronan was in talks to play a new character called Itaril,[41] but she eventually declined as she did not want to spend one year on one project.[42]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Title and Release Dates Announced - The Hobbit Blog | The Hobbit Blog
  2. Guillermo Del Toro Says 'Hobbit' Writing Team Has Chemistry. MTV Movie News (7 October 2008). Accessed October 11, 2008.
  3. 'Hobbit' Movies Will be One 'Continuous Journey,' Promises Guillermo Del Toro. MTV Movies Blog (7 October 2008). Accessed October 11, 2008
  4. Hobbit filming to begin in March
  5. Chris Hewitt, "World Excl: Jackson/Del Toro Talk Hobbit", EmpireOnline.com, April 17, 2009
  6. 6.0 6.1 Transcript of An Unexpected Party
  7. 7.0 7.1 Director sues over Rings profits
  8. Jackson to produce Hobbit movies
  9. Guillermo Del Toro departs “The Hobbit”
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 OSCAR WINNER PETER JACKSON TO DIRECT “THE HOBBIT” IN TWO INSTALLMENTS, accessed October 24, 2010
  11. Tolkien's son plans to stop 'The Hobbit'
  12. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008242?refCatId=22
  13. FIA order to its members regarding the production of The Hobbit films.
  14. Peter Jackson Running Into Union Trouble on 'The Hobbit'
  15. Hobbit legislation passed in New Zealand
  16. Guillermo del Toro Chats with TORN About ‘The Hobbit’ Films!
  17. 'The Hobbit' pics to shoot in February, variety.com, accessed May 29, 2011
  18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/review/8084025.stm
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Production Begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit, Peter Jackson's Two Film Epic Adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's Timeless Classic, Theonering.net, accessed March 21, 2011
  20. http://newboards.theonering.net/forum/gforum/perl/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_threaded;post=212078;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;guest=9426799
  21. Gollum Actor Andy Serkis to Serve as Second Unit Director on 'The Hobbit' (Exclusive) - Hollywood Reporter
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 Peter Jackson sets first names for The Hobbit, Deadline.com, accessed October 22, 2010
  23. Kelly: 'Sorry, Jackson is not a brat', nzherald.co.nz, accessed October 24, 2010
  24. 24.0 24.1 BREAKING NEWS: James Nesbitt is Bofur & Adam Brown is Ori!, TheOnering.net, accessed November 2, 2010
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 25.5 TORN EXCLUSIVE: CATE BLANCHETT, KEN STOTT, SYLVESTER MCCOY, MIKAEL PERSBRANDT JOIN CAST OF PETER JACKSON'S "THE HOBBIT", TheOnering.net, accessed December 8, 2010
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 Peter Jackson, Casting News for THE HOBBIT, Facebook.com, accessed May 20, 2011
  27. 27.0 27.1 It's Really Official Now: Wood & Serkis Press Release, TheOnering.net, accessed January 12, 2011
  28. Ian McKellen as Gandalf in The Hobbit
  29. Sir Christopher Returns in The Hobbit
  30. Bret McKenzie Takes ‘Flight’ To ‘The Hobbit’; Shooting In 48 Frames-Per-Second, TheFilmStage, accessed April 5, 2011
  31. Peter Jackson, One comment that..., Facebook.com, accessed April 22, 2011
  32. 32.0 32.1 Peter Jackson, Casting News!, Facebook.com, accessed April 30, 2011
  33. Ian McKellen, THE HOBBIT, 2 Elves and another Wizard, McKellen.com, accessed May 10, 2011
  34. Peter Jackson, Ten years ago..., Facebook.com, accessed May 27, 2011
  35. Makoare (Lurtz) to meet with GDT, theonering.net, accessed May 29, 2011
  36. Breaking: Benedict Cumberbatch in The Hobbit?, theonering.net, accessed May 29, 2011
  37. Interview: Dominic Keating p. 3, LotsofInterviews, accessed May 28, 2011
  38. Brian Blessed in GDT’s Hobbit?, The One Ring, accessed May 28, 2011
  39. British Actor Shane Briant Auditioned For Role of “Mayor”, The One Ring, accessed May 28, 2011
  40. Hobbit Casting Avalanche – Our Bilbo, Loads Of Dwarves, A Possible Voice For Smaug, Bleeding Cool, May 28, 2011
  41. 'Hanna' Star Saoirse Ronan Isn't Confirmed For 'The Hobbit,' But She'd Love To Play An Elf , MTV, accessed May 28, 2011
  42. Saoirse Ronan's Hobbit holiday, BelfastTelegraph.co.uk, accessed May 29, 2011

External links