The Hobbit Trilogy Discussion Thread

[Darkhawk9587]

Originally Posted by sfmarine

I completely agree..something needs to be done about it so these films can be made for the fans.

Not only these films but others as well (like Bond 23!). I really want to see a Hobbit film.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by sfmarine

I completely agree..something needs to be done about it so these films can be made for the fans.

They don't care about the fans or there wouldn't be so many roadblocks on the way to getting these done.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

Agree... there are actual, measurable financial damages being done to the parties involved, because of incompetent management of the property by MGM. Every day that "pre-production" continues without a greenlight, money is spent and largely wasted. I think MGM needs to have a fire lit under them by being confronted with the very real potential of being held liable for the runaway cost of holding up production.

The MGM "creditors and financial stakeholders" should have had the s**t sued out of them long ago.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by radagast

The MGM "creditors and financial stakeholders" should have had the s**t sued out of them long ago.

I wonder if a report has been presented to the creditors assessing the damage they have done to the value of their own MGM property during this "negotiation"... they are not helping themselves, they are literally burning their own money.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

I wonder if a report has been presented to the creditors assessing the damage they have done to the value of their own MGM property during this "negotiation"... they are not helping themselves, they are literally burning their own money.

I'm only burning my half. *makes Joker face, then calls in the dogs to eat mjbethancourt*
Hollywood wouldn't be Hollywood if executives weren't burning through money like a sumo through toilet paper.

[Duffy12]

Lions Gate Said to Woo MGM Studio Creditors; Seeks Terms Icahn Would Back

Jul 14, 2010

Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., the independent film and TV producer, has approached creditors of ailing Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. to help shape a plan to acquire the studio, two people with knowledge of the situation said.

Lions Gate Vice Chairman Michael Burns has been meeting in New York with investors who hold some of MGM’s $3.7 billion debt, according to the people, who requested anonymity because the discussions are private.

Any agreement to buy Los Angeles-based MGM, which won another loan reprieve from creditors today, would have to be approved by Carl Icahn, Lions Gate’s largest shareholder. He took a 10-day break from efforts to gain control of Vancouver- based Lions Gate’s board so the company could make a case for certain acquisitions. That standstill agreement expires on July 19. Debt-hobbled MGM is co-owner of the James Bond franchise.

Icahn, 74, who holds almost 38 percent of Lions Gate shares, isn’t a party to the talks, one person with knowledge of Burns’s efforts said yesterday. The billionaire investor threatened a proxy fight to elect his own board at Lions Gate, distributor of the “Saw” movies, after failing to gain a majority of the stock with a $7-a-share takeover bid.

Icahn, who said in March he opposes the purchase of film libraries such as MGM’s, couldn’t be reached. Burns didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Michael Utley, spokesman for Houlihan Lokey, the investment bank advising MGM’s creditor committee, declined to comment, as did Susie Arons, an outside spokeswoman for MGM.

The creditors, who formed a committee that represents MGM’s 100 or so debt holders, haven’t agreed on a unified position, the people said.

Balance Sheet

The creditors’ lack of unity underscores the difficulty Burns faces as he tries to craft a deal that will satisfy MGM’s debt holders and Icahn, who has said he won’t approve a large equity-for-debt swap that dilutes his holdings.

Peter Wilkes, a Lions Gate spokesman, said on July 9 the studio “wouldn’t do a highly leveraged deal that added significant debt to our balance sheet.”

Lions Gate said in February that it hired Morgan Stanley as its financial adviser after receiving a tender offer from Icahn.

Shares of the company, also producer of the Emmy winning “Mad Men” TV series, gained 8 cents to $6.61 at 4:03 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Lions Gate, run from Santa Monica, California, has gained 14 percent this year.

MGM was put up for sale last year after falling behind on its debts. Creditors have granted the studio several waivers on its payments. The studio’s newest forbearance agreement, which was announced in a statement today, expires on Sept. 15, almost one year after the first reprieve was announced.

The studio was taken private for $5 billion in 2005 by buyers including Providence Equity Partners.


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[TheWildWhelk]

Word has it that Sylvester McCoy has secured the 2nd biggest role in The Hobbit. Any ideas, as my first thought would have been Thorin, but McCoy wouldn't suit that role. Anyone?

[Darkhawk9587]

Good, I'm glad some studio is finally stepping in to help with the debt problem and aquire the studio.

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by SonOfTorah

Word has it that Sylvester McCoy has secured the 2nd biggest role in The Hobbit. Any ideas, as my first thought would have been Thorin, but McCoy wouldn't suit that role. Anyone?

Either Bilbo,Thorin or Gandalf.Maybe Balin. . . .

[TheWildWhelk]

The biggest role in the film? Bilbo Baggins. Second biggest? Thorin Oakenshield, something more suited to the talented Mr Brian Blessed. Balin comes in a close fourth, as Gandalf is a strong supporting character. Would the fans be 'happy' with an older Bilbo Baggins though, if that was indeed the role he has aquired? The reason i mention is that by having a more mature actor, it changes the story from a 'Coming Of Age' tale (which it never was) to borderline-retiree thrown into adventure tale. That's my take on it.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by SonOfTorah

Word has it that Sylvester McCoy has secured the 2nd biggest role in The Hobbit. Any ideas, as my first thought would have been Thorin, but McCoy wouldn't suit that role. Anyone?

Really? Interesting...Would like to see how this turns out. But don't hold your breath, because with MGM's financial woes who knows when we'll get the movie

[gunner89]

hmm, they aren't thinking of using Sylvestor for Bilbo are they? Possibly Thorin?

[Grand Bob]

One of the things that bothers me about this is that the making of "The Hobbit" should be a joy in all aspects of production. Compared to a lot of movies, the subject matter is light, non-dismal, and non-philosophical; the cast, crew, and production team should have a blast making it; and following on the heels of "Lord of the Rings", it is practically guaranteed to be a worry-free, box-office smash. It sounds as though the worst is being made of this situation.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by gunner89

hmm, they aren't thinking of using Sylvestor for Bilbo are they? Possibly Thorin?

Second biggest wouldn't be Bilbo. Thorin Oakenshield would be second biggest.

[Darkhawk9587]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

One of the things that bothers me about this is that the making of "The Hobbit" should be a joy in all aspects of production. Compared to a lot of movies, the subject matter is light, non-dismal, and non-philosophical; the cast, crew, and production team should have a blast making it; and following on the heels of "Lord of the Rings", it is practically guaranteed to be a worry-free, box-office smash. It sounds as though the worst is being made of this situation.

That sounds awful. Almost like they're not worried about the film just because of LotR's success. That's when things can really go wrong.

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by SonOfTorah

The biggest role in the film? Bilbo Baggins. Second biggest? Thorin Oakenshield, something more suited to the talented Mr Brian Blessed. Balin comes in a close fourth, as Gandalf is a strong supporting character. Would the fans be 'happy' with an older Bilbo Baggins though, if that was indeed the role he has aquired? The reason i mention is that by having a more mature actor, it changes the story from a 'Coming Of Age' tale (which it never was) to borderline-retiree thrown into adventure tale. That's my take on it.

Yes! I'm not the only one! I've been saying that since 2001: Brian Blessed would be the perfect Thorin! Brian Cox would be a strong second choice.

Funny, from my reading of 'The Hobbit', I take it as both a "coming of age" tale and a "midlife restlessness" tale. Bilbo grows up on his journey too much to flatly say it was never a coming of age story. Some people just grow up later in life than others do, especially a wealthy, leisured bachelor like Bilbo.

[Galactus]

I haven't participated in this thread much or at all for that matter but is this gonna be a new trilogy?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Blu Blood

I haven't participated in this thread much or at all for that matter but is this gonna be a new trilogy?

Right now it'll be lucky if it gets out of production purgatory but the current plans are for only 2 films of the Hobbit.

[radagast]

bump.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by radagast

bump.

Come on dude with the number of people with their ear to the ground about this movie, you know if there were any real news recently, it would've already been posted.