The Hobbit Trilogy Discussion Thread

[GreenScar]

In the wake of yesterday’s news that Guillermo del Toro has walked away from directing the two Hobbit films for MGM and Warner Bros., the big question is ‘who will do the job now?’

The first name that comes up is Peter Jackson — after he essentially revitalized big-budget fantasy with the Lord of the Rings films, Jackson seems like the only real choice to direct the story that leads into that saga. And he sounds like he would, if that’s what it takes, but doesn’t think he’ll be able to, thanks to contracts for other films.

Speaking to The Dominion Post in New Zealand, Jackson says,

That’s not the most encouraging statement, for two reasons. One is that his contracts could prevent him from directing The Hobbit; the other is that he doesn’t sound terribly interested in making the films. Do you really want Jackson directing if he’s doing it primarily to protect studio investments? (The extension of which, of course, is that he’s protecting his own investment. But still.) The answer might still be ‘yes,’ especially depending on what other names get thrown out as possible directors.

Jackson’s statement echoes what his manager, Ken Kamins, said yesterday:

The primary other commitment is Tintin, which Jackson is making with Steven Spielberg. The principal mo-cap photography has long been finished for the first film, and Jackson will have to move forward on Tintin 2, which he’ll direct, starting in 2011.

Jackson doesn’t know when the film will be able to move forward. “I just don’t know now until we get a new director. The key thing is that we don’t intend to shut the project down…We don’t intend to let this affect the progress. Everybody, including the studio, wants to see things carry on as per normal. The idea is to make it as smooth a transition as we can.”

[CRMA]

I have a feeling that Peter Jackson will step up a take the reigns. Not a big del torro fan.

[WyldeMan45]

Above all the rumored Del Toro projects I have my fingers crossed for Hellboy 3. I need to geek out again, and haven't done so in quite sometime.

[Lord_Stewie]

Interesting turn of event. But to be honest I think it would be a wise thing to give the project to Jackson instead he already delivered what fans consider a masterpiece of the story just like Star Wars. Del Toro is a great director IMO but I don't think the fans wants to see a different vision of middle earth than the one they are already used to.

[Snikt]

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

Above all the rumored Del Toro projects I have my fingers crossed for Hellboy 3. I need to geek out again, and haven't done so in quite sometime.

This is what I've been hoping for as well. Bring back Del Toro for HB III. Did Ron Perlman say he wouldn't come back?

[ScarredLungs]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Maybe Michael Bay will do it?

Originally Posted by Foggy

Oh my god that would be perfect!

Think of the explosions the Hobbit would have!!!

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by Lord_Stewie

Interesting turn of event. But to be honest I think it would be a wise thing to give the project to Jackson instead he already delivered what fans consider a masterpiece of the story just like Star Wars. Del Toro is a great director IMO but I don't think the fans wants to see a different vision of middle earth than the one they are already used to.

I would love to see Del Toro's vision of Middle Earth since he said it would be similar to the established film look but also have its own feel. Having Jackson come back to Middle Earth would also be fantastic. They are the only two I feel comfortable with at the moment.

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

Above all the rumored Del Toro projects I have my fingers crossed for Hellboy 3. I need to geek out again, and haven't done so in quite sometime.

+1

Originally Posted by Snikt

This is what I've been hoping for as well. Bring back Del Toro for HB III. Did Ron Perlman say he wouldn't come back?

Yes, but he and Del Toro have a great relationship. I think he would come back if it was going to happen.

[Lord_Stewie]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

I would love to see Del Toro's vision of Middle Earth since he said it would be similar to the established film look but also have its own feel. Having Jackson come back to Middle Earth would also be fantastic. They are the only two I feel comfortable with at the moment.


+1


Yes, but he and Del Toro have a great relationship. I think he would come back if it was going to happen.

when it comes to directors then its a whole new game.

A director = narration = owns background of the story.

Even if Del Toro tries to deliver a Hobbit movie the way Jackson delivered Lord of the rings, I still doubt he will capture the story. Only because of the differences in style.

Its like having Zemickis working on Jaws 2 after Speilberg or Bay taking over productions of Pirates of the Caribbean leads to a different film based on style. And that doesn't always work well with the audience.

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by Lord_Stewie

when it comes to directors then its a whole new game.

A director = narration = owns background of the story.

Even if Del Toro tries to deliver a Hobbit movie based on on Jackson then I doubt he will capture the story personally wise.

Its like having Zemickis working on Jaws 2 after Speilberg or Bay taking over productions of Pirates of the Caribbean.

I agree but I feel like The Hobbit is somewhat different than Lord of The Rings in tonality; though, that could be because I read it when I was younger. I would just like to see Guillermo's take since he is so creative IMO. Having Jackson direct is by no means a bad thing. With Guillermo gone, I hope Jackson helms.

[Offender_Mullet]

Originally Posted by Snikt

This is what I've been hoping for as well. Bring back Del Toro for HB III. Did Ron Perlman say he wouldn't come back?

Not at all. I think he loves this character (who doesn't?). Here are a couple quotes I found.....


"I would never do Hellboy without, at least, Guillermo's blessing. He'd have to at least have written it. I know he has no time to direct another movie for five years because he's doing two Hobbit movies, but if he said, 'Yes, I have the script for Hellboy 3, and this is my hand-picked director and, even though I can't be there, I'll oversee it and look at the dailies,' then of course I would do it! But, I would never contemplate doing Hellboy unless Guillermo was integral."


Question: Guillermo's going to be busy with The Hobbit for the next couple of years. Have you talked about what that might mean if they want a Hellboy III soon?

Perlman: You know, I haven't. I know Guillermo has a very compelling idea for how to end the trilogy and I hope he gets the chance to tell it and I hope he gets the chance to do it exactly as he wants to do it, and that's all I can say about that. I don't know. I'm not privy to anything, because we didn't want to start counting our chickens before they hatched. So none of those discussions have ever been had. We just talk about what we're gonna eat together and have dinner and stuff like that.


Question: And Hellboy 3? You're ready for that one?

Ron Perlman: "Fingers crossed."

Question: But you're ready, right? You'll be back for it?

Ron Perlman: "Well, you know, if I'm not in a walker by then."

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

Above all the rumored Del Toro projects I have my fingers crossed for Hellboy 3. I need to geek out again, and haven't done so in quite sometime.

The one I want him to do is the story of the end of the world though the eyes of an 8 year old kid that was announced when Pan's Labyrinth came out

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by thefilmstage

just posted this, thought you guys might like it

10 Directors That Should Take On The Hobbit





Who do you think should direct it?

I would love it if either Raimi or Fincher takes it on,but think it may not be Fincher's cup of tea,and Raimi may be just abit out there for the producers

[tbizzle]

Bummer to hear about Guillermo walking away. He was probably the best for this film aside from Peter, whom I'm now hoping will take the reigns. If not, I'm sure David Fincher would do a fantastic job.

I wonder how Aronofsky would do with a project like this

[X400]

Ridley Scott (im a fan of LEGEND )

but he's going to be dealing with the Alien prequels for the next while :/

[Ernest Rister]

Well, Jackson is all chummy with Spielberg now, but Spielberg is used to having his own way, so I don't see Spielberg taking over (though that would be amazing).

If I had to pick a director to take over, I'd go with Martin Campbell. He has a fine eye for action and staging, has a knack for origin stories, and has a populist touch. Personally, I'm worried that The Hobbit is being bloated into something it was never intended to be - a six or seven hour, massive epic. When a 70 minute Rankin/Bass made-for-tv animated film does a fine job of spinning Tolkien's yarn, making a live-action version and padding the whole thing out with side stories from the appendices, including cameos, Necromancers, castle sieges...all these stories unrelated to Bilbo's quest -- all this seems like a retread of everything that went wrong with Jackson's King Kong.

I'm reminded of Sackler's take on Benchley's screenplay for Jaws...anything not related to the shark had to go. If Tolkien wanted to tell The Hobbit with all of that side material, he would have done so. Instead, he left those stories out for a reason...they weren't part of Bilbo's journey (and hadn't really been invented yet). They should stick to Bilbo, stick to the plot incident of the novel, otherwise they need to rename the project "The LOTR Appendices & The Hobbit". Isn't it amazing that they knew this when trimming down LOTR (everything not related to Frodo or the Ring was cut), but are now perfmoring the exact opposite effort expanding The Hobbit?

[Batman1980]

It's called greed, there's only so much Tolkien material WB can milk for $, they're going to ruin the Hobbit. It's going to be a disaster, just about nothing has gone right so far and the proof is in the LoTR films. Every time they went away from what was actually in the novels and tried to improvise, it threw the movies off a bit. My expectations for the Hobbit films are now almost nil and that may be a good thing.

[Ernest Rister]

I wouldn't call it greed -- they own the rights to film the material in the appendices, now it seems like because they have them, they feel like they have to shoot them and are using the Hobbit for that purpose.

Look, this project may be amazing, we can't pre-judge. I'm just concerned, that's all. I'd hate to think the best film adaptation that will ever be made of the Hobbit will remain the 70's Rankin/Bass production.

[PGW]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

Maybe he just thinks Del Toro is the perfect guy for the job? I can understand that, since he and Jackson are very much alike.

Ditto.

Del Toro has a unique flair for fantasy. To me, it would have made "The Hobbit" something special indeed, and there's no other director in the world I would rather see on that film (including Peter Jackson).

Subtract THAT and we have what is, after all, a children's novel with only a fraction of the scope, emotional depth or interest of "The Lord Of The Rings" and I can't see "The Hobbit" being seen as anything but another money grab, drawing off of interest on the previous film.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by PGW

Ditto.

Del Toro has a unique flair for fantasy. To me, it would have made "The Hobbit" something special indeed, and there's no other director in the world I would rather see on that film (including Peter Jackson).

Subtract THAT and we have what is, after all, a children's novel with only a fraction of the scope, emotional depth or interest of "The Lord Of The Rings" and I can't see "The Hobbit" being seen as anything but another money grab, drawing off of interest on the previous film.

Tolkien's The Hobbit is a rip-roaring fantasy adventure story, full of frights, pitfalls, thrills and wonders, all seen through the eyes of a very civilized person.

Jackson's and del Toro's The Hobbit seems to be a six or seven hour excursion through the Tolkien-pedia timeline.

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Isn't it amazing that they knew this when trimming down LOTR (everything not related to Frodo or the Ring was cut), but are now perfmoring the exact opposite effort expanding The Hobbit?

Not that amazing considering that The Lord of the Rings is about 1,200 pages, and The Hobbit a quarter of that.

Some people here are acting like The Hobbit was A la recherche du temps perdu. Now I'm not saying it's like Where the Wild Things Are but you can definitely finish it in an afternoon. It's right there with Coraline.