The Hobbit Trilogy Discussion Thread

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by pj_campbell

Absolutely agree with the first point. If it's a well done movie, it should look the same in 2D as it does in 3D with very little gimmick, as long as they are doing it just for depth, and not being gimmicky. And seeing as this is The Hobbit, I'm going to believe it's the former

Glad you like my point of view Vegeta, us Nor cal dudes have to sick together

Haha! Sure do.

I don't like the gimmicks either. Depth and immersion are all I care about. I don't need swords pointing out at me or anything like that.

You're right. I don't think Peter Jackson is going to screw around with anything Tolkien related by making it gimmicky.

[vegeta88]

Two Magnetos in The Hobbit?

With The Hobbit having now finally received a green-light to commence production in February, the industry scuttlebutt is that the Peter Jackson-directed film could boast not one but two Magnetos, plus two Doctors -- a Who and a Jekyll.

"Word is Martin Freeman will soon be set to play Bilbo Baggins," according to Deadline. Furthermore, they claim James Nesbitt (star of TV's Jekyll, as well as Paul Greengrass' Bloody Sunday) "has been offered a role." They add that the oft-rumored David Tennant (Doctor Who) is also being pursued for a role in the two-part epic, while Andy Serkis is expected to return as Gollum.

- Magnolia Pictures
Michael Fassbender in Centurion.

But here's where Deadline's casting story gets particularly interesting for fanboys, as they report that Irish actor Michael Fassbender (Centurion, Jonah Hex) is also being considered for an unspecified role. Fassbender, as you may know, is currently playing young Magneto in the prequel X-Men: First Class. Should he be cast in The Hobbit, Fassbender will find himself in a cast that includes his predecessor in the role of the master of magnetism, Sir Ian McKellen, who is expected to reprise his role as the wizard Gandalf.

[goresnet]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Count Floyd FTW!

[Jimmy Smith]

Originally Posted by pj_campbell

The way I see it, 3D is here for now. I see everyones arguments, and I can see both sides opinions. And I understand for some people, the 2D isn't an option in their area, and that is easily the biggest problem for some. So I understand their frustration.

Honestly, as long as everyones happy in the end though, we really shouldn't have to argue about it. What really matters in the end is the movie, yes? So let's just hope the movie turns out quality before we worry about the 3D

If some theatres aren't offering a 2D option then I believe thats an issue people need to take up with there local theatre owners not the studios who have distributed 2D versions of virtually every 3D movie. All theatres should offer both options. Nobody should be forced to accept a new technology they can't see. Luckily home video 3D can be easily turned off with a touch of a button.

Movies like Up, Avatar, and Toy Story 3 have proven that 3D can add great depth to a movie without distracting from it. Never once does anything in these movies stick out of the camera and you get the feel that the movies were made in 2D they wouldn't be any cinematically different. Movies like The Final Destination or My Bloody Valentine are cheeseball movies in any dimension and simply use gimmicks to sell themselves. The Hobbit will most definutely not do this. The Hobbit will simply allow the 3D to naturally enhance the scene as it should.

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

Furthermore, they claim James Nesbitt (star of TV's Jekyll, as well as Paul Greengrass' Bloody Sunday) "has been offered a role."

James Nesbitt has ‘Major’ Hobbit Role??????

October 16th, 2010 by Altaira

Message board member ranger123 alerted us to a people.co.uk article from Oct 3 stating that COLD feet and Murphy’s Law star James Nesbitt is making plans to pack up his family and move to New Zealand, having secured a ‘major’ role in “The Hobbit.”

Nesbitt, 45, and actress wife Sonia Forbes-Adam, also 45, have talked to their daughters Peggy, 12, and Mary, eight, about the benefits of staying on to make a fresh start. The Northern Irish star believes it will be good for his career and family life. A source said: “‘The Hobbit’ was always going to mean a long stay in New Zealand for James and he wanted his family around him.”

Now that “The Hobbit” has been green lit to start production in February, expect casting news such as this to fill the front page here at TheOneRing.net regularly. What part do *you* think Nesbitt is referring to? Bard, or one of the dwarves, are theories we’ve heard.

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I will guess...Bard.


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[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Duffy12

I will guess...Bard.

That would also be my guess - or the Master of Laketown. He doesn't look like a Beorn or Elvenking.

[Anthony P]

Cool that it is back on track

[Member-115369]

Glad this is getting made. I'm not much of a 3D fan, but I don't mind it since I can see it in 2D. Tons of theaters around being in a big city. And as others noted I don't see Jackson filming it differently with a lot of jump out 3D gimmicks, so that shouldn't affect the 2D version.

[TheWildWhelk]

Bilbo Baggins. Sod 'master of the morose' martin freeman, give the role to someone who can play more than one emotion, namely James Nesbitt. He is too old to play bard (Gerard Butler anyone?) or one of the dwarves, and it is said he has a major role, so i genuinely hope it is the lead. I can hope, i can dream...

[vegeta88]

Originally Posted by SonOfTorah

Bilbo Baggins. Sod 'master of the morose' martin freeman, give the role to someone who can play more than one emotion, namely James Nesbitt. He is too old to play bard (Gerard Butler anyone?) or one of the dwarves, and it is said he has a major role, so i genuinely hope it is the lead. I can hope, i can dream...

I am pretty much for Gerard Butler playing any role. If they did a biography movie on Bill Gates, Gerard Butler would be perfect.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by vegeta88

Two Magnetos in The Hobbit?

Awesome

And PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let David Tennant be in the movie

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by Slashfilm

Warner Bros. Moving 'The Hobbit' Out of New Zealand Thanks to Labor Disputes

This is a surprising turn of events for The Hobbit. When a small coalition of actors’ unions in New Zealand and Australia pushed actors’ guilds across the world to boycott work on the films, citing an unfair residuals arrangement, Peter Jackson responded by threatening to move the production to Eastern Europe.

But that would never happen, right? The organizations wouldn’t push away a huge chunk of work like the two Hobbit films by holding firm to a set of demands for which the production and backers at Warner Bros. have sought appropriate solutions — that would be crazy.

And yet Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh are now saying that Warner Bros. will move the films out of New Zealand to a yet to be disclosed new shooting location. So is this a done deal, or just an escalated threat by the studio?

The Press of New Zealand has a collective quote from Jackson and Walsh, who say “The damage inflicted on our film industry by [the actors unions] is long since done,” and resolution of the union issue now “does nothing to help the film stay in New Zealand.”

The pair says that Warner Bros.’ faith in the New Zealand industry has been undermined, and that the studio is concerned about spending $500m there. “Next week Warners are coming down to New Zealand to make arrangements to move the production offshore. It appears we cannot make films in our own country even when substantial financing is available.”

The sad thing is that the instigating group, the New Zealand Actors’ Equity, is controlled by an Australian organization, and this is being seen by many as a play by the Australian group to take a controlling interest in the NZ film industry. And the NZAE represents only a small percentage of actors in the country to begin with — 10 – 20% — so this isn’t seen as representative of an industry-wide push.

Over a thousand film workers, led by WETA’s Richard Taylor, turned out yesterday to picket a planned meeting of the actors’ organziations, at which negotiation priorities were to be discussed. But the meeting was canceled thanks to the throngs of crewmembers, with Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly saying the atmosphere was “too dangerous” because the crowd was “in a lynch-mob mood thanks to Richard Taylor, who has obviously wound them up like springs.” Funny how over a thousand people worried about losing a couple years of work — and more if the industry really takes a hit thanks to this action — might be wound up.

So, the question: will Warner Bros. go through with the move, or is this a last strong-arm attempt to get the unions to accept the measures the studio already has in place? The organizations are in a hard place now, as backing down would undermine their already tenuous position, but letting the movies go to another country would be a huge loss for the industry.

Source

[Batman1980]

Won't feel right seeing a Hobbiton that isn't in New Zealand.

[Foggy]

With all this hassle, I would just screw it and ditch it!

[Blu-Benny]

I’d love to get the same stunning shots w/a New Zealand shoot.

If they can find another visually stunning setting, I guess it doesn’t matter to me.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

Won't feel right seeing a Hobbiton that isn't in New Zealand.

Totally agree I'm not really happy about this news...It's just not going to feel the same without a new Zealand backdrop

[Duffy12]

Here is a juicy rumor from theonering.net-

Spy Report: Sylvester McCoy talks role as Radagast

October 20th, 2010 by Celeborn

Sylvester McCoyFor all the new viewers of TheOneRing.net, you’ll want to get yourself acquainted with the ‘spy reports’ we post from time to time. These reports usually come to use from everyday folks who just happen to come across some juicy tidbits. So while we can’t say for 100% they are accurate, we can at least whet your whistle!



And along those lines, we get this report from Ringer Spy Viggo Yearning:

My brother works at Katmandu in the city (Melbourne) and who should walk in looking for appropriate attire for New Zealand but Sylvester McCoy! He was more than willing to discuss The Hobbit, and is indeed playing Radagast the brown. He said he was “some wizard”, to which my brother offered up “Radagast the brown?” and Sylvester said “Yes, that’s it!”. He then confessed he couldn’t find him anywhere in the book. Unfortunately my brother isn’t as big a fan as myself, so didn’t give Sylvester the grilling I certainly would have! He did offer up this interesting tidbit, though: He was pipped at the post by Ian Holm to play Bilbo in the original lotr trilogy!

We reported a bit ago that we believed that McCoy would be playing this role, but it is nice to get additional ammo to make that claim! Radagast is not in the Hobbit, but in the scripts we have seen, he has an expanded role in the production.

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[ts0323]

He'd work!

I'm a bit bummed that it won't be filmed in New Zealand, but we'll survive.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Duffy12

Here is a juicy rumor from theonering.net-

Radagast is going to be in it - great news! Now we can be certain there will be the

[Show spoiler] White Council, which also means we will probably witness the expulsion of Sauron/the Ringwraiths from Dol Guldur

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[vegeta88]

Glad the unions got everything they wanted. No jobs. Plenty of people could have worked on the film for a long time, but instead, they get squat. At least they have their principles.

Europe has a lot of great locations that will serve well as a backdrop; it is an entire continent vs an island nation. I don't see a problem of it "not looking/feeling the same". Minas Tirith and Helms Deep were shot against the same mountain and they looked vastly different! There should be no problem with this.