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NEW YORK — Bilbo lives!
After publicly feuding for more than a year, "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema have reached agreement to make J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," a planned two-film prequel to the blockbuster trilogy.
Jackson, who directed "Rings," will serve as executive producer for two "Hobbit" pictures. They will tell the story of how the young hobbit Bilbo Baggins originally came to possess the nefarious One Ring that Frodo, his adopted heir, needed three films to dispose of.
A director for the films has yet to be named. Production is tentatively set to begin in 2009 with a release planned for 2010, and the sequel following in 2011.
Relations between Jackson and New Line soured after "Rings" despite a collective worldwide box office gross of nearly $3 billion. Jackson shepherded Tolkien's Middle-Earth saga to a combined 17 Academy Awards including best picture for 2003's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." The trilogy also includes 2002's "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and 2001's "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring."
"I'm very pleased that we've been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line," Jackson said in a statement. "We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth."
Late last year, acrimony between the 46-year-old Jackson and New Line became very public, with the studio announcing they would move forward with "The Hobbit" without him. Jackson sued New Line over the amount he was paid — including DVD payments — for "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first installment of the trilogy.
"The low point was when we both started getting a little too personal about this whole thing," said New Line co-chairman and co-CEO Bob Shaye on Tuesday. "From my own perspective, I realized that I shouldn't be so thin-skinned about everything that goes on in my professional life."
Jackson's suit, the two sides announced Tuesday, has been settled. The terms of the settlement weren't announced, though Shaye cheerfully said: "One of the key terms was we all shake hands with each other."
In his statement, Jackson thanked Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) Chairman and CEO Harry Sloan for helping him and New Line "find the common ground necessary to continue that journey."
New Line, which is owned by Time Warner Inc., holds the rights to produce "The Hobbit," while MGM, which is owned by a consortium including Sony Corp. and Comcast Corp., has the right to distribute it. The two studios will split financing and distribution costs, with New Line handling distribution in North America and MGM distributing internationally.
Two "Hobbit" films are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, similar to how the three "Lord of the Rings" films were made all at once. Shaye and Sloan both said it was Jackson's idea to divide the story, adapted from Tolkien's first book about Middle Earth (which was about half the length of any from the trilogy that followed).
The film's production schedule is subject to how long the writers strike lasts, which some forecast could continue for many months. There isn't currently a script for either "Hobbit" film, and producers will be unable to even approach writers until the strike is over.
"If the writers strike drags on, then everything can change in terms of the time table," Sloan said Tuesday.
Sloan added that some patience has been necessary for making "The Hobbit" happen: "We've always taken the position that we wanted Peter to be involved in this project, but it's taken some time to work out the differences."
Jackson, who directed "King Kong" after finishing the trilogy, is currently finishing shooting for "The Lovely Bones," based on Alice Sebold's novel.
The three "Lord of the Rings" films rank among the 25 most lucrative films of all time, made more financially successful by the risky strategy of shooting all three together. The production budget for the trilogy has been estimated at around $300 million.
Tolkien's fantasy epic has been a cultural juggernaut since its publication in the 1950s, inspiring everything from the ubiquitous "Frodo Lives!" graffiti in the '60s and '70s to the Dungeons and Dragons phenomenon of the '80s. With the franchise now considered one of the most bankable projects in Hollywood, the "Hobbit" films will be expected to match the blockbuster success of "Rings."
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 | Jackson to produce Hobbit movies | BBC News | Tue Dec 18 | 0 |
| Ring Up The Hobbit, Times Two | Business Week | Wed Dec 19 | 1 |
| Peter Jackson to produce "The Hobbit" | the Mail online | Tue Dec 18 | 6 |
| Peter Jackson's Producing the Hobbit | One Ring | Tue Dec 18 | 2 |
| Jackson Back in for 'The Hobbit' | infuze | Wed Dec 19 | 0 |
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3.7
{"commentId":1282061,"authorDomain":"yasmin"}
Um, yay!
{"commentId":1282061,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"yasmin"}
- 3 votes
#1 - Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:47 AM EST{"commentId":1282169,"authorDomain":"Defektiv"}
holy crap this is awesome news!! woohoo! i can't wait to see it, that polar bear fighting movie was a horrible corporate attempt at duplication of his talents.
{"commentId":1282169,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"Defektiv"}
- 2 votes
#2 - Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:14 PM EST{"commentId":1282183,"authorDomain":"rbrazys"}
This is great, where do I sign up to be an extra.. I'd love to even visit the set of one of his films, he uses the best locations.
{"commentId":1282183,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"rbrazys"}
- 1 vote
#3 - Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:18 PM EST{"commentId":1283136,"authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
I'd like to be an extra too. but New Zealand is a long ways off...
{"commentId":1283136,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1282245,"authorDomain":"douglasq"}
So they are splitting it into two parts or is the second one a Christmas special with singing wookies?
{"commentId":1282245,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"douglasq"}
- 2 votes
#4 - Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:34 PM EST{"commentId":1282860,"authorDomain":"acidreflux"}
No, but it will feature William Shatner as Biblo and the first movie ends with him screaming:
SMMMMMAAAAAAAAUGGG!
{"commentId":1282860,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"acidreflux"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1282280,"authorDomain":"ombra"}
I can't imagine anyone else doing "The Hobbit" and if someone else did, they'd screw it up.
Splitting into two parts though does seem strange, but that might mean more of the story getting to the screen, which is a good thing.
{"commentId":1282280,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"ombra"}
- 1 vote
#5 - Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:45 PM EST{"commentId":1282325,"authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}
I wonder where they will split it. Ending the first one shortly after Bilbo gets the ring seems to be the most logical place.
I also wonder if they are going to make it more kid friendly than the LOTR movies. The Hobbit was a children's book, and LOTR was meant to be a one too, but it grew into a more grown up work.
{"commentId":1282325,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}
{"commentId":1282718,"authorDomain":"onlynow99"}
I also wonder if they are going to make it more kid friendly than the LOTR movies
I hope they don't dumb it down or over sweeten it. It's much more than Harry Potter.
{"commentId":1282718,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"onlynow99"}
{"commentId":1282328,"authorDomain":"restso"}
Two films, huh?
There and Back Again
Perhaps?
{"commentId":1282328,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"restso"}
- 6 votes
#6 - Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:54 PM EST{"commentId":1283044,"authorDomain":"brianford"}
I'm pretty disappointed. If, as rumored, the "sequel" is going to be some of the extra material that appears in the appendixes of The Lord of the Rings, that's crap.
As of right now, though -- I'm confused by some of the reports I'm seeing. Some places only mention a two film treatment of the Hobbit (this seems absurdly greedy, to me -- it's a one film book) and some places I'm seeing reference to a mysterious "sequel" to the Hobbit as one of the films.
That extras material would be really useful in making a deeper theatrical (3 hour) version of the Hobbit -- but it's not enough to make an entire stand-alone sequel.
Essentially, it's Gandalf talking with Thorin about a revenge plan to kill Smaug (before they show up on Bilbo's doorstep) when in reality he wants to kill Smaug so Sauron (The Necromancer, as he is called in the Hobbit) can't use the dragon as he regains his strength. Essentially, he's using the dwarves historic hatred of Smaug as a means to his own ends.
Of course, Gandalf spends some time looking around for Gollum after he begins to worry about Bilbo, but I think most of that happens after the end of the Hobbit, and would be a pretty boring sequel.
In short, all of the extras would have been interesting inserted into the Hobbit, or into the Lord of the Rings -- but would be useless as a stand alone film -- unless of course you're a movie studio desperate for some revenue and good news after the (relative) failure of your latest box office darling, The Golden Compass.
{"commentId":1283044,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"brianford"}
- 1 vote
#7 - Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:00 PM EST{"commentId":1283105,"authorDomain":"whyren"}
Essentially, it's Gandalf talking with Thorin about a revenge plan to kill Smaug (before they show up on Bilbo's doorstep) when in reality he wants to kill Smaug so Sauron (The Necromancer, as he is called in the Hobbit) can't use the dragon as he regains his strength. Essentially, he's using the dwarves historic hatred of Smaug as a means to his own ends.
Since they did Lord of the Rings movies first, I'd bet they will add in more about the Necromancer and the wizards' assault against him. As I recall (it's been a while), that character was almost a sidenote in The Hobbit. With Lord of the Rings and Sauron, the connections could then be made. Since it's the other way around with the movies, they might emphasize it to help out the movie audience.
{"commentId":1283105,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"whyren"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1283134,"authorDomain":"brianford"}
Yeah, but that is dangerous to me. I think most people will agree that the worst parts* of the Lord of the Rings movies were the parts that were added the source text. I have my doubts about an entire movie made from some allusions Tolkien made in an appendix.
*I'm a huge Tolkien fan, but I certainly wasn't up-in-arms about the changes Jackson made.
{"commentId":1283134,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"brianford"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1285858,"authorDomain":"brianford"}
err.. that were added but were not part of the source text.
{"commentId":1285858,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"brianford"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1285839,"authorDomain":"smallfork"}
I hope that Jackson doesn't add too much fill (I agree with Brian). I also hope they can get the same actors for the same parts. It would be hard to swallow a different Gandalf, for instance.
{"commentId":1285839,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"smallfork"}
- 2 votes
#8 - Wed Dec 19, 2007 12:17 PM EST{"commentId":1285882,"authorDomain":"ombra"}
Sir Ian McKellen, who shot to international fame as the wizard Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings films, says he will be disappointed if he is not asked to reprise the role in the movie version of the JRR Tolkien book The Hobbit.
I certainly hope they ask.....
How many other carry-over characters are there besides Gandalf and Elrond?
Not counting the "old" Bilbo that is...
{"commentId":1285882,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"ombra"}
{"commentId":1285916,"authorDomain":"acidreflux"}
Saruman could make a cameo if they decide to delve a bit more into the White Council, and Legolas could put in an appearance with the Wood Elves, perhaps even appearing in the Battle of the Five Armies (which in all likelihood he participated in). If they are fleshing things out to two movies, they might need that padding, actually.
{"commentId":1285916,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"acidreflux"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1285935,"authorDomain":"brianford"}
I guess my thought is: Why pad it if the existing material lends itself to one regular length movie?
A: Money.
{"commentId":1285935,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"brianford"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1285946,"authorDomain":"whyren"}
How many other carry-over characters are there besides Gandalf and Elrond?
Well, Gollum of course. And I'm sure they'll probably reuse some CGI'd characters...the Eagles, possibly Sheloblings for the spiders.
{"commentId":1285946,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"whyren"}
{"commentId":1285959,"authorDomain":"whyren"}
I guess my thought is: Why pad it if the existing material lends itself to one regular length movie?
A: Money.
Could this be some attempt to make the Lord of the Rings movie series as long as the Harry Potter series? If so, might they pull other Tolkien material into movies, e.g. The Silmarillion?
{"commentId":1285959,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"whyren"}
{"commentId":1286032,"authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}
They could have Bilbo encounter a ten year old Aragorn at Rivendell. Of course they couldn't use the same actor for that.
{"commentId":1286032,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}
{"commentId":1286423,"authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
Could this be some attempt to make the Lord of the Rings movie series as long as the Harry Potter series? If so, might they pull other Tolkien material into movies, e.g. The Silmarillion?
The Children of Hurin would lend itself better to the silver screen than The Silmarillion.
{"commentId":1286423,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1286434,"authorDomain":"brianford"}
I dunno -- a movie about a guy who murders most of his friends, unwittingly has sex with his sister -- who kills herself after she realizes that she's pregnant with her brother's baby?
{"commentId":1286434,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"brianford"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1286542,"authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
Well yeah, but c'mon the dragon scene and fight scenes would kick some serious ass!
{"commentId":1286542,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1289278,"authorDomain":"rbrazys"}
There are some really cool things they could explore about Eriador that they didn't get to in the trilogy because it would have detracted too much from the overall story line for those who don't know the books.
I for one hope Tom Bombadil makes an appearance!
{"commentId":1289278,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"rbrazys"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1289502,"authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
Indeed, I wished that they would have at least had included Tom in the extended addition, but no such luck!
{"commentId":1289502,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1289547,"authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}
I'm glad they dropped Tom and hope he gets ignored in these other movies. That whole thing was a digression that did nothing to move the story forward.
{"commentId":1289547,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1289682,"authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
I disagree. Tom Bombadil's character was important to Tolkien's mythology. His relationship with Middle-Earth and the fact that the one ring had no power over him are an important message in the story. Sure it may not make sense to put in the movie, but Tolkien's decision to include it in the LoTRs was a good one.
{"commentId":1289682,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1290094,"authorDomain":"acidreflux"}
I don't think Tolkien in his letters quite agrees with you. I seem to remember that even he felt Bombadil was something of a diversion and was mostly included because he'd written those stories at an earlier date for his children and decided to incorporate them. I know for a fact that he claimed he didn't understand how Bombadil fit into Middle Earth and that on multiple occasions defended that position to friends and families by saying that all good stories have mysteries, even to the author.
{"commentId":1290094,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"acidreflux"}
{"commentId":1290272,"authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
I agree that Tolkien did not know exactly how Bombadil fits into the story, and he is a mystery. But that does not take away from the fact that Tolkien did include him, and the characteristics, like being "immune" to the influences of the ring, into the story.
Anyway its all a matter of opinion as to what Tom does or doesn't bring to the LoTR, and stevetherobot's opinion is wrong and stupid! :-p
{"commentId":1290272,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"jdmiller82"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1291931,"authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}
:-b
{"commentId":1291931,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"stevetherobot"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1292269,"authorDomain":"rbrazys"}
It would be a very trippy scene on film anyway.. who would you get to play him?
I think they would need to be someone with a good voice for melody because I imagine him to kind of sing all of his lines.
Maybe Christopher Plummer?
{"commentId":1292269,"threadId":"191090","contentId":"1171964","authorDomain":"rbrazys"}
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