- This topic has 18 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 13 years, 12 months ago by .
-
Posts
-
On May 30th, TheOneRing.net broke the story that Guillermo del Toro is stepping down as director on the two hobbit films.
From TheOneRing.net:
Quote:Guillermo Del Toro departs “The Hobbit”
May 30th, 2010 by xoanon | Discuss
Guillermo Del Toro announced today that he is no longer directing the two movies based on J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”, but will continue to co-write the screenplays. Out of respect to the legions of loyal Tolkien fans, both Guillermo and Peter Jackson wanted to break the news to The One Ring first. They are both committed to protecting The Hobbit and will do everything in their power to ensure the films are everything that the fans want them to be.
“In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming “The Hobbit,” I am faced with the hardest decision of my life”, says Guillermo. “After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien’s Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures. I remain grateful to Peter, Fran and Philippa Boyens, New Line and Warner Brothers and to all my crew in New Zealand. I’ve been privileged to work in one of the greatest countries on earth with some of the best people ever in our craft and my life will be forever changed. The blessings have been plenty, but the mounting pressures of conflicting schedules have overwhelmed the time slot originally allocated for the project. Both as a co-writer and as a director, I wish the production nothing but the very best of luck and I will be first in line to see the finished product. I remain an ally to it and its makers, present and future, and fully support a smooth transition to a new director”.
“We feel very sad to see Guillermo leave the Hobbit, but he has kept us fully in the loop and we understand how the protracted development time on these two films, due to reasons beyond anyone’s control – has compromised his commitment to other long term projects”, says Executive Producer Peter Jackson. “The bottom line is that Guillermo just didn’t feel he could commit six years to living in New Zealand, exclusively making these films, when his original commitment was for three years. Guillermo is one of the most remarkable creative spirits I’ve ever encountered and it has been a complete joy working with him. Guillermo’s strong vision is engrained into the scripts and designs of these two films, which are extremely fortunate to be blessed with his creative DNA”.
“Guillermo is co-writing the Hobbit screenplays with Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh and myself, and happily our writing partnership will continue for several more months, until the scripts are fine tuned and polished” says Jackson. “New Line and Warner Bros will sit down with us this week, to ensure a smooth and uneventful transition, as we secure a new director for the Hobbit. We do not anticipate any delay or disruption to ongoing pre-production work”.
The Hobbit is planned as two motion pictures, co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM. They are scheduled for release in Dec 2012 and Dec 2013.
Quote:Who will helm ‘The Hobbit’?
June 1st, 2010 by MrCere
In case you were unplugged and off the information grid all weekend, TheOneRing.net broke the story that Guillermo del Toro has stepped away from directing duties on two planned (hoped for) films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.” We are assured (by one of the super-good inside sources) that GDT’s DNA in the form of script and design and pre-viz work will remain in place, new director willing. And why would they find a director who isn’t willing or wants to revisit the same work?
After getting over the shock and feeling the loss of our message board member’s departure, and wishing him all the best, the question now becomes: Who will direct “The Hobbit”? We have some ideas and maybe even some insights.
Peter Jackson: Current Hobbit co-writer and producer, he says he will not let the project fall apart but he told the Dominion Post: “If that’s what I have to do to protect Warner Bros’ investment, then obviously that’s one angle which I’ll explore.” It sounds like Jackson is reassuring Warners and fans not to despair. Conversations with the studios and Jackson on a replacement have already started and it isn’t as though there aren’t talented directors who would want to tackle these films. For example . . .
Neil Blomkamp: His “District 9″ came from the ashes of the failed “Halo” film, with Peter Jackson producing and earned an Academy Award nomination for “Best Picture.” Jackson thought the young director could handle the giant, special-effects-heavy video game film and then he made the independently-financed Wikus Van De Merwe film with down-on-their-luck aliens who crave cat food in Johannesburg. It earned over $200 million worldwide. Imagine what he could do with Weta and a budget. (And, we note, little or no studio interference!)
Sam Raimi: This man is a true geek (in a good way) and before del Toro was signed, we kept hearing his name as a strong possibility for “The Hobbit”. He has made action-oriented films with lighthearted moments and has nailed genre characters while producing big-time profits for studios. Fans who haven’t forgiven him for “Emo” Peter Parker need to have a guffaw with him for “From Hell. He gets it. Would he direct after not being the first choice? Bruce Campbell as Bard the Bowman?
Alfonso Cuaron: A lot of fans (and one would assume studio types) would love to see GDT’s friend step in to fill the gap. The director of a book-adapted Harry Potter film that runs circles around the rest in the series and especially the transcendent “Children of Men,” would be welcome. But unless this MGM situation gets settled soon (and we maintain from whispers that it might), what advice do you think he would hear from his pal Guillermo?
Andrew Adamson: It seems almost impossible that Adamson could direct and produce Narnia movies and Shrek movies and then fly under the radar as well as he has. Like Jackson, he calls New Zealand home and is based just a short flight up the island in Auckland. He already has extensive experience with Weta (LOTR’s, Narnia’s and the Hobbit’s special effects house) and might make the smoothest transition to helm the films. He may lack the “edge” that del Toro and Jackson and even Raimi and Blomkamp have shown in their bodies of work or it may be that he just hasn’t had the opportunities. Still, it seems impossible not to have him in the conversation.
Steven Spielberg and James Cameron are unlikely candidates despite what some fans wish for. Jackson’s circle of friends is pretty interesting though and Cameron raves about working in New Zealand and with Weta but there is nothing to suggest either of these busy guys are an actual possibility. Other names are being thrown around the internet wildly. Some are guesses, some are speculation and some are completely absurd. Hey! Why not Woody Allen? He directs movies after all!
Remember, Jackson wasn’t a proven big-budget commodity when New Line took a chance on “The Lord of the Rings,” more than 10 years ago. He had directed some splatter films, “Heavenly Creatures,” and “The Frighteners,” before New Line handed over the reigns. He appreciates and develops unheralded talent and may pull a director out of his hat. Imagine the size and scope of what “Halo,” would have been and he was perfectly willing to let the unknown Blomkamp have a go. Remember too that the project fell apart because the studios couldn’t come to terms on how to divide the (probably) billions with each other and it had nothing at all to do with the rookie director.
To be clear, the project lives on, Guillermo’s and Jackson’s influence remain and “The Hobbit” will go forward with a new director. Who? When? Stay tuned and you will know when we do.
enchantments wrote:So wait why doesn’t Peter Jackson just direct them himself? Or did I miss something?
He might as a last resort to protect the projects, but I don’t even think that he can due to contractual issues:
From perezhilton.com:
Quote:Though he’s the obvious choice now that Guillermo Del Toro has jumped ship, Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson will not be stepping up to direct The Hobbit.
The idea was brought before Jackson’s manager, Ken Kamins, who was quick to squash any hope that his client would get involved:
“As for Peter directing, that’s not something he can consider at this time as he has other commitments to other projects. But make no mistake, Peter and Fran’s commitment to the franchise is total and will do everything necessary to protect the films and the investment made by New Line, [parent company] Warner Bros. and MGM.”
Should we take from that that he is hard at work finding Del Toro’s replacement?
We sure hope so! There’s going to be a lot of disappointed Middle Earth fans if this thing never sees the light of day!
Here’s the original quote by Jackson featured on TheOneRing.net back in February from Belfasttelegraph.co.uk:
Quote:“I thought that there might be something unsatisfying about directing two Tolkien movies after Lord Of The Rings – I’d be trying to compete with myself and deliberately doing things differently, I want it to be natural.”
Peter had sounded very excited about supporting a Guillermo’s unique vision of Middle Earth, and the prospect of perhaps serving as second-unit director alongside him. Jackson has since penned the screenplay with Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro for the two Hobbit films, which now await a new director and a subsequent greenlight before production can proceed. Peter will still be involved with the films as a co-writer and producer, but we’ve seen three films which depict his interpretation of Middle Earth. I think it’s someone else’s turn to direct, no?
To me, it doesn’t really matter. I enjoyed the first 3, but am not a huge fan so to say. As long as the last 2 look relatively close to the first three, and not like Star Wars I will be happy. Really, it was way too long to go back to the Star Wars Trilogy, and I frankly didn’t like 1 2 or 3. If they had figured out how to use the same cgi style techniques as the 4 5 and 6…Hell yeah I woulda loved them! I was sorely disappointed in that one. If this one is better (Should be, it hasn’t been 20 yrs since the first 3 came out.) then I am all for it whoever directs it. 😀
WindstoneCollector wrote:To me, it doesn’t really matter. I enjoyed the first 3, but am not a huge fan so to say. As long as the last 2 look relatively close to the first three, and not like Star Wars I will be happy. Really, it was way too long to go back to the Star Wars Trilogy, and I frankly didn’t like 1 2 or 3. If they had figured out how to use the same cgi style techniques as the 4 5 and 6…Hell yeah I woulda loved them! I was sorely disappointed in that one. If this one is better (Should be, it hasn’t been 20 yrs since the first 3 came out.) then I am all for it whoever directs it. 😀
I never really got into Star Wars; perhaps I should investigate it. :yes: Everybody hates Jar Jar Binks, but his development led to a number of innovations in both the fields of special effects and computer animation that made the creation of a believable Gollum onscreen possible. I remember reading somewhere that it was only after witnessing the level of interaction that George Lucas and his team at ILM had achieved with an entirely digital character that Peter Jackson felt that Gollum could be produced convincingly in CG.
As long as the original crew is at least involved in the making of The Hobbit, I am thrilled to be able to finally ENJOY a Hobbit film! lol I didn’t care much for the animated version.
To finally allow an entire generation to know Smaug, will be enough for me! I absolutely loved the LOTR, thought they did a tremendous job creating it with living beings and can’t wait!!! I understand a Director’s viewpoint of continuing to uproot their lives and for another six years? OMG – perhaps my daughter can get involved and go to New Zealand how awesome that would be!! haha, she just got her Associates Degree in Art and is focusing on a Double Major in Cinema and Media Industries. I want her to be director@!!! lol (dream) This last semester she directed two short films, cute (and definately learned a lot!).
As long as they get Ian McKellen for Gandalf, I’m cool. Otherwise I don’t know if I can handle it. D:
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comJennifer wrote:As long as they get Ian McKellen for Gandalf, I’m cool. Otherwise I don’t know if I can handle it. D:
I know! 8) Wasn’t that casting genius? I read that McKellen based his performance on professor Tolkien himself. (He used old recordings of Tolkien as reference) Ian McKellen has expressed interest in reprising his role as Gandalf the Grey, whose character he actually prefers to Gandalf the White. 😀 He expects to be cast if the production can go forward as planned.
Zephyr wrote:Jennifer wrote:As long as they get Ian McKellen for Gandalf, I’m cool. Otherwise I don’t know if I can handle it. D:
I know! 8) Wasn’t that casting genius? I read that McKellen based his performance on professor Tolkien himself. (He used old recordings of Tolkien as reference) Ian McKellen has expressed interest in reprising his role as Gandalf the Grey, whose character he actually prefers to Gandalf the White. 😀 He expects to be cast if the production can go forward as planned.
Awesome! He is a great actor! I put him up there with Peter O’Toole. I loved him in The Apt Pupil too! I actually preferred him as Gandalf the Grey.
But, I must also admit to laughing my butt off at the part in Clerks 2 when Randall was ragging on the LOTR fan…*runs and hides*
WindstoneCollector wrote:I loved him in The Apt Pupil too!
There’s a film I haven’t heard about in a while…
WindstoneCollector wrote:But, I must also admit to laughing my butt off at the part in Clerks 2 when Randall was ragging on the LOTR fan…*runs and hides*
You better run… 👿 —>*Just Kidding!* 😀
Jennifer wrote:As long as they get Ian McKellen for Gandalf, I’m cool. Otherwise I don’t know if I can handle it. D:
That’s pretty much my take on it too. No one else could be Gandalf, McKellen was practically born for that role.
I’m still hoping that Jackson winds up directing, although I know that’s pretty near impossible at this point. Other than him I really don’t know of any director that I would want to step in and take over The Hobbit.
I have been a fan of the trilogies since the early 70s and I think there hasn’t been a bad version of the movies yet.Even SouthPark’s take on it was hilarious. XD May they make a decision soon and get on with it.I want to see the movies 😆
Every act matters.No matter how small💞
(Wanted......Brimstone Lap)
Male Hearth....one day🤞Dream on.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Recent Comments