I figured PJ and New Line would kiss and make up, but two movies from "the hobbit"? Did not see that coming... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_en_mo/film_the_hobbit;_ylt=AgqOq3E9rULqlXo1WzG4csYDW7oF
Oh man....awesome. So he's not directing, but executive producing. Can anyone explain what an exec. prod. does, exactly, and how much input/impact/authority/whatever he'll have over the final product?
Well lets wait until they start production on it first. This is the second time they have kissed and made up to make this movies or movies. New line seems to think that Jackson cannot handle this...geez, I guess he barely made ends meet with the 3 billion that Lord Of the Rings made. I heard that the real issue was creative control which I think Jackson will have to give up some if another person is directing. Not sure if I like that, jackson was spot on with LOTR. Here is a link to a website devoted to the Hobbit movies. http://www.thehobbitblog.com/
I'm the huge bath that New Line will end up taking on The Golden Compass had a big part in this reconciliation. They need another cash cow and fast.
I heard that it was all about money - Jackson (his company, wingnut) wanted even more of the LOTR profits and was causing all sorts of ugly legal-type issues. Wikipedia seems to indicate that this is correct.
"Two Hobbit films to be shot simultaneously"? I thought the original idea was to film The Hobbit as well as a film that would explore the origins of Middle-Earth and its peoples, etc etc. Obviously filming two movies at the same time saves money. There are all sorts of ways you can tell the story, I suppose; but is it going to be The Hobbit I and II or The Hobbit and, say, The Silmarilion (doubt it, but who knows).
That would be insanely awesome. I have no idea how you would make that into a movie though - that book is more like a history than a "story".
I don't doubt that money had something to do with it but Wikipedia is not always the best source of information.
Apparently Sam Raimi really wants to direct these movies, though he was worried about stepping on Peter Jackson's toes if things between him and New Line didn't get worked out. Now that Jackson is producing it, maybe he can get the gig. The last time Peter Jackson took on the role of producer was for the Halo movie that stalled in development. First he had asked Guillermo del Toro to direct, but he turned him down to work on Hellboy 2, so then he turned to an unknown with no feature films to his credit, Neill Blomkamp. I guess he'll either hire a good friend or an unknown who he can control. If Raimi gets the job, he won't be directing Spiderman 4 which will be a good thing I think, time for a different vision. He said that the next movie will be in the hands of whoever they hire to write the script; the story, the villains, even the possibility of ignoring the continuity of the last 3 movies. They hired the guy who wrote Zodiac before the strike started.
Different Director worries me a bit, but Im hoping that with PJ overseeing the entire gig that it will still have the same feel & atmosphere of the LotR movies. Im not understanding 2 movies out of it, as Hobbit was the smallest and least complex of the four books...
Great news! The way I figure the two movies will work: 1) The Hobbit, of course taken from the book. Can have lots of in depth stuff here, like Gandalf and the White Council flushing out Sauron/Necromancer from Dol Goldur. Plus I'm sure other characters like Legolas can make appearences. AND 2) What happens between The Hobbit and LOTR. Aragorn/Gandalf's friendship, Saruman's move from good to evil, Gondor's downfall, etc... There's heaps to work from. Over all, I'm excited!
Smallest and least complex, but perhaps with the most stuff going on, especially around the main character. The entire Fellowship of the Ring movies has like 8 major events: prologue/Isuldur; Bilbo's party; Frodo fleeing the Shire; Brie to Rivendell chase; Council of Elrond; Mines of Moria; Lothlorien; Battle with the Uruks at Amon Hen and they made it into a three and a half hour movie (in the extended edition). The Hobbit could have about 15 unless I am leaving something out: Spoiler Bilbo's party; trolls; goblin cave; Gollum and the riddle game; fleeing from the goblins; Beorn; Mirkwood spiders; the Mirkwood elves; Dale; finding the door; stealing from Smaug; Dale part II; the part where Bilbo pockets the gem; the standoff between Thorin and those besieging the mountain; the battle of five armies
Whatever happened to HALO? I thought he was working on it and would be out by summer 2008. Plus there is another movie called The Lovely Bones which is suppose to be his next project. By the look of his schedule; 2 more movies plus that Halo game, I think it is fair to say The Hobbit may not be released until 2010.