The Hobbit

I’m sure I’m not the only one here excited about the forthcoming Hobbit films so, even though we’re still a good few years away from seeing them, I though I’d start a thread and we can follow the progress.

There isn’t a great deal set in stone at the moment, but we do know a few things. There will be two films, one an adaptation of the Hobbit, and a second film that will bridge the gap between The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings. Guillermo Del Toro is directing these films, taking over from Peter Jackson who remains in board as a writer and producer.

Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis will be back, reprising their roles from Jackson’s trilogy. Also helping out are Alan Lee and John Howe, the two Tolkien artists who are responsible for a great deal of the design work on Jackson’s films (Fantastic news!) Del Toro has also said that we would be willing for any cast members from the trilogy to return if they should want to. He would like for Ian Holm to be involved in some way, although the role of Bilbo will have to be recast. Apparently Jackson and Del Toro both have the same person in mind.


Here’s a few articles and quotes from various people.

An excerpt of an Interview with Del Toro in the Irish Times

Quote :

Now resident in an only modestly smart quarter of Los Angeles, del Toro has made very good use of his time in exile. Even before Pan's Labyrinth , he had established a reputation as one of the few directors whose every move causes a ripple of excitement across cyberspace. There was, thus, mixed reaction to the recent news that he is to direct two films concerning the prehistory of Lord of the Rings . As you read this, del Toro is padding about New Zealand scouting locations for his adaptation of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit . When that picture is complete, he will deliver a sequel filling in the gaps between the two books.

No sane person should be in any doubt that del Toro is a worthy (indeed, superior) successor to Peter Jackson, but fans of the director do regret the fact that we will now have to wait another five years for a del Toro film that is neither a sequel nor a prequel. Why disappoint all those people eager for him to exercise the muscles that made Pan's Labyrinth ?

"I would love to do it in a shorter time. But there are rewards doing these two films back-to-back. The second movie can be so rewarding because we can flesh out so much in that universe that is not even hinted at in the trilogy. If I didn't think there was a second movie, then I would be back doing my personal stuff in two years. I thought the idea of the second film was so compelling that I said: okay, half a decade of my life, let's go. But it is a chunk of life, all right."

Unsurprisingly, there is great chatter about del Toro's plans for the adaptation. Every actor under six feet tall has been named as a possible Bilbo Baggins, and many Tolkien enthusiasts have wondered how much of their hero's posthumously published musings will make it into the movies.

"Oh I have read all that," he laughs. "I have read that Jack Black is going to be in it. James McAvoy is going to be in it. They have named Daniel Radcliffe. Look, that's nothing but speculation. I can say that Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis will be returning. The rest is up in the air. I will be serving The Hobbit I have read and will not betray the confidence Peter Jackson put in me to follow on from his vision."

So did they get the rights to draw from Tolkien's The Silmarillion or from any of the other subsidiary scribblings? How much of the second film will be original stories? "We will limit ourselves to the material we have the rights to," he says. "That's Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and the appendices. But, other than that, it will be original. I will be writing with the original writers: Peter, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. We four will be like The Beatles."

From just over a week ago, a piece from the-hobbit-movie.com

Quote :

I would have put money on it anyway but today it was confirmed that the same team that wrote the Lord Of The Rings screen play (Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens) will also write the 2 Hobbit movies together with Guillermo Del Toro of course.

The official press release states that Jackson and Del Toro got so deeply involved in The Hobbit that they couldn't bare the thought of handing it over to someone else.

It was originally thought that Jackson's schedule was far too tight to allow him to get too involved but apparently gaps have been found.

I suspect though that Jackson has had second thoughts and decided he has to be involved in the writing. He promised the money men 2 Hobbit movies in return for their settling his long running "monies owed” claim. Problem is though, there is only one Hobbit book.

Del Toro stated soon after being signed up to direct that:

"We believe there is a second movie. If there isn't, there will not be. If we find it, we will shoot it, but by God, if we do not find it, we will not shoot it. I am anxious to shoot the book, and I'm willing and able to dedicate myself to shooting the second film.”

It's a valid point and one that may well have been raised by outside writers.

Filling the Hobbit out to make two movies is a completely different proposition to the trimming and cutting down they had to do for The Lord Of The Rings. Even when we assume much of the work will come from Tolkiens notes to fill in the gap between the end of The Hobbit and the start of The Fellowship Of The Ring, they are still only notes at the end of the day.

I have a feeling today's announcement comes after Jackson has had time to mull over the story. He may well feel that if this is to be pulled off, he is the only one qualified to do it and who could argue?

After all, he does have the qualifications….. He's been there and now he's going back again. I just hope the trip is as memorable as the one he made a decade ago.

Del Toro on the look of the films.

Quote :

The first film will stand on its own, and the second will be a transition and fusion with Peter's world. I plan to change and expand the visuals from Peter's, and I know the world can be portrayed in a different way. Different is better for the first one. For the second, I have the responsibility of finding a slow progression and mimicking the style of Peter.

A few months back, this appeared on Aint It Cool with regards to Howard Shore

Quote :

This won't come too big a surprise, as the possibility/probability was referenced by ScoreKeeper in an interview with Howard Shore that was published quite a while back. However, with THE HOBBIT enduring so much flux, nothing seemed certain for a while.

Ian McKellen's recent statements about his intent to return as Gandalf, as well as hints that a few other details of the film are at long last solidifying, suggest this project is finally coming together (provided litigation from the Tolkien estate doesn't slam the brakes on yet again.

One detail concerns Howard Shore & whether or not he'd be back for another round of scoring. Kris sent in the following message, which pretty much speaks for itself.

Hi Harry,

Yesterday evening I was able to go to "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Score Performed Live to the Epic Motion Picture" in Lucerne in Switzerland.

Composer Howard Shore attended, and participated in a small session on the scoring the music for FOTR.

Towards the end the audience had the opportunity to ask some questions. One person asked about his involvement in THE HOBBIT. Mr. Shore replied that he is involved. Apparently he has been working on ideas since working on the THE TWO TOWERS.

For Mr. Shore it will be the first time he will be working with Guillermo del Toro.

If he is back, this is quite possibly the best news I’ve heard in an age!



Here’s an interview with Christopher Lee about him returning




And a bit with John Noble from the-hobbit-movie.com

Quote :

John Noble is the second actor who had a major role in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy to publicly state that he wouldn’t return to Middle Earth should Del Toro make the call.

His character Denethor doesn’t make an appearance in The Hobbit but Del Toro has hinted the second movie could feature the story of Aragorn and so Denethor the Steward of Gondor would feature prominently.

John told MTV Movies:

“If they said, ‘Would you come and play Denethor again,’ I would have to say, ‘No, I’m doing [new J.J. Abrams television series] ‘Fringe’! And I certainly couldn’t play a younger Denethor or even Echelion now that I’m an older John. Not even with makeup.”

“I do wish them the best of luck, however. There’s tremendous fan interest in ‘The Hobbit.’ But ‘Lord of the Rings’ was so special, you could tell even when you were working on it, that it was just so good, and sometimes, you just want to leave that in a special place somehow.”

That “special place” may well hold back yet more cast from making a return to Middle Earth and could end up being a major challenge for Del Toro although it’s going to be a major help having Peter Jackson in his corner.

So, lots of informaton, some of it conflicting, but it's great to know that this is now in full flow. In all honesty, I do wish Jackson was directing, but having a hand in wrting and producing can't be a bad thing, plus Del Toro is a fine director.

2011 seems to far away!

I cannot wait!!!!


If anything though the second movie excites me more. I'm just so interested to see what they're going to do with that. What will they call it, for a start?

It's a shame John Noble doesn't want to return as Denethor, he's brilliant in Return Of The King and I hope some of the others return.

Good news about Howard Shore!

I too wish Jackson was directing but at least he's heavily involved. Just a shame it's so far away! I'm torn between wanting to know as much as possible or whether to try and avoid it and have a ccmplete surprise.


Roll on 2011.

Looks like it will be ace

An interview with Dominic Monaghan about the prequel films.

MTV - Dominic Monaghan on LOTR prequels

Taken from Empire

Quote :

We’ve known for a while that Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro’s eagerly-awaited adaptation of the Lord Of The Rings prequel, The Hobbit, would comprise two movies, due in December 2011 and 2012. But the make-up of those two movies has been up for debate… until now.

We spoke exclusively to both Del Toro and Jackson for our birthday issue, and they told us the latest, which is…

“We’ve decided to have The Hobbit span the two movies, including the White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur,” says Del Toro.

“We decided it would be a mistake to try to cram everything into one movie,” adds Jackson. “The essential brief was to do The Hobbit, and it allows us to make The Hobbit in a little more style, if you like, of the [LOTR] trilogy.”

So there you go. The second film will not, as had previously been suggested, a film that will bridge the 60-year gap between The Hobbit and the start of Fellowship Of The Ring.

More to come in Empire's next issue.

Gimli the Dreary wrote:

Taken from Empire

Quote :

We’ve known for a while that Peter Jackson and Guillermo Del Toro’s eagerly-awaited adaptation of the Lord Of The Rings prequel, The Hobbit, would comprise two movies, due in December 2011 and 2012. But the make-up of those two movies has been up for debate… until now.

We spoke exclusively to both Del Toro and Jackson for our birthday issue, and they told us the latest, which is…

“We’ve decided to have The Hobbit span the two movies, including the White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur,” says Del Toro.

“We decided it would be a mistake to try to cram everything into one movie,” adds Jackson. “The essential brief was to do The Hobbit, and it allows us to make The Hobbit in a little more style, if you like, of the [LOTR] trilogy.”

So there you go. The second film will not, as had previously been suggested, a film that will bridge the 60-year gap between The Hobbit and the start of Fellowship Of The Ring.

More to come in Empire's next issue.

Well, this is good news, and the first one is getting released for 2011 too!! Plus, they have other Tolkien books as reference if they need it.

Guillermo Del Toro talks about The Hobbit, and his book The Strain!!

Here's something to make Gimli cum himself, Could there be a THIRD Hobbit film!?!?

You can never have too much of a good thing!

I think we'll have to see how the other two fair first and there needs to be enough story to require a third film.

Well, they want to make a film that bridges the gap between The Hobbit and LOTR, I thought the second film that they were making was dealing with that. Are they adapting more than The Hobbit??

Filming starts in March 2010, and filming will last for 370 days!!

Is that principal photography? Thats over 100 more than all three LOTR films! Then again, the miniatures unit did work for 1000 days!

Look "Who" is tipped to play Bilbo Baggins!!

Noooooooooooooooooooooo!

No!? Why no??

Not sure really. I just don't like him all that much. I certainly don't think he's a suitable replacement for Ian Holm.

I know Holm is unable to do it, but who would you say is better??

Anyways, Peter Jackson is remaining tight-lipped over it.

I really have no idea, someone who can have the same chemistry with McKellen as Holm did for a start. I shall have to place my trust with the guys behind the film.

I trust Del Toro as a director, I don't think he's ever put a foot wrong. As for Jackson, well remember on LOTR, Stuart Townsend was originally cast as Aragon?? And look what happened there...

Good point. But he got it bang on with the second choice!

This is what could have been though...



It happened to Jackson again recently on The Lovely Bones, where Ryan Gosling was replaced by Mark Wahlberg. But no matter, although I hope it doesn't happen again here.

I don't think I've ever seen that pic. It looks so wrong!


I'v had a bit of a think about Bilbo. My sister thinks Tom Hollander might be a good choice and I agree. James Callis as well, terrific in Battlestar.

Yeah, that pic was a leaked make-up and wardrobe test that wriggled through the net. As for your sisters choice, Hollander would be good...

Peter Jackson talks a little about The Hobbit!! And a little bit about The Lovely Bones and Tintin too!!