The Hobbit

[Krakalakachkn]

I'm really excited for this movie.  I hope they do it right and don't pull a Lucas.  The good news is, there hasn't been 2 decades between the trilogy and the making of the Hobbit, so hopefully Jackson hasn't lost his perspective.

 

In an article at Variety talking about New Line Cinema, which two years ago became a unit under Warner Bros.Pictures, studio executive Alan Horn reveals that the first of the two Hobbit films may not hit theaters until late 2012, a full year after the previously-announced December 2011 release:

 

Once the script for the second film is in -- Jackson and his longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are working on it with Del Toro -- New Line will work up a budget for both films and start casting. New Line exec Michael Disco, who was once Emmerich's assistant, will oversee for the studio.

 

Horn won't predict when the first of the two "Hobbit" films will be out, but says the most probable scenario would be a release in the fourth quarter of 2012.

 

"It's a big bet for us. But it's one we think will pay off given the success of 'Lord of the Rings,'" says Emmerich. "This is one of the few movies it feels like people are waiting for."

 

New Line's original plan was to release the first film in December 2011, followed by the second one in December 2012. One reason for the delay may be the restructuring of MGM, which shares the financing rights with New Line for the "Hobbit" films. MGM is currently accepting bids for the studio and those rights may go to another studio (Warner Bros. is said to be one of the bidders).

[Krakalakachkn]

Newest information available in interview form with Richard Taylor...some rando who apparently has a lot to do with the movie

 

Collider: How are you doing today, sir?

 

Richard Taylor:  Hey, good day Steve. I’m good thank you and appreciate the interest.

 

Yeah, just to be honest, I’m a huge fan of your work and I absolutely adore the “Lord of the Rings” movies.

 

Taylor:  Oh thank you. I enjoyed working on them. And it’s 1/3 of my total working career, so it’s lovely to know it was a pleasurable experience at every level.

 

Actually, what must it be like for you? Because I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there who when you say who you are and what you did on those movies, they must want to talk to you everywhere.

 

Taylor:  There is an amazing community of enthusiasts for the film. You imagine going into the movies knowing that already a huge part of the population of the world respect and hold the books with such a level of respect. And so you do carry a certain anxiety that you’re going to ultimately be able to fulfill that expectation, so we you get people coming up and saying how pleased that they were with the imagery and what you did with the world. That means a huge amount because in some way it endorses and suppresses some of your anxiety around that.

 

What aspect of the production like the visual design really leaps out at you when you’re watching the film on Blu-ray?

 

Taylor:  Well, unfortunately I can’t comment on that because we haven’t had the pleasure of seeing it yet. It hasn’t gotten here yet, but we are incredibly keen to see what it looks like. Obviously the anticipation in the workshop is huge and we’re actually going to screen it in our cinema for the team when it actually arrives. But what causes me some thought is now that the technology, you know your home viewing experiences now at a greater fidelity and clarity than even at the cinema in some cases and it changes the way you’ve got to think about making your part of the craft. Because if you could once hide behind film technique, today the camera sees everything and therefore the audience through the clarity of things like Blu-ray, can also see everything. That makes for a huge challenge at an artistic level. A wonderful wonder, you know, it’s one that you want to rise to.

 

Looking back on the movies, is there anything in the design that you wish you could have done differently but you couldn’t at the time because of the technology or time?

 

Taylor:  I do reflect on that and ultimately at some level it would be disingenuous to the team to think “oh God if only we had…” because you work with the skills and the knowledge and the capabilities you have at that moment in time. You try and work with them to the limit of your capabilities. But it doesn’t stop. Occasionally reflecting, “gosh if we’d had the effects,” but I think rather than reflecting on a single thing, I think it’s interesting to note what the…what we’ve seen today is a more and more immersive experience. And there’s no doubt that James Cameron has taken the world audience to a level of cinema going that has not really been seen before. And what that suggests in the future is that these epic movies, rather than being partially immersive, will be fully and completely emotionally absorbing and you’ll feel like you’re rather a spectator sitting outside of the cinema experience, you’re actually part of the experience and just sitting within the world. And you know for a movie like “Lord of the Rings” of the future, that is extremely exciting.

 

Something I wanted to ask you about is I recently interviewed Hugo Weaving, and he made a very astute observation that I think that you’re probably in the position to answer. He said to me that while on “Lord of the Rings” the film, you know was a different time in Middle Earth.  When you talk about The Hobbit, that’s a completely different time zone where things were a lot different. The energy in the land, there wasn’t the evil. I’m definitely curious, how is that affecting perhaps a design or an artist like yourself when you’re thinking about future things?

 

Taylor:  Yeah, that’s actually extremely astute as you say because we are definitely reflecting on it. The plausibility of the landscape on middle earth is the chess board on which the characters play out this role and therefore the landscape, the backdrop if you like, has to communicate the intent of Tolkin’s writing as much as the performers would communicate it. And it’s therefore critical that that is acknowledged through the design process. And it’s something that Guillermo (del Toro) is hyper aware of when he is working with us and with the production designer and so on, because the audience that come from the love of the books and will be coming from the love of the Hobbit story see the Hobbit as sitting in a completely different time, a completely different historical moment.  Almost like literally if we were sitting in the 16th century compared to the 18th century. You’d communicate the world in a very different way in our own time. So that is very prevalent in our collective thinking.

 

Well, I’m definitely curious, I’ve been on a lot of film shoots and for example on “Clash of the Titans”, they reused a lot of stuff from “Troy,” and on many movies they reuse things from other films, but talking as we were just talking about, the fact that it’s a completely different time in Middle Earth does that mean that it’s harder to reuse things from the original trilogy and you’ll have to create everything from scratch or can you reuse?

 

Taylor:  Well, that’s a tricky question to answer of course, but I think simply it would be inappropriate to just reuse things because the world, as you say, it would be…the audience would see through that. They would know that we’ve tried to make efficiencies. I think it’s so appropriate that we try and focus on making something fresh and yeah, so it’s a dicey one to answer of course under the confidentialities I’m under, so I have to be a bit illusive on that one.

 

As a huge fan of yours and of the “Lord of the Rings” movies, what was it like for you when you first found out that you know you’re most likely going to be making “The Hobbit”? I mean obviously it’s not official yet, but assuming it all comes through, which I’m sure it will, what was it like for you when you first found out that you were going back into that world?

 

Taylor:  Oh well, euphoria, of course. We could never have imagined that, you know to even think that we were offered the original chance to work on “Lord of the Rings” as precious as those books are to so many of us was beyond your wildest imagining. And then knowing the complexities of the rights over the last 10 years, we had resigned to the fact that it was probably unlikely we could be involved on “The Hobbit”, and then, suddenly, it’s unfolding and it’s a tribute to Peter’s just dogged determination and Ken Kamins, Peter’s manager, that works with Peter to see this opportunity realized so that we as an audience around the world get to see this incredible prequel and you know we feel incredibly fortunate. There’s no describing actually how fortunate you feel when something like this happens in your life. So yeah, yeah.  Good question. Thank you.

 

 

You were very involved in “Avatar” as well. You were right?

 

Taylor:  Yes. Yeah, we were on it for a long time. We looked after…we did complimentary designs what the American design department…the main military hardware. We did all the Na’vi culture costumes. Some of the vehicle work and guns and so on and so on.

 

You had me nervous there for a second when I started saying that. I’m like oh my God did I just screw up?

 

Taylor:  No, thank you. It was an incredible journey working alongside, we were doing “District 9″ at the same time, so you’ve got two science fiction movies of such different vision of the future. And getting ultimately to work with James Cameron, who we obviously respected our whole professional lives as a filmmaker, to be offered that opportunity was just phenomenal.

 

I consider Guillermo, Peter and James Cameron to be visionaries and just amazing artists. What do you find, since you’ve worked with all three, the common denominator or the common theme in all three of them that makes them such amazing artists?

 

Taylor:  Yes, that’s a very good question. Well, my simple answer to it is, what I see as the link between all visionary directors and filmmakers is this unique driving passion to tell unique stories. And I see in James Cameron this visionary director that has this burning, completely unfaltering, desire to show unique and incredible worlds and stories and you think about his previous films how original and unique his work has been. And I see exactly the same in both Peter and Guillermo. They want to take an audience and surprise them and give them an experience that they otherwise would never witness if they weren’t fortunate enough to go see one of their films.  I love being an audience member viewing their work, but I of course also have had a great fortune of working with them and that’s something I hold dear of course.

 

You worked with Neill Blomkamp on “District 9″ and I’m curious are you going to work with him on his next sci-fi movie?

 

Taylor:  (laughter) I’m not sure I can say that yet, but by being elusive… Neill is truly one of the most unique and talented filmmakers we’ve had the pleasure of working with and we certainly are enjoying an ongoing relationship with him at the creative level. How’s that for diplomatic?  We’re just thrilled by the possibility of  making films with him in the future.

 

My last thing, are you coming to Comic-Con this summer?

 

Taylor:  Yes, most definitely. It’ll be my 9th year, so I definitely will be there.

[Krakalakachkn]

Rumour Updates from Peter Jackson

 

Peter Jackson has confirmed to Moviefone that MGM's problems will have a direct impact on the film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit".

 

Asked about the delay in filming until the end of the year, Jackson shot back saying as the studio still hasn't greenlit the project and so there was never a date announced despite rampant media speculation. Casting can't begin until the green light has been given, something that likely won't happen until MGM been purchased or undergone a major restructuring in some way.

 

That hasn't stopped Jackson working though as he and his co-writers have just finished the second film's script. The director/producer tells the site "We've just delivered the script. Literally last week, we delivered the second of the two screenplays -- the first draft. So the studio's got both scripts now, which is a milestone; and if anything was holding it up, it was us doing the screenplays, because we'd just been writing as fast as we can, but it took us this long to get them finished. So we take whatever responsibility there is for the speed."

 

So where are things now? Jackson says "we're now in the process of budgeting the films, and then hopefully we'll get to a budget the studio [people] are happy with, and they'll greenlight the movies and we'll announce the shooting dates. I'd be pretty optimistic that we'll be shooting before the end of the year. I would imagine October, November, we'd be shooting by. I'm not announcing it, though."

[Krakalakachkn]

New news!  Del Toro is out!

 

What a difference a few days make. Last week quotes from filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro taken at the "Splice" junket earlier in May were published where MGM's continuing financial difficulties were cited as the major reason that the much anticipated film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" couldn't continue beyond the pre-production phase as yet.

 

Yet the "Pan's Labyrinth" director sounded upbeat that it was only a matter of time and was very proud of the nearly two years of work he had put into the project as director and co-writer. So, when he confirmed he was stepping down as director over the weekend, the ensuing response has been a large and understandable amount of shock and sadness.

 

In a statement given to TheOneRing.net, both Del Toro and Peter Jackson talk about former's departure from the big chair, the reasoning behind it, and his continued involvement in other capacities on the project.

 

Del Toro says "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. 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 wlsh 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".

 

Jackson added "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. 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".

 

Jackson went on to confirm Del Toro's certainly far from done with these movies - "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. 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".

 

Deadline added a little more to the story, namely dismissing the one rumor that was bound to immediately pop-up after the news was announced - that Jackson himself would step in as director. Jackson's manager Ken Kamins pretty clearly shoots down the possibility, saying "Peter has and has had obligations and commitments to other films that would make it impossible for him to direct 'The Hobbit 'at this time, even if it was offered, which it hasn't been." He also added Jackson had been quietly lining up another project which he was planning to direct while Del Toro was going to shoot "The Hobbit".

[ironcross]

from "theonering.net"

 

when i checked it on tuesday its looking much more likely that with del toro out and the studios not wanting to have to pay someone else to come in and finnish the movie, pj will have to find a way to do it himself.  suposedly they already have most the sets built, all the costumes desined, and a good deal of the props built, but they still need a go ahead from MGM befor they can sighn the actors and start shooting.

[Krakalakachkn]

Too bad MGM is going Bankrupt

[ironcross]

yeah, from what i was reading though they are trying to use the cash they already spent on the movie for leverage to get more to be able to finnish it with, saying that "if you want to get the monniue that we owe you then give us more for this movie cause otherwise its all just gone"  or somthing like that.

[Krakalakachkn]

To be honest, I'm kind of surprised.  With property rights like The Lord of the Rings and the Bond series, you wouldn't expect MGM to go bankrupt

[ironcross]

mtv is saying that its looking verry much like pj is going to be directing the hobbit.... if it gets made at all.

 

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/07/26/peter-jackson-the-logical-person-to-direct-the-hobbit-guillermo-del-toro-says/

[Krakalakachkn]

Let us pray it is so.

[Krakalakachkn]

With the whole drama over the MEAA, it's looking dubious whether The Hobbit will be resolved any time soon. Peter Jackson wrote an extremely interesting commentary that slammed the MEAA over their idiocy.

 

Interesting bits are bolded

 

Peter Jackson has hit back at actors unions over their boycott of "The Hobbit," accusing the unions of a power grab and warning that production of the two films could be moved from New Zealand to Eastern Europe.

 

Jackson issued a lengthy statement Sunday in response to the seven major actors unions telling members not to work on "The Hobbit" due to the refusal of producers to sign a deal with local New Zealand performers.

 

"Personally speaking, I'm not anti-union in the slightest," said Jackson. "I'm a very proud and loyal member of three Hollywood unions -- the Directors Guild, the Producers Guild and the Writers Guild. I support the Screen Actors Guild."

 

The boycott's organized through the Intl. Federation of Actors, of which the unions are members, to support the New Zealand actors. The unions asserted that those performers -- repped through the Australian actors union, the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance -- have been working under contracts providing no minimum guarantees of wages or working conditions, no residual payments and no cancellation payments.

 

Jackson said that he believes the move represents a plot by the Australians gain control of the New Zealand film industry.

 

"There is a twisted logic to seeing NZ humiliated on the world stage, by losing the Hobbit to Eastern Europe," he said. "Warners would take a financial hit that would cause other studios to steer clear of New Zealand. Seriously, if the Hobbit goes east (Eastern Europe in fact) - look forward to a long dry big budget movie drought in this country."

 

Aside from MEAA, the unions supporting the boycott are Canadian Actors Equity, US Actors Equity, the Screen Actors Guild, UK Actors Equity, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists. The notice to members, sent Friday, advised actors not to accept work on the "non-union" production. "If you are contacted to be engaged on 'The Hobbit' please notify your union immediately," the unions said.

 

Jackson -- who's exec producing and writing "The Hobbit" and may direct -- focused his criticism on the Australian actors union. HE said the New Zealand branch isn't a union and estimated that it has signed 200 of 2,000 New Zealand actors. "It speaks on behalf of a tiny minority of our actors," he added.

 

"I can't see beyond the ugly spectre of an Australian bully-boy using what he perceives as his weak Kiwi cousins to gain a foothold in this country's film industry," Jackson said. "They want greater membership, since they get to increase their bank balance."

 

Jackson said that his sympathy goes to the 1800 New Zealand actors who are not part of what he called the "Equity 200" but who will "suffer the fallout if this Hobbit thing goes nuclear."

 

"I also feel a growing anger at the way this tiny minority is endangering a project that hundreds of people have worked on over the last two years, and the thousands about to be employed for the next 4 years," he said. "Why is this endangered? Because the 'demands' of MEAA cannot be agreed to, or even considered - by law - and therefore the only options that remain involve closing the Hobbit down, or more likely shifting the production to Europe. It could so easily happen."

 

Jackson also said that he's been told that Disney no longer shoots in Australia because of frustration with the MEAA.

 

The back-to-back "Hobbit" films have still not been greenlit by co-financers New Line and MGM. A New Line spokesperson said the studio had no comment.

 

Guillermo del Toro departed the project in late May as director and Jackson had been in subsequent talks to take over as helmer.

 

"The Hobbit" films are based JRR Tolkien's epic fantasy novel about the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, who obtains the ring that was the centerpiece of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy of books and films. Del Toro, who committed to direct "The Hobbit" pics in 2008, said in May that sets, wardrobe, animatics and planned battles sequences had all been fully prepared.

 

The admonition by the unions to their members doesn't prevent actors from working on "The Hobbit" but puts them on notice that they could be punished.

 

The resolution by the unions reads, "Resolved, that the International Federation of Actors urges each of its affiliates to adopt instructions to their members that no member of any FIA affiliate will agree to act in the theatrical film 'The Hobbit' until such time as the producer has entered into a collective bargaining agreement with the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance for production in New Zealand providing for satisfactory terms and conditions for all performers employed on the productions."

[Krakalakachkn]

A new problem arose for "The Hobbit" film over the weekend as seven unions (several UK ones, SAG and Australian union MEAA) told their members not to work on the planned production in New Zealand because producers "have refused to engage performers on union-negotiated agreements" according to a joint statement reports The Sydney Morning Herals.

 

Peter Jackson himself quickly shot back with an official statement calling the order a "grab for power" by the MEAA and threatened to move the production to Eastern Europe, causing New Zealand to lose out on many millions in revenue.

 

Now the film's production backers New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM have weighed in with support for Jackson, saying in a statement that "there cannot be any collective bargaining with MEAA on this New Zealand production, for to do so would expose the production to liability and sanctions under New Zealand law."

 

The studios add that due to a lack of certainty about production proceeding without disruption, it's their "general policy to avoid filming in locations where there is potential for work force uncertainty or other forms of instability". They're now "exploring all alternative options in order to protect our business interests".

 

More as it develops.

[Krakalakachkn]

DAMMIT!!!!

 

After financial issues and the union strike threat, Peter Jackson's anticipated film adaptation of "The Hobbit" has once again hit a stumbling block.

 

This time a fire broke out Friday at Jackson's Portsmouth Miniatures Studio in New Zealand, engulfing and destroying one of the few specialist miniature shooting facilities in the world reports Deadline.

 

It took fifty firefighters three hours to put out the blaze, leaving only a burned out warehouse in place of one of the key workshops that would've been used by the production.

 

The news came just hours after a report emerged at The Los Angeles Times that the studios were close to green lighting the project, having resolved most of the key issues that have held up the project.

 

The article cites that the two films would be shot together on a budget approaching $500 million for the pair, with $45 million having already been spent on pre-production. Barring last-minute issues that might raise their heads, shooting could begin by mid-January which would have the films in theaters for Christmas 2012 and 2013.

 

On Sunday the problem of the union dispute over the film looked to be headed towards some kind of resolution as well as New Zealand Prime Minister John Key stepped into the fight and offered government officials to help mediate the dispute reports The Herald Sun.

 

Key is very keen on keeping the projects in New Zealand, however film industry officials from Australia, Canada, Scotland and Ireland are all campaigning to serve as potential replacements if the dispute cannot be resolved.

[dapianoplay3r]

That union dispute was a big thing on our New Zealnd news. Everyone was desparate to keep the film here and not let it be filmed in Europe. It was all they ever talked about but now something bigger has happened so I havent actually heard anything for a day or two

[Krakalakachkn]

FRIGGIN' FINALLY!!!!

 

Considering the wild rumours, multiple delays and just overall over excitability of the press, you could be forgiven for doubting the news on Friday that Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" movies have finally been given the green light to kick off production.

 

The Wrap first reported from an inside source that the project had been greenlit and would begin production in February and Jackson's deal to direct and produce both features had been finalised with both MGM and Warner Brothers this week.

 

The source admitted however that labor issues related to the production have still not been resolved, while the MGM situation is still a cause for concern. A few other media outlets later that day questioned the validity of the report, claiming that according to their sources things were still in flux.

 

Jackson himself had previously stated that considering all the wild online gossip, don't trust anything until the press releases had been issued. Well very late Friday night a press release was issued by New Line and Warner Bros. confirming the news and adding that no decision has been made yet in regards to where filming would take place.

[Krakalakachkn]

More casting news

 

James Nesbitt has been offered a role while David Tennant and Michael Fassbender are being pursued for two other roles in the upcoming "The Hobbit" reports Deadline.

 

The $500 million dual films finally got the green light by New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM last week with production slated to begin in February next year. Ian McKellen is set to return as Gandalf, Andy Serkis as Gollum, and though not officially yet it seems set that Martin Freeman will play Bilbo Baggins.

 

Irish actor Nesbitt is a staple on British television, rising to fame on such shows as "Cold Feet," "Ballykissangel," "Murphy's Law" and "Jekyll" along with films like "Match Point," "Millions," "Bloody Sunday" and "Five Minutes of Heaven".

 

Fassbender has found his name quickly rising in Hollywood thanks to key roles in blockbusters like "300," "Inglourious Basterds," "Centurion" and "X-Men: First Class" along with art house features like "Hunger" and "Fish Tank".

 

Tennant is best known for starring as the tenth incarnation of The Doctor, from 2006 to 2009, in the long-running hit British sci-fi series "Doctor Who". He's also appeared in such films as "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "Bright Young Things," "How to Train Your Dragon" and the upcoming "Fright Night" remake.

[Crael123]

Aren't they doing this in 2 films?

[Krakalakachkn]

Yeah, that was the plan. Apparently the 2nd movie has no basis in the books.

 

New DWARVES!

 

New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM have officially announced in a press release the casting of the various dwarf characters in their upcoming film adaptation of "The Hobbit" which Peter Jackson is set to direct.

 

Firstly the release (via TheOneRing) finally confirms that UK "The Office" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" star Martin Freeman is set to play Bilbo Baggins.

 

 

(from L to R): Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, Rob Kazinsky

 

Three British TV hunks will be joining him. Tall dark and brooding Richard Armitage, best known for playing Sir Guy of Gisborne in the BBC's recent "Robin Hood" series and currently starring as Lucas North in the acclaimed MI5-set spy series "Spooks", has been cast as Thorin Oakenshield.

 

In the film Oakenshield is the leader of the Company of Dwarves which sets off to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a thieving dragon. Two members of his company include "Being Human" vampire hunk Aidan Turner and "EastEnders" soapie star Rob Kazinsky who play Kili and Fili respectively.

 

Also along for the ride are some veterans like Graham McTavish ("24," "Rambo," "Red Dwarf") as Dwalin, John Callen ("The Man Who Lost His Head," "The Rainbow Warrior") as Oin, Stephen Hunter ("Love My Way," "All Saints") as Bombur, Mark Hadlow ("King Kong," "Children of Fire Mountain") as Dori, and Peter Hambleton ("The Rainbow Warrior," "The Strip") as Gloin.

 

Further casting is expected to be announced shortly, along with confirmations of the involvement of Ian McKellan and Andy Serkis.

[Corki]

I've added the BBC link and article that gives a bit more about film location. I tried to highlight the bits about location. And when I read my national newspaper yesterday morning, I found out the UK location where HP filmed in Watford, which is the town across from where I live.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11604193

 

The Office actor Martin Freeman will play Bilbo Baggins in two-part Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit, director Peter Jackson has announced.

 

He said in a statement there had "only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us".

 

Freeman, 39, was "intelligent, funny, surprising and brave - exactly like Bilbo", Jackson added.

 

Meanwhile, Jackson's wife Fran Walsh has reportedly told a radio station filming could move to the UK because of an industrial dispute in New Zealand.

 

Dwarves cast

 

Jackson said he was "incredibly proud" to be able to announce that Freeman would be the hobbit.

 

"There are a few times in your career when you come across an actor who you know was born to play a role, but that was the case as soon as I met Martin," Jackson said.

 

Spooks actor Richard Armitage, 39 - who has a role in the forthcoming film Captain America: The First Avenger - will play Thorin Oakenshield - leader of the dwarves.

 

Former EastEnders actor Rob Kazinsky, Sean Slater in the soap, will also play a dwarf.

 

He will appear alongside Irish actor Aidan Turner, who has appeared in BBC Three's Being Human, and British actor Graham McTavish, who has appeared on TV shows including Red Dwarf.

 

Other dwarves will be played by John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow and Peter Hambleton.

 

The films are due to be released in December 2012 and December 2013.

 

As with the Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, the film had been due to be made in Jackson's native New Zealand.

 

But on Thursday, film studio Warner Bros said the ongoing pay wrangle with acting unions had "forced us to consider other filming locations for the first time".

 

Jackson's wife and creative partner Fran Walsh, meanwhile, reportedly told Radio New Zealand that film producers "had people in the UK taking location photographs".

 

"They've got a huge studio there that Harry Potter has vacated, the ex-Rolls Royce factory, that they say would be perfect for us."

 

Canada, Australia and the Czech Republic have also been linked with the production.

 

Unions representing actors and other workers urged a boycott against the $500m (£319m) production because of the dispute over contracts.

 

They are trying to force Jackson's production company, Wingnut Films, and Warner Bros to enter negotiations with them over the contracts deadlock.

 

While major unions including America's Screen Actors Guild and New Zealand Actors' Equity have retreated, smaller unions in New Zealand and Australia are continuing their boycott.

 

Meanwhile, non-union film workers have hit the streets in New Zealand to demand that filming stays there.

 

Earlier this month, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said he would be "greatly concerned" if production on Jackson's film was lost.

 

Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy won 17 Oscars and earned billions of dollars at box offices worldwide.

[Krakalakachkn]

The Hobbit production to stay in New Zealand!

 

In an official press conference a few hours ago, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key announced that both "The Hobbit" and its untitled sequel are keeping their productions in New Zealand according to The Hollywood Reporter.

 

Following on from labor disputes, media fights and considerations of moving the production to Europe or other locations, the announcement essentially brings to a close a media whirlwind that has been making headlines for several weeks now. It also means the production will continue on track for its planned start of production in February with the two films to score releases on December 2012 and December 2013.

 

Keys added that the government would immediately introduce into parliament legislation sought by Warners that would clarify the distinction between contractors and employees in the film production industry.

 

Securing the films however comes at a price - $25 million U.S. dollars to be exact. The Government plans to broaden the criteria for its large budget incentive program, resulting in an additional rebate to Warners of $15 million. They will also offset up to US$10 million of Warners' marketing costs in a planned strategic partnership that will promote New Zealand as both a destination for tourism and film production.

[Krakalakachkn]

More Hobbitses!

 

Veteran Irish thesp James Nesbitt and newcomer Adam Brown have officially joined Peter Jackson‘s “The Hobbit” as the dwarves Bofur and Ori respectively.

 

Nesbitt had been linked to the project a few weeks back, but today came word on which role in particular along with confirmation of his involvement. His role will be that of Bofur, a "disarmingly forthright, funny and occasionally brave Dwarf".

 

Having consistently been in work since 1991 on British television and in features, Nesbitt has delivered memorable character turns in shows like "Ballykissangel," "Murphy's Law," "Cold Feet" and Steven Moffat's "Jekyll" mini-series. In film he's worked in strong efforts from some of the great filmmakers of our time including Michael Winterbottom's "Welcome to Sarajevo", Danny Boyle's "Millions", Woody Allen's "Match Point" and Paul Greengrass' "Bloody Sunday".

 

Brown will play Ori, another of the Dwarf Company which sets out to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the infamous dragon. The duo join the already announced Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, Rob Kazinsky, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow and Peter Hambleton.

[Krakalakachkn]

Some small new tidbits.

 

A bunch of small but interesting news stories have emerged in recent days for the much anticipated 'Rings' prequel "The Hobbit" which is gearing up to begin production in February.

 

First, Sir Ian McKellen has updated his official site with a listing that implies he's set to reprise the role of Gandalf in the films. Though many thought it a given, McKellen himself even recently said nothing had been set in stone as yet and he wasn't under contract.

 

Second story via 3D Radar says that the film is definitely going to be shot in 3D and will be filmed entirely with thirty specially designed RED EPIC cameras.

 

"The Hobbit" will be amongst the first productions in the world to use the 5k resolution cameras that are much smaller and lighter than current 3D cameras in use.

 

Next, actor Martin Freeman tells BBC News that he has been fitted for prosthetics to play Bilbo Baggins. "I've had wig, feet, ears...full steam ahead for me to look like Bilbo."

 

The last is the most inane but potentially disturbing as well. The Telegraph reports that after three hours of standing in a line, a British woman of Pakistani heritage was told she was not white enough to take part as an extra.

 

The woman, Naz Humphreys, claims the casting manager at the auditions in Hamilton, New Zealand basically said "they weren't having anybody who wasn't pale-skinned."

 

Jackson's rep quickly responded to the claims, calling the woman's dismissal and the casting agent's remarks "an incredibly unfortunate error" reports Contact Music.

 

The rep says no such order was issued to casting directors - "It is not something the producers or the director of The Hobbit were aware of. They would never issue instructions of this kind to the casting crew. All people meeting the age and height requirements are welcome to audition."

[Krakalakachkn]

New casting news

 

Seven more names have been locked in for Peter Jackson's adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic "The Hobbit" in an official press release today.

 

As previously reported, former "Doctor Who" star Sylvester McCoy is now officially locked and is indeed playing the wizard Radagast the Brown. Not unexpected but a highly pleasurable confirmation as well today is that Oscar winner Cate Blanchett will reprise her role of Galadriel, the Lady of Lothlorien which she portrayed in the "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

 

Joining them are Swedish actor Mikael Persbrandt ("Everlasting Moments") as the shape-shifter Beorn, veteran British these Ken Stott ("Shallow Grave," "Rebus") as the Dwarf Lord Balin.

 

Two more dwarves have been cast - New Zealanders Jed Brophy ("The Warrior's Way," "District 9") and William Kircher ("Out of the Blue," "City Life") will play Nori and Bifur respectively. Finally, Ryan Gage (Outlaw, BBC's "Hamlet") will play Bilbo Baggins' second cousin Drogo.

 

Jackson will helm the two films back-to-back from a screenplay by himself, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro. Shooting kicks off in New Zealand in February.

 

 

From that bolded bit, it seems that Jackson will be directing The Hobbit after all. This is great news!

[Majsju]

I am very excited about Persbrandt getting to play Beorn, that is the kind of character he excels at.

[Nyanna al'Meara]

okay, I hope they're gonna do it here in NZ. Soon. If they are, I AM DEFINATELY GETTING AN EXTRA ROLE!!!!! *bounds around in circles going "deh, deh, deh"*