THE HOBBIT GETS THE GREEN LIGHT TO GO THERE AND BACK AGAIN

Was there ever any doubt? I wish Ian Holm could be Bilbo.

This whole process has almost sapped all of my enthusiasm for this project.

We'll never make it. There's thousands of them and only nine of us'

Ohhhh

We made it!

Hurray, we made it.
Raizes flagon of Green Dragon ale!!!

Next thing I hear about this better be about Freeman getting cast as Bilbo.

I mean, they have to at least give a serious eye towards Freeman. It's a bit too perfect.

Well placed link, my good man.

Although the process has been joy sapping so far. There's only one thing a proper Tolkien nerd can say to such news.

Here. We. Go.

Freeman or David Tennant those would be my pics.

I still think you only need to make one film not two however

YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES...

Ok now that initial enthusiasm can give way to 2 fan wank casting demands:

Martin Freeman for Bilbo and a return of Bret McKenize as everyone's favorite Elf, Figwit!!!

I was reading an interview in The Telegraph (don't laugh Ken, it came free with a bottle of water) today which suggests that Freeman isn't getting offered the role.

IMHO the doubt surrounded the participation of McKellan and Lee.

Anyway, I must concur; I'd much rather keep Holm and just digitally deage him, but given the inexplicable troubles in getting this thing financed in the first place, perhaps the costs involved for such a technique were a bridge too far for MGM/Whoever

With that in mind, I must second Ms Rappe's suggestion of Martin Freeman (whose name I've seen bandied about on the boards previously). He seems like perfect casting in a way that few other living actors can match (actors that I'm familiar with, at least)

Regardless of who ends up in the role, I'm just glad to see this project finally move forward. I can't believe I was in highschool when the last films came out. Yikes, time sure flies

I do hope they'll stick with native 3D cinematography. With Del Torro off doing ATMOM with Cameron, it would be a shame if the HOBBIT didn't end up looking every bit as spectacular

Speaking of that.. this story comes only a few short months after Del Torro's departure. I can't help but wish the timing could have played out differently, maybe he'd have stuck around. Oh well, in that case we'd never have gotten the Cameron Del Torro team up. It's tough to know what the "best" outcome ultimately would have been, but I'm not at all displeased with where things stand now at least.

PS So when the article says they have a director, and hints it's PJ, is that confirmed? Speculation? Common knowledge off the record?

Spike you only have to worry when you find yourself reading The Daily Mail.

Back on topic that would be a crying shame

I mean, it's kind of the opportunity of the decade. The idea that anyone would actually miss out on that is sort of incredible.

Hey, Martin:

Ditch the shitty TV show. You know you want to.

Boom

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...he-Hobbit.html

Yes, spending tens of millions to de-age Ian Holm into a Digital Death Puppet is clearly the way to go.

I was under the impression that this was James MacAvoy's role to lose.

Once again, I thought they resolved the Sherlock scheduling thing? I mean, there was an article about that here a month or so ago. What the hell happened to all that?


This is like Jolie leaving Gravity all over again (again).

Yeah I'm pretty sure they moved the Sherlock schedule to accommodate Hobbit shooting. Weird that it apparently didn't work out.

I'll still believe this movie gets made when I see it. If it *does*, I hope the long and troubled road to the screen doesn't show in the finished products. Ever since LOTR Jackson's been talking about how he'd rather step back and let someone else make the Hobbit, and there's something a bit 'Godfather III' about a director getting his arm twisted into going back to the well. At least they should've had plenty of time to polish the scripts.

Sherlock's pretty good though.

This man speaks the truth. SHERLOCK is amazing and Freeman is fantastic on it. Right now I'd rather a few more seasons of that, than the HOBBIT movie.

Yeah, but I've got no interest in it. Ergo: it's shitty.


Seriously though, I'm just being a brat and Freeman is too perfect for the role.

And I hope GDT's special sauce (while he was involved) remains all over the pre-pro into prod.

Problem is that using CGI to "De Age" him would be very expensive and there is no guarantee of the final results. I doubt it was seriouly considered.
So MGM and Warners finally agreed how the horde of gold...which will be huge..for this film will be split up. Even if it is not as good as LOTR, it will still make a fortune.

I honestly didn't know it had ever been as official as an offer! I thought it was just fans dreaming.

The whole process of this has been so weird. We're casting, no we're not, yes we are, no we're not....it's hard to believe it was ever organized to make an offer to Freeman.

The only one I thought was legit was (horrifyingly) the Tobey Maguire one.

Fucking oath, all the bullshit is over and Petes behind the camera.

Time to get excited.

...at last.

I'm gong to go out on a limb here and suggest Chris Tucker for Bilbo.

Ah Jesus. "The digital death puppet" I forgot about that hideousness. Nevertheless, Holm WAS Bilbo to me.

I must see this Sherlock you speak of.

A good thing about Del Toro leaving the project? No Ron Perlman. Don't get me wrong, I love the guy, but for The Hobbit... No.

He would be an utterly perfect Beorn.

Or Smaug.

I just don't see it... he's the best at what he does, but his skill set is very specific. I don't think he could sell himself as coming from Middle Earth.

Is his skill set that specific when you're talking about an actor that has disappeared into roles such as a deformed hunchback, a comedic ice pirate, a fantastical french strongman, a gigantic vampire commando or Hellboy?

You don't think he could play a gruff muscular giant bereserker that can shapeshift into a bear but that also has a soft side that adores the many animals he surrounds himself with? Really?

Raises flagon of Green Dragon ale to RD!!!

This exactly. Beorn is the kind of character that falls right into Perlman's skillset as an actor. There's no way he wouldn't have absolutely nailed the character, though I'm sure someone more than adequate will be selected by Jackson when he gets to it. Still-- Perlman would excel in this role.

Great image, too.

And you were just an observer. Let's hope the same can't be said for the people who were actually a part of the process and now have a movie to make.

I don't understand why Jackson can't cast Perlman anyway.

Perlmans schedule permitting he can (and should). I've been a champion of Perlman playing Beorn since before Del Toro was attached.

I hope he takes/gets the part, too. I think he'd be a great choice.

Overall, I'm still a little bummed (ok, really bummed) about Del Toro no longer being involved, but is there really any (other) better director for this than Jackson? This can only be a good thing. Can't wait.

I know. I love how Del Toro apparently has an exclusive contract with Perlman.