Peter Jackson recently spoke with Moviefone about progress on the upcoming two Hobbit films, which he is producing and Guillermo del Toro is directing.
Topic #1: Reported delays:
“Well, it’s not really been delayed, because we’ve never announced the
date. I mean it’s sort of interesting because the studio [MGM] has
never greenlit The Hobbit, so therefore The Hobbit has never been
officially announced as a “go” project, nor have we ever announced a
date.
Topic #2: The script:
“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.
Topic #3: Casting:
We haven’t signed any actors up yet, because we couldn’t do that until
they greenlight the movie. But I would imagine that if we get a green
light within the next month or two, we would be hopefully making some
casting announcements by, I guess, the middle of the year.
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7 comments
BBBB but this isn't hysterical at all!
I really hope that this gets mired up enough that Del Toro has to walk. I think this project is an ill fit for him, plus The Lovely Bones proved that Jackson should ONLY do movies with hobbits in them from now on.
What? del toro's born to make this movie. Just don't drag out the ending like in RotK, that was just pure tedium. Keep it simple stupid.
I love the LOTR trilogy as much as the next person, but I don't have much interest in seeing The Hobbit. I'd much rather see At The Mountains of Madness, Hellboy 3, Drood, and The Left Hand of Darkness. It's been 2 years since Del Toro's last film, and The Hobbit is just delaying Del Toro from other, better projects (IMO) that I'd rather see.
If Jackson isn't going to direct it – and from everything he's said, it sounds like he'd have no interest in doing so – then I can't think of anyone I'd rather see in charge of The Hobbit than Del Toro. If Guillermo does end up leaving the project, and Jackson still isn't keen on directing…I'd rather see the project just go away. Anyone else would just completely fuck it up. But, yeah, if they can't get the ball rolling on this soon, I hope Del Toro will start working on either At the Mountains of Madness or Hellboy 3 (unless there's going to be Hellbabies involved, because that shit doesn't interest me in the least).
Jackson saying they wrote the scripts fast to finish them is indeed worrying. Jackson, Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens delivered crappy scripts for both King Kong and The Lovely Bones. Part of me wants to see The Hobbit die. With all the hold ups and difficulties maybe it's best it was shelved for ten years until a bright young film maker (like Jackson was ten years ago) takes it up and really delivers.
Depends on who the next person is #4. I don't hold any love for the LOTR films. Appreciation yes, affection no. They work well if you've read the books but otherwise they get more and more long-winded and uninvolving as they go on. Gotta love BRAINDEAD though – get back to what you do best Jackson!
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