Jackson to produce the Hobbit

[portlock seagull]

Cracking news, New Line and Peter Jackson have settled their differences and the opening chapter to the greatest story ever told (well, after the Bible anyway) will finally be put onto the big screen! 3 years of excitement starts building tonight! After that I guess he's free to film 'Falmer - the movie'?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7150644.stm

 

[Fungus]

Cracking news, New Line and Peter Jackson have settled their differences and the opening chapter to the greatest story ever told (well, after the Bible anyway) will finally be put onto the big screen! 3 years of excitement starts building tonight! After that I guess he's free to film 'Falmer - the movie'?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7150644.stm

Fantastic! Thanks for posting that.

 

[Monsieur Leclerc]

Thank god Schmeelbung is nowhere near it. Presumably he has got a very handsome pay off to produce The Hobbit! I am looking forward to it, as I never finished the book. 15 years on and it is still unfinished!

 

[Robot Chicken]

The Hobbit...and a SEQUEL (um, Lord Of The Rings anyone?)

This just in: A press release has been issued with regards to the long-anticipated big-screen adaptation of The Hobbit, and it looks like Peter Jackson will indeed be involved as an executive producer on both The Hobbit and a sequel. Both films will be shot simultaneously, with pre-production beginning as soon as possible. Right now the tentative release for The Hobbit is 2010, with the sequel coming in 2011. Here's a bit of the press release:

Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, December 18, 2007) Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:

* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, "The Hobbit" and a sequel to "The Hobbit." New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.

* Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on "The Hobbit." New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.

* Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the "Lord of the Rings" (LOTR) Trilogy.

Said Peter Jackson, "I'm very pleased that we've been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line. 'The Lord of the Rings' is a legacy we proudly share with Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with millions of loyal fans all over the world. We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth. I also want to thank Harry Sloan and our new friends at MGM for helping us find the common ground necessary to continue that journey."

Read the rest after the jump ... and let us know what you think! The Hobbit is coming ... finally!

[via The HobbitBlog and JoBlo]

"Peter Jackson has proven himself as the filmmaker who can bring the extraordinary imagination of Tolkien to life and we full heartedly agree with the fans worldwide who know he should be making 'The Hobbit,'" said Sloan, MGM's Chairman and CEO. "Now that we are all in agreement on 'The Hobbit,' we can focus on assembling the production team that will capture this phenomenal tale on film."

Bob Shaye, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO comments, "We are very pleased we have been able to resolve our differences, and that Peter and Fran will be actively and creatively involved with 'The Hobbit' movies. We know they will bring the same passion, care and talent to these films that they so ably accomplished with 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy."

"Peter is a visionary filmmaker, and he broke new ground with 'The Lord of the Rings,'" notes Michael Lynne, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO. "We're delighted he's back for 'The Hobbit' films and that the Tolkien saga will continue with his imprint. We greatly appreciate the efforts of Harry Sloan, who has been instrumental in helping us reach our new accord."
The two "Hobbit" films – "The Hobbit" and its sequel – are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, with pre-production beginning as soon as possible. Principal photography is tentatively set for a 2009 start, with the intention of "The Hobbit" release slated for 2010 and its sequel the following year, in 2011.

The Oscar-winning, critically-acclaimed LOTR Trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box-office. In 2003, "Return of the King" swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the eleven categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The Trilogy's production was also unprecedented at the time. Dick Knight was unavailable for comment at the time the story broke.

For more information about "The Hobbit" films, please visit [URL="http://www.TheHobbitBlog.com."]www.TheHobbitBlog.com.[/URL]

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

The Hobbit...and a SEQUEL (um, Lord Of The Rings anyone?)

I think what it means is they are splitting the Hobbit into 2 films, thats what i've read.

I cannot wait for this - it'll be absolutely brilliant! A number of the cast who appear in the Hobbit have already put themself forward for it when it was rumored to happen.

I hope Phillipa Boyens, Fran Walsh and Jackson will be writing the scripts for it too, as they did so well on LOTR

 

[Marc]

GREAT news, watched his King Kong remake the other night and though it was shite BUT the LOTR films are fantastic.

 

[Robot Chicken]

GREAT news, watched his King Kong remake the other night and though it was shite BUT the LOTR films are fantastic.

You have to admit the 2 T-Rex/Kong fight was magnificent.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

GREAT news, watched his King Kong remake the other night and though it was shite BUT the LOTR films are fantastic.

With the King Kong movies it seemed really rushed, in that the CGI just didn't look finished!

 

[Mr deez]

Peter Jacksons greatest ever film is quite clearly Brain dead.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Peter Jacksons greatest ever film is quite clearly Brain dead.

Braindead was awesome!

 

[Shizuoka Dolphin]

The Hobbit is a real kids book though, so unless he darkens it up a bit, dancing magic bags and the like are not going cut for this casual movie goer.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Peter Jacksons greatest ever film is quite clearly Brain dead.

Heavenly Creatures good

everything else not so good

 

[NMH]

I think what it means is they are splitting the Hobbit into 2 films, thats what i've read.

I cannot wait for this - it'll be absolutely brilliant! A number of the cast who appear in the Hobbit have already put themself forward for it when it was rumored to happen.

I hope Phillipa Boyens, Fran Walsh and Jackson will be writing the scripts for it too, as they did so well on LOTR

Er....didn't you mean "A number of the cast who appear in the Lord Of The Rings have already put themself forward for it" ?

Otherwise, I am not understanding :mushy:

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Cracking news, New Line and Peter Jackson have settled their differences and the opening chapter to the greatest story ever told (well, after the Bible anyway) will finally be put onto the big screen! 3 years of excitement starts building tonight!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7150644.stm

Oh god :thud:




.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Er....didn't you mean "A number of the cast who appear in the Lord Of The Rings have already put themself forward for it" ?

Otherwise, I am not understanding :mushy:

That's what I did mean. Thanks ever so much for pointing out my mistake. It is appreciated ever so much.

 

[Silent Bob]

I think what it means is they are splitting the Hobbit into 2 films, thats what i've read.

If The Hobbit has two films worth in it, surely LOTR ought to have been six at least?

This should be excellent though.

 

[Easy 10]

My LOTR extended edition box set has six discs (two discs for each film), so he's already split the original trilogy into six anyway, in effect.
Cor lummie.

 

[portlock seagull]

The Hobbit is a real kids book though, so unless he darkens it up a bit, dancing magic bags and the like are not going cut for this casual movie goer.

Which is why it was so important that Jackson won the rights because it won't be. Means Weta will do the props etc and make it look as dark as Lord of the Rings. The real treat will be because they're doing 2 films. That's not because they're splitting a small book (theHobbit) into 2 films. But because Jackson's going to do 1 film about other events in Middle Earth on the periphery of the book for which Tolkein never wrote an actual story book, just jottings. So we all get to see a new bit of Middle earth's historyas envisaged by Mr King Kong himself. Should be good!

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Which is why it was so important that Jackson won the rights because it won't be. Means Weta will do the props etc and make it look as dark as Lord of the Rings. The real treat will be because they're doing 2 films. That's not because they're splitting a small book (theHobbit) into 2 films. But because Jackson's going to do 1 film about other events in Middle Earth on the periphery of the book for which Tolkein never wrote an actual story book, just jottings. So we all get to see a new bit of Middle earth's historyas envisaged by Mr King Kong himself. Should be good!

As Jackson owns Weta, I think it's a pretty sure thing that theyll do the props etc.

The only thing I am concerned about is he's only there as an executive producer, not as a director as yet. With him doing Tintin / The lovely bones etc - will he have enough time to direct? I sure hope he does, or someone else who worked on the movies - like Fran Walsh, who directed a lot of the softer scenes.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Was meant to also put that I hope they'll keep Hobbiton / Rivendell the same. Jackson actually owns the set of Bag End, so he should use that. Surely they must've kept the minatures?

I'm such a geek about LOTR!!! I love it so much!!!