The Hobbit: Can someone point me at some REAL info?

[kengar]

Ever since the LOTR films started coming out, I've seen and heard a lot of rumors about the possibilty of Peter Jackson tackling The Hobbit as a film project. Has anyone heard anything remotely reliable about this? I've heard everything from "He's getting ready to start filming in '04." to "It will never happen." I'd love a (recent) link or two if you've got them.

 

[Assenpfeffer]

Far as I can tell, long-standing rumor to the contrary, there's no indication that the film of The Hobbit is in the works right now.

I am sure the possibility is being looked at. Certainly, the financial take for the trilogy (estimated to end up at $2.5 Billion in theatrical money alone,) justifies making another film

However, I think there may be rights issues that would need to be cleared up before any film project could be begun.

It is dead certain that Jackson's next project will be King Kong. That kills any notion of him doing The Hobbit in '04.

 

[kengar]

It is dead certain that Jackson's next project will be King Kong. That kills any notion of him doing The Hobbit in '04.

Yeah, that's what I heard.

As far as the rights to the Hobbit goes, I'm sure there's some sort of legal hoops they'd have to jump through. Back when FOTR first came out, I remeber PJ talking about how he thought the Hobbit would be too dificult to film because of the nature of the story and the number of character (13 dwarves + Bilbo). Now that the LOTR films have made so much money (and stand to make more in December w/ROTK), I would imagine that New Line would be at least looking into the idea.

Too bad they had had to tear down the Shire & Rivendell sets to restore the land to how they'd found it. It would of saved production time if those sets were intact.

 

[jdavis]

There never were any actual plans to make the Hobbit into a movie, they bought the rights just to keep somebody else from trying to put out a sub-par Hobbit movie to try and make money off of LOTR.

This dates back to December of last year(I haven't heard anything else about it since): http://www.moviehole.net/news.php?newsid=804

 

[diaglo]

There never were any actual plans to make the Hobbit into a movie, they bought the rights just to keep somebody else from trying to put out a sub-par Hobbit movie to try and make money off of LOTR.

kinda what they did with the LotR too imo. make a sub-par movie that is.

 

[WizarDru]

kinda what they did with the LotR too imo. make a sub-par movie that is.

I agree, but luckily Peter Jackson made a trilogy that made up for that.

Oh wait, you weren't referring to that fine, fine production by Ralph Bakshi? Imagine my suprise. Can't accept anything made after 1975, can you?

 

[Shadowdancer]

There is an animated version of "The Hobbit" that is pretty good. It was done for TV in the 1970s, before the Bakshi crap came out.

 

[kengar]

There is an animated version of "The Hobbit" that is pretty good. It was done for TV in the 1970s, before the Bakshi crap came out.

I own that DVD. It's OK. After seeing what PJ accomplished with the trilogy, I'd love to see him take a shot at a live-action "The Hobbit". Grab the Ians and Hugo and go for it!

Whether this actually happens or not is another question, which is why I originally posted.

Diaglo, you're entitled to your views but I am curious; did you find the LOTR movies (so far) poor films or poor compared to the books? There is a world of difference, you know.

 

[kingpaul]

Diaglo, you're entitled to your views but I am curious; did you find the LOTR movies (so far) poor films or poor compared to the books? There is a world of difference, you know.

I thought he was referring to the cartoon movie Lord of the Rings that came out many moons ago. Crammed the whole trilogy into 80 or 90 minutes of cartoon. Not bad, for what it is. Where else can you find the song Where there's a whip there's a way?

 

[Tom Cashel]

I thought he was referring to the cartoon movie Lord of the Rings that came out many moons ago. Crammed the whole trilogy into 80 or 90 minutes of cartoon. Not bad, for what it is. Where else can you find the song Where there's a whip there's a way?

That's a great song!

But it was from Return of the King, which was a Rankin/Bass production (just like the animated Hobbit). Bakshi's Lord of the Rings (which also had its memorable moments, and was my first ever exposure to anything remotely Tolkien--accent on remote) included Fellowship and most of The Two Towers.