YES! Jackson to make Hobbit film

[Remus Lupin]

A while back, someone suggested Martin Freeman. This, I think, would be genius.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I'm interested to see if he opens up the first movie with Smaug blasting all the dwarves from their home in the Lonely Mountain.

I'd like to see that scene, but when they are giving Bilbo the backstory. I disliked the Fellowship movie decision to stick all the background in a beginning exposition, instead of flashbacks as the characters learned it.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

You realize Ian Holm is... 76 years old?

Honestly it was pushing it to cast him as Bilbo for LotR. Don't get me wrong, he did a great job and is a darn fine actor, but the reason he got the part in the first place was a nod to his playing Frodo in the BBC radio drama. At this point he's just to old for the part.

Yes I realize he is 76, which is why I went looking for current pictures before posting. As I said he has held up quite well except for his hair. He has few wrinkles and with a wig could pass for 50.

 

[Remus Lupin]

Yes I realize he is 76, which is why I went looking for current pictures before posting. As I said he has held up quite well except for his hair. He has few wrinkles and with a wig could pass for 50.

But the thing is, 50 in Hobbit years doesn't look like 50 in human years. Even though Bilbo was "well preserved" at 111, nobody was saying to themselves "my god, he can't possibly be that old." Hobbits live longer. I think 30 is probably a better estimate of how old a 50 year old Hobbit should look.

Remember, in the novel, Frodo waited until he turned 50 before setting out, so as to follow more closely in Bilbo's footsteps (and yes, I know that wasn't so in the movies, but to me it implies that Bilbo shouldn't look significantly older than the Frodo of the movies).

 

[Darkwolf71]

Yes I realize he is 76, which is why I went looking for current pictures before posting. As I said he has held up quite well except for his hair. He has few wrinkles and with a wig could pass for 50.

It's not only a question of appearance, although I would disagree with you there as well.

Bilbo in The Hobbit is a much more active role than the Bilbo of LotR. It would be a disservice to the book to tone that down due to concerns about a very old actor. I shudder at the thought of a scene in which Ian Holm is running away from Gollum or, good lord, running around the forest fighting spiders and rescuing dwarves. No, a younger actor is needed if the film is to be taken at all seriously.

 

[jester47]

Gandalf at this point had convinced the White Council (Elrond, Saruman, Galadriel, and a few other important elves) to attack Dol Guldur to drive Sauron out. This wasn't his first attempt to get the Council to do so, because previously Saruman had resisted. Saruman cooperated at this point because Sauron's agents were snooping around the Gladden Fields were Isildur died, and Saruman was worried that those agents would find the One Ring before his own agents did. Naturally, Gollum had the Ring, and Bilbo ended up with it. And the strike on Dol Guldur was largely meaningless, since Sauron just snuck out and returned to Mordor.

With two films, I certainly hope Beorn gets some screen time. The Battle of the Five Armies is probably going to be great the way it is given the PJ has already proven how well he can handle the epic battles, but it won't be the same without a massive CG Beorn in bear shape smacking down goblins left and right. The audience will likely cheer when he shows up and saves the day.

As for the second film, I believe that PJ wants to show some of the stuff that connects the story of the Hobbit with the LoTR. So possibly there'll be Dol Guldur, elements of the White Council, and maybe Gandalf meeting with Thorin and the other dwarves before recruiting Bilbo. There may also be stuff that occurs between the two books.

Besides New Line already has Giant Bear CG technology...

 

[Eridanis]

You mean like that fake and plastic finish they gave Patrick Stewart and Mckellen when they played the younger Xavier and Magneto in X-Men III respectively? Please. That makeup was laughable and quite distracting, and I'd hate to see Holm acting under that stuff.

Not makeup; CGI. There's an article online somewhere detailing how they did it, with "before and after" shots.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I don't think there is any question that we are going to get Bilbo cast as as much younger actor.

I also don't think that they will pay that much attention to the age Bilbo is "supposed" to be in the Hobbit, either.

PJ and Fran Walsh on one of the extended DVD are asked what they think Tolkien would have thought of their casting choices made in LotR. They agreed that the main problem that Tolkien would most probably have had would have been with the age of the Hobbits as portrayed in the film. They were cast as early-twenty-somethings. Sam and Frodo, at least, should have been close to middle age, accordng to the books.

They made that deliberate choice as part cinema requirements, part marketing, part glitz - and with a fair bit of Hollywood wisdom, too.

They were right to cast as they did originally - and I expect they will do the same, all over again.

We might get a thirty-something Bilbo. We won't get a middle-aged one. and we certainly won't get Ian Holm. Dealing with Ian McKellan's advancing years (and he's supposed to look old!) will be quite enough for their insurers to worry about.

It will be interesting to see if Christopher Lee is *ahem* still alive when they begin shooting and if they will choose to use him (and if he will agree - as he was *quite* put out by having his death moved to the Extended DVD). If so, I expect the insurance cost for that casting will be significant. (You insure against older actors dying before principle photography is complete. It's obviously damned expensive to recast and reshoot it all over again).

I can't imagine that Ian McKellan, who was nominated for an Oscar as Gandalf, will have much of a problem in agreeing to reprise the role. As for the other actors like Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett who may be required for a White Council scene, again, I cannot imagine there will be much difficulty there.

*sigh* Does Legolas make it into the Hobbit? You could certainly place him in Thranduil's hall without any difficulty - he DOES live there, after all.

They need to tread carefully of course. A few to many steps off the path and "The Hobbit" becomes NOT "The Hobbit", without much warning.

Ah well. Fun times agead. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Brown Jenkin]

*sigh* Does Legolas make it into the Hobbit? You could certainly place him in Thranduil's hall without any difficulty - he DOES live there, after all.

They need to tread carefully of course. A few to many steps off the path and "The Hobbit" becomes NOT "The Hobbit", without much warning.

They can also place Arwen at Elrond's House as well if they wish.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Arwen and Galadriel in the film somehow as the only named female I recall in the book at all was Lobielia Sacksville-Baggins and that was only at the end as she was holding the auction at Bag End (And lets face it you can't really sell to the female audience on her).

 

[Mark Hope]

They can also place Arwen at Elrond's House as well if they wish.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Arwen and Galadriel in the film somehow as the only named female I recall in the book at all was Lobielia Sacksville-Baggins and that was only at the end as she was holding the auction at Bag End (And lets face it you can't really sell to the female audience on her).

And naturally, Elrond will send Arwen with the dwarves to help them on their quest. Perfect way to lend assistance to a dangerous quest and hit that vital chick demographic as well. Great idea, imho...