Del Toro to direct "The Hobbit".

[Scrum]

Del Toro doubles up for 'Hobbit'

Guillermo del Toro is in talks to direct back-to-back installments of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," which is being co-financed by New Line and MGM.

Del Toro's name was on a short list of directors who could tackle the project, one of the most anticipated literary adaptations of the past decade. An ill-chosen director for "Hobbit" could put billions of dollars at stake for New Line and MGM and could turn off an audience that encompasses millions of passionate readers, Tolkien fans and obsessive geeks.

Few filmmakers have the cachet that del Toro has, as well as a deep love for the source material, an assured grasp of fantasy filmmaking and an understanding and command of geek culture as well as its respect. Del Toro has built that goodwill through such films as the Oscar-nominated "Pan's Labyrinth," "Hellboy," "Blade 2" (which was made by New Line) and "The Devil's Backbone."

For New Line, making "Hobbit" had become a priority in the wake of its billion-dollar success of the Oscar-winning "The Lord of the Rings" movies, which were co-written and directed by Peter Jackson. Jackson wanted to adapt "Hobbit," but when he got into a dispute with the studio over profit participation, the project went into limbo; neither New Line nor MGM, both rights-holders to the film, wanted to risk alienating fans of the trilogy by making an adaptation that didn't have Jackson's involvement.

The December resolution of the Jackson suit, facilitated by MGM CEO Harry Sloan, paved the way for "Hobbit" to get back on the road to the screen. However, because of other commitments that included "The Lovely Bones" and "Tintin," Jackson could not take on writing and directing roles, opting instead to become an executive producer with approval over creative elements of the pair of films.
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Because of the strike, no writer has been hired to adapt Tolkien's children's classic, though that process will be fast-tracked once it's resolved. Del Toro and Jackson will oversee "Hobbit's" writing.

Principal photography for the films, which will be shot simultaneously, is tentatively set for 2009. The production budget is estimated at $150 million per film. The release of the first film is slated for 2010 and the second in 2011.

"Hobbit," which Tolkien initially wrote for his children, was published in the U.K. in 1937 to wide acclaim. It centered on Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who joins a group of dwarves and the wizard Gandalf on a quest to find the treasure of a dragon named Smaug. Tolkien went on to write "The Lord of the Rings" 17 years later.

Del Toro is putting the finishing touches on Universal's summer release "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" and recently produced the critically acclaimed ghost story "The Orphanage." He is repped by Endeavor and Exile Entertainment.

This is exciting! I'm wondering how they will make this into two films though?

Glad to See New Line and Jackson putting their differences behind them and moving on this film.

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by Scrum

Del Toro doubles up for 'Hobbit'
This is exciting! I'm wondering how they will make this into two films though?

Glad to See New Line and Jackson putting their differences behind them and moving on this film.

i read they're making it into two films cause the first one is the Hobbit, and the second one they're writing it about what happened inbetween the end of the Hobbit and the beginning of Lord of the Rings.....

should be interesting, but i'm glad they've kept jackson on. as a fellow LOTR geek, you need to be immersed in the LOTR culture to really get the story and the background......

[Publius]

The Hobbit is the only one of the LotR books that I read.

Should be interesting to see Smaug on the big screen.

[motivez]

Glad they kept Jackson on.. Pan's Labyrinth was amazing visually, so hopefully he'll do a good job and they'll be as good as the LOTR films

Although, some of my more fantasy-nerd friends from EQ and WoW were upset over certain things in LOTR, like Legolas surfing down the stairs and the trunk of an elephant as being too extreme sports

[Stylerod]

Originally Posted by Publius

The Hobbit is the only one of the LotR books that I read.

Should be interesting to see Smaug on the big screen.

We had to read The Hobbit in school. It and A Separate Peace were the two books that showed me reading could be a cool thing and not a just a chore. All the Russian authors we had to read tried to change my mind of that

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by Publius

The Hobbit is the only one of the LotR books that I read.

you're missing out BIG TIME.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

you're missing out BIG TIME.

No I'm not. I don't enjoy fantasy. I've tried to read the other books, they bored me.

[David Octavius]

Nerd Alert!

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by Publius

No I'm not. I don't enjoy fantasy. I've tried to read the other books, they bored me.

i'm not into fantasy at all. LOTR is different. it's a world based on history. i don't even know how to explain it. it's where fantasy began. fantasy today is nothing like the world that Tolkien created.

Tolkien was the pioneer. middle earth was planet earth. I don't even think I can convey it properly.

it was the most amazing book(s) I've ever read and although the movie was fantastic for an screen adaption, the books will always be better.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

i'm not into fantasy at all. LOTR is different. it's a world based on history. i don't even know how to explain it. it's where fantasy began. fantasy today is nothing like the world that Tolkien created.

Tolkien was the pioneer. middle earth was planet earth. I don't even think I can convey it properly.

it was the most amazing book(s) I've ever read and although the movie was fantastic for an screen adaption, the books will always be better.

I dont care what you have to say about it, in the end they're still just fantasy books. I've tried reading them, they bored me. The only reason I was able to get through The Hobbit is because I had to read it for school.

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by Publius

I dont care what you have to say about it, in the end they're still just fantasy books. I've tried reading them, they bored me. The only reason I was able to get through The Hobbit is because I had to read it for school.

that's ridiculous. you're missing out on so much because you've decided ahead of time you're not going to like something.....

oh well.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

that's ridiculous. you're missing out on so much because you've decided ahead of time you're not going to like something.....

oh well.

How exactly have I "decided ahead of time" when I've tried to read the first book of the trilogy and it bored me so much that I couldn't finish it?

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by Publius

How exactly have I "decided ahead of time" when I've tried to read the first book of the trilogy and it bored me so much that I couldn't finish it?

you didn't say you tried to read it. you probably didn't get past bilbo's birthday party, which runs at a pace like the hobbit was written. most who say they've tried to read it quit during the party, but the trilogy itself is amazing once you get into it.

i'm just saying, it's the best set of books i've ever read and wanted to share.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

you didn't say you tried to read it. you probably didn't get past bilbo's birthday party, which runs at a pace like the hobbit was written. most who say they've tried to read it quit during the party, but the trilogy itself is amazing once you get into it.

i'm just saying, it's the best set of books i've ever read and wanted to share.

Are you blind? The post you quoted to say I was deciding ahead of time read as follows:

Originally Posted by Publius

I dont care what you have to say about it, in the end they're still just fantasy books. I've tried reading them, they bored me. The only reason I was able to get through The Hobbit is because I had to read it for school.

And no, I got 2/3rds of the way through Fellowship of the Ring before I decided it wasn't worth my time anymore.

I'm sorry that you have such a difficult time believing that other people have a different taste in literature than you do.

[RockPusher]

Originally Posted by Scrum

Del Toro doubles up for 'Hobbit'
This is exciting! I'm wondering how they will make this into two films though?

Glad to See New Line and Jackson putting their differences behind them and moving on this film.

Wooo Hooo!

You cannot do the Hobbit justice with a 2 hour film.

I cant wait! This will be so awesome!

The Hobbit is much more fun than The Lord of the Rings. It ends on an up note.

Tom Bombadillo and Goldberry... Old Man Willow... Trolls... Goblins.... riddles in the dark.... Mirkwood.... elusive wood elves... a bunch of REALLY SHORT adventurers with the worlds most badass dragon to boot!

Wow!!

[RockPusher]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

i'm not into fantasy at all. LOTR is different. it's a world based on history. i don't even know how to explain it. it's where fantasy began. fantasy today is nothing like the world that Tolkien created.

Tolkien was the pioneer. middle earth was planet earth. I don't even think I can convey it properly.

it was the most amazing book(s) I've ever read and although the movie was fantastic for an screen adaption, the books will always be better.

Middle Earth was a carefully constructed world indeed. Far beyond the scope of the Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings. Tolkien created multiple literal languages from scratch, along with thousands of years of history. The Silmarillion is amazing (not fun but is a cohesive framework for future ME books). The Hobbit and the LOTR were metaphorical, though Tolkien denied it. The Hobbit is a wild and fun adventure... most fun book for my taste. It gives a striking perspective of the futility of war, but manages to sustain a happy tone. The LOTR is sad through and through, with a truly depressing ending. The LOTR is a perspective on war, greed, the death of culture, innocence and freedom and the rise of postwar authoritarianism.

[RockPusher]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

...the second one they're writing it about what happened inbetween the end of the Hobbit and the beginning of Lord of the Rings.....

DAMN! that sucks big time. The Hobbit needs four hours and Tolkien SHOULD NOT be re-warmed and re-interpreted.

I was really happy.... now I am sad :-(

[Linzyhop]

Originally Posted by Publius

Are you blind? The post you quoted to say I was deciding ahead of time read as follows:



And no, I got 2/3rds of the way through Fellowship of the Ring before I decided it wasn't worth my time anymore.

I'm sorry that you have such a difficult time believing that other people have a different taste in literature than you do.

must have been blind then. i had other things on my mind at that moment and was just grazing the content. oh well.

[Publius]

Originally Posted by Linzyhop

must have been blind then. i had other things on my mind at that moment and was just grazing the content. oh well.