I was really looking forward to a Peter Jackson Hobbit, but I think if I had to pick a second, Guillermo del Toro would be a good choice. Let’s just hope del Toro doesn’t insist on telling the tale in native Middle-earth with subtitles.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Guillermo del Toro is directing “The Hobbit” and its sequel, New Line Cinema announced Thursday. The 43-year-old filmmaker will move to New Zealand for four years to make the films back-to-back with executive producer Peter Jackson.
Del Toro wrote and directed “Pan’s Labyrinth,” which earned six Oscar nominations in 2006 and won three awards. He is also the director of the upcoming sequel “Hellboy II: The Golden Army,” whose monsters bear the unmistakeable surreal vision of the Mexican-born filmmaker.
“I am indeed blessed to become a part of the filmmaking community that Peter, Fran and their extraordinary team of collaborators have created in New Zealand,” del Toro said in a statement. “Contributing to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ legacy is an absolute dream come true.”
Jackson and Walsh called del Toro “a cinematic magician who has never lost his childlike sense of wonder.”
“We have long admired Guillermo’s work and cannot think of a more inspired filmmaker to take the journey back to Middle-Earth,” they said in a statement.
Jackson co-wrote, co-produced and directed the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which won 17 Oscar and 30 nominations.
Word is The Hobbit will be a two picture deal. Don’t worry we aren’t going to get the Hobbit II: Electric Boogaloo (or at least I hope we don’t), the second film will take place during the 60 years between the Hobbit and the Fellowship of the Rings. I’m not an expert on Tolkien, so I’m not aware of any work written that takes place during this period, however the Silmarillion (the prequel) was supposedly translated by Bilbo while he hung out in Rivendell following the events of The Hobbit.
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Sounds good to me, as long as it has “The Greatest Adventure!”
As far as I understood it, The Hobbit was going to be broken into two movies with supplemental material from the LOTR Appendices thrown in to fill out the story.
In The Hobbit the reader never knows where Gandalf ran off to, but the Appendices explains where he went, what he did, and who he did it with. The Appendices would give the chance for Viggo Mortinsen to reprise his role of Aragorn and allow the filmmakers a chance to explain the rebirth of Sauron.
!VIVA! Finalmente se le hizo al (ya no tan) gordo Toro. Es bueno ver a un paisano haciendo cine del bueno, y en base a una obra de semejante talla. A ver si las criaturas son tas escalofriantes como en Chronos* y Mimic.
Translation: HOORAY! Finally, the (not so) fat man get it! It is great to see a Mexican like me doing movies of that level of quality, especially, when it comes from such a big story. Le us see if the Creatres are so scary and creepy like he did in Chronos* and Mimic.
*Chronos is the opera prima of del Toro, about a man who finds a special device that gives eternal life, but transforms you into a vampire and it takes away your desire of life and lust. It is told both in English and Spanish and the cast includes Mexican actors, Argentinian actors and of course, Ron Pearlman. You have to see if to understand del Toro’s motiativation: insects, monsters, clockword devices, etc.
I really like del Toro, hell had an interesting twist to the LOTR movie saga. I expect itll be a bit more dark than Jacksons work. They shouldnt really break it into to movies either, the book isnt that long, but i guess they make more money that way. Im not even sure what happened in the 60yrs between the Hobbit and the Lord of the rings. I thought the Silmarillion dealt with Sauron and his kind and the higher levels of Earth.
WOW – What a combination! I absolutely loved the mix of fantasy and brutal reality in Pans Labyrinth. Although I have read some negative comments about Del Torro’s views concerning Tolkien’s work, I think he’ll shine – especially under the watchful eye of Jackson.
As far as there being 2 films, I think it is a fantastic idea. Besides the material in the appendices (and preface) of LOTR, there is a wealth of other background material in the History of Middle Earth, which Christopher Tolkien has quietly been cobbling together from his Dad’s notes over the last 25 years. Add the Unfinished Tales and you have more than enough stuff to tie the Hobbit to LOTR with a second film.