The Hobbit Movie Thread

[Rushing Jaws]

Well, it's finally happened. PJ is going to be the director of The Hobbit. I'm actually very glad at this news because I never liked the idea of del Toro taking over.

http://www.newser.com/story/93851/pe...he-hobbit.html

## hope it's better than the 2005 King Kong, & as good as TLOTR was.

I'd like to see him tackle the Sil

[TolkienFan]

## hope it's better than the 2005 King Kong, & as good as TLOTR was.

I'd like to see him tackle the Sil

No way, not even Jackson could pull that off. It's too grand, too wide-ranging, has too many characters, and has certain sequences that could be extremely difficult to adapt (such as the sequence in the Ainulindale, the sub-creation of the Valar and Maiar, the Marring of Arda, the Battle of Powers, the Great Battle, the fall of Numenor and the Changing of the World and others). It could perhaps work in a series of movies, but even that is highly doubtful, especially given the sequences I listed.

[Meta Knight]

No way, not even Jackson could pull that off. It's too grand, too wide-ranging, has too many characters, and has certain sequences that could be extremely difficult to adapt (such as the sequence in the Ainulindale, the sub-creation of the Valar and Maiar, the Marring of Arda, the Battle of Powers, the Great Battle, the fall of Numenor and the Changing of the World and others). It could perhaps work in a series of movies, but even that is highly doubtful, especially given the sequences I listed.

They'd have to turn it into a TV show. Or perhaps one of those HBO miniseries.

[Rushing Jaws]

it would not be that bad...

## That could be a very good thing, because TH has the atmosphere of a children's story, which the other two books do not. The Silmarillion is much more sombre than anything in TH.

[Rushing Jaws]

Wow this thread hasn't had any activity in over a year...

Anyway, a bit of an update...

The film is at a standstill for a the green-light since the studios are having some issues working things out.

Then this news came today: Guillermo Del Toro is stepping down as director.

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010...it/#more-36920


So now they have to find another director. If not Peter Jackson, who would you want to direct The Hobbit?

## The Man From Malpaso, perhaps ? LOL Seriously - why not ?

[Rushing Jaws]

No way, not even Jackson could pull that off. It's too grand, too wide-ranging, has too many characters, and has certain sequences that could be extremely difficult to adapt (such as the sequence in the Ainulindale, the sub-creation of the Valar and Maiar, the Marring of Arda, the Battle of Powers, the Great Battle, the fall of Numenor and the Changing of the World and others). It could perhaps work in a series of movies, but even that is highly doubtful, especially given the sequences I listed.

## It would be a major challenge, but not impossible. If it is possible to make a film about how the earth is going to freeze & the temperature drop to minus 120, & if it possible to have dragons in a film, it should be possible to film Glaurung, Father of Dragons - to say nothing of Smaug in TH - & to film the Burning of the Ships & the Crossing of the Grinding Ice (as well as the Lossoth). The Fall of Numenor should be relatively straightfoward - that, & the Great Armament positively cry out to be filmed. If "The Vikings" was not impossible - why should a huge fleet of ships be impossible ?

"[T]he sub-creation of the Valar and Maiar" - semi-divine beings should be able to filmed; a film of a story by H.G. Wells made in about 1940 had three of them. Something not unlike dream sequences might be appropriate.

"[T]he Marring of Arda" is most of the Sil proper, I'd have thought; it's not a single event, AFAIR, unlike the others you mention.

"[T]he Changing of the World" might be complex, but so was the Fall of the Barad-dur; yet Jackson managed that.

As for the other two items, they are essentially battles, so should not be too technically demanding. I don't see why any, or all, of these should be unfilmable, if TLOTR itself was not.

It would be...expensive - but if "Avatar" could be made, why not this ?

(Cue dream sequence): If I were directing, I would combine "The Akallabeth" with "Of the Rings of Power & the Third Age", & include some of the semi-canonical material, such as that some of that in "Unfinished Tales". "The Ainulindale" & "The Valaquenta" could be combined, & some of the Sil proper could be combined with them. Most of the Sil would need a film (or two) to itself. Some of the semi-canonical material could be included in that film (or films).

[TolkienFan]

## It would be a major challenge, but not impossible. If it is possible to make a film about how the earth is going to freeze & the temperature drop to minus 120, & if it possible to have dragons in a film, it should be possible to film Glaurung, Father of Dragons - to say nothing of Smaug in TH - & to film the Burning of the Ships & the Crossing of the Grinding Ice (as well as the Lossoth). The Fall of Numenor should be relatively straightfoward - that, & the Great Armament positively cry out to be filmed. If "The Vikings" was not impossible - why should a huge fleet of ships be impossible ?

It would be great to see if done right, but among my main concerns would be the fact that the Silmarillion is so wide-ranging that too many good things, such as the Crossing of the Helcaraxe, might end up being left out to make a more focused product. A series of films perhaps or a miniseries as Meta Knight said would be possible, but I don't think a single film would be sufficient.

"[T]he sub-creation of the Valar and Maiar" - semi-divine beings should be able to filmed; a film of a story by H.G. Wells made in about 1940 had three of them. Something not unlike dream sequences might be appropriate.

I have my doubts about being able to do that right and not only showing these beings in all their glory but also showing them sub-creating the world. That's a lot of graphical work that would be without close compare today. The closest thing I can think of in comparison--and it's really not that close--would be the work that went into creating Pandora in Avatar, but that's an entirely different ballgame from not only showing a beautiful world, but show ingit being created progressively.

"[T]he Marring of Arda" is most of the Sil proper, I'd have thought; it's not a single event, AFAIR, unlike the others you mention.

In referring to the Marring of Arda, I mean the several deeds performed by Melkor during the sub-creation of Arda to ruin the works of the Valar as he could. As it says in the Ainulindale, "and they built lands and Melkor destoryed them; valleys they devled and Melkor raised them up; moutnains they carved and Melkor threw them down; seas they hollowed and Melkor Spilled them; and naught might have peace or come to lasting growth, for as surely as the Valar began a labour so would Melkor undo it or corrupt it."

"[T]he Changing of the World" might be complex, but so was the Fall of the Barad-dur; yet Jackson managed that.

Yeah, but this is on a whole other scale. It's the changing of an entire planet with one land--Aman--being removed, one land--Numenor--being destroyed and the rest of the lands and seas changed from a flat world to a sphere.

As for the other two items, they are essentially battles, so should not be too technically demanding. I don't see why any, or all, of these should be unfilmable, if TLOTR itself was not.

The Battle of Powers and the Great Battle involve super-angelic beings (the latter less than the former, though it involves powerful Elves) who put forth such power that they change topography, the latter even destroys Beleriand, causing it to sink into the sea. "For so great was the fury of those adversaries that the northern regions of the western world were rent asunder, and the sea roared in through many chasms, and there was confusion and great noise; and rivers perished or found new paths, and the valleys were upheaved and the hills trod down; and Sirion was no more."

As for the former battle, Tolkien said, "Then the Valar passed over Middle-earth, and they set a guard over Cuivienen; and thereafter the Quendi knew nothing of the great Battle of the Powers, save that the Earth shook and groaned beneath them, and the waters were moved, and in the north there were lights as of mighty fires...In that time the shape of Middle-earth was changed, and the Great Sea that sundered it from Aman grew wide and deep; and it broke in upon the coasts and made a deep gulf to the southward. Many lesser bays were made between the great Gulf and Helcaraxe far in the north, where Middle-earth and Aman came nigh together..."

These are battles that go far beyond any in the Lord of the Rings, even Pelennor Fields and the battle before the Morannon.

It would be...expensive - but if "Avatar" could be made, why not this ?

For the aforementioned reasons.

[Manwë Súlimo]

Sylvester McCoy in casting negotiations. Rumored to be playing the part of Radagast?

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010...ast-the-brown/

Big news coming from the Dunoon Observer/Argyllshire Standard today. Sylvester McCoy confirms he is in contention with another actor for one of two Wizard parts in the upcoming ‘Hobbit’ films. We know Ian McKellen will like to return as Gandalf, and we’ve heard some rumblings of Radagast the Brown having a bigger role, so if you put two and two together — is Sylvester McCoy up for Radagast the Brown?

“I am being cast in The Hobbit,” he said. “We’re currently in negotiations – there are two of us under consideration. It’s not the Bilbo role, but could be bigger.”

It sure sounds like great casting to us! What do you think? Share your thoughts in our forum and comments! Thanks to Ringer Eldorion for the heads up!

[Philosophickle]

del Toro is going to do At the Mountains of Madness. I have to say, this is more exciting than The Hobbit.

[Rayado]

The Rise and Fall of Numenor would make for an interesting film.

[Manwë Súlimo]

Since when did Rayado join the Tolkien Nerd Society?

[Raphael]

I'll be driving through Hobbiton (Mata Mata) later today

[mycatisamoron]

This thread will be dedicated to news and fan commentary of the upcoming two-part movie series based on "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien. Below, I will add links to news articles and interviews as I come across them.

I will be severely irritated if Ian Holm doesn't play Bilbo again.

[Brandalf85]

I will be severely irritated if Ian Holm doesn't play Bilbo again.

I believe Ian Holm has said he's just too old to do the part Bilbo would have to play, unless they came up with a unique way of bringing him in (perhaps Bilbo would show up at the beginning/end reading to Frodo?).

They're already looking at other actors to fill the role.

[Manwë Súlimo]

Movie production chugs along: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jack...o-screens.html

People close to the project said that, barring a last-minute glitch, they expect to have all issues settled shortly in order to begin production in mid-January so that the first of the two movies would be ready for a holiday 2012 release. The second film is planned for a December 2013 opening. If production doesn't begin by the first quarter of next year, the people said, "The Hobbit" will miss its planned release dates and will likely have to once again be delayed....