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The Hobbit (film series)

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The Hobbit
Directed byGuillermo del Toro
Written byScreenplay by:
Guillermo del Toro
Peter Jackson
Fran Walsh
Philippa Boyens
Novel:
J. R. R. Tolkien
Produced byMark Ordesky
StarringIan McKellen
Andy Serkis
Music byHoward Shore
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
(Globally)
New Line
(North America)
Release dates
December 2011
(The Hobbit)
December 2012
(Film 2)
CountriesNew Zealand
United States
LanguageEnglish
BudgetUS$300 million

The Hobbit, based on the novel of the same name by J. R. R. Tolkien, is in development for release in December 2011 and a sequel in December 2012. The films will be directed by Guillermo del Toro, with The Lord of the Rings film trilogy director Peter Jackson serving as executive producer and co-writer. The first film will be a direct adaptation of the novel, while the second film will explore storylines hinted at in the book, setting up events in The Lord of the Rings.

Development

See also: Development of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy

Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh expressed interest in 1995 in filming The Hobbit, which would be part one of a trilogy (the other two would have been based on The Lord of the Rings).[1] Frustration arose when Jackson's producer, Harvey Weinstein, discovered Saul Zaentz had production rights to The Hobbit, but distribution rights still belonged to United Artists. The studio was on the market, so Weinstein's attempts to buy those rights were unsuccessful. Weinstein asked Jackson to press on with adapting The Lord of the Rings.[2] MGM bought United Artists, while New Line Cinema earned the rights to produce The Lord of the Rings. Their hold on the rights were set to expire in 2010.[3] In September 2006, MGM expressed interest in teaming up with New Line and Jackson to make the prequel.[4]

In March 2005, Jackson launched a lawsuit against New Line, claiming he had lost revenue from merchandising, video, and computer games releases associated with The Fellowship of The Ring.[5] Jackson felt the lawsuit was minor, and that New Line would still let him make the film.[6] New Line co-founder Robert Shaye was annoyed with the lawsuit and said in January 2007 that Jackson would never again direct a film for New Line, accusing him of being greedy.[3] But in August 2007, after a string of flops, Shaye was trying to repair his relationship with the director. He said, "I really respect and admire Peter and would love for him to be creatively involved in some way in The Hobbit."[7] In September, New Line was fined $125,000 for failing to provide requested accounting documents.[3]

On December 18 2007, it was announced that Jackson would be executive producer of The Hobbit and its sequel. New Line and MGM will co-finance the film, and the latter studio will distribute the films outside North America – New Line's first ever such deal with another major studio.[8] Each film is budgeted at an estimated US$150 million,[9] which compares to the US$94 million budget for each of the films in Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. After completion of the merger of New Line Cinema with Warner Bros. in February 2008, the films were announced as scheduled for release in 2011 and 2012.[10] Producer Mark Ordesky will return to supervise the prequels.[11] Jackson turned down directing, claiming it would be unsatisfying for him to compete with his previous films.[12]

Guillermo del Toro has said he was a fan of Jackson's trilogy and had discussed directing a Halo film with him in 2005. Though that project stalled, they kept in contact.[12] In a 2006 interview Del Toro was quoted saying "I don't like little guys and dragons, hairy feet, hobbits, [...] I hate all that stuff".[13] After he signed on to direct in April 2008,[14] Del Toro posted on TheOneRing.net forums that he had been enchanted by The Hobbit as a child and Smaug was one of his favourite characters.[12] He also stated that Tolkien's other books "contain[ed] geography and genealogy too complex for my prepubescent brain". In taking the job of director, Del Toro was now "reading like a madman to catch up with a whole new land, a continent of sorts – a cosmology created by brilliant philologist turned Shaman". The director also posted that his appreciation of Tolkien was enhanced by his knowledge of the fantasy genre and the folklore research he had undertaken whilst making his own fantasy films.[15]

Pre-production began around August 2008, with Del Toro, Jackson, Walsh, and Philippa Boyens writing the scripts.[16] Del Toro is focusing on writing The Hobbit, while Jackson, Walsh and Boyens are focusing on the second film. Afterwards, they will rewrite The Hobbit and Del Toro will rewrite the second film.[17] Del Toro is collaborating with Jackson, Walsh and Boyens via videoconferencing, and flying every three weeks to visit them.[18] He will finally move to the country in early 2009.[19] Some of the concept art is being done in Los Angeles, California,[20]

Filming is slated to take place throughout 2010 in New Zealand, and Del Toro will renovate the Hobbiton sets in Matamata.[12] On his part, Jackson had kept the Rivendell scale model and the Bag End set (which he has used as a guest house) from the trilogy.[6] During the middle of the shoot, there will be a break which will allow Del Toro to edit The Hobbit while sets are altered for the second film.[21]

The Tolkien Estate filed a lawsuit against New Line on February 11 2008, for violating Tolkien's original deal with Saul Zaentz that they would earn 7.5% of the gross from The Lord of the Rings film adaptations (or any Tolkien film for that matter). The Estate is seeking compensation of $150 million, because they were only paid $62,500 before production of the trilogy began. A court order was also filed that would allow the Tolkien Trust to terminate any rights to future films based on Tolkien's work, including The Hobbit films.[22]

Direction

The first film will stand on its own, and the second will be a transition and fusion with Peter's world. I plan to change and expand the visuals from Peter's, and I know the world can be portrayed in a different way. Different is better for the first one. For the second, I have the responsibility of finding a slow progression and mimicking the style of Peter.

– Del Toro on tonal consistency with Jackson's trilogy[23]

Del Toro interprets The Hobbit as being set in a "world that is slightly more golden at the beginning, a very innocent environment" and the film would need to "tak[e] you from a time of more purity to a darker reality throughout the film, but [in a manner] in the spirit of the book".[14] He perceives the main themes as loss of innocence, which he likened to the experience of England after World War I, and greed, which he says Smaug and Thorin Oakenshield represent:[12] Bilbo Baggins reaffirms his personal morality during the story's third act as he encounters Smaug and the Dwarves' greed.[24] He added "The humble, sort of a sturdy moral fibre that Bilbo has very much represents the idea that Tolkien had about the little English man, the average English man",[25] and Thorin and Bilbo's relationship would be the heart of the film.[26]

Del Toro met concept artists John Howe and Alan Lee, Weta Workshop head Richard Taylor and make-up artist Gino Acevedo to keep continuity with the previous films,[14] and he will also hire European comic book artists to complement Howe and Lee's style on the trilogy.[27] He has also considered looking at Tolkien's drawings and using elements of those not used in the trilogy.[25] As Tolkien did not intend for the One Ring to be evil, as revealed in The Lord of the Rings, Del Toro will address its different nature in the story, but not so much as to draw away from the story's spirit.[24]

Del Toro wants to push the technology of animatronics to new levels; "We really want to take the state-of-the-art animatronics and take a leap ten years into the future with the technology we will develop for the creatures in the movie. We have every intention to do for animatronics and special effects what the other films did for virtual reality."[14] Computer-generated imagery will further improve the performance of the animatronics on screen. Del Toro cited this as important as he would require the animals to talk in the film, so Smaug's speech will not be incongruous. The Wargs will be redesigned to be more faithful to the novel too,[12] and the Mirkwood spiders will look different from Shelob. Del Toro added he also felt portraying the talking animals were more about showing people can understand them.[24]

Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, and Viggo Mortensen (who played Gandalf, Gollum and Aragorn respectively), have met Del Toro,[28] and ideally, he wants every actor (including Ian Holm, who played the old Bilbo in Rings) to reprise their roles,[27] although he acknowledged some may be unable to because of health problems. All thirteen Dwarves and Beorn will appear.[12] He would consider having Holm narrate the films.[25] Doug Jones, who appeared in Del Toro's Hellboy, its sequel and Pan's Labyrinth, is interested in playing Thranduil, King of Mirkwood and Legolas' father.[29] Similarly, Hellboy star Ron Perlman is a person whom del Toro has "something in mind for".[12]

Del Toro and Jackson have a positive working relationship, where they will compromise on disagreements to the benefit of the film. Jackson has offered to help as second unit director. Del Toro will shoot the films in the trilogy's 2.35:1 aspect ratio, rather than his signature 1.85:1 ratio.[12]

Second film

MGM expressed interest in a second film in 2006, set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.[30] Jackson concurred, stating "one of the drawbacks of The Hobbit is [that] it's relatively lightweight compared to Lord of the Rings... There [are] a lot of sections in which a character like Gandalf disappears for a while. From memory – I mean, I haven't read it for a while now – but I think he references going off to meet with the White Council, who are actually characters like Galadriel and Saruman and people that we see in Lord of the Rings. He mysteriously vanishes for a while and then comes back, but we don't really know what goes on."[6]

After his hiring in 2008, Del Toro confirmed the sequel would be about "trying to reconcile the facts of the first movie with a slightly different point of view. You would be able to see events that were not witnessed in the first."[27] The second film's story will depend on how many actors can reprise their roles.[12] Christopher Lee, who played Saruman, said he would like to show how the Wizard was corrupted into becoming an ally of Sauron.[31] However, Lee stated he would not be comfortable flying to New Zealand at his age.[32]

References

  1. ^ Brian Sibley (2006). Peter Jackson: A Film-maker's Journey. London: HarperCollins. pp. 313–16. ISBN 0-00-717558-2.
  2. ^ Brian Sibley (2006). Peter Jackson: A Film-maker's Journey. London: HarperCollins. pp. 323–25. ISBN 0-00-717558-2.
  3. ^ a b c Benjamin Svetkey (2007-10-04). "'The Hobbit': Peace in Middle-Earth?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  4. ^ Stax (2006-09-11). "MGM Eyes Hobbit, T4". IGN. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  5. ^ "Director sues over Rings profits". BBC News Online. 2005-03-02. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  6. ^ a b c Steve Daly (2006-09-22). "Action Jackson". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-10-05.
  7. ^ Patrick Goldstein (2007-08-10). "THE BIG PICTURE: New Line's midlife crisis". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  8. ^ Michael Fleming (2007-12-18). "'Hobbit' back on track as twin bill". Variety. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  9. ^ Borys Kit (2008-01-27). "Del Toro doubles up for 'Hobbit'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  10. ^ Dade Hayes, Dave McNary (2008-02-28). "New Line in Warner's corner". Variety. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  11. ^ Anne Thompson (2008-03-06). "Shaye kept New Line afloat". Variety. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Jackson and del Toro Talk The Hobbit!". ComingSoon.net. 2008-05-25. Retrieved 2008-05-25.
  13. ^ "Conversations: Guillermo del Toro". Salon.com. 2006-10-12. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  14. ^ a b c d "Guillermo del Toro Chats with TORN About 'The Hobbit' Films!". TheOneRing.net. 2008-04-25. Retrieved 2008-04-26.
  15. ^ Guillermo del Toro (2008-04-27). "Quite the contrary". The One Ring Forums. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  16. ^ Nicole Sperling (2008-08-19). "Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens join Guillermo Del Toro penning 'The Hobbit'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  17. ^ Anthony Breznican (2008-07-07). "'Hellboy II' director del Toro takes his demons seriously". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-07-10.
  18. ^ Michael Fleming (2008-09-03). "Guillermo Del Toro booked thru 2017". Variety. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  19. ^ "To Hellboy and back". Sydney Morning Herald. 2008-09-04. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  20. ^ "GDT talks 'Hellboy 2′ and another 'H' movie - with TORn!". TheOneRing.net. 2008-07-08. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  21. ^ Carl Cortez (2008-07-09). "Guillermo del Toro escapes 'Labyrinth' and ends right back into 'Hellboy'". iF Magazine. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  22. ^ Alex Viega (2008-02-12). "Tolkien Estate Sues New Line Cinema". San Francisco Chronicle. Associated Press. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  23. ^ Stuart Levine (2008-07-07). "Exclusive: Guillermo del Toro on 'Hellboy II'". Premiere. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
  24. ^ a b c Joe Utichi (2008-07-11). "Guillermo del Toro - RT's Dinner and the Movies Interview". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  25. ^ a b c Shawn Adler (2008-07-02). "Guillermo Del Toro Answers 'Hobbit' Fans' Questions About Returning 'Rings' Cast, Religion And More". MTV.com. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  26. ^ Shawn Adler (2008-07-02). "Director Guillermo Del Toro Answers Your 'Hobbit' Questions". MTV Movies Blog. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
  27. ^ a b c Shawn Adler (2008-04-28). "Guillermo Del Toro Addresses 'Hobbit' Fans' Concerns, Talks Possible Casting". MTV. Retrieved 2008-04-30.
  28. ^ Michael Fleming (2008-05-20). "Universal, del Toro love 'Hater'". Variety. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  29. ^ Brian Jacks (2008-06-30). "Doug Jones Eyes Elven King Role For 'The Hobbit'". MTV Movies Blog. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  30. ^ "Hobbit, Crown, Panther News". IGN. 2006-11-14. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  31. ^ Glen Ferris (2008-06-04). "Christopher Lee On The Hobbit". Empire Online. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  32. ^ Elisabeth Rappe (2008-07-13). "Looks Like Christopher Lee Might Not Return to Middle-Earth". Cinematical. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
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