There is a lot of buzz in the Tolkien community with the news yesterday that Del Toro was in ‘talks’ to direct the two ‘Hobbit’ films. Unfortunately a majority of the buzz is a case of bad reporting – as many have taken the title from the Hollywood Reporter article (‘Del Toro doubles up for ‘Hobbit”) as an official announcement. However, read the first sentence and we see he is not confirmed, only in ‘talks.’ Now another rumor has surfaced that Del Toro has verbally confirmed he will be directing both films during a screening of his new movie ‘The Orphanage.’ This news has surfaced on a French Tolkien website, which may be another case of lost in translation! So is it Del Toro or What? We don’t know – but we’re working hard to find out. If anything has been officially said by Del Toro we probably can expect announcement pretty soon! [Original Hollywood Reporter Article] [First Del Toro Rumor] [More Confirmation Rumors]
Month: January 2008
Today is Elijah Wood’s birthday! Elijah Jordan Wood was born on January 28, 1981, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. That makes him 27 years old today! Happy Birthday Elijah and we hope you get all your wishes this year – including a part in the new ‘Hobbit’ films!
I know there are a lot of different opinions in the LOTR community about who (if not PJ) should direct ‘The Hobbit’ films, but this reporter is hoping Guillermo Del Toro is on the short list! A new Hollywood Reporter article states:
“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.“
This should make a lot of Ringers happy, as Del Toro came in second place on our informal Director poll. [See Poll Archives] [Hollywood Reporter Article]
ITV is producing another Sharpe tale starring Sean Bean scheduled to screen later in 2008. Sharpe’s Peril takes up where the 2006 two-parter, watched by seven million viewers, left off. Sharpe and Harper lead an East India Company train through enemy territory and face off the inevitable bandit attack. The adventure is part of a new raft of dramas scheduled by ITV for the autumn. Sean Bean to star in another Sharpe adventure
Horsegirl writes: Olympic champion Event rider, Mark Todd (of New Zealand) has a new mount he’s going to try to go to this year’s Olympics with. The horse’s name is GANDALF! Fits, doesn’ it- being a New Zealand -bred horse. There’s an American rider who rides a horse called Frodo Baggins. And it goes on and on… [Mark Todd’s Olympic Profile]
UPDATE: It turns out that “Frodo Baggins” is a 13 year old black New Zealand bred Thoroughbred who actually starred as one of the Black Rider’s mounts in FOTR!! He even walked down the red carpet at the premiere of the film with Elijah Woods himself.
For more about “Frodo Baggins” and his rider Lainey Ashker, go here.
Thanks to Roheryn for doing a little more digging!
Kristin Thompson writes: New Line has now denied that rumor that circulated last week, the one about Time Warner possibly ousting Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne and absorbing its subsidiary into itself. I thought your readers might like a little more information about where that rumor came from. I try to put it in context on the Frodo Franchise blog.