Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson has confirmed the first script for the two films based on JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit has been completed. Pan’s Labyrinth helmer Guillermo del Toro is to bring the novel to the screen while Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens will co-write and produce the films, having won 17 Oscars for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. “The Hobbit will be two movies and we’ve written the first script and delivered it to the studio who seem to be happy with it,” the New Zealander told reporters. “We’re now halfway through the second script and Philippa, Fran, Guillermo and myself are doing the scripts and having great fun.”
Five years ago, while Peter Jackson was immersed in directing his large-scale remake of “King Kong” for Universal, executive Mary Parent mentioned a project the studio was developing based on the wildly popular video game “Halo.”
Jackson was intrigued. He loved to play “Halo” with his two teenage children; his special effects company, New Zealand-based WETA, seemed perfect to handle the FX; and a 15% tax rebate made a Kiwi shoot ideal for Universal and co-financier Fox. So Jackson agreed to produce, alongside his lifetime partner Fran Walsh and their colleague Carolynne Cunningham. Jackson would not direct, but he would find a promising young helmer to work under his supervision. When Parent suggested Neill Blomkamp, based on a short film of his she’d seen, the South Africa-born filmmaker left his home in Vancouver and flew to meet the Jackson team. More..
What exactly is going on with the two-part adaptation of The Hobbit? The world seems to be holding its breath in anticipation, including us, but as the calendar turned to November, we turned to a trusted rock-solid inside source and found a dragon’s treasure of updates. Read the rest of this entry »
Thanks to Diane and Justin for sending word that the first trailer for Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones,” is now available. Jackson’s adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel is due to hit theaters December 11, just in time for Oscar season. It is the first feature he has directed since “King Kong,” in 2005. Jackson introduced the clip looking pretty much exactly like he did at the Comic-Con geek summit. Our guess is he filmed the intro while in California last week. Watch it right here.
(Note: This is the first of several stories details what Peter Jackson told a select group of journalists about ‘The Hobbit’.)
Peter Jackson made the most of his first trip to Comic-Con by inviting 40 or so journalists, including TheOneRing.net and internet reporters to sit and chat in a room about “The Hobbit,” “The Lovely Bones,” “District 9,” and various other projects and passions.
For fans, the good news: ‘The Hobbit’ is progressing and Jackson and the writing team of director Guillermo del Toro, Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens are close to have a finished screen-play for the first of the two movies, allowing the studio to give the film a green light. The bad news for the impatient: Casting isn’t being talked about much as the focus is firmly on nailing the story on the page. Read the rest of this entry »
TORn’s 10th Anniversary bash keeps getting better and better. Our good friend Magnus from Weta just posted a birthday card to TORn from Weta on in the VIP message thread on our Feedback board:
“Dear Tehanu, Xoanon, Corvar, Calisuri and thousands of other friends, No website has provided such a platform for fandom and creativity across literature and film as TheOneRing.net and for that we salute you! Past, current and future crew at Weta will be forever spiritually connected to TORn and we are absolutely relishing the opportunity to take on future journeys together – there… and back again… naturally. We have recorded a short tribute at http://www.wetanz.com/torn10bday/
Where you can also see your card in high resolution glory.”
Check out the high res version of the Weta birthday card (pictured) and the TORn tribute video at the link above. You won’t want to miss it.
Doug Adams had asked Fran Walsh to write a short foreword for his new book, “The Music of the LOTR Films”.
Anything that she thought was appropriate: musings on Tolkien and music, memories of working with Howard on the films… anything, really. I trusted her implicitly.
This morning, that foreword arrived with this message,
Hi Doug, Pete and I think your book reads really well and found it to be completely engaging! Congratulations!
Kerrie from KOMPOLT sends this along: Lord of the Rings Cast & Crew Autograph Original Movie Poster for American Cinematheque – Movies have the power to not only tell a story – they fill our lives with emotions, make us see things differently, help us discover new ideas, or simply create an escape from the daily bustle of life. To mark the release of the all new step-by-step movie making guide “Filmmaking for Dummies” and to celebrate the movies we know and love, Wiley Publishing will be auctioning off autographed movie posters ranging from hilarious comedies, classic dramas, and every movie in between. Among the featured listings is an original Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings Movie Poster signed by Peter Jackson, Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Mark Ordesky, Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens, Ngila Dickson, Howard Shore and Robert Shaye. Decorating your walls has never felt so good because 100% of proceeds benefit the American Cinematheque, the cultural organization dedicated exclusively to honoring and preserving America’s favorite pastime: the movies! Head over to www.ebay.com/wiley to find out more! Ebay…
ComingSoon.net talked to Andy Serkis, who stars in the January 23 fantasy-adventure Inkheart, about returning to performance capture in Steven Spielberg’s Tintin, Peter Jackson’s Tintin 2, and The Hobbit. “We are starting ‘Tintin’ the week after next,” Serkis said. “Peter Jackson is producing and Steven Spielberg is directing. I remember reading them as a child. I wasn’t this massive fan. I loved the almost storyboard nature of the beautiful, beautiful drawings. And the way its going to be done… It’s obviously performance capture so it’s is going to be perfect. There isn’t a more perfect way of doing it.” As was previously reported, Spielberg will direct the first film and produce the second, while Jackson will direct the second and produce the first. About The Hobbit, Serkis said that he “met Guillermo prior to him actually being attached. It was all very much going to happen so we met at an awards and sort of giggling at the fact we were going to be working together actually. I am going to really be looking forward to it. I mean the combination between he and Peter is extraordinary as well. I know they are writing at the moment. But other than that, I really have no idea. Peter is producing. Same writing team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens is writing with Guillermo.” Andy Serkis on Tintin and The Hobbit
August 20th, 2008 by Calisuri
| Source: Variety
| Discuss
‘Frodo Franchise‘ author, Kristin Thompson, points us to Variety.com today with further official word that our favorite scribes have all signed on the dotted line, so to speak:
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have officially signed on to collaborate on “The Hobbit” and its sequel with director Guillermo del Toro. The announcement, from exec producers Jackson and Walsh and New Line president Toby Emmerich, came four months after del Toro confirmed he had signed on to direct both pics.
Read the full article at Variety.com and strap on your seatbelts – the funs is just getting started! [Variety.com]
Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson has confirmed the first script for the two films based on JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit has been completed. Pan’s Labyrinth helmer Guillermo del Toro is to bring the novel to the screen while Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens will co-write and produce the films, having won 17 Oscars for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. “The Hobbit will be two movies and we’ve written the first script and delivered it to the studio who seem to be happy with it,” the New Zealander told reporters. “We’re now halfway through the second script and Philippa, Fran, Guillermo and myself are doing the scripts and having great fun.”
Five years ago, while Peter Jackson was immersed in directing his large-scale remake of “King Kong” for Universal, executive Mary Parent mentioned a project the studio was developing based on the wildly popular video game “Halo.”
What exactly is going on with the two-part adaptation of The Hobbit? The world seems to be holding its breath in anticipation, including us, but as the calendar turned to November, we turned to a trusted rock-solid inside source and found a dragon’s treasure of updates. 
Thanks to Diane and Justin for sending word that the first trailer for Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones,” is now available. Jackson’s adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel is due to hit theaters December 11, just in time for Oscar season. It is the first feature he has directed since “King Kong,” in 2005. Jackson introduced the clip looking pretty much exactly like he did at the Comic-Con geek summit. Our guess is he filmed the intro while in California last week. Watch it right 
(Note: This is the first of several stories details what Peter Jackson told a select group of journalists about ‘The Hobbit’.)
TORn’s 10th Anniversary bash keeps getting better and better. Our good friend Magnus from Weta just posted a birthday card to TORn from Weta on in the 
ComingSoon.net talked to Andy Serkis, who stars in the January 23 fantasy-adventure Inkheart, about returning to performance capture in Steven Spielberg’s Tintin, Peter Jackson’s Tintin 2, and The Hobbit. “We are starting ‘Tintin’ the week after next,” Serkis said. “Peter Jackson is producing and Steven Spielberg is directing. I remember reading them as a child. I wasn’t this massive fan. I loved the almost storyboard nature of the beautiful, beautiful drawings. And the way its going to be done… It’s obviously performance capture so it’s is going to be perfect. There isn’t a more perfect way of doing it.” As was previously reported, Spielberg will direct the first film and produce the second, while Jackson will direct the second and produce the first. About The Hobbit, Serkis said that he “met Guillermo prior to him actually being attached. It was all very much going to happen so we met at an awards and sort of giggling at the fact we were going to be working together actually. I am going to really be looking forward to it. I mean the combination between he and Peter is extraordinary as well. I know they are writing at the moment. But other than that, I really have no idea. Peter is producing. Same writing team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens is writing with Guillermo.” 
