Shawn sends along this interview with the amazing Simon Pegg, when asked about his Hollywood friends he mentions Martin Freeman and drops this serious bomb, does this mean an announcement is pending?
“Martin’s the anti-me: a soul aficionado and a vinyl junkie – absolutely not a resident of the geek universe. Not the type of person who will relish the attention he’ll get for being Bilbo Baggins. Ha!”
UPDATE: Simon posted this on Twitter this morning. “Woah, woah, woah I did NOT confirm Martin Freeman was in The Hobbit. As far as I know, talks are ongoing. Hope he is. Great choice.”
Posted in:
Share:
Message board member ranger123 alerted us to a people.co.uk article from Oct 3 stating that COLD feet and Murphy’s Law star James Nesbitt is making plans to pack up his family and move to New Zealand, having secured a ‘major’ role in “The Hobbit.”
Nesbitt, 45, and actress wife Sonia Forbes-Adam, also 45, have talked to their daughters Peggy, 12, and Mary, eight, about the benefits of staying on to make a fresh start. The Northern Irish star believes it will be good for his career and family life. A source said: “‘The Hobbit’ was always going to mean a long stay in New Zealand for James and he wanted his family around him.”
Now that “The Hobbit” has been green lit to start production in February, expect casting news such as this to fill the front page here at TheOneRing.net regularly. What part do *you* think Nesbitt is referring to? Bard, or one of the dwarves, are theories we’ve heard. Click the “Discuss” link below to share your opinion.
Update: rumor circulating around the internet this weekend (prompted by a Pajiba twitter) is that the role Nesbitt was offered is that of the dwarf Bofur. Bofur is the brother of the heavy-set dwarf, Bombur, and cousin of the dwarf Bifur.
Posted in:
Share:
There is a green light at the end of a long tunnel for fans who have been waiting to take the cinematic journey back to Middle-earth. It was announced today by the studios involved that “The Hobbit,” film will shoot starting in February 2011 with Peter Jackson as its director, showing in two installments expect to hit theaters in December 2012 and 2013.
Jackson said in a press release from the studios:
“Exploring Tolkien’s Middle-earth goes way beyond a normal film-making experience. It’s an all-immersive journey into a very special place of imagination, beauty and drama. We’re looking forward to re-entering this wondrous world with Gandalf and Bilbo – and our friends at New Line Cinema, Warner Brothers and MGM”.
Fans have been waiting for this announcement since the cultural phenomenon of Jackson’s first ground-breaking foray into Middle-earth, “Lord of the Rings” trilogy swept the Oscars with its final installment, “Return of the King,” in 2003. The New Zealand director was largely unknown internationally last century when New Line Cinema took a risk to finance three films based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien. He returns to the fabled setting as an accomplished and much sought-after director after an incredible amount of adversity preceded the start of the films.
According to the press release:
“Jackson will utilize groundbreaking visual effects and his incomparable story-telling to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel to the big screen. Both Hobbit movies will be filmed in Digital 3-D, using the latest camera and stereo technology to create a high quality, comfortable viewing experience. Jackson also co-wrote the screenplays with Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro.
Continue reading “Peter Jackson will direct ‘The Hobbit’ in two installments, three dimensions”
Posted in:
Share:
OSCAR WINNER PETER JACKSON TO DIRECT “THE HOBBIT” IN TWO INSTALLMENTS
Peter Jackson Set to Direct J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” In a Two-Part 3D Production of Extraordinary Scope
(Los Angeles, October 15, 2010) The two films based on “The Hobbit” are now greenlit and will begin principal photography in February 2011, under the direction of Peter Jackson, it was jointly announced today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema, Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. and Steve Cooper, co-Chief Executive Officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc..
“Exploring Tolkien’s Middle-earth goes way beyond a normal film-making experience” Jackson says, “It’s an all-immersive journey into a very special place of imagination, beauty and drama. We’re looking forward to re-entering this wondrous world with Gandalf and Bilbo – and our friends at New Line Cinema, Warner Brothers and MGM”.
“Peter is a filmmaker of incomparable ability; having him return to Middle-earth to produce and direct is a dream come true. A true original, Peter is a gifted story-teller, visionary director and pioneer in film technology,” said Emmerich. “Reuniting with Peter, Fran and Philippa truly makes it feel like we are going ‘there and back again.’”
“There is no human being on the planet as qualified as Peter Jackson to direct these films,” said Horn. “Peter is incredibly talented and has the creative vision and experience to bring this beloved property to life in a way that no other filmmaker could. And the team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens has proven through their work on the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy that no one is more skilled at transforming Tolkien’s written words into a vibrant, living language that makes the audience believe they are not merely visiting Middle-earth, but actually living in it. We couldn’t be more thrilled and look forward to seeing ‘The Hobbit’ take shape under Peter’s stewardship and the team he is putting together.” Continue reading “Press Release from New Line/Warner Bros.: OSCAR WINNER PETER JACKSON TO DIRECT “THE HOBBIT” IN TWO INSTALLMENTS”
Posted in:
Share:
The Hobbit has finally been given the greenlight and will be made in 3-D with Sir Peter Jackson in the director’s chair.
Shooting will begin in February.
The announcement was made today jointly by New Line Cinema – which bankrolled The Lord of the Rings – and its parent company Warner Bros.
The announcement did not state whether the two part prequel to The Lord of the Rings would be shot in New Zealand.
Matt Dravitzki, Jackson’s assistant at Wingnut Films, said an annoucement on the place of filming would be “probably a week or two away”.
[Read on]
Posted in:
Share:
It’s been decided–the movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit will (thankfully!) be directed by The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson.
Unfortunately, the movie still has another obstacle in its way before a February start date can be confirmed for filming. Warner Brothers’ New Line Cinema unit and MGM are financing the film project–which will be broken into two movies–and a budget has already been drawn up for filming in New Zealand. Yet it seems that a union dispute could prevent local actors and contractors from signing on.
[Read on]
Posted in:
Share:
