LOS ANGELES, CA, January 6, 2011– Roger Birnbaum and Gary Barber, MGM Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officers, Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema and Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that MGM and Warner Bros have concluded a deal for Warner Bros. Pictures to handle international theatrical and video distribution responsibilities on MGM’s behalf for Peter Jackson’s highly anticipated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”. This arrangement results in Warner Bros. Pictures handling the bulk of worldwide distribution, while MGM will handle international television licensing for the films. MGM and WB will work collaboratively to coordinate marketing and release plans worldwide.
Jackson, who directed all three “The Lord of the Rings” films, will helm the two films back-to-back, telling the story of “The Hobbit” from screenplays written by Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro.
The two “Hobbit” films are set to begin production in February 2011, with release dates targeted for December 2012 and December 2013. Jackson will utilize groundbreaking visual effects and his incomparable storytelling to bring 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.
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham are producing the films for New Line, Warner Bros and MGM, with co-writer Philippa Boyens serving as co-producer and Ken Kamins and Zane Weiner as executive producers. The Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, also from the production team of Jackson, Walsh and Cunningham, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.
Posted in:
Share:
Congratulations to Pippin, aka Billy Boyd, who got married yesterday at a service in Glasgow, Scotland. Billy married his long time partner Ali McKinnon. The ceremony served as a LOTR reunion of sorts as both Elijah Wood and Dominic Monaghan were in attendance. Read more in the following EveningTimes.co.uk article. [Read More]
Posted in:
Share:
As part of their annual ‘12 Days of Sideshow‘ promotion, SideshowCollectibles.com has revealed quite a few upcoming LOTR statues for 2011. Joining the already pre-ordering Aragorn and Gandalf, are new statues of Arwen, Legolas and Gimli. Click on the image above to see the full version of their tease. [Gandalf Pre-Order] [Aragorn Pre-Order] [12 Days of Sideshow]
Posted in:
Share:
Continuing our series of character highlights from the upcoming ‘Hobbit’ films…(story spoilers)
Thorin Oakenshield
Alias: Oakensheild, King under the Mountain
Race: Dwarf, House of Durin
Date of Birth: T.A. 2746
Cast: Richard Armitage
Thorin Oakenshield’s story is one of great daring, pride, revenge, and tragedy. Thorin II hails from a direct royal lineage (the House of Durin) traceable all the way back to the original Seven Fathers of the Dwarves. His clan is also known as the Longbeards.
Thorin’s early years at the Lonely Mountain (Erebor) give The Hobbit its foundational plot and all that happens therein comes from his efforts to avenge the wrongs against his House. At the age of 24, Thorin witnessed the arrival of the dragon Smaug and the slaying of his kin (T.A. 2770). The tragic memory was burned permanently into Thorin’s heart. Twenty-nine years later he fought valiantly against the Orcs beneath the East-gate of Moria at the Battle of Azanulbizar, where he earned the surname “Oakenshield” by using a great oak-branch in a pinch as both shield and weapon.
[Read the Full Profile]
Posted in:
Share:
Sohaib at Fictional Frontiers keeps asking us back to his radio show and podcast and when it comes to popular culture and talking about the works and adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien, how can we say no? This week, among many other things, we chatted about our hopes and fears for “The Hobbit” film including a tie to those crazy Burger King toys. You can hear the conversation, which already aired live on the radio, right here as a podcast.
Posted in:
Share:
The Government has made another concession to the makers of the Hobbit movies as it paves the way for them to be made here. The head of Immigration New Zealand, Nigel Bickle, has confirmed that approval has been given to Three Foot Seven Ltd to recruit 40 overseas actors for the movies. Mr Bickle says the department followed its usual practice of asking both Actors’ Equity and Work and Income to comment on the request to allow the actors into the country. He says the union opposed the request but Work and Income supported it. The matter then went to the Associate Immigration Minister, Kate Wilkinson, who approved it. While the department followed its usual practice, Radio New Zealand’s political editor says, apparently the union did not get access to the information it normally gets. It couldn’t be sure local actors were being given an equal opportunity to audition for all 75 speaking parts, and that apparently is why it opposed the request. More..
Posted in:
Share:
