From AICN: In late October, as part of the Chicago International Film Festival’s Closing Night festivities, Viggo Mortensen got himself a Career Achievement Award just before a screening of what will now be his next film to be released in theaters, a strange film that examines the fluid definitions of right and wrong–a movie called GOOD. Set in the early days of the National Socialist moment in Germany, GOOD centers on a professor who wrote a harmless novel years earlier that inadvertently is serving the Nazis as a justification for their theories of racial purity and the killing of the Jewish people. The book serves as such a great inspiration and blueprint that the professor is elevated up through the Nazi ranks almost without any ambition on his part to do so. Now that the adaptation of THE ROAD has been moved into 2009, GOOD is being pushed as Mortensen’s shot at an Oscar for 2008. It’s a quiet, understated performance about a complicated man, who is both far from flawless and far from guilty. Viggo Mortensen Drops Hobbit Hints

The Lord Of The Rings star is to revive his role as the fantasy creature in prequel The Hobbit and despite the hard work involved in playing the part-computer generated character, he is looking forward to it. Andy said: “In 2010, if all goes according to plan, I think they’re gonna start thinking about The Hobbit. “It will be nice to drag Gollum kicking and screaming back out again. It will be great.” The 44-year-old British actor was speaking at the royal premiere of A Bunch Of Amateurs where he had been invited to give the Loyal Address to The Queen. Andy said: “I got asked because my wife Lorraine Ashbourne is in the film so I have to welcome the Royal family and introduce the film.” Andy Serkis eager for Gollum return

Message board member Elven found this interesting tidbit in a piece by the BBC’s “Newsbeat”. Seems Elijah Wood attended the Black Ball in New York, a charity event to raise money for children affected by HIV/Aids in Africa, and was asked about the possibility of an appearance in The Hobbit:

Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood was there with girlfriend Pamela Racine. When Newsbeat asked about whether he might appear in a Hobbit movie he said that it was “conceivably possible”. Read the entire article Here

Update! Board member Dive Twin found more comments from Elijah at this event on MTV’s Movies Blog:

“The secondary film would bridge the gap between ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ chronologically,” Wood said, “so conceivably, it could be possible.” Since the films are still being written, “it’s a ways away” before he would know, Wood said, but the trick is to have Frodo’s appearance not seem like an anachronism, since he wasn’t a part of “The Hobbit” adventure. Read More

Guillermo Del Toro was recently in New York City as part of the New Yorker Festival and our good pal Anthony Moody from Indalo Productions caught up with him to talk all things Hobbit!

In this second part of the interview, Guillermo gives us a few more details about his writing methods, he discusses major themes he sees in The Hobbit, and talks a little bit about casting!

Read part one of the interview where talks about his writing duties with PJ, Tom Bombadil and the possibility of a THIRD Hobbit movie(?!). More follow later this week!

Continue reading “Del Toro Interview Part 2: “This is the hardest movie I’ll probably ever do!””

Guillermo Del Toro was recently in New York City as part of the New Yorker Festival and our good pal Anthony Moody from Indalo Productions caught up with him to talk all things Hobbit! In this first part of the interview GDT talks about his writing duties with PJ, Tom Bombadil and the possibility of a THIRD Hobbit movie(?!). Stay tuned for the second part of this interview next week! More follow later next week as well!

Continue reading “Guillermo del Toro: “I’m so voracious about The Hobbit!””

With just a few weeks left before he heads to New Zealand for several years del Toro checked in with MTV News to discuss his plans for “The Hobbit” and beyond, including news on Smaug, Doug Jones as the Elvin King, Guillermo Navarro, Elrond and more. On Smaug he noted:

I discussed the Smaug appearance with great detail with [Tolkien illustrators] John Howe and Alan Lee, and there’s some illustrations that John did out of that meeting in London that approximate Smaug. I cannot say much more. He is becoming clearer and clearer.

Regarding approaching some of the actors, someone mentioned Hugo Weaving and he said:

Oh yeah. We have to approach him — of course. Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen — they all must be approached to do the movie.

The written interview also includes a video on MTV News