Just as cameras are about to roll on two Peter Jackson movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” the official blog has gone live online. Brought to us by “The Hobbit Team”, it features a photo of the cast including Martin Freeman which will probably help the world become familiar with its new heroes of Middle-earth.
The site was kind enough to include TOR’s latest “Hobbit In 5,” on the site as well and we will watch it carefully leading up to the production of the two films, scheduled for release in 2012 and 2013. You can find it right here. For fans, the production signals an end to long years of waiting and anticipation filled with highs and lows. The fate of the films seemed in doubt during lawsuits, studio financial troubles and the search for and the loss of a director. The story of how the movie got to this point is high drama all on its own. And of course, TheOneRing will follow the every detail of the production and beyond.
The shire is built, the Hobbits have arrived, and production of one of the biggest films ever to be made in New Zealand is set to begin tomorrow.
After a torrid few weeks at the end of last year when a spat between director Sir Peter Jackson and the New Zealand actors’ union threatened to drive the film overseas, filming will now start on The Hobbit – the two-part prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The stoush last year resulted in Prime Minister John Key announcing that the government would make concessions to filmmakers Warner Bros, including a change to labour laws clarifying the status of film workers as contractors.
On this episode of Hobbit in 5 John Howe reports that Smaug the Golden and Eowyn & the Nazgul are available again, Orlando Bloom considers being in the Hobbit, we have another fabulous contest to announce.
Sir Ian McKellen has updated his Hobbit blog and describes the process of preparing to roll film (or digital memory) on Peter Jackson’s pair of films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.” It sounds like an ideal day. Check out the whole entry but this is a good taste:
“And I was there too, in Hobbiton, with a semi-circle of dwarves and Bilbo, their reluctant host. I was at the cast’s first joint rehearsal where Peter Jackson, with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, invited our comments on their script so far.”
Did we just get a hint that the screenplay is in a state of constant revision as it was with Jackson’s LOTR films? Sounds like it. For film fans, catch your breath, these are the moments before the starting gun goes off. Time to party likes its 1999! (Thanks to the many who sent in links.)
Mona2505 sends this in: Seems that Orlando Bloom is in fact still in talks concerning the hobbit. Came across an interview today, where he refuses to comment on the Hobbit as he is not allowed to. You can find the original interview here. I happened to come across a translation of that interview here, just in case you don’t speak Spanish.
“…and his return to the Elvish world” The Hobbit “movie about he does not say a word. “They do not allow me”, he explains.”
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