According to Borys Kit’s Heat Vision blog with The Hollywood Reporter, James McAvoy has signed on to play a young Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, in “X-Men: First Class,” which Matthew Vaughn is directing for Fox. Fox is moving fast on the production, hiring Vaughn in early May and planning a summer start in London. The movie is being planned for a June 3, 2011, release.
McAvoy had been rumoured to be a candidate for the role of Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming Guillermo del Toro epic The Hobbit, which has yet to be officially green-lighted. More
Rumors have hit the interwebs today that there is an now an official greenlight for ‘The Hobbit’ which we have learned is not true and further have learned that that 3D is a bit unlikely at this point. A greenlight would mean that Warner Bros. either with MGM or despite MGM and its uncertain future, have approved a budget and put the movie-making machine in motion. We checked with our global spy network and our own Xoanon heard back from sources in New Zealand that this is not true. So fans, calm those heart palpitations. Update #1: Another rock-solid trusted source has checked in with duplicate info so if there were any doubts, obliterate them. No lights are green*.
On the side of good news, a completely different source (yes, a third) confirmed that word is out to those involved with the production to prepare for a potential November start date. So while there isn’t officially a ‘go’ on the pair of films to be directed by Guillermo del Toro and produced by Peter Jackson, the film industries in Hollywood and Wellington are still keeping that target in mind. That, as Kiwis can tell you, turns out to be just about the right time to shoot on Hobbiton. And, if it wasn’t clear already, the moment, yea, the instant we hear official word has been given, we will post it here. *Update #2: There is nothing definitive but a highly placed source also tells us today (thanks to the ‘green’ ruckus) that 3D looks less likely at this point. Reading between the lines, 3D would add to both budget and schedule and the parties involved don’t want to sacrifice story or shooting time just to have 3D flicks.
Ringer spy Earl provided a story hot of the presses from the Los Angeles Times that says MGM’s management is no longer in control of the studio’s fate and that debtholders are now the decision makers.
The MGM Saga is developing into a film-worthy drama all its own (one that will never get a greenlight) and the article states: “The internal divide and lingering uncertainty demonstrate how tortured MGM’s reorganization process has been and how the balance of power has shifted from management to lenders.”
For fans this means that non-entertainment types are now calling the shots and how that plays out is completely unpredictable. There is one tidbit about the two movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” to be directed by Guillermo del Toro and produced by Peter Jackson:
“Though Time Warner’s bid has not been officially rejected, people at the media giant’s Warner Bros. studio have been frustrated by the protracted process, in part because it and MGM co-own the rights to movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” which are currently in development.”
The article explains a lot more of the intricacies of what is going on. How does this fit with the report that filming will start in November? We have our feelers out and will update you as soon as we hear anything definite.
Linuxelf sends along a few more videos from the LOTR golden days. Take a look at the ROTK Golden Globe wins, a party at 3Foot6 and Wellington’s famous Cuba Street.
LA Weekly columnist Nikki Finke seems to have some new information that even the Eagles, ahem, the rest of the inerweb hasn’t caught wind of yet. Reporting over at Deadline.com on Peter Jackson’s plans for the new King Kong 360 3D attraction at the Universal Studios Hollywood studio tour, she digresses to update fans on a few things “Hobbit”, all of which seem to indicate that serious matters are ongoing even as we wait and watch and speculate.
On The Hobbit front, I’m told that both scripts are in, that discussions are underway right now to determine if they’ll shoot in 3D. (I think it’s inevitable). They will set everything in place in a New Zealand powwow next month, and then casting will begin for a November start.
There seems to be no indication that the uncertainty surrounding MGM’s situation is impeding the progress on these films in any way (yet), but as reported recently by the Wall Street Journal and by our friend and messageboard member Kristin Thompson over at her blog The Frodo Franchise, MGM’s creditors do indeed seem to be close to a plan to resolve the studio’s financial woes.
Black Books star Bill Bailey wants to play a dwarf in The Hobbit.
Bailey, who is bringing his comedy show Bill Bailey Live to Wellington in June, told The Dominion Post he had auditioned for the part of Gloin the dwarf in The Lord of the Rings prequel.
“I went along for a read-through of The Hobbit. The first read-through was for Gloin,” he said from London.
Bailey, who can be seen in television series Skins and the movie Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang, joked that he didn’t need any makeup to be a convincing dwarf. “I saved myself a few quid over here.” [Full Article]
According to Borys Kit’s Heat Vision blog with The Hollywood Reporter, James McAvoy has signed on to play a young Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, in “X-Men: First Class,” which Matthew Vaughn is directing for Fox. Fox is moving fast on the production, hiring Vaughn in early May and planning a summer start in London. The movie is being planned for a June 3, 2011, release.
