Guillermo Del Toro 2In an interview with Independent Television News (ITN) Limited, Guillermo Del Toro shared his thoughts on how enormous a task directing “The Hobbit” will be.

Del Toro said, “I am very excited, very nervous.  It is very daunting.  I think it is a responsibility.  It is like being handed the keys to the nuclear button.”

Del Toro also talks more about how he’ll work with Peter Jackson and will continue to respect the LOTR world that has already been created.  There’s also a video interview attached to the site.  ITN Limited

Guardian Logo Martin sends along this link to an audio interview with RDT, take a listen: Jason Solomons talks to upcoming British actor Thomas Turgoose about his role in the new Shane Meadows film Somers Town and Xan Brooks quizzes Guillermo Del Toro on Hellboy II and his new project The Hobbit. Film Weekly Chats up Guillermo Del Toro

Del ToroAmbrose Heron of FILMdetail.com recently spoke with Guillermo del Toro about Hellboy II and they also discussed some interesting tidbits about the writing of the ‘Hobbit’ script:

I seem to have a never ending mine of reading material. I started by reading everything I could get my hands on that Tolkien wrote of Middle-earth. And then I started reading as many books as I can about Tolkien writing about Middle-earth. I want to get as familiar with the cosmology and the genealogy and the geography of that place as possible. Because for many, myself included, it has to become a real place again.

Continue reading “FILMDetail Speaks with GDT on ‘Hobbit’ Progress”

Guillermo del Toro and Peter JacksonFrodo Franchise‘ author, Kristin Thompson, points us to Variety.com today with further official word that our favorite scribes have all signed on the dotted line, so to speak:

Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have officially signed on to collaborate on “The Hobbit” and its sequel with director Guillermo del Toro. The announcement, from exec producers Jackson and Walsh and New Line president Toby Emmerich, came four months after del Toro confirmed he had signed on to direct both pics.

Read the full article at Variety.com and strap on your seatbelts – the funs is just getting started! [Variety.com]

Jackson del Toro

Ringer Deej found this article on EW.Com:

It’s now official: The Lord of the Rings screenwriting team of Peter Jackson (pictured), Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens will join The Hobbit director Guillermo del Toro to pen the screenplay for the two planned Hobbit movies. Sources tell EW.com that the scribes’ deals are all complete and they will commence writing shortly. (With shooting scheduled to begin in Fall 2009 in New Zealand, the quartet better get busy!) The Hobbit will center on Frodo’s uncle, Bilbo Baggins, and his initial discovery of the immensely-powerful ring. New Line and MGM plan to release the two films Christmas 2011 and Christmas 2012.

Post your comments on the TORN Forum – it’s an exciting day for Hobbit fans!  Thanks again to ringer Deej for posting this on our boards.  EW.Com

Some news on the funding behind the upcoming ‘Hobbit’ films from Bloomberg.com:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., the movie studio controlled by private-equity firms, is raising as much as $600 million to produce some of its biggest films including “The Hobbit.” […] MGM’s would be the first movie fund completed since Deutsche Bank AG and Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Pictures scrapped plans last month to raise $450 million. The MGM fund includes “The Hobbit,” being produced by “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson […] ”The Hobbit,” being directed by Guillermo del Toro, is scheduled for release in December 2011. Jackson’s three “Lord of the Rings” movies, distributed by New York-based Time Warner, each cost about $95 million to make, according to Imdb.com.

Thanks to Diedye for the heads up on the article and click on the link to read the full story. [Bloomberg]