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.
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Irish actor James Nesbitt, cast in the role of the Dwarf Bofur, spoke with the Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show on Absolute Radio this morning about the time he’s spent so far in New Zealand, reports BeeHiveCity and ContactMusic.com.
From BeeHiveCity:
“We’ve been here for training, because I’m going to be here for a year so the amount of work and the work we’ll be getting up to means we all have to be fit, you know, and a few of us are getting on a bit, so we’ve been training and horse-riding and doing stunts and all that kind of thing, and then we start.”
From ContactMusic.com:
“We haven’t started filming, we got here mid-January and we were supposed to rehearse, doing lots of horse-riding and framing and stunts and all that, but then Peter got ill, he had a perforated ulcer, so filming was delayed for a few weeks. Filming starts in about three weeks and I start in a month, but it’s been great, so I’ve had lots of time off. A typical day will be little bit of training, doing a bit of that, trying to get strong, and then doing lots of stunt fights and movement, then going out and horse-riding. I mean, it’s basically playing is what we’re doing.”
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3Foot6 (the spy, not the company) sends this in: The popular website thechive.com has a post today showing a bunch of old behind the scenes photos from the trilogy. I thought fellow fans would enjoy them. More..
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Our geeky Swedish message board member “macfalk” has pointed us to a couple of interviews with Mikael Persbrandt over at SVD.se concerning his role of Beorn in the upcoming Hobbit films.
A rough translation as provided by “macfalk” on our dedicated Hobbit Movie message board follows:
In Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit, Mikael Persbrandt plays Beorn, who has the ability of transforming himself into a bear. It was revealed that Tolkien was a childhood hero for Persbrandt.
“I read all the [Tolkien] books. I went to second-hand bookshops searching for the first “Bilbo books”. I was a fantasy geek. Jackson’s Tolkien-movies are absolutely magnificent. He’s the man. The whole project will be so exciting. It is about 700 people in the crew, I am to stand in a corner and try to be pliable.”
Persbrandt compares his role in The Hobbit to his first job as an extra for Ingemar Bergman, and the performance anxiety that occurs.
“I think I share that sense with many of the people in my profession, we never allow ourselves to be truly happy – instead, we begin thinking about the impacts. How am I as a bear? One start thinking about stuff like that instead of thinking that this could be damn fun.”
Continue reading “Mikael Persbrandt Speaks About Getting Into The Character Of Beorn”
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The tremendous outpouring of support from common New Zealanders towards all those affected by the devastating earthquake in Christchurch brings to mind the words of Gandalf concerning Hobbits during the Long Winter:
“They were very hard put to it then: one of the worst pinches they have been in… but that was the time to see their courage, and their pity one for another.”
It’s times like these when we are called to put aside all differences, stand together as one, and let our true qualities shine through. Sir Peter Jackson is no exception. The Hollywood Reporter reports today that Jackson and the rest of the Hobbit production have stepped up to offer any practical assistance they can to their fellow New Zealanders and others affected by the tragedy. In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Jackson said:
“Everyone involved in the production of The Hobbit is shocked and saddened by the earthquake and it’s devastating aftermath. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Christchurch and all those affected by this terrible tragedy.”
As reported on TheOneRing.net earlier today, you too can help no matter where you are; simply follow this link. Do keep the affected families in your thoughts and prayers.
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Fans will recall that prior to Peter Jackson’s coming down with that nasty stomach ulcer earlier this month (the man’s doing fine now, bless him!), filming of The Hobbit was supposed to begin on 14th February 2011, with Ian McKellen’s first day of filming due yesterday, 21st February 2011.
So it only makes sense that with the films’ official start date now pushed to 21st March 2011, the Grey Wizard is EARLY! He consequently took the time today to make his first blog post ‘From the middle of Middle Earth‘ in a neat little section titled Notes from Imladris on his official website. Excerpts follow:
I hadn’t intended last Thursday to arrive in Wellington for The Hobbit filming, five weeks early. Yet, what’s new? Just a year ago I had expected to start shooting in July 2010, with Guillermo del Toro in charge… A year on, filming was to start at the end of February 2011. Then, Peter Jackson had his stomach operation. The insurance company has insisted on five weeks recuperation. Which is why, yet again, I’m here early. Waiting for Bilbo.
In related news, our friend Jack who lives down in New Zealand has updated his ‘Noldor Blog‘ with an interesting post. Between running into Sir Richard Taylor and Peter Lyon, he also ran into none other than Andy Serkis this last Saturday night at a diner in Wellington.
Looks like the place is abuzz with activity with The Hobbit shoot now less than a month away!
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