ArchibaldTuttle

I bet it will happen in a couple years, after PJ makes a couple movies in between, the trilogy seemed like it was so good for everyone involved emotionally and financially, it would seem kind of retarded for them not to make it, even if PJ doesn't direct, I bet he would be on board to at least produce it, time will tell

fumanstan

Or after PJ's next few projects bomb

Inverse

The problem isn't Jackson or McKellan, both of whom have said they'd be interested in the Hobbit at some time in the future. There's a legal issue.

New Line owns the right to make a Hobbit movie ... they bought it when they bought the rights to Lord of the Rings.

But United Artists owns the rights to *distribute* a Hobbit movie in North America. So if New Line made a Hobbit movie, they couldn't show it in the world's largest market! That snag has kept the project from going forward.

Presumably New Line and United Artists will strike a deal that will allow The Hobbit to be made eventually, but in the meantime Jackson, McKellan, et. al. have moved on to other things.

Me007gold

i thought disney owned the rights to the hobbit

Seeker

distribution rights -

which is why there also won't be a

finding nemo 2

or a

toy story 3

Judremy

Actually most men live between 50 - 100 at the max so it would be:
300 x 50 = 15,000 to 300 x 100 = 30,000

caligulathegod

Gandalf arrived in Middle-earth in about the year 1000 of the 3rd Age. LOTR takes place in the year 3018 through 3019. The Hobbit took place in 2941.
Prior to Gandalf's arrival, he was around for quite a while in the land of the Valar. He would often appear among the Elves as a spirit or in the shape of an Elf to give wisdom. He was so subtle that they often felt it was their own thought. It is not known when he took up the form we know him as. Tolkien suggests that the Istari were given the bodies of old men when they were sent to Middle-earth. Although they arrived in the form of elderly men, it is mentioned that Saruman had raven hair and beard when he first came to Middle-earth.

caligulathegod

30,000 years is a pretty good guess for the entire history of Middle-earth. The Spring of Arda was uncounted, the years of the Trees was about 14,000 + years. The First Age was about 500 years and the 2nd and 3rd Ages were about 3000 each. That is 20,500 years we can account for. The Spring of Arda could have been around 10,000 years give or take and Gandalf's estimation is about right.

tanman

Yeah pretty pleas with a cherrie on top.

Seriously, I would not want a Hobbit movie with at least these two names attached. And in the same caliber as the trilogy. I am a completest.

*edit*

And a horrible speller!

LivingINClip

You say at least two names attached, but I say at least three.. After all, The Hobbit is about Bilbo Baggins and Bilbo was casted in FOTR, now wasn't he?

caligulathegod

I think you could do a Hobbit miniseries with different actors. Ian Holm is quite older than he looked in that flashback. I see someone like, say, Sylvester McCoy as Bilbo. Gandalf can be any authoritative British actor and I'd go with Eric Idle as one of the dwarves. The tone does not need to be as serious and high as LOTR. It's a children's book so it should be lighter, but not campy.

Daytrip

the average life span for a man at that time would not be anywhere near 50-100 years

rushmore223

At first PJ said "no" to The Hobbit, but Ian McKellen has always been eager to do it. Ian Holm only made complaint to the physical pain he would likely have to go through due to the fact that they had to pull back his facial skin for the Prologue shoot.

Recently, (I cant remember where I read it) PJ has been more agreeable to a HOBBIT movie, perhaps bowing to studio pressure, but he has said he would like to get a couple more projects underneath his belt before he travelled back to Middle Earth. Obviously the next film is King Kong, after that though, who knows?

I think it would be great to see it, if it was done with Mckellen and Jackson. It may seem a little anti climactic considering the grandeur (emotional and otherwise) of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. But these movies hold such a place in my heart that I would be hard pressed to nay say any possibility of this movie being made. I never thought when I read these books 20 years ago, that any director could ever successfully translate these films to the big screen, I was obviously wrong.

In the end it is the bottom line, the first two movies have made well over 1.7 billion worldwide, and I am sure ROTK will add another 900 million + to that number. So will The Hobbit be made? Absolutely. Will it be made the way and with the people we want it to be made with? Probably yes, but nobody really knows. If PJ is not interested, The project would eventually go to someone else.

Philip Reuben

The intention of the movie's script and visuals are that very little time passed between Bilbo leaving and Frodo setting off on his quest. This was a conscious change from the book. I can think of at least two places this has been brought up - the first commentary track on FOTR:EE, and the "book to script" documentary on disc 3 of TT:EE.

talemyn

I thought I remembered PJ saying that he just wanted to get a little break from Middle Earth, but would be interested in working on The Hobbit if the opportunity arose.

I think McKellen would be great . . . Gandalf wouldn't look much different 80 years earlier. Holm would be good to, but I think he might be more replacable that McKellen. I guess I could free up my schedule to play Beorn . . . at 6'8", 350, I sure I could pull it off.


There is one other character that we need to worry about being up for it . . . Gollum . . . he seemed pretty pissed after that whole MTV Awards incident . . .

Smaug

My forum name alone speaks volumes to the fact that I want to see this movie happen more than anything and I would like to see it done well. With the success of LOTR, I have no doubt the the Hobbit will be made. The only questions I see by who.
Peter Jackson would be great but I think he would be a little burnt out on Middle Earth and would like to do some other projects. I think I read somewhere that he would like to do King Kong next. Ian McKellen I would love to see as Gandalf again. However I think Ian Holm is a little old to be playing Bilbo 80 years younger and so I would be okay with somebody else taking on the role. Plus talemyn brought up Andy Serkis who I think is essential for this as well.

However, if none of these players make it to Hobbit, who would you guys like to see do it instead? I'm not to sure right now. I'll have to think about it and post back later.

Seeker

of course, you know they'll rename "The Hobbit" to:

Lord of the Rings: Episode 1

Dalvin

I only want Peter Jackson to do this. Come on, this is an Epic that will make a studio some serious cash. Jackson, Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens all need to be present in adapting "The Hobbit" to a feature film. As for Gandalf, the character needs to be done by Sir Ian McKellan. I believe he is 66 years old, so this better be done after "King Kong". Bilbo...A different actor...and not Ian Holm, would be best. Holm, unfortunately is too old to play the young Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit". And Gollum definetly needs to be done by Andy Serkis.
This would be stupendous....but only if New Line Cinema lets Peter Jackson do it HIS WAY. I think a 3 hour movie of "The Hobbit" in theaters followed by a 4 Disc Special Extended Edition on DVD would be the way to go. Because the book is much easier to film than the "Lord of the Rings", Jackson really could tell nearly all the main characters if given the time. I wonder how often he gets approached or asked about that question?

talemyn

. . . and . . . Ahh, but don't forget that Bilbo essentially stops aging once he has the ring, so, how he looks at the beginning of FOTR (as Holm portrayed him) should be pretty much how he looked during The Hobbit. Gandalf even says to Bilbo (when he comes for Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party), "Good to see you. One hundred and eleven years old. Could you believe it? You haven't aged a day."

Playitagainsam

OK, so who looks like Ian Holm?

Blade

http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

And here's a bit of non-DVD news that we think you'll find interesting. With the final chapter of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King, on its way to theaters everywhere on 12/17, word has leaked that New Line is officially pursuing the film rights to the prequel story The Hobbit. Apparently, director Peter Jackson would like to shoot The Hobbit after he finishes his forthcoming King Kong remake. Rings actor Ian McKellen (Gandalf) has expressed interest in participating. The unfortunate stumbling block in this pursuit, however, is none other than the Tolkein estate. Cross your fingers, Ring bearers.


This would so rock. By the time this would be coming out, they should be able to do an insanely good CGI Smaug!

island007

This is good news.

Terrell

There's only one problem. As I said earlier, Christopher Tolkien owns the rights and he wants nothing to do with the movies. It's highly doubtful he's going to budge, for any amount of money. So don't get your hopes up too high.

DonnachaOne

Wow! If we hear the rumor, and then we hear the rumor AGAIN, it MUST be true!

Ephemeral_Life

The Tolkien Estate is being a bitch about these movies, and they apparently own the rights to The Hobbit. I really appreciate Christopher Tolkien's work, but this is kind of frustrating. One of JRR's grandkids was apparently at the premiere for ROTK and is very excited about all this, so maybe the future will bode better.