[Ben Stiller]What if the ring wasn't destroyed?[/Ben Stiller]

If only they made the movie about a decade ago when the rights were in the public domian. Ah....what could have been

I don't think the Hobbit was ever in the public domain.

I'm sure that I'm in the minority, but I wouldn't mind if this project stays on the shelf. My Rankin-Bass copy works just fine for now.

I wouldn't want to serialize LotR though. That always cheapens the quality of the product/franchise. I would just be happy if they made the Hobbit and have Ian McKellen and Peter Jackson involved. I don't know if Ian Holm could do it. Oh, and of course Andy Serkis.

They might as well film the story of Beren and Luthien while they are at it.

While it has been animated before, the Rankin-Bass version doesn't do much for me in comparison to what PJ created. I think it would be cool to go through someone like DreamWorks animation department and do it as a 2-D animated film. However, this one would retain PJ as producer and the original team of writers. Furthermore, the voices would be provided by the original actors. Never happen, I know, but a man can dream!
Of course I would prefer a live action version over everything else, but the two leads aren't getting any younger.

Peter Jackson + Weta +Smaug = Best on screen dragon since Dragonslayer.

Peter Jackson Sues New Line Over LOTR
Source: Associated Press March 1, 2005


Director Peter Jackson's production company, Wingnut Films, has sued New Line Cinema over profits from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The first film in the blockbuster trilogy earned $314.8 million dollars at the North American box office and $556.6 million internationally.

In the federal lawsuit filed in Los Angeles, the company alleges New Line and its subsidiary Katja Motion Pictures failed to properly calculate revenue, including money from DVD sales, says the Associated Press.

Wingnut also alleges New Line gave favorable treatment to its affiliates in negotiating licensing deals for the movie.

The suit seeks unspecified damages.

I don't think that will have any bearing on the fact that MGM, and now Sony, still owns the rights to distribute The Hobbit, whenever it is made.

No but if they don't settle this, Peter Jackson and his creative staff will be out.

This seems to happen with every big movie these days, doesn't it? Remember when Warners tried to say that "Batman" didn't make a profit?

Yeah, I don't think this is that big of a deal. Jackson would still likely make the Hobbit since it would just create more money and is something he likely wants to do. Of course getting everyone together rights wise to do it is another thing.

Not a big deal at all. There are plenty of other reasons why the hobbit is a long time down the road if ever.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure a lot of big grossing movies get sued for "creative accounting." Forrest Gump was another one that comes to mind.

The legal entanglements around story rights were enough to put this project in a big stall though.

i hope the studios know that the fans would revolt against a movie without jackson...either he makes it, or it doesn't get made

Marvel has sued Sony for merchandising rights on Spider-man but that hasn't stopped Spidey 2 & 3.

They'd complain during production, but if the movie came off OK, they'd settle down.

Think of the latest Harry Potter.

Plus, I've always considered the hobbit to be much less personal and serious than LOTR. I have doubts about how Jackson could even pull off a

DRAGONHEART Redux.

Shouldn't be a problem given that he pulled off walking, talking trees.

Hopefully the movie version if it ever gets made will be more personal and serious. The book really doesn't fit in with LOTR and the Silmirillion at all.

really, I heard it's already in the can and will be released this weekend?

You might be thinking of BE COOL, which has Danny DeVito in it.

That's a low blow.

That's the only kind of blow DeVito can take.