The Hobbit

A collection of 24 posts

On Movies & Media

Has Smaug Found His Voice?

Tom Waits as the voice of Smaug the Dragon in "The Hobbit"? I say, "Yes, please." It's just speculation right now, but looks very possible, and sounds too good to be true.

On Movies & Media

Guillermo Del Toro's Hints About "The Hobbit"

TotalFilm has a revealing interview with Guillermo Del Toro about his two upcoming Hobbit movies. I'm very encouraged by Del Toro's answers. I'm encouraged too. And now I'm going to lie awake at night wondering what you might do to make a

On Movies & Media

Del Toro Answers "Hobbit" Questions

At MTV, Guillermo Del Toro is answering questions about The Hobbit... like this one: Q More questions and answers in Part Two here.

Looking Elsewhere

The Browser, 6/5: Tolkien tidbits; Ray LaMontagne; U2 anniversary; best animated films; Farina in trouble

The Browser: News & links to raise your eyebrows & furrow your brow. * Christopher Tolkien wants to "terminate" Hobbit movie It's not surprising that Christopher Tolkien isn't happy about New Line's plans for a movie of The Hobbit. He wasn't

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Will it be James "Bilbo Baggins" McAvoy?

The Daily Express may have the answer to the question that has kept the imaginations of Hobbit fans firing on all cylinders in recent weeks: Who are Del Toro and Jackson planning to cast in the lead of The Hobbit? So, Mr. Tumnus... how's your Ian Holm impression?

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Del Toro Wants Puppets to Invade "The Hobbit"; Plus, Andy Whitman on Great Christian Rock Albums

At Arts and Faith, Peter Chattaway comes up with two interesting links on The Hobbit. The first one is an interview, in which Del Toro says things that make me want to cheer. The only thing I will be pushing for more in these films that the other three are

On Movies & Media

Tell "The Hobbit" Screenwriters: What Do You Hope They Get Right?

I was rereading a chapter of Watership Down the other night, refreshing my memory on the way that Richard Adams builds such excruciating suspense without sacrificing beautiful descriptive language. And I began worrying about what might happen when Hollywood gets around to cooking up another big-screen version of this great

Looking Elsewhere

The Browser 2/14: Derrickson on U23D. Patrice Leconte. Hobbit. Pics.

Scott Derrickson on U23DFilmmaker Scott Derrickson found some time in the middle of his hard work on The Day the Earth Stood Still to comment on my euphoric reaction to U23D. He writes: I had a very similar experience Jeffrey. The new Technology is astounding, and I now understand why

On Movies & Media

WWGD?

What would Gandalf do? The Associated Press: Tolkien estate sues New Line Cinema Wow. That Hobbit movie is hardly a sure thing, considering New Line's escalating troubles. The writer's estate, a British charity dubbed The Tolkien Trust, and original "Lord of the Rings" publisher

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It's official: Guillermo Del Toro Will Direct "The Hobbit"

The Guardian makes the announcement. Guillermo del Toro has officially signed up to direct The Hobbit, according to reports leaking out from a film premiere in France. The Pan's Labyrinth creator will oversee a double-bill of films based on JRR Tolkien's fantasy adventure, which paved the

On Movies & Media

Casting "The Hobbit": Who Would You Choose?

TheOneRing.net is buzzing again, now that a big-screen version of The Hobbit is a sure thing. The big question of the day: Who should be cast? They perpetuate the popular idea that Martin Freeman should play young Bilbo. Or Colin Firth. I like both ideas, but... ...definitely *not* Shia

On Movies & Media

Who should direct "The Hobbit"?

Why not Brad Bird? He's the best all-ages storyteller making movies today. He's responsible for The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille. He's interested in crossover work from animation to live-action. He turned scenes involving a rat and a kitchen into some of the

On Movies & Media

HobbitWatch - Report #3: Will Del Toro Direct "The Hobbit"?

Entertainment Weekly asks Guillermo Del Toro if he's been asked to direct The Hobbit. Lord of the RingsThe Hobbit

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HobbitWatch - Report #2: Doubts of Douthat, Suderman

Sharing some of my own concerns about Peter Jackson's Hobbit project, here are Ross Douthat and Peter Suderman.

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HobbitWatch - Update #1: Jackson Finds "Hobbit" Direction "Impossible"

In case you missed the earlier announcement, here it is... MGM Chairman says Jackson finds it "impossible" to direct this project: MGM Chairman Harry Sloan, who was credited by all parties for bringing about the deal, said Jackson found it "impossible" to direct the film and

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Peter Jackson to Make "The Hobbit"

But who's going to direct it? Jackson? Del Toro? More questions: * Will Holm be Bilbo? Will McKellen be Gandalf? Will Serkis be Gollum? (I ssssuspectsss three "yessssssses," to those questionsses, my precious.) * Most importantly... will it really be The Hobbit, or some huge, epic, dark attempt

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The Road (to "The Hobbit") Goes Ever On... and On...

By the beard of Gandalf, the battle between New Line and Peter Jackson has taken a dramatic turn... Whether this is good news or bad news for those hoping to see Jackson direct The Hobbit, it's hard to say. But it probably does mean that the movie is

Peter Jackson

Hobbit Trouble Continues

Somebody needs to send Peter Jackson and New Line's head guy Robert Shaye to marriage counseling: In an interview with SciFi.com, Shaye says that, "Not that I don't think Peter is a good filmmaker and that he hasn't contributed significantly to filmography

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New York Times on the Jackson/Hobbit Situation

The New York Times is now giving page space to the current troubles in The Shire. It's likely that the smart money is on Jackson still getting the job. We'll see. Why do I care? I love that book. If I could, I would keep The

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UPDATED: Jeffrey Wells on New Line's decision against Peter Jackson

Wells has a forceful opinion of the fate of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit. (Earlier story here, and further thoughts here.) In short, he thinks New Line has done the right thing, and he's glad that Jackson's out. You may remember I expressed my preference

On Movies & Media

An Appeal to MGM: Get Alfonzo Cuaron to Direct "The Hobbit"

Since Peter Jackson has just made it offical... he's not going to direct The Hobbit... the biggest guaranteed blockbuster on the "Coming Soon" list is now in need of a director. MGM is probably going to have directors lined up begging for the job. And I

On Movies & Media

Two "Hobbit" Movies?

Chattaway has the scoop. Looks like we might get two Hobbit movies... one adapting the novel, and the other introducing us to a new story between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, based on Tolkien's notes about those years.

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There and Back Again

Looks like MGM is sticking to its "two Hobbit movies" plan...

On Movies & Media

Will Peter Jackson Direct "The Hobbit"? He Wonders Too.

There's some interesting stuff in Quint's interview with Peter Jackson at AICN today. Basically, Jackson explains that... and this is hard to believe... nobody at all has ever even phoned him to ask him if he's interested in directing The Hobbit. He's