The Hobbit Films

[Fro]

Couldn't find a thread on this and I think it's about time. Peter Jackson may direct after all, which would be freaking amazing. Still a long while away but seriously, the thought of another LOTR cinema experience gets me tingly.


Almost one month after Guillermo del Toro dropped out of directing The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is in talks to helm the two films in the franchise. While we wait for the studios involved or Jackson’s manager to confirm, there are lots of questions that remain before The Hobbit can actually begin production, let alone reach the big screen.

First, MGM, the debt-laden studio that owns 50 percent of the rights to the classic tale, is facing an uncertain future. The studio failed to attract bids high enough to satisfy its creditors during an auction earlier this year, and the latest plan may see Spyglass Entertainment running the studio in a prepackaged bankruptcy, according to the Wall Street Journal. Talks are continuing and no decision has yet been made, though some resolution is needed before the studio’s debt waiver expires in mid-July. Some Hollywood insiders question whether production could actually proceed if there’s a chance that those rights could wind up in bankruptcy court along with the rest of MGM’s assets (it’s the same reason why the Bond franchise is tied up since MGM owns half of those rights, too), but sources close to the Hobbit project insist that MGM’s financial woes aren’t a factor in this production.

The other issue to consider is how much money the studios can offer Jackson. Saul Zaentz, Harvey Weinstein, and the Tolkien estate are all gross participants in the Hobbit movies — meaning they get a share of the profits right off the top. Jackson will also receive a part of the pie for his producing efforts, but adding director to his title card greatly increases his right to the revenue generated from the movies. How much can the studios pay and will they even be able to get this thing up and running with MGM’s future so uncertain? Stay tuned as we learn more.

[Atty]

Jackson's the natural fit here, but I was really looking forward to del Toro's take on Middle Earth. Guillermo always creates such unique and rich takes on his worlds that I was looking forward to that as much as the concept of a Hobbit movie(s).

I hope they get this all sorted out sooner than later as I've looking forward to a proper adaptation of The Hobbit since I first read it, long before the LOTR films were even a possibility.

[Mik]

Yeah, I was wanting to see what GDT could do moreso than see Jackson revisit his old world. Even now I'd probably rather see Cuaron take over the mantle. Still, Jackson is better than some of the names they've been bandying about.

[Chris]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11560411

The Hobbit to begin filming in February next year.


Filming on The Hobbit is set to begin in February after it was finally given the go-ahead by film studio bosses.

Warner Bros also announced that Peter Jackson, who directed the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, would helm the two-part prequel.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/49536000/jpg/_49536484_010277862-1.jpg

The films, based on JRR Tolkien's book, had been delayed for months due to MGM Studios' - which owns half the project - ongoing financial woes.

No release dates for the movies have been given.

According to industry paper Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros and MGM reached a deal allowing MGM to cover its half of the production, estimated to cost a total of $500m (£313m).

Jackson, who co-wrote the screenplays and is also producing the films, originally hired Mexican-born Guillermo Del Toro to direct, but he pulled out in June citing almost two years of delays.

Last month, the project was threatened further after Jackson warned production could cease or be moved from its location in New Zealand over a pay wrangle with acting unions.

The two movies will be shot back to back using digital 3D cameras.

In a statement, Jackson said: "Exploring Tolkien's Middle-earth goes way beyond a normal film-making experience.

"It's an all-immersive journey into a very special place of imagination, beauty and drama. We're looking forward to re-entering this wondrous world with Gandalf and Bilbo."

The Lord of the Rings trilogy grossed nearly $3bn (£1.88bn) at box offices worldwide and in 2003 the final chapter, Return of the King, dominated the Oscars, winning in all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including best film.

[Atty]

Having Jackson is better than not having anyone, but I was really looking forward to a different take on Middle Earth. 3D should prove interesting, though. I'd have love Shelob in 3D.

[Bad Collin]

The main question is; who plays the dragon? My vote goes to Brian Blessed.

[Matt E]

Still not convinced by the need for two films, but good news nonetheless.

[Mik]

Its funny because I remember the types of wild speculation when Lord of the Rings was first announced so many years ago. I'm honestly not best impressed with the things I've been hearing so far.

I think that its short-sighted and a little cash hungry to film and release in 3D. I'd rather that Del Toro had directed than Peter Jackson. I dont esspecially think that Martin Freeman is a diverse and interesting enough actor to be able to play Bilbo Baggins, I'm not a big fan of David Tennant, I am not a huge James Nesbitt fan either. Its a little concerning to me that it sounds so far that they are seriously risking populating the film with what are effectively television actors and unlike Lord of the Rings they are quite recognisable television actors too. Still, I'll reserve judgement as Michael Fassbender is excellent.

[Zen]

Are those dudes playing the dwarves?

What's the second film?

Is the Hobbit going to be a two parter like LOTR was three? Or is this extra film going to be something different?

[Atty]

From my understanding, they took the book and split it in two when adapting the screenplay.

[Bill Casey]

It's a prequel...
What could go wrong?

[One Man Gang]

The main question is; who plays the dragon? My vote goes to Brian Blessed.

Probably a better choice than Christopher Lee. I love Lee and all, but he just voiced a dragon in the new Alice in Wonderland movie. I can't imagine it turning out any different than the Jabberwocky and Saruman.

On the other hand, I don't want to picture Boss Nass either.

[Atty]

Lee provided a voice for Alice in Wonderland? I may have to watch that... :chin:

[One Man Gang]

Yeah. He had about 3 lines.

[Aussie_Outlaw]

I think that its short-sighted and a little cash hungry to film and release in 3D.


I don't think anyone can really deny that.

Considering MGM is currently billions in the hole and running through bankruptcy proceedings, the company needs every little bit they can get. I don't think they're even thinking about anything besides the immediate because in this state MGM doesn't have much of a future.

It makes perfect sense for a company which is barely afloat to be incredibly cash hungry. I'd almost expect as much with the new Bond when they restart that franchise as well.

[Atty]

Bond in 3D just made me throw up a bit. The gun barrel could be great in 3D but all these action films getting the 3D treatment is going to be really jarring.

Avatar worked great in 3D, but that had a lot of down places and wasn't action heavy until the end. A film that was all action throughout in 3D would probably make me sick to my stomach in the theater.

[grimshaw]

So you can go see it in 2D?

In any case I think the role of Bilbo is going to be incredibly difficult. He's quite a boring character in my mind, and like Frodo he plays kind of straight man to all the wondrous weirdness going on around him. Only the weirdness isn't as gripping in The Hobbit as it is in LotR. I always much preferred LotR to the Hobbit, in part because I thought it was fairly childish.

I wonder if they'll try to 'adult it up', and if so, how? More focus on the Elf castle I suppose. It will certainly be interesting seeing how they treat some of the 'prequellish' aspects, like Gloin and Balin, and the fact that the characters are imprisoned by Legolas' family... I hope we don't see baby Legolas practising his archery or hear references to Gloin's little baby boy Gimli...

[Atty]

I really hope they don't try to "adult it up."

[Judas Iscariot]

That's why del Toro was perfect. His movies are all fairy tales.

Oh well.

[Zen]

I think it's pretty safe to trust PJ to do what's right with this story.

[grimshaw]

I expect they'll adult it up at least a little bit. Tom Bombadil was the most 'hobbit-y' part of LotR and it was the first thing cut. I expect the tone will be similar to LotR.

[Judas Iscariot]

The two movie thing can do one of two things, both of which I think are absofuckinglutely fantastic:

They can spend time going into a LOT of detail in following the book, which would be fabulous.

OR, and this would be incredible, they could spend that time exploring the greater story as it ties to LOTR during the events of The Hobbit.

Instead of Gandalf just wandering off, they show the destruction of Dol Guldur, or better yet, they show his infiltration and subsequent exposure of Sauron as The Necromancer.

They can go into the skirmishes between Dol Guldur and Lorien.

They can go further into the corruption of the men who would become the Nazgul.

They can go further into the Dwarven rings, the corruption of the Dwarf Lords, their problems with dragons other than Smaug, the capture of Thrain II and how it relates to his son Thorin and his quest for The Lonely Mountain.

The game of riddles is going to be awesome.

There is a LOT that can make the story more "adult" that draws heavily from Tolkien that PJ can absolutely do to a T.

Hell, you can do an entire movie on the journey just up until Mirkwood. That in and of itself can EASILY fill three hours in a very adult way.

End the first movie with the capture by the elves.

The second movie, it's the escape, rolling into Lake-Town, sneaking into Erebor, Bilbo's controntation with Smaug, then FUCKING SMAUG LAYING WASTE TO EVERYTHING, his demise and then, oh yeah, THE FUCKING BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES.

There is a TON in this little childish fairy tale that is so awesome, epic and tragic that I have just convinced myself that it's going to be stunning.

Maybe I even convinced one or two of you.

This is going to be fucking EPIC. Now I'm happy that PJ is behind the helm again.

As long as the whole movie isn't full of dwarf tossing jokes, it can't go wrong.

[Judas Iscariot]

Can we get a spoiler alert in the thread title? Because I want to talk about this more, and feel like my previous post is full of lots of them.

[Fro]

I don't think talking about what happens in the book counts as spoilers.

[Judas Iscariot]

If you're just looking for movie info because you don't know the books, does it?

I don't know how this shit works and I don't care.

ANYWAY.

The movie can go deep into the Dwarven migration. Perhaps the abandonment of Moria, perhaps the establishment of Dwarven kingdoms in the Blue Mountains or Iron Hills.

If we want to get CRAZY, how about the Nauglamir that lead to the strife between Dwarves and Elves to begin with? And how the Dwarves were cheated out of being the first born?

Obviously all of the Dwarves in the party are going to have to be introduced and given a backstory, right?

You have the unexpected party, the trolls, the discovery of the swords, INCLUDING STING AND GLAMDRING, Goblin-Town, Bilbo finding the Ring and meeting Gollum, the introduction of the Eagles, the journey through Mirkwood and the Spiders.

It's crazy how good these movies can be, absolutely crazy.

I don't even know if two is enough. It probably is, but is it?

I'm so excited for these films the more I think about it.

As long as Jackson doesn't fucking RUIN EVERYTHING by, instead of having the WITCH KING ride through the gates of Minas Tirith, meeting Gandalf, having the "You cannot enter here," meets "Old fool! This is my hour!" followed by the cock crowing and Rohan arriving, WHICH WAS FUCKING PERFECTLY MADE FOR A MOVIE, BUT HE DECIDED TO SHOW OFF HIS FUCKING CGI WITH OLOG-HAI INSTEAD, THE FUCKING STUPID ASSHOLE, this should be fantastic.

[Judas Iscariot]

I mean, really, just let me run this by you one time.

You're presented with adapting a script from an all time classic story.

One part of the story is this:

The greatest stronghold of the free world has never, ever been breached by the enemy.

Ever.

The greatest battle in the age's history occurs, and the enemy is driven back.

Then the enemy brings out a battering ram named after the Dark Lord's Dark Lord.

It sunders the gate.

Everything goes quiet.

The free people of Gondor flee in terror as the Witch King of Angmar rides through the gates, the greatest agent of the Dark Lord and the only enemy to ever enter into the city.

All of the horses shriek in fear.

All save one horse upon which Gandalf The White sits.

He looks straight into the enemy's face.

"You cannot enter here. Go back to the abyss prepared for you and your master."

The enemy laughs at him.

"Old fool! This is my hour! Do you not know death when you see it? Die, now, and curse in vain!"

The enemy, sitting tall upon his hideous steed, throws back his cloak to show nothing of a face. He lifts his pale blade.

All of a sudden, off in the distance of some farm house, a cock crows. Shrill and clear. It hasn't seen daylight in two weeks as the siege has raged on as the dark power has covered the world in darkness and the clouds start to part.

And then, even further in the distance, horns.

HORNS, HORNS, HORNS

DEEP IN MINDOLLUIN'S SIDE THEY DIMLY ECHOED

GREAT HORNS OF THE NORTH, WILDLY BLOWING....

....

....

....

....

....

Rohan had come at last.

[Judas Iscariot]

BUT NO.

NO.

NO.

NO.

"YOU ARE SOLDIERS OF GONDOR! BE PREPARED FOR THE CGI THAT COMES THROUGH THE GATE AND RUINS THE MOST DRAMATIC MOMENT OF THIS ENTIRE FUCKING NOVEL AND WAS WRITTEN SO THAT A MOVIE COULD RIP IT OFF AND MAKE IT FUCKING AWESOME!"

Derrrrrrrrrrr Derrrrrrrrrrrrrr Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

"errrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, we're big giant trolls and we're mad!"

"Derrrrrrrrrrrrr derrrrrrrrrrrr derrrrrrrrrr"

UNFORGIVABLE.

I've just convinced myself that I don't want these movies made now.

Fuck.

[grimshaw]

I think Return of the King was pretty effing great until the army of the dead. I was pretty happy with it.

[Mik]

The two movie thing can do one of two things, both of which I think are absofuckinglutely fantastic:

They can spend time going into a LOT of detail in following the book, which would be fabulous.

OR, and this would be incredible, they could spend that time exploring the greater story as it ties to LOTR during the events of The Hobbit.

Instead of Gandalf just wandering off, they show the destruction of Dol Guldur, or better yet, they show his infiltration and subsequent exposure of Sauron as The Necromancer.

They can go into the skirmishes between Dol Guldur and Lorien.

They can go further into the corruption of the men who would become the Nazgul.

They can go further into the Dwarven rings, the corruption of the Dwarf Lords, their problems with dragons other than Smaug, the capture of Thrain II and how it relates to his son Thorin and his quest for The Lonely Mountain.

The game of riddles is going to be awesome.

There is a LOT that can make the story more "adult" that draws heavily from Tolkien that PJ can absolutely do to a T.

Hell, you can do an entire movie on the journey just up until Mirkwood. That in and of itself can EASILY fill three hours in a very adult way.

End the first movie with the capture by the elves.

The second movie, it's the escape, rolling into Lake-Town, sneaking into Erebor, Bilbo's controntation with Smaug, then FUCKING SMAUG LAYING WASTE TO EVERYTHING, his demise and then, oh yeah, THE FUCKING BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES.

There is a TON in this little childish fairy tale that is so awesome, epic and tragic that I have just convinced myself that it's going to be stunning.

Maybe I even convinced one or two of you.

This is going to be fucking EPIC. Now I'm happy that PJ is behind the helm again.

As long as the whole movie isn't full of dwarf tossing jokes, it can't go wrong.


If you're just looking for movie info because you don't know the books, does it?

I don't know how this shit works and I don't care.

ANYWAY.

The movie can go deep into the Dwarven migration. Perhaps the abandonment of Moria, perhaps the establishment of Dwarven kingdoms in the Blue Mountains or Iron Hills.

If we want to get CRAZY, how about the Nauglamir that lead to the strife between Dwarves and Elves to begin with? And how the Dwarves were cheated out of being the first born?

Obviously all of the Dwarves in the party are going to have to be introduced and given a backstory, right?

You have the unexpected party, the trolls, the discovery of the swords, INCLUDING STING AND GLAMDRING, Goblin-Town, Bilbo finding the Ring and meeting Gollum, the introduction of the Eagles, the journey through Mirkwood and the Spiders.

It's crazy how good these movies can be, absolutely crazy.

I don't even know if two is enough. It probably is, but is it?

I'm so excited for these films the more I think about it.

As long as Jackson doesn't fucking RUIN EVERYTHING by, instead of having the WITCH KING ride through the gates of Minas Tirith, meeting Gandalf, having the "You cannot enter here," meets "Old fool! This is my hour!" followed by the cock crowing and Rohan arriving, WHICH WAS FUCKING PERFECTLY MADE FOR A MOVIE, BUT HE DECIDED TO SHOW OFF HIS FUCKING CGI WITH OLOG-HAI INSTEAD, THE FUCKING STUPID ASSHOLE, this should be fantastic.


I mean, really, just let me run this by you one time.

You're presented with adapting a script from an all time classic story.

One part of the story is this:

The greatest stronghold of the free world has never, ever been breached by the enemy.

Ever.

The greatest battle in the age's history occurs, and the enemy is driven back.

Then the enemy brings out a battering ram named after the Dark Lord's Dark Lord.

It sunders the gate.

Everything goes quiet.

The free people of Gondor flee in terror as the Witch King of Angmar rides through the gates, the greatest agent of the Dark Lord and the only enemy to ever enter into the city.

All of the horses shriek in fear.

All save one horse upon which Gandalf The White sits.

He looks straight into the enemy's face.

"You cannot enter here. Go back to the abyss prepared for you and your master."

The enemy laughs at him.

"Old fool! This is my hour! Do you not know death when you see it? Die, now, and curse in vain!"

The enemy, sitting tall upon his hideous steed, throws back his cloak to show nothing of a face. He lifts his pale blade.

All of a sudden, off in the distance of some farm house, a cock crows. Shrill and clear. It hasn't seen daylight in two weeks as the siege has raged on as the dark power has covered the world in darkness and the clouds start to part.

And then, even further in the distance, horns.

HORNS, HORNS, HORNS

DEEP IN MINDOLLUIN'S SIDE THEY DIMLY ECHOED

GREAT HORNS OF THE NORTH, WILDLY BLOWING....

....

....

....

....

....

Rohan had come at last.


BUT NO.

NO.

NO.

NO.

"YOU ARE SOLDIERS OF GONDOR! BE PREPARED FOR THE CGI THAT COMES THROUGH THE GATE AND RUINS THE MOST DRAMATIC MOMENT OF THIS ENTIRE FUCKING NOVEL AND WAS WRITTEN SO THAT A MOVIE COULD RIP IT OFF AND MAKE IT FUCKING AWESOME!"

Derrrrrrrrrrr Derrrrrrrrrrrrrr Derrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

"errrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, we're big giant trolls and we're mad!"

"Derrrrrrrrrrrrr derrrrrrrrrrrr derrrrrrrrrr"

UNFORGIVABLE.

I've just convinced myself that I don't want these movies made now.

Fuck.


Hahaha. I can agree with a lot of that. Jackson did a fucking cracking job of bringing the stories to life, of getting a lot of the big stuff right. He got an excellent cast, got some absolutely perfect locations and for the most part told the story in a very strong way WHEN he stuck to Tolkien and the way he wrote it. He made a mess when he tried to move beyond what Tolkien did and add his own humour and whimsy too it. At the end of the day, Jackson is a nice chap, but he's not very funny and he's not very subtle. A lot of the stuff he did in those films were good on their own, but when you compared them to the source material they really fell down. Jackson's sense of humour and ideas about quaintness worry me a little when it comes to The Hobbit. I'd much prefer to see Del Toro directing it.

Really, the most wonderous thing is that the stuff you have posted is EPIC. Jackson really only got half way to being able to fully represent them on the big screen and they were HUGE. Most successful commercial and critical film trilogy of all time. Besting The Godfather and Star Wars. Yet they were only half right...most impressively even at their best, The Lord of the Rings really only touches on the epicness of The Silmarillion.

[grimshaw]

Goddamnit you guys are going to convince me to hate the movies too. You're just...so right

ARGH I just want a movie about the fall of Moria now...

[Judas Iscariot]

Give me a three hour movie on the Fall of Gondolin and I'll jerk you off.

[Mik]

Oh the Fall of Gondolin is spectacular. They should make at least 8 or 9 big budget Silmarillion films Harry Potter style (as in a long running big budget franchise with the actors committed full term).

[grimshaw]

No question. Unfortunately they'd lose money.

OK CASTING TIE
Who would you guys have play Thorin Oakenshield in these Hobbit movies?
Ideal Bilbo?
Other characters?

[Judas Iscariot]

Oh the Fall of Gondolin is spectacular. They should make at least 8 or 9 big budget Silmarillion films Harry Potter style (as in a long running big budget franchise with the actors committed full term).

YES.


No question. Unfortunately they'd lose money.

They'd make a fair amount of money on the films from what I'd pay to watch them multiple times. Throw in the airfare, hotel room and food costs that I'd throw them so Mik and I could jerk each other off while we watch them together, and they're already be out of the red and into the black.

But Silmarillion films could never be covered in only 9 films, especially considering the lack of dialogue.

An entire film could be spent on the Valar, Melkor bugging out, and the Elves.

Not to mention Aule and the Dwarves.

Plus you have the kin-strife, Feanor, the Silmarils.

The return of Melkor only to fuck everyone over again just because he's a hermaphrodite and no one sympathizes with you.

FUCK ME, you could do an entire movie about Beren and Luthien and the kingdom of Thingol and Melian.

AND HUAN, NOBLE HOUND.

I mean, really, there would be so much to expand upon that would be so fucking amazing, with some werewolf lieutenant named Gorthaur working his way up and becoming SAURON.

NOT TO MENTION

All of the fucking, amazingness that Elves were before they became wussy bitches,

ECTHELION FOUGHT OFF A FUCKING LEGION OF BALROGS.

A FUCKING LEGION OF BALROGS.

Gandalf died killing off one of them. A single elf fought off a legion of them.

And then the division between the second born, the men, and the mistrust that Elves have towards the but when Hurin is given the benefit of the doubt, the greatest hidden kingdom of Elves falls before Morgoth.

All because they trusted Thorondor to get them home and claw their eyes out so they couldn't see anymore.

And must I mention Numenor?

Because that has to devote at least four three hour movies.

The faithful men get their kingdom. Doing well, but they get a little antsy.

Hey, lets go conquer Middle-Earth and establish colonies.

Oh, hey, guy, what should we do? Establish an altar to Morgoth? And sail against the Valar?

OK GO.

Oh my God.

NOT TO MENTION THAT MORGOTH ISSUES FORTH DRAGONS FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THEY WOULD EAT SMAUG LIKE HE WAS JUST KETCHUP ON A CHEESEBURGER.

until TURIN TURIMBAR DAGNIR GLAUGUNGA.

None of these movies should have ever been made. None should be made.

I'll see The Hobbit movies nine times in the theater each, just like with the LOTR movies.

[Mik]

I think that they should and could be made. There's plenty of shit that doesnt need explaining. The song of the Valar could easily be done in a LOTR style epilogue. This is why I was creating those short Silmarillion stories in that thread a few down, cos I wanted to see whether the story was even filmable. You'd CERTAINLY need a film on certain parts of the book (Fall of Gondolin, Narn i hin Hurin, Beren and Luthien) etc, long films too. But they'd all fit in the same storyline. I love what happened to all of Feanor's brethren. It'd be the most epic series of films ever made.

[grimshaw]

Yeah there's no reason they couldn't be made, but they'd definitely be a labour of love and the numbers would never add up :'(

I find the unease between the Elves and Men to be perhaps the most fascinating idea in the world (outside of mathematics). The way they both view mortality is so interesting, and it was touched upon briefly in LotR, and quite well too.

[Cewsh]

Holy shit, you guys are stirring up a maddening desire to read these books again after years of sitting on the shelf.

Fuck YES the Fall of Gondolin.

[Alf]

I mean, really, just let me run this by you one time.

You're presented with adapting a script from an all time classic story.

One part of the story is this:

The greatest stronghold of the free world has never, ever been breached by the enemy.

Ever.

The greatest battle in the age's history occurs, and the enemy is driven back.

Then the enemy brings out a battering ram named after the Dark Lord's Dark Lord.

It sunders the gate.

Everything goes quiet.

The free people of Gondor flee in terror as the Witch King of Angmar rides through the gates, the greatest agent of the Dark Lord and the only enemy to ever enter into the city.

All of the horses shriek in fear.

All save one horse upon which Gandalf The White sits.

He looks straight into the enemy's face.

"You cannot enter here. Go back to the abyss prepared for you and your master."

The enemy laughs at him.

"Old fool! This is my hour! Do you not know death when you see it? Die, now, and curse in vain!"

The enemy, sitting tall upon his hideous steed, throws back his cloak to show nothing of a face. He lifts his pale blade.

All of a sudden, off in the distance of some farm house, a cock crows. Shrill and clear. It hasn't seen daylight in two weeks as the siege has raged on as the dark power has covered the world in darkness and the clouds start to part.

And then, even further in the distance, horns.

HORNS, HORNS, HORNS

DEEP IN MINDOLLUIN'S SIDE THEY DIMLY ECHOED

GREAT HORNS OF THE NORTH, WILDLY BLOWING....

....

....

....

....

....

Rohan had come at last.

That's one of my favourie moments in literature.

They also fucked up the drama of Eomer being trapped, the black ships arriving, Eomer thinking all is lost... and then the unfurling of the banner.

How in god's name did they fuck that up? Verbatim it is amazingly dramatic.

[Mik]

I love Lord of the Rings, but wish that Tolkien had properly written more of the Silmarillion stories. I enjoy the story of third age, but the other ages endlessly more fascinating that its unreal. The first age was a slow start but the big events are incredibly. The Battle of Unnumbered Tears is incredible. The Fall of Gondolin is unbelievable. Ugh...I think that I might read it again next.

[grimshaw]

Yeah, reading History of Middle Earth and Unfinished Tales only strengthens that, too. But I do like the historical/biblical style of the Silmarillion. I'm convinced that that's part of what makes it so undeniably epic.

[Mik]

Aye, me too. I love that a character from The Silmarillion who has been around for AGES and has done so much more than virtually any of the heroes in Lord of the Rings can be killed off with one line of writing. Its epic.

[Judas Iscariot]

I think him not going into great detail helps with the fantastic mythology of it all.

Did you read Children of Hurin?

[Mik]

Yes. Its probably my favourite Tolkien story as I love both Hurin and Turin.

http://www.awardsdaily.com/2010/10/cast-coming-together-for-peter-jacksons-hobbit/#comments-wrap

Martin Freeman….. Bilbo Baggins
http://www.therealstevegray.com/wp-content/uploads/freeman460.jpg

Richard Armitage….. Thorin Oakenshield
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/images/2007/10/12/episode2_series2_10_470x313.jpg

Aidan Turner….. Kili
http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Aidan-Turner_l.jpg

Rob Kazinsky….. Fili
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04_04/SeanSlaterBBC_468x505.jpg


Graham McTavish….. Dwalin
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080301191360/lost/images/2/2c/GrahamMcTavish.jpg

John Callen….. Oin
Stephen Hunter….. Bombur
Mark Hadlow….. Dori
Peter Hambleton….. Gloin


Dont mind the look of a few of the dwarves there, but in all honesty I'm not too pleased about Martin Freeman as Bilbo. I like the guy, but think that he is a limited actor. Its a case of hiring someone cos they look and seem a bit like Bilbo would be, rather than someone who is genuinely an excellent actor. It also makes me worry a little that we're going to get Peter Jackson's brand of humour and whimsy in this film, which was used at times in Lord of the Rings to replace some of the genuine classic scenes. I dont especially like that so many of them are TV actors either.

[Wiganer]

In all honesty I'm not too pleased about Martin Freeman as Bilbo. I like the guy, but think that he is a limited actor. Its a case of hiring someone cos they look and seem a bit like Bilbo would be, rather than someone who is genuinely an excellent actor. It also makes me worry a little that we're going to get Peter Jackson's brand of humour and whimsy in this film, which was used at times in Lord of the Rings to replace some of the genuine classic scenes. I dont especially like that so many of them are TV actors either.



The first time I read this rumour, I read it as Morgan Freeman and nearly spat my coffee all other my desk.

[Alf]

Yeah, not enthused about Freeman either, especially when Sheen is a perfect fit.

I bloody hate Richard Armitage, he's such an unbelieveably shit actor. Fuck me that is AWFUL casting. Awful.

Aiden Turner is good though. Very good.

[Mik]

McAvoy is the perfect Bilbo.

[Wiganer]

Should stick with Ian Holm. For consistency.

[Mik]

They cant.

[Wiganer]

Why.

[Wiganer]

never mind, didn't realise he was nearly 80.

[Alf]

Actually, I meant McAvoy but accidently brain farted and typed Sheen. Sheen would be good too though.

Bilbo needs to be uptight and Sheen would do that well I reckon.

[Wiganer]

Sheen who?

[Alf]

http://hollywooddame.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/michael-sheen.jpg
Michael Sheen.

[Wiganer]

Thought you meant

http://momento24.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/charlie-sheen-mueller.jpg

[grimshaw]

I actually think Freeman will be pretty good. He's got bumbling brit down and I think y'all are being harsh on him there. He might be short on range (which we don't really know for sure) but Arthur Dent isn't really far from Bilbo Baggins and he did that just fine.

[Alf]

I actually think Freeman will be pretty good. He's got bumbling brit down and I think y'all are being harsh on him there. He might be short on range (which we don't really know for sure) but Arthur Dent isn't really far from Bilbo Baggins and he did that just fine.

See, this is what Mik is getting at with the Jackson injection of whimsy...

Bilbo isn't really a bumbling brit type in The Hobbit, that kind of carefree adventurous attitude is something he developes in later life (Lord Of The Rings), PJ kind of exagerated the bumblng brit aspect.

In The Hobbit he's a well-to-do, stuck up, stuck in his ways Hobbit who likes everything in its right place. He is not remotely adventurous, he is scared of everything and he is a coward. In The Hobbit he comes out of bad situations despite himself. He is a very small cog in a big wheel. He is the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche.

[Chris]

Here's a clip from Close Up, which looks at the situation over filming in New Zealand. Peter Jackson is pretty fired up in the first half.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoUN2AGxrnA&feature=player_embedded#!

[Mik]

I actually think Freeman will be pretty good. He's got bumbling brit down and I think y'all are being harsh on him there. He might be short on range (which we don't really know for sure) but Arthur Dent isn't really far from Bilbo Baggins and he did that just fine.


See, this is what Mik is getting at with the Jackson injection of whimsy...

Bilbo isn't really a bumbling brit type in The Hobbit, that kind of carefree adventurous attitude is something he developes in later life (Lord Of The Rings), PJ kind of exagerated the bumblng brit aspect.

In The Hobbit he's a well-to-do, stuck up, stuck in his ways Hobbit who likes everything in its right place. He is not remotely adventurous, he is scared of everything and he is a coward. In The Hobbit he comes out of bad situations despite himself. He is a very small cog in a big wheel. He is the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche.


Exactly. Freeman is typecast as 'everyman' at the moment and Bilbo really wasnt an everyman. He was fussy and prissy and cowardly. I think that its incredibly generic to go for someone who tightly fits the 'loose description' of the role instead of someone who could absolutely act the role out of the park.

[Idle Generator]

So rather than follow-up LOTR with a decent cast, we get some Office and Spooks blokes.

Brilliant. This will be shit.

[Mik]

I have my reservations, but make no mistake about it, the Lord of the Rings cast was full of relative unknowns.

[Idle Generator]

Shut up you nonce. That cast was 1000x better than this one.

[Mik]

The cast has barely been announced. Literally only a handful of actors, with many main roles still remaining.

The first Lord of the Rings castings were child-star Elijah Woods who didnt fit the description of Frodo at all. Child-star Sean Astin who could not pull off a convincing British accent and hadnt put in a decent performance for years. Utter unknowns Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd. Later followed by unknown Stuart Townsend as Aragorn. The 'proper' actors (Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellen, Hugo Weaving etc) are likely all going to be in this film too. Lets not forget that Lord of the Rings also had critically unappealing actor Liv Tyler in the role as a Xena form of Arwen and unknown television actor Andy Serkis taking the pivotal role of Gollum. Meanwhile much of the supporting cast was taken up by actors unknown outside of New Zealand and Australia (Miranda Otto, Karl Urban, John Noble, David Wenham).

I've already stated that I'm not especially happy with the casting so far, but its a little early to write it off. And dont be a cunt by calling people names for no reason. You cunt.

[grimshaw]

See, this is what Mik is getting at with the Jackson injection of whimsy...

Bilbo isn't really a bumbling brit type in The Hobbit, that kind of carefree adventurous attitude is something he developes in later life (Lord Of The Rings), PJ kind of exagerated the bumblng brit aspect.

In The Hobbit he's a well-to-do, stuck up, stuck in his ways Hobbit who likes everything in its right place. He is not remotely adventurous, he is scared of everything and he is a coward. In The Hobbit he comes out of bad situations despite himself. He is a very small cog in a big wheel. He is the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche.

'Bumbling Brit' to me meant precisely what you said. Reluctant, uptight. There's nothing carefree about it. Mark my words, Freeman is fine, and if he's been typecast as anything it's not an everyman but (as Mik hopes for say) an uptight fusspot who doesn't want to leave his comfort zone, ever.

And stop telling me he can't act just because you guys wanted McAvoy. He's a fine actor.

Just as long as PJ doesn't bring back Blanchett (cast in lotr purely for the fact that jackson clearly has a crush) I'll be ok...

[Tyson]

Just as long as PJ doesn't bring back Blanchett (cast in lotr purely for the fact that jackson clearly has a crush) I'll be ok...

Isn't she already confirmed?

[grimshaw]

ah nuts. Well I just hope she's not overused (see my point above about having too many 'prequel moments').

[Alf]

'Bumbling Brit' to me meant precisely what you said. Reluctant, uptight. There's nothing carefree about it. Mark my words, Freeman is fine, and if he's been typecast as anything it's not an everyman but (as Mik hopes for say) an uptight fusspot who doesn't want to leave his comfort zone, ever.

And stop telling me he can't act just because you guys wanted McAvoy. He's a fine actor.

Just as long as PJ doesn't bring back Blanchett (cast in lotr purely for the fact that jackson clearly has a crush) I'll be ok...

No, a bumbling Brit is Hugh Grant's schtick and like what Freeman played in Hitchhiker's Guide, and what he played in The Office. He plays that character all the time. There is nothing 'uptight fusspot who doesn't want to leave his comfort zone' about it.

He can't act. He is a comic actor. I have never, ever, ever seen him do anything but the Tim character from The Office (although some of the dawn stuff was good).

And yeah, to back up Mik, I remember there was huge concern over the casting of the fellowship and that turned out fine (apart from Sean Astin who is fucking hopeless). The casting of Elijah Wood especially was seen as a massive fuck up. And the clamour around the casting of Liv Tyler was like they'd cast Lindsay Lohan to play mother Teresa.

[Judas Iscariot]

Turns out Radagast is going to play a part in the films?

That slides my expectations I bit closer to the "Fucking Awesome" side of things.

[eldanielfire]

Turns out Radagast is going to play a part in the films?

That slides my expectations I bit closer to the "Fucking Awesome" side of things.

he'sgoing to be played by the Doctor himself:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vpuJOIF7G8g/S9n00LghB1I/AAAAAAAABxg/IRAE6_DOsto/s1600/sylvester_mccoy.jpg

[Alf]

Really? I always had Radagast down as an asian/middle eastern...

Maybe I'm a massive racist and took Radagast The Brown too literally, but I'm sure I remember the books saying he first appeared down in the South where the darkies are.

[Wiganer]

None of the 5 main Istari appeared in the south, they all appeared at the Grey Havens. It's not clear if any turned up in other ports. I say 5 main ones, the two blue ones only appear as a footnote of course.

I always viewed Radagast as a Friar Tuck esc character, all ruddy with a big belly.

[Wiganer]

Also Radagast should not appear in the films, he's not in the book. Stop injecting your own shit PJ.

[Mik]

Its been expected for a while that the two Hobbit films will also cover some of the appendices from Lord of the Rings, ie what the Gandalf is up to when Bilbo and the dwarves are on their quest, The White Council, the search for the 'Necromancer' etc. So in this case it isnt exactly 'injecting his own shit' as it is using Tolkien's stuff to fill in some of the gaps.

[Alf]

Wait, I'm sure one of the Istari wandered around the south... I'm sure that was Radagash.

[Mik]

Nope. They all arrived at the Grey Havens. They are unlikely to have gone much south of Gondor as that and Arnor is where they were supposed to set up their strongholds. The two Blue Istari went off to the distant east and nobody knows what happened to them. Its highly likely that you were just being racist. Radagast wasnt even much of a traveller.

[Alf]

Maybe I'm thinking of the blue dudes fucking off to the east...

[Mik]

Maybe you're a fucking racist and you hear 'Radagast the Brown' and immediately think of a brown fucking face.

[Judas Iscariot]

The Blue Wizards went off into the east (Middle-Earth was a huge place, not just the region where shit went down), and became corrupted.

Saruman, the head of the order, became absolutely corrupted by power.

Radagast became corrupted by nature, but was still helpful to Gandalf even though he became a stoned hippy. Maybe the fact that he became a stoned hippy served as a cautionary tale for Gandalf to lay off of the Longbottom Leaf just a little bit (though I'm sure it helped him become the only of the Maia Istari to actually think about Hobbits).

That Radagast is going to be in these movies can't be anything bad at ALL.

One of the things in the book that has been CRYING for attention is more detail when it comes to the Necromancer and what goes on in Dol Guldur.

Radagast was an integral part to the exposure of Sauron as the Necromancer and the subsequent cleansing of the dark stronghold.

I started off excited, then thought it was going to suck.

That PJ is going to the trouble of exploring all of the things (and there was a LOT OF SHIT going on during the quest for Erebor), has me completely confident that these films are going to be fucking amazing.

Are they just going to follow the book?

No.

And they shouldn't.

It's the introduction to The Lord of the Rings, and if Jackson goes ahead and ties The Hobbit into the tale the way it ought to be and the way Tolkien obviously intended, then it can't be ANYTHING but a great thing.

It also helps that, in filming the greater story (the fall of The Lonely Mountain, Tharanduil's realm, the war between Dol Guldur and Lorien, the entire Necromancer angle and all of the other stuff I rambled on about earlier in this thread), PJ gets a chance to throw in his own stuff in a way that won't just serve to piss off lunatics like me that require certain things to be verbatim.

I am now ECSTATIC for this film, only because he's going well out of his way to show what else was going on at the time that Bilbo's journey only plays a small part it.

I'M FUCKING STOKED NOW.

[Mik]

Haha. As much as I admire your enthusiasm, its perfectly likely that PJ entirely intends to have Radagast in for The White Council scenes, thus nullifying your great ideas. The concern I have for Peter Jackson is that he's prone to think that he can do better than the source material. GDT seemed to me like he worships source material and absolutely digests it all. Jackson is probably the best we could get once Del Toro left I suppose.

[Wiganer]

There is no evidence that Radagast was a member of the White Council though, it's all supposition.

[Mik]

Its a pretty obvious guess that he would appear at this point in the film though. He spoke to and advised Gandalf around the time of The White Council. So its hardly a stretch.

[Guy]

I was never a big Lord of the Rings fan, but I gotta say I am stoked about Freeman being cast in these films.

I love the guy, I've always found him to be charismatic and always felt like he was a bit under-appreciated as his career went a bit quiet since Hitchiker's guide. Then Sherlock came about (which I loved) and I felt like at least he's doing something decent that I can look forward to watching.

But to then here him cast as a lead in what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest films of the decade (perhaps of all time like the originals) just made me happy for the guy. I think he'll be able to pull it off without resorting to Tim from The Office-mode. I have no proof to base that on other than enjoying his work in Sherlock, but I'm genuinely far more interested in these movies simply out of curiosity about his involvement.

[Mik]

So, a couple more casting rumours confirmed now. Firstly James Nesbitt has been announced as Bofur and an unknown actor called Adam Brown as Ori.

Again, unknown and tv quality actors.

I still have reservations and concerns about what Jackson will do, not about the source material. I'm getting deeply invested in the brilliance of Tolkien's world again, so I dont doubt that the more they stick to the book, the happier I'll be.

Ironically I found Del Toro preferable because he seems to be less prone to flights of fancy and thinking that he can do better himself and more likely to stick to the source material, but Brian Blessed claimed in a recent interview that Del Toro had approached him to play Thorin in the film before it had all hit the wall. The casting of Blessed in these films would possibly concern me more than anything else.

[Wiganer]

James Nesbit? Fuck sake that's ruined the character of Bofur then. He reminds me of Tom Cruise does James Nesbit, when you see him act it's always James Nesbit you see and not the character. :(

[Judas Iscariot]

I don't know Nesbit much, but clearly he's going to be made into a dwarf for the film, and it'll be highly unlikely you'll even recognize him. Plus Bofur was a bit of a fat goofball.

I'm not overly concerned about casting. We can sit here all day and whine about casting, but shouldn't we trust the people doing the casting to at least have an inlking as to what to they're doing (lol Inkling reference).

As Mik said above, WTF was PJ doing casting Elijah Wood as MOTHERFUCKING FRODO and Sean Astin as MOTHERFUCKING SAM GAMGEE.

I'll reserve any and all judgment for the finished product and leave casting to the people know more than me.

ALL I WANT IS FOR THE NECROMANCER TO BE INCLUDED IN A BIG WAY.

And also FOR IT TO NOT SUCK.

The Dwarves were my favorite race, so I'll likely be giddy going into it regardless, especially since it should knock out the Dwarf-tossing jokes and show just how fucking badass they really were.

I mean, for fuck's sake, Gimli was the only one among his crew with Aragorn and Leglolas that wanted to push on ever second of the day without resting and without slowing down to track down Merry and Pippin in the books, and PJ turned him into a joke.

God damn it, I just got myself excited and then went and got myself pissed off again in the same post.

[Tyson]

JI's optimism is wearing off on me, I am so excited for these two movies.

[Wiganer]

I'm excited about the movie, Peter Jackson's modifacations always worry me though, this is a guy who considered having Saruon come out of Mordor to tempt Aragorn; and considered casting Kate Winslett in the role.

Anyone that can consider that a good move is not someone I'd like making assumptions about unpublished or unfinished work.

[One Man Gang]

I understand why he considered having Sauron make an appearance at the end in some sort of spirit form. Its the difference between book and feature film satisfaction to the audience. Had Tolkien believed his books would ever be made into movies, he himself might have decided to flesh Sauron out a bit more during the climax. Fortunately Jackson could make it work with the eye on the tower and the ring speaking enchantments.


I'm guessing Kate Winslett was considered because he worked with her before and he was going for some sort of angel quality? That's a bit much.

[Alf]

I understand why he considered having Sauron make an appearance at the end in some sort of spirit form. Its the difference between book and feature film satisfaction to the audience. Had Tolkien believed his books would ever be made into movies, he himself might have decided to flesh Sauron out a bit more during the climax. Fortunately Jackson could make it work with the eye on the tower and the ring speaking enchantments.


I'm guessing Kate Winslett was considered because he worked with her before and he was going for some sort of angel quality? That's a bit much.

Nah, they had Sauron come out in his armour to fight Aragorn. The filmed it. When Aragorn is fighting that huge troll thing at the end... that's what they replaced Sauron with. They wanted the epic fight between the baddy and the goody in there.

[Wiganer]

Nah, they had Sauron come out in his armour to fight Aragorn. The filmed it. When Aragorn is fighting that huge troll thing at the end... that's what they replaced Sauron with. They wanted the epic fight between the baddy and the goody in there.


The kate winslet option was part of having saruon come out in his annatar guise (despite this going against the lore of the books).

[Alf]

Really? What the fuck was she going to do?

I don't get that at all.

[Alf]

I done a search and no... she was apaprently going to play the Mouth Of Sauron. Which is entirely different.

[Wiganer]

Meh. Same difference.

[Mik]

The kate winslet option was part of having saruon come out in his annatar guise (despite this going against the lore of the books).


Admittedly, even though Sauron cannot take fair form since the drowning of Numenor, I did quite enjoy the idea of Sauron appearing in his Annatar form for a split second before peeling away and showing his actual form and then attacking Aragorn. However, I didnt like the idea of Sauron coming out to fight whatsoever. Nor did I especially like Sauron the big lighthouse eye either. Though not even approaching canon I do think that the mind of those Middle Earth inhabitants might experience odd things the first time they ever lay eyes on a genuine extremely powerful Maiar. I mean, lets be honest, after waiting all those films to see Sauron reformed in all his might and glory, it would've been pretty cool in a way to see this:

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/9499/d117hn.jpg

[grimshaw]

Can I just say I loved the Mouth of Sauron in the film? Thouhg I don't think the whole notion translates to film very well, I thought it was done beautifully.

[Mik]

It was, but for Aragorn killing him.

[Zen]

After he hacks off the head, the horse and the mouth of sauron dude are nowhere to be seen when they head back towards their army as the gate is opening wider. Dissapears ala video game deaths.

[Mik]

Yup. Alf mentioned the strange editing and continuity in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings, which I hadnt noticed until then, howeer it is sadly true that the extended editions really dont even fully solve the problem.

Its a shame that some of Tolkien's wonderfully mythical characters were given such little subtlety by Jackson.

[Judas Iscariot]

BOOM.

Ian McKellan confirmed back as Gandalf.

Christopher Lee back as Saruman.

Elijah Wood back as Frodo.

:panic:

[Guy]

Also Orlando Bloom in a rather expensive cameo.

[Guy]

Wait...Frodo?

[Judas Iscariot]

Oh yeah, I forgot Orlando Bloom.

And yeah, Elijah as Frodo apparently. Flash forward? I dunno.

[Fro]

I think I read that the movie will be set up with old Bilbo telling Frodo the whole story.

[Guy]

Original old Bilbo?

Seems a shame to not keep that continuity if they're keeping all the others.

[Fro]

Original old Bilbo?

Yes indeed.

[Mik]

I'm meeting Ian McKellan later this month.

[virms]

Make sure he wears protection.

[Mik]

I would wank him for a role in the film, defo.

[Fro]

Filming has begun. :yes:

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/199863_10150166928351558_141884481557_8642921_2983 339_n.jpg

[Miotch]

He's lost a shit ton of weight. Good on him. :yes:

[Bad Collin]

I want to know if Mik wanked McKellan off.

[Alf]

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150223186041807

Production diary. Full of some very interesting stuff.

This has got me very excited about it now.

I didn't realise the bloke from Eastenders was in it...

[Mik]

I want to know if Mik wanked McKellan off.

Do you see my name on the cast list?

[grimshaw]

He's gained a bit of that weight back in the video. I wonder if it's a work-schedule thing.

[Bad Collin]

Do you see my name on the cast list?

:(

I was hoping it just hadn't been announced yet.

[Gangers]

Mik is playing Smaug.

[Mik]

Could you imagine what I would've had to do to get that role?


Because I was willing to do it.

[Gangers]

Growing wings, a tail and fire breath? Impressive dedication.

[Alf]

Mik is playing Smaug.

That would be incredible.

"Alreet there Bilbo. Gaan get yerself some treasure, pet."

[Fro]

He's gained a bit of that weight back in the video. I wonder if it's a work-schedule thing.

He probably dropped a lot when he had the ulcer surgery.

[Fro]

Titles and release dates announced:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Dec. 14, 2012
The Hobbit: There and Back Again - Dec. 13, 2013

Bam.


I'm not overly concerned about casting. We can sit here all day and whine about casting, but shouldn't we trust the people doing the casting to at least have an inlking as to what to they're doing (lol Inkling reference).

As Mik said above, WTF was PJ doing casting Elijah Wood as MOTHERFUCKING FRODO and Sean Astin as MOTHERFUCKING SAM GAMGEE.


Going back to an earlier discussion: I've only seen Martin Freeman in The Office so I don't have much to go on, and based just on that I'm not sure he fits the role, but I'm not worried about the casting for the same reason JI said above. I have a strong distaste for everything Elijah Wood does - I find his acting and the general way he carries himself to be annoying as hell - but I had no complaints about his performance in LOTR which I would call very solid. So I trust PJ will get what he needs from his cast here again.

[Mik]

So...they have cast Barry Humphries (Dame Edna) as the Goblin King...meh. Case of Peter Jackson just giving the role to someone else from that part of the world, but in more interesting news, they've cast Evangeline Lilly in a role. Admittedly, the role is made up, which is a bit annoying...but more impressively, its a huge slap in the face for Claire, who is not only more fair skinned and 'Elf-like', but she's also a fucking Aussie too.

[Fro]

KATE WINS AGAIN

[grimshaw]

What's the role, a horrible troll?
If so then I'm sold cos lilly's a mole.

Barry Humprhies is skilled, please ignore the dame edna schtick, he's a good choice.

[Guy]

3 stills including Freeman as Bilbo and McKellen as Gandalf.

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20504849,00.html#20980350

[Mik]

Lovely.

[Alf]

I reckon Dame Edna will be good. It's a bit of a scenery chewing role anyway.

[Mik]

I just really dont like the Dame Edna character. I'm sure he'll be fine.

[Alf]

It would be quite funny if Peter has another brainfart and asked him to play it like Edna...

[Mik]

Its a genuine concern I think.

[grimshaw]

I'm convinced that nobody actually likes Dame Edna and it's just this strange thing that we've all been convinced is 'classic' or 'iconic' and so people put up with it. It's fucking boring.

That said, Humphries will do fine as long as he's not camping too hard.

[One Man Gang]

I actually like Dame Edna. :\

[Beefy]

My Parents (well my Dad mainly :$ ) loves Dame Edna.

[lotjx]

I am putting off reading the Hobbit and looking forward to this. Dame Edna is a one joke character.

[Guy]

http://www.joblo.com/newsimages1/0707hobbit.jpg

"These three brothers, all sons of the same mother, could not be more different from each other. Dori, the oldest, spends much of his time watching out for Ori, the youngest; making sure he’s not caught a chill or got himself killed by Wargs or Goblins. No-body quite knows what Nori gets up to most of the time, except that it’s guaranteed to be dodgy and quite probably, illegal. Dori, Nori and Ori are intensely loyal to each other – and whilst they are perfectly happy fighting amongst themselves, woe-betide any anyone who means harm to one of these brothers."

The actors in the photo are, from left to right, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown and Mark Hadlow.

[Fro]

I'm pretty sure those are action figures.

[Guy]

Earlier today another photo character reveal landed on the internet, this time it's Oin (John Callen) and Gloin (Peter Hambleton).

http://www.joblo.com/newsimages1/hobbit-oin-gloin-sm.jpg

[Delta Devil]

Gimli's dad looks like he don't f*** around.

[Greed]

So...they have cast Barry Humphries (Dame Edna) as the Goblin King...meh. Case of Peter Jackson just giving the role to someone else from that part of the world, but in more interesting news, they've cast Evangeline Lilly in a role. Admittedly, the role is made up, which is a bit annoying...but more impressively, its a huge slap in the face for Claire, who is not only more fair skinned and 'Elf-like', but she's also a fucking Aussie too.

Does it have something to do with Lilly possibly dating Dominic Moghaham, who is good friends with Peter Jackson? Elf women with dark hair > Claire..

[Gangers]

YouTube - ‪THE HOBBIT, Production Video #2 [HD]‬‏

:)

[Kure]

I fucking loved The Hobbit cartoon when I was a kid, and The Hobbit might be the strongest book when judged on its own.

I am excited.

[Gangers]

After initial scepticism, I am all turned around on Martin Freeman as Bilbo. I think he's going to be fucking brilliant. Fast forward 16 months now please please now please.

[Judas Iscariot]

YouTube - ‪THE HOBBIT, Production Video #2 [HD]‬‏ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfPaIdMAso0)

:)

Jesus Christ, New Zealand is fucking GORGEOUS.

[Judas Iscariot]

BTW, the dwarves look so fucking BADASS.

I'm going to be so fucking happy to see the dwarves used as the badass motherfuckers they are instead of as Gimli comic relief... I mean, FFS, Gimli was urging Aragorn and Legolas to keep up, not bumbling around like a fucking asshole...

The dwarves are my favorite race in Middle Earth. No nonsense. Don't fuck with me, I won't fuck with you, but I swear to Aule, if you do fuck with me, I will fuck with you so hard that thousands of years from now my sons will STILL be fucking with you and your sons.

I'm so excited for this, not to mention the fucking story AROUND The Hobbit that he's delving into that just blows my fucking mind that he's actually doing it.

These two films are going to wind up better than The Lord of the Rings films. Mark it down.

Less source material to fuck up, and yet such ridiculous peripheral stuff to make AWESOME, plus, fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

What? The Battle of the Five Armies?

Yeah, that... That's going to be astounding...

Smaug?

FUCK YES, JESUS, FUCK, WHAT WETA IS GOING TO DO IS GOING TO BLOW SHIT OUT OF THE PARK.

But also...

Don't read if you haven't read the book and the appendices and know some of the outside info of Tolkien not covered in the standard books...

There's a real level of heartache here that's on a different level from LotR. Thorin leading the dwarves off on this quest that can't really hope to win and having companions killed along with him...

I'd imagine there's going to be at least a scene (if not more) with Thrain being tortured in Dol Guldur and Gandalf finding him, thus granting him the map and key... This story's sort of presented as a fairy tale, but it's really fucking dark, and a LOT of bad shit happens.

By the grace of Illuvatar, may this present us with some sort of serial adaptation of The Silmarillion. I'll take whatever changes need to be made to make it presentable to a wide audience, but it really needs to happen. I don't care if it takes 14 movies, it needs to happen.

[Marlon Dingle]

All the dwarves in one big photo. If you care.

http://www-images.theonering.org/torwp/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DwarvesFinal.jpg

[OD50]

New video blog from PJ:
https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150326323406807&oid=141884481557&comments

Saruman! :panic:

[Alf]

Love it. The dwarves are looking immense.

[Mik]

Just got around to seeing the third video. Excellent surprise at the end.

[Alf]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150451523596807&set=vb.141884481557&type=2&theater

New production diary.

[Fro]

So the first trailer will be attached to the Tintin movie and here's a new image of Martin Freeman as Bilbo:

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8572/phkzcqmmaogcor1m.jpg

[Hobbit]

He's going to be fucking awesome isn't he, christ this is shaping up to be utterly amazing.

Dwarves :cool:

[Mik]

I dont really understand why its going to be on the Tin Tin film (other than the obvious link to PJ), hasnt that been out for ages? Or is this a new Tin Tin film?

[grimshaw]

Tintin is only just now coming out in a lot of places. When it first came out in the uk I was a little baffled why it wasn't coming to Australia until Xmas.

[Guy]

Yea the Us don't get it til next year I believe.

[son_of_foley]

Didn't know this is happening who is playing his mother?

[Judas Iscariot]

Trailer to be released online today at 10 PM EST

Where? Dunno. I imagine theonering.net will get a hold of it.

[Fro]

Oh yes

THE HOBBIT Trailer HD - YouTube

[radon]

Was just about to post this lol

[Delta Devil]

I cannots wait for it. It's precious.

[Judas Iscariot]

asdf;apisdufnskadjfn DWARVES SINGING AS;DOIFUNAD;LFANSDF

THORIN IS A BADASS MOTHERFUCKER, YES, PRECIOUS, YES

[Mik]

Exciting.

[Guy]

http://i2.cdnds.net/11/51/618x916/the-hobbit-poster.jpg

[Mik]

A lovely early poster.

[MikeHunt]

jesus this ill be brilliant.

[Clutch]

fucking amped for this :heart:

[virms]

Looks amazing. Was hoping to see a dragon peek but I really hope the previews never show one and leave it all for the movie.

[Fro]

I'd like to point out the contradiction in the above post if I may. :)

But I agree with you, I'd rather not see one in a trailer.

It's sort of cruel that we have another year before this releases.

[virms]

Not really a contradiction, I just didn't explain myself properly I guess. I meant it as this.

While watching I was sitting there waiting for a peek of Smaug. When it didn't happen, I sat back and thought about what I had seen and I realized that I would rather geek out in the theater seeing Smaug for the first time there.

[The_Mike]

I'd put money on them having a very brief glimpse of Smaug in the last trailer, probably just his eye or something.

[Judas Iscariot]

Aye, there'll definitely be something along those lines.

Gollum in this was great.

[grimshaw]

Do you guys expect we will even see Smaug in 2012? I don't think he'll play a big role in Part 1.

[Judas Iscariot]

I wouldn't be surprised if there's something of him in a flashback explaining what happened to the dwarves a la the beginning of LotR with Sauron, but definitely nothing remotely major.

WHICH MEANS TWO FUCKING YEARS TIL SMAUG

Book spoilers in here relating to the movie? Regarding potential end of the first:

At what point to you think the first one will leave off? I've heard rumor of when they enter Mirkwood, but that's the point where Gandalf leaves them to go with the White Council down to Dol Guldur, and if it's there then there's going to be a HELL of a lot to cover with Mirkwood, the White Council, Dol Guldur, the capture by the elves, the escape, the burglarly, Lake Town, the Battle of the Five Armies and the six endings PJ will likely have.

I'm thinking after they're captured?

[grimshaw]

I was thinking the best spot is right after the escape. Finish with them floating away in the barrels. Either that, or at their first sight of the lonely mountain.

It really depends on what the added material is as far as content goes, and where that stuff fits in.

[Bill Casey]

Regarding the stopping point...
They did release a production video featuring...
Mirkwood and concept art of spiders...
Peter Jackson said you'll see what he's been talking about in December of 2012, so there's a strong implication Mirkwood and the spiders will be in the first film...

The Hobbit - Production Diary Video #4

[Judas Iscariot]

Regarding BC:

That's fantastic, then.

Figure, how much really goes on up until that point?

Dwarves show up, get drunk, chip the glasses and and crack the plates, blunt the knives and bend the forks, because that's what Bilbo Baggins hates.

Wander around, OMG TROLLS, Rivendell and mountain giants, Goblin Town, the finding of the Ring (GAME OF RIDDLES HOLY SHIT CAN YOU IMAGINE?) eagles, hit Mirkwood, deal with the spiders O LORDY THE BURGLAR SAVES THE DAY after Gandalf abandons everyone because he's like, "LOL, yeah, about that, there's a bunch of shit I can't tell you about that's super crazy."

Seems Mirkwood will be the big finale and the last bit will be them seeing Erebor.

Good call, grimshaw, I hadn't thought of that because I'm a re-tard.

Does anyone know how long the movies are going to run? I could look it up right now but then I wouldn't be able to ask and further the discussion.

Better be 6 hours minimum. Each.

[Mik]

Looks amazing. Was hoping to see a dragon peek but I really hope the previews never show one and leave it all for the movie.


Do you guys expect we will even see Smaug in 2012? I don't think he'll play a big role in Part 1.

I think that it'll be Gollum in the first film, Smaug in the second.


I would imagine that the films would be around 3 hours max.

[grimshaw]

I don't see any reason to expect any deviation from the 'standard lotr runtime'.

I'm just psyched to see the ring as an asset and not a liability. That's what always impressed me the most about the LOTR lore, the way it changes from this amazing source of power, that changes Bilbo from an 'everyman' (or less) into a superhero, into an albatross around Frodo's neck.

[Fro]

So apparently Bret from Flight of the Conchords has a cameo in this. Amazing.

Edit: Okay I guess this is very old news and Bret also appeared in LOTR as an extra, but this is all news to me. And a great opportunity to post this:

"Frodo, Don't Wear The Ring" - 'Flight of The Conchords' - Lord of The Rings Song - YouTube

[G-Fresh]

More movies about walking? Lame.

[Fro]

Okay Randal from Clerks 2.

[G-Fresh]

Randal is a great American. Unlike people that like LOTR.

[Judas Iscariot]

DVDA, keep your forked tongue behind your teeth.

[Atty]

Hobbits are just a bunch of lazy porch monkeys.

[virms]

DVDA already took porch monkey back.

[G-Fresh]

I hold down the porch.

[The_Mike]

Comedian Billy Connolly will play a dwarf warrior in Peter Jackson's Hobbit films, the director has announced.

"We could not think of a more fitting actor to play Dain Ironfoot, the staunchest and toughest of the dwarves, than... the Big Yin himself," he said.

"With Billy stepping into this role the cast of The Hobbit is now complete."

..

[Alf]

Incredible.

[Mik]

I'm kind of not happy because I think that the casting for this is a little more gimmicky than the casting for Lord of the Rings, but also quite happy because I think that Billy is quite an underrated actor if they dont get him to ham it up...but PJ probably will get him to ham it up.

[The_Mike]

Did you see him in the X-Files film, Mik? He seemed to do fine, to me at least. Mrs. Brown was great, of course. But I share your concern that Peter Jackson will want him to be a bit over the top.

[Fro]

There's a ton of Comic-Con stuff. I'm sure the new footage they premiered is online somewhere but I'm not really trying to watch it. These interviews are good though:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=2gry_lJkpAc


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=44KI_JEgk4U

[Alf]

Triolgy confirmed...

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/notes/peter-jackson/an-unexpected-journey/10151114596546558

Now, while this might sound good... PJ does have a tendancy to be a bit more meandering than he needs to be. I don't see how this needs to be 3 movies.

[Mik]

Me either really. Apparently they've got the rights to do upto 125 pages from tolkiens other materials to 'bridge' the films. Can't see how it'll work. To me it COULD'VE been one film really.

[Beefy]

That's probably killed any interest I had in this thing. The good thing about The Hobbit is its size and the way that it's so much more accessable than then LOTR stories. There's no way it needed to be a trilogy.

EDIT - to be fair I hadn't realised that this was going to be two films already. I thought this was a move from one film to three. Still, having read the book a couple of times as a kid I think the story of The Hobbit could have been told in one film.

[Guy]

I don't see how one smaller book could take up the same time frame that three MASSIVE books took up.

[The Doc]

Three movies? How in the eleven frozen hells are they going to pull that?

[Fro]

I for one am looking forward to The Hobbit 3: Electric Boogaloo where Bilbo goes to Vegas for a weekend of wacky shenanigans.

[Atty]

Really should have just been one movie. I like the book, but three is just too much. Two was really too much.

[The Doc]

I'm just going to assume we got our wires crossed and it's just one movie until something else comes along to confirm.

[lotjx]

Jackson just keeps his camera on half speed like he did with the rest of the films and he can get another movie out of it. I do hope its the Aragon origin they have been hinting at and how he meet the Elves.

[Alf]

It'll be a ton of invented shit he just wants to wedge in.

[One Man Gang]

I don't see how the Hobbit could have been done in one movie. It's not like the cartoon movie that had the luxury of skipping the majority of dialogue and details. Two seemed appropriate given all of the stuff they were adding from the appendices which was essentially Tolkien wanting to retro fit a bunch of stuff back into the Hobbit after writing the LOTR.

Three films though... I guess we'll just have to trust Jackson.



Films go ever ever on...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GP1fIAh4DQ&feature=autoplay&list=ULmdQ1E3t3Qq0&playnext=1

[Gangers]

I'm sceptical of this three films thing, but the argument that 'LOTR is a much larger book so how can The Hobbit be the same length?' is a pretty flawed argument when you consider how much of the LOTR book was not in the movies. Return of the King and The Two Towers in particular were gutted to bits. Only about half of ROTK's story was in the film version. A pretty faithful retelling of the story of The Hobbit, with some stuff from the extended works and it's not at all that much of a stretch.

[Guy]

I meant from a creative point of view, not literal translation.

I can't imagine stretching one smaller book out into three movies is going to be anything but a chore to watch. Gutting the LOTR's movies down to their bare essentials was probably artistically a better idea than trying to fit in every smidgen of information.

[Mik]

It'll be a ton of invented shit he just wants to wedge in.


Thats my biggest concern. He's already invented a female Elf warrior (something he already tried and realised was daft for LotR with XenArwen) for Evangeline Lilly to play and invented a romance with one of the dwarves. Who knows what other shit Jackson will throw in now. I would've been more confident if Del Toro was still at the helm, even with 3 films for the series.

[The_Mike]

Three films? Smells a lot like a studio is simply cashing in on a sure bet. I am beyond sick of franchise whoring...

[The Doc]

Three films? Smells a lot like a studio is simply cashing in on a sure bet. I am beyond sick of franchise whoring...

Yep. Unless they are going to be incorporating so much of the Simarrlion for world building (which would still be whoring to an insane degree) I can't imagine how you stretch this into three films even if they are normal length movie and not Lord of the Rings length flicks.

[Tyson]

Three films? Smells a lot like a studio is simply cashing in on a sure bet. I am beyond sick of franchise whoring...

And yet you'll probably buy tickets to all three.

Is it a cash grab by the studios? Most definitely. That said, I'm going to trust Peter Jackson's intuition/ideas; in my books he's earned it based on how the LotR trilogy turned out.

[The_Mike]

And yet you'll probably buy tickets to all three.

I've no idea who you are, but your mind-reading and precognitive powers are wasted on a wrestling forum.

[Fro]

I think it's less of a studio cash grab and more of Peter Jackson being a nutty filmmaker. Which isn't to say the decison can't still be criticized.

[Morrison]

I've no idea who you are, but your mind-reading and precognitive powers are wasted on a wrestling forum.

pay no attention to him.

[G-Fresh]

Don't tell The_Mike what to do.

[Mik]

Yep. Unless they are going to be incorporating so much of the Simarrlion for world building (which would still be whoring to an insane degree) I can't imagine how you stretch this into three films even if they are normal length movie and not Lord of the Rings length flicks.

They can't use stuff from The Silmarillion. Christopher Tolkien refuses to sell the rights and is incredibly protective of them.

[Fro]

some stills:


http://i.imgur.com/vftlN.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/8UzmM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eDQio.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uS0De.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/36R3X.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Ujstv.jpg

[Alf]

Trailer is up. Looks grand. More of the same after LOTR it seems. I think the makeup for the Dwares looks a bit wank..

"Home is behind us, the world ahead..." - nice line that, taken from the song Peregrin sings.

[Judas Iscariot]

Another trailer:

http://www.wimp.com/europopnod/

[Judas Iscariot]

Right, assholes, it's right around the corner.

Anyone going to be that dick that I was ten years ago for LOTR and go to the midnight premier?

Because I'm gonna be that dick.

[Fro]

Nah but I'll likely go on the first weekend. IMAX 3D of course.

[Rip]

The Dwarves look awful.

Sorry, but they do.

[lotjx]

I am going with some friends Christmas weekend. Probably pop in the trilogy to watch. I am leary on how much we are seeing is actually going to be in this movie and not in the next three.

[VHS]

The Hobbit's going to be four films?

[Mik]

No, three.

I've got to be honest I'll probably be going on the opening night...however I'm going to wait for reviews.

[VHS]

I'm bringing the Blade Runner VHS opening night. Cannot wait to see this baby on the IMAX.

[virms]

I will go to the midnight showing. I wish I had a fucking imax around :(

[kangus]

You know, it's still the same movie if you see it the next day at a normal time. Also there's probably less of a chance you''ll be shot.

[virms]

There is more of a chance my job will call me and I will have to answer. Midnight is a much safer time.

As for being shot...I live in the south in the midst of the mountains. The chances of me being shot everyday by a drunk redneck is astronomical. I reckon it is around the same chances of you getting hit by a car.

[Judas Iscariot]

You know, it's still the same movie if you see it the next day at a normal time. Also there's probably less of a chance you''ll be shot.

Truth, but there's something special about seeing a midnight premier surrounded by a bunch of lunatic nerds that really appeals to me. It's like a different atmosphere and if I'm gonna spend money to see a film in the theater, I want that.

[Beefy]

I've been reading a fair bit about this film (Empire did a 68 page special on it last month) and I think it'll be alright so I'll probably watch it.

Going off on a bit of a tangent, I'm considering giving LOTR another watch. I've heard the basic Blu-Rays aren't very good. Has anyone got them and can confirm either way? They're dirt cheap now which appeals and being someone who isn't a fan of the films anyway I don't need the 18 hours of extras or 270 minute long cuts of each film.

[Mik]

The DVDs are good, so the basic Blu Rays are fine I'm sure mate.

[virms]

Truth, but there's something special about seeing a midnight premier surrounded by a bunch of lunatic nerds that really appeals to me. It's like a different atmosphere and if I'm gonna spend money to see a film in the theater, I want that.

Judas makes a good point. I can deal without all the dressing up nerds but they do bring an excitement to the movie. Kangus is probably just whining because Canada doesn't even have movie theaters yet. They just use old school projectors on the side of their igloos.

[Judas Iscariot]

When Kangua goes on vacation he just takes a trip to the border and stares longingly south.

[Chris]

Going off on a bit of a tangent, I'm considering giving LOTR another watch. I've heard the basic Blu-Rays aren't very good. Has anyone got them and can confirm either way? They're dirt cheap now which appeals and being someone who isn't a fan of the films anyway I don't need the 18 hours of extras or 270 minute long cuts of each film.
The Blu-rays are fine - the films look great in HD, aside from some poor CGI which looks ropey in SD or HD. I'm not the biggest fan of the films, but they've grown on me over time. Fellowship might be my favourite of the three now, after I originally liked The Two Towers more. I want to get the Extended Editions on Blu-ray at some point.

I think I'll check out The Hobbit - I'm really interested to see Martin Freeman's performance, as this is the biggest thing he's ever done.

[Mik]

So, the first reviews for The first part of The Hobbit are in and its pretty much exactly as I feared when it was confirmed that Peter Jackson was directing it and that it was going to be split into three parts. A decent film, overly long, overly indulgent, looks absolutely beautiful and has a lot of dull moments that mean it should never have been split into three films and nowhere near the level of Lord of the Rings. In short...a bit of a cheap cash in.

[Beefy]

It's a shame but as you said, very predictable. The joy of The Hobbit as a story is that it's so much more accessable than LOTR and it seems that that accessability has been lost a bit here. I'm not sure I'd call it "a cheap cash-in" though. It seems to be the opposite of cheap. Everything is on a much grander scale than it needed to be.

I'm still tempted to see it still but this should never have been a seven or eight hour long story.

[The_Mike]

The film was always going to be visually lush and a great big production, so spreading it out over three films (getting millions of people to pay for three tickets each to see a story that could be done in two and a half hours) is probably where the cheap cash-in idea comes from. They're essentially tripling their income without increasing their expenditure all that much.

I'll see it because it looks beautiful and I loved FotR's Hobbiton parts, but I really am disgruntled about it being cut into thirds for no reason but pure profit. Everybody involved, including Tolkein and the audience, deserve better than to be milked.

[Mik]

Thats part of my problem. Peter Jackson pushed for three films for Lord of the Rings and he pushed for them being long, despite that being a bigger financial risk, because he knew that was how long the story took. I dont believe that HE has got them commissioned into 3 films for profit, I believe that the studio agreed to it because they knew it'd make a ton, I think that Jackson wanted three because he is an over-indulgent director who desperately needs someone to rein him and his stupid ideas in.

These are unnecessary over indulgence. I'm sure that I'll enjoy them, but they sound absolutely plodding. There was no need for three films totally around 8 hours. By all accounts he's invented stuff and injected his own lame humour again too, which was exactly what I was hoping for these films to avoid.

[Fro]

I like to believe that PJ's intentions with splitting this into 3 are above simply cashing in. He seems like a guy who wouldn't do it unless he really believed it was justified, in his mind at least, by the amount of material. Obviously the studio didn't hesitate to indulge him though since it was in their benefit.

Er, what Mik said.

[OD50]

I'm surprised that a big-budget flick like this has some fairly bog standard CGI effects. From what I have seen they're no better than the effects in the LotR trilogy that's 10+ years old. Some of the goblins look especially crummy.

-Don't like the look of the dwarves. Most of them doesn't look anything like Middle-Earth Dwarves.. Is that Bombur or Gerard Depardieu/Obelix?
-Don't like the look of Radagast. I hope it was a joke that he has a bloody birds nest with birds pooping on top of his hat.
-Don't like the rabbit-sled, completely retarded and very Harry Potter'esque.
-Don't like that Henry the Hedgehog or whatever his name is..
-Review said there are tons of poop/fart jokes and slapstick moments (wonder if Jar-Jar will appear.. )

That being said I will probably go and see it anyways, just like everyone else. :$

/While I'm at it complaining...

-The Goblin King and Bolg look horrendous too.

On a more positive note; I'm reading The Hobbit Graphic Novel right now and it's actually very cool.

[Mik]

By all accounts, there is a lot more CGI in these films. In LotR a lot of the Orcs and such were stuntmen in costumes. In this apparently they are all CGI and that kind of thing is noticeable.

[virms]

Apparently the move is making people sick with motion sickness. Well at least the 3D version is. It is filmed at 48 frames per second (double the usual) to add more realism to the scenes.

For some strange reason that makes me want to see it more.

[Mik]

I dont really see why that would make anyone more motion sick than say, a stage play would.

[lotjx]

It might have to do with the camera movements more than the realism of the film. I am kinda worried about taking the wife, she got sick during Cloverfield in 2D. I am sensing Hobbit may end up becoming the Prequels.

[Judas Iscariot]

I was really hoping these were gonna pan out as two films because they could go into everything else that was going on in the appendices.

The previews have looked awful.

The CGI bullshit looks like it's ten years old and while I was stoked to see the dwarves as the badass motherfuckers that they are, it looks like it's being marketed as a fucking comedy.

I was excited to see Radagast as that suggested all of the White Council awesome shit that happens in the background, but he looks like another fucking comedy character.

Guillermo del Toro should have done this. He was fucking MADE for it.

Now this just looks like shit.

I'll watch the cartoon again.

And also see all of these at midnight when they come out.

God I'm such an asshole.

[Judas Iscariot]

I wanted to give PJ the benefit of the doubt going into this after he butchered the single greatest scene ever written that was perfectly made for the screen, but just as he ruined that in the name of CGI bullshit, it looks like he's fucking this up too.

Fucking kiwis.

[OD50]

I am sensing Hobbit may end up becoming the Prequels.

Yeah, same.

[The Rogerer]

I'm looking forward to it. When I watched Fellowship of the Ring again recently, some of it seemed pretty ropey but still very enjoyable, and I think that has set up my expectations. I've managed to preserve my good will, thankfully. FOTR was full of loads of stupid jokes, bad slapstick and weird scenes/decisions, and yet it still works.

[Beefy]

The more I think about it the more I wonder if I only want to see this because it has got Sylvester McCoy in it.

[OD50]

I'm looking forward to it. When I watched Fellowship of the Ring again recently, some of it seemed pretty ropey but still very enjoyable, and I think that has set up my expectations. I've managed to preserve my good will, thankfully. FOTR was full of loads of stupid jokes, bad slapstick and weird scenes/decisions, and yet it still works.

What are these slapstick moments in FotR? Can't recall them honestly.

[The Rogerer]

Just about any scene with Merry and Pippin in. A lot of scenes with Sam in them. Gandalf bumping his head in Bag End. Any scene with Gimli in it.

[OD50]

Can't really agree with that, but to each his own.

[The Rogerer]

I'm just making the point that there's a lot ot silly stuff in there, so I'm expecting the same in The Hobbit

[lotjx]

I'm just making the point that there's a lot ot silly stuff in there, so I'm expecting the same in The Hobbit

Yeah, there is, but its still the best one. The silly stuff is made to show you that the hobbits aren't taken seriously as fighters or adventurers that Bilbo was one of the few that said Fuck it and that was done after some very strong arm twisting by Gandalf. So, when Merry and Pippen are kicking ass at the end, it shows how far they have come. Also, Hobbit is a supposed to be a more fun adventure film than the others. Its not dealing with end of the world shit or lost love or anything big just guys taking back their land from a Dragon who happen to run into a creature with the most powerful fucking weapon of all time.