It's Confirmed: Del Toro For The Hobbit Guillermo will definitely direct prequel Source: Variety
It's confirmed, we mean it this time. Guillermo del Toro, New Line, MGM, Peter Jackson and all other interested parties have definitely, finally made a deal, and Empire's favourite Mexican will soon be heading to New Zealand for four years to make two back-to-back Hobbit movies.
The announcement of perhaps the world's worst-kept secret comes after months of the principals discussing the idea in public, leaking information and generally paving the way for today's news. Now it's confirmed that Del Toro will be moving to NZ after he finishes work on Hellboy 2, and expects to be there for about four years. That means we're looking at release dates in 2011 and 2012, assuming shooting starts next year, for The Hobbit and an in-between-quel set in the 77-odd years that pass between that story and The Lord of the Rings.
The films don't have a definite planned start date yet, nor a script, although it's expected that Jackson and his Lord of the Rings collaborators Phillippa Boyens and Fran Walsh will be involved in that. It is confirmed, however (again surprising precisely no one) that Weta will be involved, and that New Zealand will once again be doubling for Middle Earth.
Expect the casting rumour mill to start churning any minute, but for a few moments at least, let's enjoy the knowledge that The Hobbit is definitely happening and leave it at that.
Ignoring the haters (shame about those prequels isn't it?) I don't see the second film as a cash in as there's a lot of stuff that happend inbetween the two books (and at the same time) that Tolkien never wrote about in detail but what he did do was give us the Appendicies and that fills in a lot of stuff. My only concern is how to get it into a coherent narrative but by going on GDT's recent interviews with TORN and MTV. he's certainly committed,
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although like quite a lot of people i would had prefered jackson directing, if he couldant do it i always wanted del torro. with jackson and his team writting and this visionary director we could be on to a winner! just wish it could come out tommorow. ah well i'll jus have to re-watch lord of the rings and pans labyrinth to satisify my movie hunger ... Read More
i would have prefered jackson to direct,del toro is 'ok' but i'm unsure as to if he could carry this off.and as for the 'inbetweenquel' i can see no reason AT ALL for making that.just have a two part hobbit or adapt the silmarillion or something. ... Read More
Im sure it'll be fine, a fat bearded guy with glasses is making it.
Anyway it has to be better than some of the crap thats getting churned out at the moment. ... Read More
Never thought I would see the day that Del Toro actully commited to making a film.
All joking aside this is great news, he is the one person I would trust to carry on the work done by Peter Jackson. It is still years away so I will wait until I see the trailer come in 2010.
Has there been any word about The Lovely Bones? That film seems to have vanished into thin air.
Oh and Martin Freeman would make for a brilliant Bilbo Baggins. ... Read More
I'm extremely excited that Del Toro will be directing the films. I would have preferred Jackson but Del Toro is a worthy successor. I love his films, his vision is incredible so I'm sure he will do a fine job. really like the idea of James McAvoy for Bilbo. ... Read More
