When New Line announced several weeks ago that they planned to start work on The Hobbit, a good many Middle Earth enthusiasts were elated. Then New Line informed Jackson that, due to a legal dispute over Lord of the Rings earnings, his services would not be required for that project or a hitherto unknown 'second prequel'. Cue: one disappointed director, and the outrage of thousands of fans.
Keen to find out how those close to the Lord Of The Rings camp feel about the whole mess, Empire sat down with Frodo himself, Elijah Wood, to get his thoughts on the matter. "I feel exactly the same way Peter does."
"I think it's a total shame, primarily for Peter and his team – WETA, and the thousands of people that lent their artistic creativity for ten years to this world of Middle Earth -- to imagine that somebody else would be given that opportunity, and that it essentially wouldn't be made by the same team"
As someone who wouldn't be needed for at least the first of what is increasing looking like two precursor films, Wood has more room to comment than some of the LOTR cast, and spoke candidly. "I can't imagine any of the original actors would want to join it… how can you imagine a prequel that didn't look the same, and didn't have the same continuity after all that work?"
But, like many up to speed on the situation, he's not convinced that the fat Hobbit lady has sung. "At the moment it sounds so definitive, and Peter has said "That's the end of the journey" in a very dramatic way, as Peter is wont to do - but absolute power to him, because I would be equally disappointed if I were him. But I think it remains to be seen, and apparently New Line may lose the rights eventually. If that happens, it would eventually - I think - fall back into Peter's hands. It's just sad that it's ultimately a business decision, and not at all considering the fans."