When word came last month that “Hellboy” director Guillermo del Toro was eyeing a voyage to Middle-earth, loyal fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s lengendarium reacted with general approval and glee. If they couldn’t have Peter Jackson, then here, at least, was the next best thing.
You know what? Frodo himself agrees.
“I think [Guillermo's] the perfect choice,” “Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood told MTV News. “I think he would certainly honor the previous work that Peter had done.”
For Wood, and others like Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin and Cate Blanchett, that was precisely the issue that held up their promised involvement with “The Hobbit” — again and again actors from the original trilogy told us they would only come back with Jackson’s blessing and involvement.
Now with the tag team of Jackson and del Toro seemingly together at last after an arduous court battle held up filming, that shouldn’t be a problem, Wood said, reiterating his enthusiasm to return to the world of the Shire.
“He hasn’t [talked to me yet about coming back], no. I think they’re just literally trying to figure it all out and work out who’s gonna do it and who’s gonna write it, but if it happens [that they want me]?” Wood said. “I’d certainly [return].”
As the men of Gondor say to Frodo: “Praise him. Praise him with great praise.”
But what do you think? Agree or disagree with Wood, sound off on Guillermo directing “The Hobbit” below.
Jim Dorey
www.marketsaw.com
3D Movies and Technology
It'll be interesting to see how Elijah would be cast though...
Do you think that you could try to get a word to your sources from an old man? Tell them that they are now working on borrowed time for some of the potentially recast stars that they would need to still be around for this movie; most notably Christopher Lee who if I am not mistaken is now 84. Even Gandalf in earthly form disguised as Ian Mckellen is no spring chicken. I wonder if there might be a way for WETA or whoever to get some footage of Sauroman (and possibly Gandalf) put together NOW just in case, and then incorporate it into the movie once the dust settles on this law suit if the need arises? It would be a real tragedy if Christopher Lee had left for the Grey Havens before this movie gets put together, and it would be an absolute travesty if my namesake was no longer on this particular leg of his journey when PJ comes to give him back his wizard staff once more.
Barring any ability to carry out such an ingenious plan to ensure that both actors WILL appear in the movie regardless of whether or not they are still with us when it is actively made, I do have another suggestion for your sources. And that is for anybody close to the top brass at either New Line or the Tolkien estate to dope slap them and make like Moe would for Larry or Curly; they are mucking up everything for everybody who truly cares for wizards and dragons, elves, goblins, bears, wolves, eagles, and Hobbits!
All that said, for the most parts, the films were beautiful. With Jackson's direction, Del Toro should perform wonderfully, and maybe will avoid those choice mistakes that Jackson did make.
Above all else, though,aside from them being done well, for which Jackson's direction is not a mandate, I want to see them sooner for later. The desire is great. Let the conflicts be cleared up with all quickness, and let us get our great movies ON TIME!
Yeah PJ messed some things up, and I think there is nothing wrong with a new director. Just because Peter did it does not mean he is the only one who could have. And I really hope Elijah isn't Bilbo!!! That would confuse people who aren't familiar with the books.
#2 - In keeping with the Jackson LOTR film trilogy and Tolkien's work, The Hobbit should not have Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, John Rhys-Davies, etc. The only carry-over characters between LOTR and The Hobbit are Gandalf, Galadrial, Celeborn, Elrond, and Bilbo (and possibly a few others, but definitely not Gimli, Arwen, Frodo, Sam, Legolas, etc.). So no, Elijah Wood should not be Bilbo - find somebody close to Ian Holm and run with it. Does anyone really want Elijah Wood's face to be both the guy who finds the ring under the Misty Mountains and the guy who then later receives the ring from Bilbo in Hobbiton? Come on now. There should be few actors reprising roles, subject to how closely the script follows the book, and the extent to which other parts of Tolkien's works are brought in. For example, if we want to see Viggo Mortensen in The Hobbit, then the script should bring in the events occurring while Bilbo and the dwarves headed to Erebor - Aragorn tracking and finding Gollum, and taking him to prison in King Thranduil's kingdom for interrogation. Likewise, if we want to see Christopher Lee, then the script needs to include Gandalf's route once he leaves the dwarves and Bilbo on the western borders of Mirkwood - he headed straight to a meeting of the Istari, or the White Council, to argue about mounting an attack on Dol Guldur in southern Mirkwood, as Gandalf believed Sauron was at that time just beginning to rebuild there. Gimli? No way - who was it that suggested that John Rhys-Davies play both Gloin and Gimli (Gloin's son). Jeez. In my opinion, to make this work, and to most closely follow the story line of The Hobbit, we need Kate Blanchett, Ian McKellan, Hugo Weaving, somebody young enough to play Bilbo, and that's it. Plus, let's not forget, although most of the foregoing actors slide in and out of the story, the main focuse is on Bilbo and the dwarves. Gandalf, helps hook Bilbo and Thorin up, takes them to Rivendell, and the splits. Same thing with Elrond. The real casting rub here is always going to be Bilbo, Thorin, and the rest of the dwarves.
#3 - Trust me - Warner Bros. is motivated by money, and knows that screwing up The Hobbit will cost them lots of it. Digitally creating Smaug in a realistic way, along with the Mirkwood spiders, the 3 trolls, the Battle of the Five Armies, the inside of Erebor, Esgaroth, etc. is going to cost some serious dough, and I highly doubt that Warner Bros. is willing to risk pissing off the hardcore fans, who often go to see these movies several times and own all of the DVDs.
#4 - Last thing? I want to know when Christopher Tolkien is going to license the rights to The Silmarillion, as that one book alone probably has 5-6 good movies in it! The stories of Beren & Luthien, the Darkening of Valinor (and the Exile of the Noldor), Numenor, Tuor and Voronwe, Gondolin, and the Children of Hurin are even better than The Hobbit and LOTR!
But they are going to have to get moving on it.
If they do ever get made, these films are going to be original productions; new director, possibly new writers, new cast. I think Peter Jackson's involvement is going to be minimal. He will be lending his resources with only final approval at the end of production. Jackson has clearly moved on from the world of Tolkien. If he had truly wanted to be involved in the creation of these films, he would be directing.