The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Pre-Release Discussion)

New Line Pursues Hobbit Rights
The fate of the franchise may lie with the Tolkien estate.

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December 02, 2003 - Keen to build on the success of its three Lord of the Rings films (ROTK is a foregone conclusion), New Line Cinema is now actively pursuing the possibility of a film based on The Hobbit. According to [The Australian], however, there is a hang-up: the Tolkien Estate. It seems that Tolkien's heirs, who have already riled Peter Jackson by refusing to permit a Rings museum in Wellington, are now a stumbling-block in the way of a Lord of the Rings prequel.


"The difficulty everybody has is the Tolkien estate," Jackson said, referring to recent wrangling between New Line and Christopher Tolkien, the custodian and literary executor of his late father's estate. Jackson's next project is King Kong, which should be finished by 2006. Afterwards, Jackson would like to work with New Line on The Hobbit, provided the legal hassles get worked out.

Right now, a deal doesn't seem likely. The trilogy itself was only possible because J.R.R. Tolkien himself sold those film rights in 1969 for £10,000, a paltry amount by modern standards. His son, Christopher, doesn't believe that The Hobbit or any of his father's other works can be adequately represented on-screen, and has resisted any endorsement of the current Lord of the Rings project.

In other news, however, anticipation for The Return of the King hit new heights this week with the movie's official premiere in New Zealand. As many as 100,000 fans showed up to cheer on a Lord of the Rings parade and listen to speeches by many of the film's key actors and behind-the-camera talent. The screening itself was a private event, so Wellington's citizens will have to wait along with the rest of us for a few more weeks. All reports suggest that The Return of the King is everything we've been waiting for.

OUTRAGE!

The Hobbit would be perfect on the Big Screen if Peter Jackson were to direct it. The film could be either 3-3½ hours long, and an Extended Cut could easily be 4 hours long (to go along with the Trilogy DVDs: Theatrical and Extended)

I know Peter Jackson, and Elijah Wood believe The Hobbit should be made, and even Sir Ian McKellen has stated he'd love to return as Gandalf if the film were to be made.

Last time I heard about a possible film, there were talks about making this a Tv Series, but quite honestly, I'm all for the film and only if Peter Jackson and Ian McKellen returned. If another Director were given the rights to the film, it wouldn't have consistency...you'd notice a change, and it'd set it apart from the LOTR Trilogy. I hope Christopher Tolkien realizes the mistake he's making at this moment...

[color=#666666]This message was edited on 2012-10-24T08:03:30-07:00.

the hobbit would only work if it was amde by the same people who made the lotr trilogy. else it just seems like a cheap rip-off type movie, to cash in on the success of the other movies.

quote final fantasy master

Christopher Tolkien is Gay!
They should do it! With or with out him!

*Stares dumbfounded* dude...Christopher Tolkien wrote a lot of the other books of Arda and Middle-Earth. It's his work too, just LotR isn't. He owned the rights to all of his father's work...If they did make a movie without he permission, it WOULD BE ILLEGAL!

If I was Christopher Tolkien, I wouldn't let Peter Jackson make The Hobbit a movie.

He doesn't like the movies, you can't call him anything because of it. His father put in years of work to these books, and he hardly gets the credit he deserves. Only a few people who've seen the movies care about the books.

I myself, prefer the books WAY over the movies. But it would be neat to see the Hobbit as a movie. But only if Ian Mckellan and Ian Holm return.

Dude, Christopher Tolkien is a regular human being just like the rest of us, and just like the rest of us, for the right price he can be bought.

If New Line wants to put up the cash they will get they're hobbit movie.

the hobbit game? that game looks stupid IMO. i wish they would make a prequal (obviously, the hobbit). but i have a feeling it might have a different cast. if anyone continues, it would have to be... oh crap, cant think of his name. the guy who plays bilbo... ian...anyway i would like to see it, being a big lotr fan and all...

quote Sunblazer

It'd be awsome if he mad a sequel to lotr.

Don't count on that one, bud.


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[Angelus] - I think he meant "prequel"

This message was edited by The Living Angelus(moderator) on Dec 07 2003.

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Nah, he talked about The Hobbit, The Simillarion, then CT adding on to his dads work, herego writing a sequel to the LOTR saga

This message was edited by lavitz on Dec 09 2003.

pfft, king kong better than LOTR?! it will be very hard to top a movie like LOTR