PJ Hobbit prequel next after RotK

[Michel Delving]

OOHHH!

March 03, 2003 - Gandalf the Grey's enormous popularity among readers of J.R.R. Tolkien's works has been translated to the world of cinema. Sir Ian McKellen tells this month's edition of Time Europe magazine that although he had some misgivings about how his character would be received after the Two Towers "resurrection," his qualms were unwarranted. In fact, director Peter Jackson is doing further reshoots on The Return of the King to give the wizard more screen time.

"Gandalf goes on such a huge journey. The rustic magician is brought back to life, and he's suddenly more vigorous, single-minded. It's very Shakespearean; many of his characters go on spiritual journeys. I was worried that losing [Gandalf's] charm and his naughtiness when he returns from the dead might diminish his popularity, but he's stayed so popular I've been asked to go back and shoot some more scenes for the third film."

Sir Ian is reluctant to give up the robes and pointy blue hat. In fact, he's pushing for a serial version of The Hobbit to be made once the trilogy is finished. Jackson and the other LOTR writers have cited the long, meandering storyline of The Hobbit as a supreme challenge for a film, which is why McKellen thinks television is an appropriate medium. "I want to play Gandalf again, in The Hobbit. I've asked Peter Jackson if he'll produce the prequel as a huge, yearlong television series. All those different strands to the story seem perfect for TV, and we'd do every scene of it. It could be marvelous."

The success of the Sci-Fi Channel's Dune adaptation and the upcoming Children of Dune sequel suggests that this is a good time for producing miniseries based on popular fiction. The Hobbit would probably need to be a higher-budget production, but much of the costly prop-work and costuming is already done.

Speaking of Dune and The Lord of the Rings, both masterpieces made it onto a new top-ten list of the last 50 years of science fiction and fantasy literature. In fact, The Lord of the Rings was rated number one by the editors of the Science Fiction Book Club. It goes without saying that J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels failed to make the list, though The Philosopher's Stone was among the Club's "50 most significant" books (as was Tolkien's Silmarillion).

Say thanks to: http://www.planet-tolkien.com/ for that one.

[Valdarmyr]

I'd love to see The Hobbit, especially with McKellen as Gandalf! I don't know if PJ would want to do it; I've seen at least one interview where he says he's got about 6 films (or at least "projects") he wants to do after ROTK, and he didn't mention The Hobbit. Also, I don't know if he'd want to do TV work after his huge success in film.

I haven't read the book yet :confused: though it's next on my list, but even if, in fact, the book has a winding story line, there are so many people who're into LOTR in a big way, that the audience for a film of The Hobbit would be huge! I hope he does it! And if not PJ, then someone else! Yes, preciousss!

[Eledhwen]

the storyline needn't be long and meandering. In addition to the adventures of Bilbo and the Dwarves we have the following:

Gandalf goes off at the gate of Mirkwood to another White Council meeting (brings in other LotR characters), then they go and cleanse Dol Guldur. Meanwhile, a bunch of Orcs, miffed at being done over in the Misty Mountains, hear from a spy of Sauron (the crow) that the dwarves have turned up at Erebor and gather their clans and the wargs for a massive onslaught.

Plenty of sub-plot there to be going on with, all culminating in the massive battle climax and resolution scenes.

[JoS Metadi]

If the hobbit were to be filmed, I would want PJ to do it

[FoolOfATook]

If the hobbit were to be filmed, I would want PJ to do it

I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, I think that Jackson should do it, because, despite the numerous issues that many of have with his adaptations, very few of us won't concede that he did a good job as a filmmaker. There is also the fact that maintaining Jackson as director would ensure a consistent feel between LOTR and The Hobbit.

On the other hand, given the different tone in the books, I'm not entirely convinced that it wouldn't be a good thing to let a new director have a go at Middle-earth, bringing their own style to Tolkien. There's also the fact that Jackson might very well be tired of Middle-earth, and he might very well want to trade on his new-found sucsess to do other projects that he's interested in. If that's the case, I'm sure that no one would want to see a disinterested Peter Jackson, or a film made by a Jackson only out for a paycheck.

[DurinLongBeard]

Good points FoolOfATook! I would lovve for the Hobbit to made into a movie or tv series! If it was a tv series it could be like Band Of Brothers....9 hours long and not leave out a detail!!I hope Pj does it!!:D

[Daniel]

I would love to see the Hobbit (and Silmarillion) on screen, but not as a mini-series. For some reason I strongly dislike mini-series. It would, I suppose, be better than nothing, but I would really like to see The Hobbit on the big screen. I don't see that it presents any more problems that LotR did, problably fewer...

[33Peregrin]

I would hope that it was made. I would love to see The Hobbit, anywhere. I would really love to see it on the big screen. Then you could watch it and LOTR. Anything would be fantastic. About the directors... It would be great if PJ would do it, but I can understand why he wouldn't want to. I don't really know about any other director. Because everyone has their own veiw of Tolkien, it wouldn't really be the same. I suppose that in the end that would be better than nothing too.

[Michel Delving]

How about a movie of the Silmarillion? Now that would ROCK!(as you Americans would say).

[Flame of Anor]

I heard that the hobbit movie was a sham....hoax....and - oh well i can't think of another - I had started a thread in the members announcement section of the forum. Link to thread (http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showthread.php?threadid=10228) if you want to go there and read what others have said.

-Flame

[SpencerC18]

the hobbit would be too big for television, PJ would want to make money not ratings

[Lúthien Séregon]

There's been more hints at theonering.net that PJ might be making The Hobbit:

http://www.theonering.net/perl/newsview/8/1050337028

[ladyoflorien]

didn't someone on this forum say that he might do a TV series of the hobbit?? i know i would watch it!!!!!!!!

[Deathknell]

Originally posted by Michel Delving
How about a movie of the Silmarillion? Now that would ROCK!(as you Americans would say).


Holy cow! Talk about an enormous undertaking!

I have thought of this too, but there are simply too many subplots and stories to do the book justice in the space of a film (or even three). Now...I can see a lengthy television adaptation, say, over a two to three year period or more - probably would not be too much harder to pull off than Star Trek: The Next Generation was, and the main issue of course would be to have actors willing to reprise roles and such as necessary. Season 1 could be the first book of the novel, season 2 could move into the next, etc. etc. You never know, maybe someone ambitious enough will try it in the next few years.

[Aulë]

lol
I can imagine it now- 'The Silmarillion: Part 10 - The Fall of Gondolin' out in cinemas December 2019.....

[Morgaphry]

The Silmarillion wouldn't be a good production because it is a history.

Though I would love to see the unknowing audience's reaction to Sauron as a servant of someone greater and the even huger battles with even more Elves, the fact of the matter is that the Silmarillion is basically a history textbook.
There is not much romance, despite the Beren/Luthien affair and it wouldn't be successful except to Tolkien fans

Still, I can already visualise the trailer for it but I don't think it will become a reality.

Morgaphry

[ladyoflorien]

i haven't read all of the silmarillion but from what i've heard it sounds like it would be almost impossible to make a movie as amazing as the stories the book contains.

[ssgrif]

This thread has popped up before asking if the Hobbit would be made into a film. I've read the hobbit quite a few times and have always felt that turning it into a film just wouldnt work well enough.

But this idea that Ian Mckellan has come up with by making it into a mini-series for TV is just the right way to go about it I feel. The Hobbit would work well for this medium and basically as all the props, costumes, designs etc are already made and available, it would cost them peanuts to make.

I have to say, if they dont make it soon, whilst they still have all the kit available, it will become too costly to make.

Go for it PJ, you know it makes sense!

Griff

[Richard]

I am interested in the charaters of Thorin and company and would Legolas make a cameo

[Kelonus]

Oh how I would love to be in The Hobbit movie or mini-series. No matter what part I play. A dream yes, but who knows?

[Belegmacar]

lol
I can imagine it now- 'The Silmarillion: Part 10 - The Fall of Gondolin' out in cinemas December 2019.....'The Adventures of Tom Bombadil'-out in theaters December 2921

[Eledhwen]

The main problem as I see it is the lack of variety in the main characters. Looking at an Alan Lee illustration of the dwarves sat around Bilbo's table, one can see that making dwarves different enough from one another to be visually interesting throughout a feature film would be difficult, but not insurmoumtably so.

I always thought of Thorin as being a little taller and leaner than the average dwarf, and of course Bombur would be distinctive enough. The rest could be done by distinguishing their personalities more heavily in the script, differences in hair colour and clothing, and marked facial differences. But if people thought the Lord of the Rings lacked the feminine touch, how much more so The Hobbit?

I have said this before, but I would add Gandalf's quest from the gates of Mirkwood until he meets Bilbo again, including the White Council and the cleansing of Dol Guldur, which could feature Galadriel and maybe Aragorn's mother (meeting Arwen?), as it took place at Rivendell. This would also be an opportunity to include Saruman in a thin veil of 'good guy' (though would Christopher Lee work with PJ again, I wonder?).

Another story thread I would include would be the gathering of the Orcs and wolves, and their discovery of the whereabouts of the dwarves and the death of Smaug.

And speaking of Smaug, the CGI possibilities here, if done properly, could make the film! It is now technologically possible to do Beorn's house properly and make it look real.