Forget about it for a while at least

[Sarah]

Forget about PJ filming the hobbit after King Kong like we thought. According to KongisKing.net PJ, Fran, and Phillipa plan to film The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold after King Kong instead.

http://aintitcoolnews.com/display.cgi?id=19072

[Morgul Agent]

What's more, there's also talk of a huge World War I epic. Apparently WWI is another favorite subject of Jackson's...


SO, I would guess that they will film both Lovely Bones, and the WWI epic, in which case we definitely have at least 4 or 5 years before they would even BEGIN thinking about The Hobbit.

I knew this had to be the case from the beginning. We all know Jackson and his crew feel like they just worked 7 years on a HUGE trilogy, and the LAST thing they're about to do is repeat all that right away. Filming The Hobbit would mean the return of the Makeup, Effects, and Costume departments, all the amazing Design artists, scouting and building new sets and locations, etc. etc. etc.

My guess is that someone else will do it first, or Jackson will do it around 2010. You heard it here first. ;)

[GuardianRanger]

It could also be that Jackson & Co. are filling up their plate while all the legal wranglings are carrying on. If they get the message to go ahead, they could just stick the Hobbit in between one of the others....

Just a thought.

[Sarah]

This also means that by that time Ian Holm will definitly be too old to play bilbo. (I know we've had arguments about it. If it were done now, he could do it, make up and prosthetics have proven that, but who knows if he could do it later, probably not.)

[Barliman Butterbur]

This also means that by that time Ian Holm will definitly be too old to play bilbo. (I know we've had arguments about it. If it were done now, he could do it, make up and prosthetics have proven that, but who knows if he could do it later, probably not.)

He was already too old (to play the young Bilbo). It's one thing to make a person look older, but it's impossible to make an older person look convincingly younger.

(For details about the Lovely Bones, see http://www.thetolkienforum.com/showpost.php?p=437697&postcount=10 .)

Barley

[Fundin Snowarm]

I think it is a lot easier to find someone to play a convincing 'young' Bilbo, than it would be to wait too long and have no one to play Gandalf.

[Sarah]

He was already too old. It's one thing to make a person look older, but it's impossible to make an older person look convincingly younger.



You see? That's what I meant! We've already had this argument before. He was not already too old if they started production right after King Kong. Make up can do wonders. They made him look young for the Prologue to the Fellowship of the Ring, and they could do it again, but by the time they finally got around to doing the Hobbit, they would have no choice but to find another bilbo, and Fundin was right as well. God forbid If they wait too long, they will have no one to play Gandalf the Grey.

[baragund]

They made him look young for the Prologue to the Fellowship of the Ring, and they could do it again...

Sarah, one shot of a couple of seconds duration is a lot different from doing a whole movie looking and acting like a young man. I don't know if Ian Hom can pull it off even if work on a Hobbit movie were to start today.

I don't think it will be a big deal to find a decent younger actor who looks like a younger version of Mr. Holm. Look at how George Lucas found other actors to play the younger versions of Annakin Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi in the Star Wars movies (ooooo, that might be a poor example but do you see what I mean?)

But it would be a major setback if things dragged out so long that Ian McCellan could no longer play Gandalf. :(

I wonder if New Line would give the project to another director/screenwriter team if the LOTR team is booked for the next 5 years or so. (Is Fundin becoming hopeful?? ;) ) That's assuming they reach closure with whatever legal issues with the rights that are hanging out there, and they want to move quickly while the LOTR movie mania is still strong.

[Fundin Snowarm]

No offense to Mr Holm, but i def think it should be handed off to a younger actor, although not as young as Frodo and the other Hobbits of LOTR...My vote is for Hugh Bonneville....check him out over @ imdb.com, I think he closely resembles Ian Holm & I'm sure he could play the part.

[Barliman Butterbur]

YMake up can do wonders. They made him look young for the Prologue to the Fellowship of the Ring, and they could do it again...

All they did was to pull his skin back and cover it up with his wig — and it was all in dim light and they could have deleted any wrinkles via computer and it was on the screen for about 3 seconds, if that. But if you can figure a way to make a 75-year-old look 50 years convincingly younger in broad daylight, you have my money, I want to go into business with you!:D

Barley

[Morgaphry]

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

Before we start prophesying the iminent doom of an entire generation of British actors...

Ian McKellan is only sixty-six this year so I'm sure we can count on him for another ten years at least.

The issue with Ian Holm is more difficult, his being seventy-four; Not for any teeterings between this world and the next, but for the issue of age and becoming wizened beyond a character's years.

Personally, I don't think Holm's performance in the trilogy can be bettered. His busy, bumbling, pottering-about character was very effective, but especially because he is one of the very few British actors who has succeeded whilst being realtively short of stature. (5'5)

Perhaps I am being optimistic but from a purely cinematic point of view (And true Hobbit anatomy aside) but I think an audience wouldn't find it too hard to believe Ian Holm playing a fifty-year old hobbit, particularly with the foreknowledge that in FotR he "Hadn't aged a day".

I think that the effect of a good head of coloured hair shouldn't be underestimated. This may be the exception rather than the rule but I believe that if Christopher Lee (Aged 82) had his hair dyed jet black and was clean shaven, he could re-play his roles from the seventies.

I think we should hold out hope for Ian Holm as Bilbo and I think we can rest assured that Ian McKellan will not be shuffling off this mortal coil any time soon.

Thanks
Morgaphry

P.S - Am I alone in having fingers crossed for a Brian Blessed cameo as Dain Ironfoot? ;)

[no1liz]

Now this might be heresy, But you know, you could do a hell of a lot worse than have Sean Astin play Bilbo. He is an excellent young actor, and he is not really Samwise Gamgee, he is an actor, from an acting family. I dont know obviously if he would be interested, but I can see him playing the part. I sometimes think, people on the other side of the pond assume that if you have an English accent,(a south English accent, ie London) you are a good actor. Well, in the immortal words of George Gershwin, "It Ain't Necessarilly So". Liz in Aberdeen.

[Barliman Butterbur]

...you could do a hell of a lot worse than have Sean Astin play Bilbo. He is an excellent young actor, and he is not really Samwise Gamgee, he is an actor, from an acting family.

If PJ ever does get around to The Hobbit I'd like to see it done with a whole new crew of actors — I think that would be more convincing — with the exception of course of McKellen to play Gandalf — if he doesn't look ancient by then, and still wants to do it!

Sean Astin did a great job in LOTR thanks, IMO, to PJ's inspiring him to do his very best. I've seen him in some other films and have never been particularly impressed (at least in those films) with his acting skills. And after reading (most of) his recent book, I am astonished that he can even act at all, due to what appears to be a monumental and almost paralyzing self-absorption that seems to be in place at all times...

Barley

[Narsil]

Well, the ride is over and the last issue arrived in the mail yesterday, complete with a Q&A with Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens (co-writer, lovely lady and forever Queen of the Geeks). In the Q&A they both confirm that their next project after KING KONG is THE LOVELY BONES, a much smaller character driven story narrated by the spirit of a young girl who was raped and murdered as she watches her family and friends deal with her death. She also watches her murderer and follows the events in his life.

:eek: My lord, that sounds AWFUL! Would you go see a downer of a movie like that? I wouldn't. Something tells me Philippa will love it. What about Fran? I'll bet she wants in. :p

Bummer though because it definitely sets The Hobbit back awhile if we're waiting on the Jackson Team to produce it. Despite any misgivings I may have with them I'd rather they do it because I have great misgivings about someone else doing it. I guess it depends on who.

Ian Mckellan is a must as Gandalf! Much as I like Ian Holm as Bilbo I have reservations about it happening. Sounds like he'd be pushing 80 if and when this film happens and I just don't think that would fly.

[Wolfshead]

Bilbo can be replaced whereas Gandalf can't. Simple as that. It's like Michael Gambon replacing Richard Harris in Harry Potter - it just wasn't as good.

[Saucy]

Wolfshead makes a valid point, but perhaps it is because of that, there is such a delay.
theactors that they would need from LOTR's to be in the hobbit probabaly want a break from LOTR's to expand there carreers and or try something new.
it may be difficult for die hard fans to accept but iam sure they were quite sick of playing that one character.
and peter jackson likewise, wants to take advnatage of his fame and try knew things before he become known has the LOTR's movie director.
if he does revisit it it will be all the more outstanding if he has done other works too.

[Corvis]

What's more, there's also talk of a huge World War I epic. Apparently WWI is another favorite subject of Jackson's...


SO, I would guess that they will film both Lovely Bones, and the WWI epic, in which case we definitely have at least 4 or 5 years before they would even BEGIN thinking about The Hobbit.

Whoa! I would love to see a war film done by PJ. Especially, a WWI kind, that would be really cool.

[fadhatter]

the subject of PJ next film always seem to be another favorite subject of Jackson's...

isnt that weird lol :D

[Gandalf White]

the subject of PJ next film always seem to be another favorite subject of Jackson's...



It also seems to be a favorite of yours.

Weird.

[fadhatter]

cant let you get last word in GW :D

when will u get the inferioirty complex off ya shoulders :D

[Gandalf White]

Ah, I got rid of the inferiority complex a long time ago.

Your superiority complex, however, is alive and kicking. And amusing. :D