NEW YORK - Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema have reached agreement to make J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” a planned prequel to the blockbuster trilogy “The Lord of the Rings.”
Jackson, who directed “Rings,” will serve as executive producer for “The Hobbit.” A director for the prequel films has yet to be named.
Relations between Jackson and New Line had soured after “Rings,” despite a collective worldwide box office gross of nearly $3 billion — an enormous success. The two sides nevertheless were able to reconcile, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) splitting “The Hobbit” 50/50, spokesmen for both studios said Tuesday.
“I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line,” Jackson said in a statement. “We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth.”
Two “Hobbit” films are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, similar to how the three “Lord of the Rings” films were made. Production is set to begin in 2009 with a released planned for 2010, with the sequel scheduled for a 2011 release.
Late last year, acrimony between Jackson and New Line became very public, with the studio announcing they would move forward with “The Hobbit” without the Academy Award-winning director. Jackson sued New Line over the amount he was paid for “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first installment of the trilogy.
That litigation, the two sides announced Tuesday, has been settled.
Jackson, who shepherded Tolkien’s Middle-earth saga to the screen in a series of three films, won a best-director Oscar for 2003’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” The trilogy also includes 2002’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and 2001’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.”
New Line, which is owned by Time Warner Inc., holds the rights to produce “The Hobbit,” while MGM, which is owned by a consortium including Sony Corp. and Comcast Corp., has the right to distribute it.
darn you buddy, I was going to post a thread o this
haha.
anyways, this is awesome, hopefully get the forum boosting again
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"In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields at Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen. And won their freedom."
why wont we be here....oh god its true, the world is ending soon.
anyways, Might read the Hobbit and parade it around my town to show people I am a real fan and dont need to rely on the movies for my knowledge... or not, wotever.
'm excited for this again.
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"In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields at Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen. And won their freedom."
"In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields at Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen. And won their freedom."
Yes!! I saw this in the Dominion Post here in Wellington on Wednesday!! ****ing fantastic news!!
With Jackson in production, again, Weta will most likely be involved, again, and The Hobbit won't end out turning out like the recent Beowulf film! *shudder, shudder, shudder* They ruined the oldest and greatest myth/legend ever!! Seriously, I despise them for that.
But yay! This'll be interesting to see how this one turns out. And maybe, just maybe, John Howe and Alan Lee will come to NZ again, and I'll be around for them this time. Maybe get some tips and get Howe to sign my copy of FAW. Yussss exciting!!
It will be a great movie and I cant wait to see the closet tolkien fans come out again.
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"In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields at Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen. And won their freedom."
yes indeedy, doubt much of the regular oldies will come back, hell I might take another one of those "6month" absence from the forum again.
I just get really buy and forget the forum is here.
__________________
"In the year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland, starving and outnumbered, charged the fields at Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets. They fought like Scotsmen. And won their freedom."