Chic, IL And "The Hobbit" Director will be.....

Ok for those that haven't been keeping up for the last 4 or so days the buzz has bee centered around one director that makes me personally extremely happy and satisfied. And that man is...

Guillermo del Toro!!!

Its been confirmed on multiple sites from multiple sources. Not the least of which is a recent interview with him , which unfortunately involves both French and Spanish translators, posted on theonering.net in which he and his "people" state that he will be directing the two films.

This news gets an emphatic thumbs up from me. Both in attitude, style, flourish, and geek loves he is the closest thing we can get to Peter Jackson without getting PJ. They have stated on several of the sites that both a New Line source and a source within Guillermo's camp have both stated that the deal is 99% completed they just need to "cross the t's and dot the i's on the contract", but that everyone is onboard with this decision and trying to make it happen.

Now as for those who have been living under a rock for the last ten years, don't base your opinion of Guillermo's work purely on the films he's made with the highest budget. I highly recommend some of his early spanish films like, "The Devil's Backbone", or even some of the recent films that he's only produced. His project choices show an adept hand and a wide vision. And it helps that he understands that visual effects need to assist a story not overpower them. Forget about his blade if you only know his major studio films then watch Pan's Labyrinth and tell me that he couldn't perform wonders with the likes of Gollum, Gandalf, and Smaug the F'n Dragon!!!!!

--Spoiler King Out

 

Oh and incidentally they say they're waiting for the end of the Writer's strike to make the formal announcement. And they,ve stated that both PJ and Guillermo will be overseeing the writing process. Now whether that means that they will be the official writers or not doesn't worry me in the slightest, because I know them both to be very hands on creators. They aren't going to let anyone veer away from the story that they want to tell on the screen.

Remember PJ is the same guy that dismissed Howard Shore from his duties as composer for King Kong right after the popularity of LOTR because he felt that they were both going in two different directions in terms of pacing and mood. Anyone who could dismiss the guy who just won an Oscar for one of his own projects is gonna have the cahones to stand up for what he believes is the right story to be told.

 

No official announcement = no deal (yet)

 

Believe me under normal circumstances I'd be right there with you being the realist and the voice of pessimism. Hence, why I waited 4 days before bringing it to the board. However, under normal circumstances the director in question usually has the good sense to not run around announcing that he is directing the film in question. But then again they could be putting out feelers as well, in which case I as a good movie going geek with (IMHO) valid, reasonable opinions am obligated to put in my 2 cents and to say, "Me likey!".

 

This deal's getting worse all the time!

 

Del Toro's got my vote.


D'

 

I wish it was Del Taco instead.

 

I'm happy he's considered so highly as I loved Hellboy and Pan's Lab, but I'm waiting for official confirmation to release my joy on to the intertubes.

*squirt squirt*

 

No, I mean Benicio del Toro. Especially if he uses that funny accent from Usual Suspects when he he yells "Check the Gate!"

D'

 

Looks like the Hobbit films might be put on hold.

Phil

 

A little Googling shows that the Tolkien Trust established in '77 supports the World Wide Fund for Nature. Though I'd be curious to see just how many pennies on the dollar go towards "managing the trust" and how much actually goes to Panda Chow.
I mean if the wildlife is actually getting a hefty chunk of change, then I hope they sue and win (Hobbit delay or not). More than likely (though I could be wrong) the trust is just a way to pay oneself for someone else's work, including this suit.

D'

 

Well those of you that wanted to wait for "Official" news... Now you have it!

Guillermo Del Toro!!!

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080430/film_nm/mckellen_hobbit_dc;_ylt=AlzKKkGaYW41lAi5hSiiWENxFb8C

I'm sold.

 

Yeah, that was one thing I was worried about. It's one thing to not have Ian Holm as Bilbo, but someone else as Gandalf would dissociate it from Jackson's LOTR films.

Of course, someone besides Serkis as Gollum has me slightly worried as well. That was, in my opinion, the finest portrayal of Gollum we are likely to see.

 

Serkis is in talks and expected to be confirmed very shortly.

I have no doubt that The Hobbit could not survive without him. He mastered that role and IMO deserved an Oscar for it.

Some people are speculating that Orlando Bloom should return along with Viggo and some of the other cast and quite honestly, I don't think that should happen. That is akin to having Arwen fight at Helm's Deep. Aragorn and Legolas had little (if anything) to do with the events in The Hobbit. It is really reaching to tie it to LOTR which is as necessary as having Yoda meet Chewie and Artoo.

 

Word. Aragorn was not in The Hobbit at all, and the best they could hope for with Legolas and still be faithful to the text would be for him to be standing the background while the King of Mirkwood throws Thorin & Co. in the clink.

And no one will care if they get the same actor for Gloin. At least, I won't.

Hey, looks like Glenn Yarbrough is still alive, so the music will still be sweet.