[ghettoelleth]

MGM/New Line has finally added the movie version of The Hobbit to its in 'in production' list and a release date of 2009 has been sent. P.J. will apparently not be directing because Bob Shaye, head of New Line basically said, not while he has life in him. Although the business is fickle and that could always change. The name Sam Raimi, director of the Spiderman trilogy is being mentioned as a possible replacement, but last night, Do and I, who are wondering if this is even a good idea at all, were discussing a list of directors we definately WOULD NOT like to see at the helm. Topping the list are:

David Lynch
Tim Burton
Spielberg
Lucas
Howard *snort*

What do you think, who are your definate yes and no choices?

[NancyBrooke]

Well, I'm reservedly pleased that it will be filmed. Now cross your fingers it can live up to the example PJ has set.

[Rhapsody]

I was wondering about Tim Burton as well, 'Big Fish' is such a great and touching movie (which I at first refused to see, but got dragged into seeing), so I can imagine that The Hobbit would be in good hands with him. I can see him giving it the magical and childlike innocent touch the hobbit has as a book. The same with Sam Raimi, I love his take on Spidey

[ghettoelleth]

I love Tim Burton and David Lynch, but I just can't see Danny Elfman scoring, hehe. Their styles don't really lend themselves to something like the Hobbit, do they? Pans Labyrinth was certainly excellent and he might be a good man for the job. He's working on Hellboy right now as well, so he's definately gaining the CGI chops to pull it off.

Bob Shaye himself did the new movie, The Last Mimzey, I haven't seen it yet so the juries still out with me on that one.

I hated the CGI in Narnia, ruined a lot of the movie for me, it was so stilted and obvious. But then again, that aspect might have more to do with Weta and I guess that's out of the question as well.

[Ottis413]

A short article in Wired Magazine (March or April 2007) quoting Bob Shaye;

Q: You recently said Peter Jackson would never touch The Hobbit while you were at New Line.
A:You know, we're being sued right now, so I can't comment on ongoing litigation. But I said some things publicly, and I'm sorry that I've lost a colleague and a friend.
Q: Is The Hobbit still a viable project?
A: I can only say we're going to do the best we can with it. I respect the fans a lot.

Sounds Like he's open to "negotiation"...

[ghettoelleth]

'Hobbit' in the Hands of Raimi?
29 January 2007 (IMDb Update)
Spider-Man helmer Sam Raimi may soon be tangled up in a new blockbuster. According to the Los Angeles Times, the filmmaker is on New Line Cinema's shortlist to direct its adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's seminal fantasy tome The Hobbit. While no deal is in place, Raimi's name has been mentioned often since talks with Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson ran aground due to an ongoing lawsuit over the mega-grossing trilogy's profits. No word yet on how Raimi's possible involvement might affect the Spidey series. New Line is hoping to turn Tolkien's tale into its own franchise with a pair of feature films.

Jackson, Shaye at impasse
11 January 2007 (The Hollywood Reporter)
An escalation in the war of words between New Line co-chairman Bob Shaye and "Lord of the Rings" filmmaker Peter Jackson appears to be nixing any possible reconciliation between the two -- or any chance that Jackson will direct the trilogy's prequel, "The Hobbit".

In an interview with the Sci Fi Channel news service Sci Fi Wire, Shaye said Jackson will never make another movie for the studio and said the filmmaker just wants more money.

"I don't care about Peter Jackson anymore," Shaye said. "He wants to have another $100 million or $50 million, whatever he's suing us for. He doesn't want to sit down and talk about it. He thinks that we owe him something after we've paid him over a quarter of a billion dollars. ... Cheers, Peter."


New Line Chief: Jackson Won't Direct 'Hobbit' Prequel "On My Watch"
11 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
New Line Co-chairman Bob Shaye has made it clear that his decision not to bring back Peter Jackson to direct the Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit is final and not just a negotiating ploy. In an interview with the online Sci-Fi Wire, Shaye said that hiring Jackson for The Hobbit "will never happen during my watch." He claimed that Jackson had received "a quarter of a billion dollars paid to him so far, justifiably, according to contract, completely right, and this guy ... turns around without wanting to have a discussion with us and sues us and refused to discuss it unless we just give in to his plan. ... I don't want to work with that guy anymore." Shaye then emphasized: "He will never make any movie with New Line Cinema again while I'm still working at the company." Jackson quickly fired back that he had tried to discuss the issues with New Line "for over a year, but the studio was and continues to be completely uncooperative."


Like I said, it's a fickle business. Keep your fingers crossed that all this mess won't fuck up the whole deal and we'll eventually get to watch this in 2009

[vladazhael]

How about we add Robert Rodriguez and Quenting Tarantino to the "no" list? I love them both, but Gandalf doesn't need a guitar case full of guns and I don't want to hear the citizens of Laketown have an hour long discussion about pop culture of the 1970s.

Also, can we somehow make sure that Baz Luhrmann isn't allowed anywhere near this project? Tie him up or something? Because if he brings his sensory overstimulation into this I might have some sort of seizure.

I think Tim Burton has potential, though. He comes out of his mega-goth compartment every once in a while, and it usually turns out to be a good thing. (Not that I have any problem at all with the mega-goth compartment. )

And thanks, G, for making me think of David Lynch tackling this one. I still haven't gotten over 'Dune' and the heart plugs and the cow hanging from the ceiling. Why was there a cow? Why?...

[ghettoelleth]

[vladazhael]

[ghettoelleth]

[NancyBrooke]

[Alassante]

James Cameron (Titanic, Terminator) should be added to the No list I think. Tim Burton might be able to pull it off - who knows?

What about Brad Silberling (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events)? Perhaps he's not well known but he did a good job on that film.

[Rhapsody]

[NancyBrooke]

As far as I know, Danny Elfman was once the frontman for a moderately successful pop band called Oingo Boingo. Then he started contributing songs to movie soundtracks, including "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," and "Beverly Hills Cop." Somewhere along the line he made the transition to scoring, and has since done (I believe) every Tim Burton film since "Pee-wee's Big Adventure". He also sang the part of Jack Skellington in "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

He's an extraordinarily gifted musician, if somewhat repetitive, IMHO.

[Sirannon]

Hmm, I could see Lynch do it, if he decided to do it " The Straight Story"-style. You must admit, he really knows how to make fantastic visuals.

Or what about David Cronenberg?