Everyone knows the studios resort to "creative" accounting when reporting to producers. There is no way for producers and filmmakers to check every cent of the prints and advertising expenditure. The studios always bump up the P&A spend on every film to reduce what they owe to producers. It's been going on since the beginning of the studio system.

When the films needed extra financing, Peter Jackson forgoed his salary and opted to get a cut of the gross. The studios agreed not knowing how successful the film will become. Then when they do become these monster box office hits and they need to pay Peter Jackson his cut of the gross which would be much more than $250m given the worldwide box office of all three films, he bawks and calls Peter Jackson greedy.

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There's a long history of studio's screwing talent out of money for as long as Hollywood has been around. I hope Jackson's next film makes a billion dollars with another studio and he rubs it in their face.

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This is funny since Peter Jackson in effect saved that company. Oh well, let them go back to obscurity again and see what happens.

Didn't Jackson just want to see the books and New Line refused?

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You kidding me? Pete only got 250 mil? What the hell? The last movie alone made 1 billion worldwide. Combined, the movies took in like 2.7 billion. Pete isn't asking for a handout. As I understand the lawsuit, he wants some outside faces to audit the earnings for LOTR so he can get his fair share, or be told he got his fair share. 250 is weak sauce by comparison.

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Shaye needs to get over himself, come clean with the benjamins, and let Jackson direct The Hobbit...or let it go so Jackson can direct it for someone else. Is this guy really Gollum's evil twin? Are the financials his "Precious"???

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I think overall jackson did as good of a job on the other movies as could have been done at this time-- cinematically, they wer awesome movies. i fell he should have the same resources to direct the Hobbit (with WHATEVER company produces it) as he had before. This would allow the COMPLETE SERIES of movies to look, sound and Feel consistent, and in effect create a more Complete ensemble. It the only way to do it correctly

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If there is non PJ then there should be no "Hobbit" film...it's a no-brainer. Who better, at this point, knows the characters, background, settings for Middle Earth. Someone else could never equal the images we all have of Middle Earth now or the personalities of the characters - even though many of us formed our images and ideas long before the Trilogy of films, we now have added PJ's richness to our dreams and visions.

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I was raised on LOTR; after being terrified that the movie versions would destroy the books, I was brought to tears multiple times by the accuracy of the movies to the spirit of the trilogy. I trust Peter Jackson; I don't want anyone else to make a mockery of something so important to me--and so many other people.

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All I have to say is if they get anyone else other than peter jackson to film the hobbit, i will send out a mass email to many people urging them not to see it, and have them send it to their friends. Oh, and i dont know who came up with the bright idea for alfonso cuaron to direct the hobbit, because he did a horrible job with the harry potter movies that he has directed. Yeah um New Line? GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND GIVE PETER WHAT HE DESERVES!! if it wasnt for him, you guys would probably be eating used wonder bread!!

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I think Peter Jackson did an amazing job with the LotR adaptation, and if he's not on board for The Hobbit, then there's just no point in even making it, in my opinion. I really don't think another director would give it the right feel like he would.

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When you think of Star Wars you think Lucas, the same goes for Lord of the Rings.A Rings movie with no Jackson would be like serving ripple with lobster.

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I agree with Anna: The Hobbit shouldn't be done as a movie unless Peter Jackson directs it. Actually it has been done before--badly! Peter Jackson is the first to do a respectful version of a Tolkien book.
Peviously the Middle Earth books have just been treated as cartoon fantasy. I would love to see not only the Hobbit, but stories from The Silmarillion be brought to live visually, but I think only Peter Jackson--who is a fan and understands the stories, the characters, the Middle Earth world--can do them justice. New Line needs to think about whether they need to break with Jackson or get rid of Shaye. I know they don't care about the art, but I'm sure they care about the money. So what if they need to give Peter Jackson a million or so more now? A Peter Jackson--directed Hobbit would mostlikely make billions for the studio. If they don't want him to direct it, they may as well forget doing the movie at all. There is a ready-made audience for a Jackson version and a ready-made boycott for a New Line version sans Jackson. The studio needs to wake up!

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I agree with all of the above. Without Peter Jackson, there should not be a Hobbit. He made LOTR reality, not just on the screen, but in our minds and our hearts--all of these characters are alive; they are not fantasy; they are history. The idea that Alfonso Cuaron could even begin to see the Hobbit as reality is about as fictional as the work he did on Harry Potter, at that point in time my favorite of the 3 books in the Potter series. With his work on Prisoner of Azkaban, he horribly destroyed what had become a reality of Harry and his world. Please, don't allow him to destroy another wonderful piece of literature! After all, the Hobbit is Peter Jackson.

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Why not try Guillermo Del Toro? Other names would be Terry Gilliam or a LONG shot, Tim Burton??? But definitely keep Jackson in there!! Settle this nonsense!!!

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New Line needs to shape up or ship out. MGM can and will do The Hobbit if New Line will release it. Peter Jackson did a superb job on LOTR. He knows all of the actors used in LOTR and will have a better feel for Middle Earth. I can imagine New Zealand used for Middle Earth again and Andy Serkis as Gollum. I agree with those who wish other Tolkien works to be made into movies.The Book of Lost Tales would be good but only if done by Peter Jackson.

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I can't believe New Line is being so petty and foolish about having their books checked by a neutral party. That does look like book-cooking to me.
I have read all of the Tolkien books, even the ones by Christopher Tolkien and I can't imagine anyone but Peter Jackson directing The Hobbit. It makes me ill to think about it. I certainly would not want to see it.

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After the Lord of the Rings trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, there is not anyone else that would be right to direct The Hobbit but Peter. As much as I loved LOTR, and I'm sure I'd love The Hobbit as well, I wouldn't even go see it if Peter Jackson didn't direct it. Peter did a terrific job with the LOTR. It will definitely be New Line's loss!!!

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I write this for the sake of one of the most important and successful partnerships (New Line and Peter Jackson) and for the billions of immensely grateful and devoted LOTR fans.
Indeed, after working on three films, there should be a way for Shaye and Peter to kiss and make up (so to speak). As an owner or CFO of any corporation it would kind of sting to get legal proceedings brought against you by a business partner but is Peter asking for something that is absolutely ridiculous? The first thing would be to look over what Peter has done for this project ( LOTR )and one can easily see the answer. Everything. Peter's percentage of the gross is much more than what he has actually received, so of course he's going to sue. I recognize that if not for New Line, Peter's LOTR may have not been made but it can never be overstated of what LOTR has done for New Line. I hope that Shaye and Peter can reconcile and make up, I want this team to do the Hobbit. Please.

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If New Line does not allow Peter Jackson to direct The Hobbit then I shall not ever, ever, ever, go to see another New Line film...so there.

Gimli

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People, there is only one reason why New Line don't want to be audited and we all know what it is. Yes, every agreement has an auditing clause which the producers are able to demand at any given time but they hardly ever do because they are proabbly too busy working on their next film. It's just that Peter Jackson is an astute businessman as well as a great filmmaker, something which New Line wasn't banking on, I bet. New Line, please make any "corrections" to your books asap and settle this now. PJ saves your ass from extinction and Shaye should literally go down on his knees every time PJ requests it.

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