Sam Raimi Reportedly Wants To Take On The Hobbit
Filed under: Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Casting, Deals, MGM, New Line, RumorMonger, Celebrities and Controversy, Fandom, Peter Jackson, Comic/Superhero/Geek, Remakes and Sequels
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Sam Raimi has been telling his business associates that he may jump onto The Hobbit, for his next directing project. Two insiders, described as "top-level" by Friday's L.A. Times, claimed to have heard this from the director's own mouth. An undisclosed New Line source also told The Times that there probably won't be a single Hobbit adaptation, but two films. Raimi has yet to meet with New Line heads about this move, and the story points out that the distribution rights to The Hobbit are held not by New Line, but MGM, which remains committed to having Peter Jackson direct The Hobbit.
An MGM source gave the following statement to The Times: "We support Peter Jackson, and when the dust settles, we believe he is the one who will be making this movie." That is, of course, highly unlikely considering the battle currently going on between Jackson and New Line chief Bob Shaye. Jackson is tangling with New Line over profits that he says he is owed from the Lord of the Rings franchise. Shaye has famously hit out at Jackson's claims, saying that "he will never make any movie with New Line Cinema again while I'm still working at the company."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-28-2007 @ 3:13PM
stormko said...
Maybe Bob Shaye wants to be fired. I've always thought it seems like a petty thing for a studio head to say. It makes him look very juvenile.
I'm surprised the stock holders just don't say, "Ok, then, you're out. Peter, here's your money, now go make the new film." The worst thing that would happen if the studio did that is they would have a new hit on their hands and get richer. Jeez, wouldn't want that.
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1-28-2007 @ 7:39PM
Dirk Gently said...
I'm not sure I want Sam Raimi adding a relationship arc to The Hobbit. What was hinted at in 'Return of the King' could turn into a torrid Hobbit on Wizard affair. Nobody wants that. Stop Shaye before it goes too far.
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1-29-2007 @ 12:46AM
josh said...
As I understand it, he isn't suing for his profits exactly - he is suing to have the books opened, and then if he is owed profits, he could then seek them. An article I read speculated that's the reason the studio is so against it - if those books get opened and it turns out they owe money to everyone, they would have to pay. Of course, no one outside the studio knows if that's the case... but it's happened before, Coming To America is the most famous example.
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2-09-2007 @ 2:17AM
Lizisfrodo said...
If Peter Jackson does not direct it then I won't be going. You hear that New Line? $$$ talks so Bob Shaye needs to find a new profession~don't let the door hit ya!
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