Del Toro Gets Close to 'The Hobbit'
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Deals, Remakes and Sequels
Earlier this month, director Guillermo del Toro talked about his open mind towards tackling The Hobbit, and how he was also interested in helming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now The Hollywood Reporter has posted that del Toro, whose name has been on the Hobbit shortlist for a while, is in official talks to direct the two J.R.R. Tolkien installments. The Pan's Labyrinth director will most likely come away with the two gigs in his pocket, and really, is there anyone better (Jackson aside)?If he signs on the dotted line, the push will then be to get a script together -- something that has to wait until the strike is resolved (or an interim agreement is made). Then, both del Toro and Peter Jackson will oversee the writing, and try to get things ready for the tentative starting date in 2009 -- with a hefty $150 million price tag attached to each film. The first would hopefully bow in 2010, with the second in 2011.
Personally, I get anxious every time I hear that a script is going to be "fast-tracked," so I'm sort of hoping that they take a little more time with this. If they do, that could also possibly leave del Toro free to jump into Deathly Hallows, which would be all sorts of sweet. Stay tuned!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-28-2008 @ 12:16PM
Brian said...
Really, the last thing I want is for Harry Potter to be any more of a LoTR series wannabe. I hope he ends up with one of the gigs exclusive of the other so the styles can stay separate. That said, I think his style would be excellent for The Hobbit.
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1-28-2008 @ 3:15PM
Joe said...
I am a big fan of Del Toro and if He could work on this movie it would be really great and big news.
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1-28-2008 @ 5:41PM
mike said...
I hope this is true and with Del Toro and Jackson overseeing the writing this will be huge and as said giving Del Toro a $300 mil budget for boths films (yet filmed at the same) is insane.
Though I still want him to handle the final Potte movie. If he can swing all 3 films, I would be ecstatic.
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1-28-2008 @ 10:39PM
eli said...
I would like to see del Toro direct the Hobbit movies, but hope it doesn't effect any more Hellboy sequels. I know we've only seen the teaser trailer for HBII, but I can't wait to see it. The first one was great and think the 2nd looks amazing so far.
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1-30-2008 @ 10:26AM
Peach said...
I'm not sure at this point I even care. Jackson was supposed to make this flick but he let money get in the way. I'm not sure why any studio would want to work with him. He begged to get his Lord of the Rings made and then bickered about money they paid him and Fran.
He knew his fans would put pressure on WB thinking he would make the Hobbit. Jackson only wanted the money he didn't care about his fans. I think Jackson was afraid he couldn't make another movie that would stand up to the Lord of the Rings.. he sure hasn't so far.
Notice how he and Fran stayed on to be "sort" of producers for their input into the Hobbit. It's his way of getting his paw into the money pot that is sure to follow after the 2 Hobbit movies are released.
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1-31-2008 @ 12:16PM
Kathy Rote said...
I never really thought that the Tolkien stories could be made into a movie that would come close to bringing images I cherished from reading the books into form. Not just visual form, but also the speaking and acting for each character. Especially when both G. Lucas and S. Spielberg said they wouldn't even attempt it. So I went to P. Jackson's first LOTR movie ready to hate, but just curious. He did it. Period. For me and so so many other people who've cherished those stories for years. Watching the appendices, I can see why. Everyone involved in the production, from Jackson on down to the grunt crew were coming from a humble and a passionate place, and a group effort like that only happens when the person at the helm is able to host and inspire everyone else. It was the least "Hollywood like" imaginable - praise be. took them forever & they loved every minute. I think that adding Del Toro to the mix plus putting the time and $ crunch is going to slaughter the Hobbit. Oh it'll be wonderful special effects - but I'd rather it wasn't even made. I vote Jackson, or no one.
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