Peter Jackson to direct The Hobbit, Warner Bros. whips out checkbook

[Ns1]

10/20/10

New Zealand actors - you fucked yourselves.

UPDATE: Even though SAG and AFTRA rescinded the order to stop members from working on The Hobbit after sister union New Zealand Actors Equity asked them to do so, that doesn't automatically mean that Peter Jackson will move the pictures back to the New Zealand locations that are home to Mordor, Minas Tirith, Isengard and other Middle Earth locales. Because of all the hard feelings that the local unions created, Warner Bros has been exploring other options, and while Jackson will have a say, the studio could decide to make a move if it gets a better deal someplace else. Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh were clearly furious about the aggressive tactics used by the New Zealand Actors Equity and the Australian Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance. Between 1000 and 15000 technicians and actors who were opposed to Equity's actions picketed Equity headquarters last night, and moved that protest to Parliament. Polls conducted by local TV stations and newspapers in New Zealand showed little support for the union tactic, and high level ministers in government supported Jackson. I'd say it's unlikely that Jackson moves--his visual effects headquarters and stages are based in New Zealand--clearly this is serious stuff. He and Walsh issued this incendiary release last night, before the unions tried to bring the agitation to a halt:

More: http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/acting-guilds-settle-beefs-with-the-hobbit/


1. PJ is officially new director
2. 3D most likely, shooting both parts at once, release dates Dec 2012 and Dec 2013
3. 500MM production budget!!!!

http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/peter-jackson-directing-the-hobbit-toldja/#more-72590

love me some peter jackson

i wonder if they're gonna use the same gollum

 

[Vic Vega]

I read he is moving the filming from NZ to the American north-west because the labor unions there are out of control.

 

[darkswordsman17]

I'm trying to remember how the book described him, but he would have aged some between the Hobbit and LotR. He should be less ragged at least. My guess is they'll make him quite a bit different, possibly even unrecognizable (to highlight the effect not having the ring had on him).

 

[darkswordsman17]

I read he is moving the filming from NZ to the American north-west because the labor unions there are out of control.

The story I saw, they were threatening to move it from NZ to Eastern Europe.

 

[Beev]

I thought PJ was always going to be the director for it? At least I remember reading about it like, three years ago...

Or was he just a producer or something back then?

 

[bignateyk]

I thought PJ was always going to be the director for it? At least I remember reading about it like, three years ago...

Or was he just a producer or something back then?

I think he was supposed to, and then he quit, and now he's back again.

 

[mizzou]

Great, 3D.....

 

[Ns1]

Great, 3D.....

while I generally share your sentiment, it appears as though the hobbit will actually be shot in 3D vs post-conversion

 

[darkswordsman17]

while I generally share your sentiment, it appears as though the hobbit will actually be shot in 3D vs post-conversion

Yeah, I would expect Jackson to do it pretty decently. The only problem is, the setting for a lot of the scenes will be dark and kinda drab, which will make things a pain for 3D. Also, won't 3D really screw with their ability to do the size differences using perspective?

 

[Ns1]

Yeah, I would expect Jackson to do it pretty decently. The only problem is, the setting for a lot of the scenes will be dark and kinda drab, which will make things a pain for 3D. Also, won't 3D really screw with their ability to do the size differences using perspective?

with 500 million to play around with I'm sure they'll find a way.

I am seriously wow'ed if that is indeed the budget.

 

[techforums]

I thought PJ was always going to be the director for it? At least I remember reading about it like, three years ago...

Or was he just a producer or something back then?

Del toro backed out. It would of been crazy if he was directing it.

 

[mizzou]

while I generally share your sentiment, it appears as though the hobbit will actually be shot in 3D vs post-conversion

3d is like a drug, the director cant resist several campy "objects flying into camera", and until those forced perspectives are gone, i will still hate it because 3d will not transfer flawlessly to 2d

 

[AMDZen]

I'm trying to remember how the book described him, but he would have aged some between the Hobbit and LotR. He should be less ragged at least. My guess is they'll make him quite a bit different, possibly even unrecognizable (to highlight the effect not having the ring had on him).

It was the ring that turned him ragged and like that. He should look nearly the same even with all the time that had passed, except a "younger" version if you will.

Didn't you ever see the cartoon?

 

[KeithTalent]

Meh, fuck 3D.

I figured P-Jax was going to do it once Del Toro left, so I'm happy with that. Zero, actually negative interest in the 3D side of things.

KT

 

[preslove]

Is Ian Holm playing Bilbo?

 

[darkswordsman17]

with 500 million to play around with I'm sure they'll find a way.

I am seriously wow'ed if that is indeed the budget.

I don't doubt they'll figure it out, between Jackson and Weta, I'm sure they'll find a way to make it work and well. I'm fully expecting it to be wow on the level of Avatar (from the 3D visual standpoint), but they'll definitely have their work cut out for them.

I kinda doubt the budget will be that high for just 2 films, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is equal or even a bit higher than LotR (which was what $300-350 million for all 3?).

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

The story I saw, they were threatening to move it from NZ to Eastern Europe.

They have been dicking around with negotiations for months. Fucking unions.

 

[Ns1]

I kinda doubt the budget will be that high for just 2 films, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is equal or even a bit higher than LotR (which was what $300-350 million for all 3?).

More like 500MM+ for all 3

Each movie basically has the budget of RotK, but we'll see

I loved all 3 films and the book, so I got high hopes here.

 

[Vic Vega]

Meh, fuck 3D.

I figured P-Jax was going to do it once Del Toro left, so I'm happy with that. Zero, actually negative interest in the 3D side of things.

KT

Same. 3D TV and film so completely uninteresting to me I have started avoiding media which includes it.

 

[mizzou]

They have been dicking around with negotiations for months. Fucking unions.

Sounds from stories they are biting the hand that feeds them. PJ and NZ have so much history, itsba shame they may become alienated by huge budget movies. I wonder how much tourism PJ and LOTR is responsible for NZs yearly budget

 

[crownjules]

Is Ian Holm playing Bilbo?

Too old. Bilbo is supposed to be as old as Frodo was in LOTR, maybe a little older, during The Hobbit.

 

[darkswordsman17]

It was the ring that turned him ragged and like that. He should look nearly the same even with all the time that had passed, except a "younger" version if you will.

Didn't you ever see the cartoon?

Yes, but you can consider LotR Gollum as going through withdrawal, which will make him look really sick and ragged. Possession of the ring slows aging.

What does the cartoon have to do with this? He looked like a fish in those.

After looking it up, he was changed before the Hobbit so he won't probably look that much different, but I wouldn't expect him to look the same either.

 

[Lummex]

Soo excited. And like someone else said, Gollum should look relatively the same. He was already a pitiful, slimy, lizard-like character in The Hobbit, if I remember correctly. He'll definitely be younger, though.

 

[Numenorean]

Too old. Bilbo is supposed to be as old as Frodo was in LOTR, maybe a little older, during The Hobbit.

 

[KMFJD]

Sounds from stories they are biting the hand that feeds them. PJ and NZ have so much history, itsba shame they may become alienated by huge budget movies. I wonder how much tourism PJ and LOTR is responsible for NZs yearly budget

Peter Jackson's take on the union situation, interesting read

http://www.movieweb.com/news/NEdSUTnLk3tRhh