The Hobbit Update

With all the financial hoohah [that's the technical term were sticking with] over at MGM, speculation has consumed the message boards about the state of their most prized and high profile assets, namely: The Hobbit and Bond 23. Up till now any concrete news about the production let alone the release dates of both projects are scarce, yet it looks like Warner Brothers know the score as they announce a December 2O12 release.


What we are waiting for however is some interaction from some of the major players, i.e Guillermo Del Toro or Peter Jackson would suffice, just to confirm that indeed The Hobbit is not in permanent stasis as is feared with Bond 23.


More news as it comes.


MATT RICHARDSON

MGM MELTDOWN: Bond Next To Suffer

It appears that the financial meltdown that MGM finds itself in is really taking a hold. First news filtered through that the upcoming Hobbit productions had been delayed from starting; and now it it has been officially announced that not even James Bond can withstand the enemy at the gates of MGM. Oh, their just bailiffs.

EON productions' Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have put out a joint statement via Coming Soon that casts a dim light on the future of the project.

"Due to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of MGM and the failure to close a sale of the studio, we have suspended development on Bond 23 indefinitely. We do not know when development will resume and do not have a date for the release of the film."

Will Bond return? Of course its a british film institution Bond will always exist in some form on the big screen. However when we will next see our man? And will it be Daniel Craig when it does come about? However while only small moves by other studios to enquire how much MGM would be looking to sell up and cover the reported $4 billion debts against it is another question entirely.

This news of course will also stir the mystical pot of The Hobbit, is it heading the same way indefinate delay? Unfortunately it is a matter of waiting to find out.

Stripping the assets and its back catalogue of films in order to save itself from bankruptcy, the likes of Bond and The Hobbit are likely to be auctioned off in order to generate revenue, one thing is for sure, while these films are held by MGM, they will not get made.

MATT RICHARDSON

The Hobbit Delayed

News from Middle Earth and it is not what we want to hear. Last week Sir Ian Mckellen’s via his website announced that shooting for The Hobbit part one and two was to commence in June. Well, that’s all changed, with uncertainty hovering over the project after other cast members suggest the film won’t shoot until the end of the year, they think.


Digital spy asked Andy Serkis on the red carpet for the Empire Awards when filming was due to start, his response was not all that positive. "It is, apparently! At some point towards the end of this year, I expect it'll start kicking off." Expect? A film that by all accounts was set to roll in  two months, which will relocate many of the stars, producers and director for an entire year to New Zealand, is only 'expected' to now start by the end of the year. 


Further adding to the woes off all Hobbites' was the reversal of Mckellen’s website announcement, now saying that the film beginning ‘at a time to be announced’.


The speculation is that MGM, who are the distributors for both forthcoming Hobbit release, are in dire straights financially. Indeed, TORN, the number one website for fans of all thing’s JRR Tolkien, have repeatedly reported the problems surrounding MGM  and how that this difficulty is impeding Guillermo del Toro in getting the films into production. 


As it stands MGM are currently in the process of stripping its assests to any one that is interested in order to their balance the books. This paints a bleak picture for The Hobbit's eventual release date, for as long as MGM remain in financial strain and the films distributor, the film could be delayed even further.


We hope to have more positive news soon.

Gandalf Speaks. We Listen.

Sir Ian Mckellen has confirmed via his website that production on The Hobbit, the prequel of-sorts to The Lord of the Rings trilogy helmed by Peter Jackson will begin in June for a year-long shoot.

Mckellen, who himself is returning to The Hobbit films as Gandalf says:

"The Hobbit’s two films start shooting in New Zealand in June. Filming will take over a year. Casting in Los Angeles, New York City and London has started. The script too proceeds. The first draft is crammed with old and new friends, again on a quest in Middle Earth".

Guillermo del Toro will direct both films, with Jackson co-writing the screenplay based on the J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit.The direction of the two films was revealed to TORN by Del Toro. He sees the book as the first self-contained film, with the second to act as 'an integral part of telling the story of those 50 years of history lost in the narrative'.  


Part One, was due to be released late 2011, with all Lord of the Rings released in December, it would be a fair bet that this trend continues. But, with post production likely not to start until both films are wrapped next, a more likely due date is December 2012.

MATT RICHARDSON