Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro have found the perfect writers for The Hobbit and its sequel themselvesDel Toro who is directing the movies will work with the Lord of the Rings filmmaker and Hobbit executive producer to adapt the JRR Tolkien book and write its companion film according to The Hollywood ReporterOther writers include Jacksons wife Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens both of whom collaborated with Jackson on the Rings trilogyThe two auteurs spent eight months searching for a writer to adapt the literary classic When Jackson and New Line settled their differences over profit participation in the Rings films the Oscar winner said he would not pen the Hobbit movies because of other commitments While looking for another writer however Jackson and del Toro found openings in their schdules realized how much they loved the material and decided there was no time to bring in someone unfamiliar with Middle EarthTolkien wrote The Hobbit for his children
read more
Official announcements have not been made but all signs look good for Sir Ian Mckellen to return to his robed role as Gandalf in The HobbitIn one report says the AP McKellen tells fans that the part had been all but promised to him by Hobbit director Guillermo del Toro Obviously McKellan said its not a part that you turn down I loved playing Gandalf That anyone else but McKellen might actually play Gandalf seems remote The role which McKellen played for the Lord of the Rings trilogy even won him an Academy Award nomination Fingers crossed that the official word will come soon on this no-brainer-everyone-wins casting Anna DimondUse our Online Video Guide to relive the love of Lord of the RingsRelated149 Del Toro Officially Signs on to Direct The Hobbit
read more
Its officially official After months of rumored talks previously reported here Guillermo del Toro has signed on to direct The Hobbit the next installment in the Lord of the Rings series as well as its sequel says Variety The director is diving in to his new project full-on Del Toro is moving to New Zealand for the next four years to work with LOTR director Peter Jacksons production teams ostensibly to learn the ways of Middle Earth at the heart of it all He also faces a huge amount of material to tackle as both films which hes shooting back-to-back will cover a 60-year period starting where The Fellowship of the Ring left off Are you pleased with the final directorial choice Had someone else in mind Or have you been cheering on del Toro all along Anna Dimond
read more
Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth) is negotiating to direct New Line's Peter Jackson-produced two-movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, says the Reporter.... Best-actress Oscar nominee Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose) is in talks to join Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in Public Enemies, Michael Mann's 1930s-set organized-crime drama.... Comedian Bill Engvall has signed on to Bait Shop, a fishing comedy starring Billy Ray Cyrus as Engvall's nemesis.... Julia Roberts will produce and star in Hothouse Flowers, about a recent divorcée who leaves her job and takes off on an adventure. — Mickey O’ConnorWhat's your take? Would Tolkien be in good hands with del Toro?
read more
Send your movie questions to FlickChickSee Maitland McDonagh and Ken Fox review this weeks new flicks in Movie TalkA dark richly imagined fable about the allure and danger of retreating from harsh reality into the world of the mind Pans Labyrinth 2006 was nominated for dozens of high-profile awards in the US and abroad and deserved every one Writer-director Guillermo del Toros best film to date its a perfect mix of horror-movie imagery and sharp psychological insights anchored by 11-year-old Ivana Baqueros astonishing performance as a bookish preteen who seeks refuge from lifes real monsters in elaborate fantasies of mythical creatures and magical quests Set in 1944 in the aftermath of Spains bitter Civil War the same period del Toro explores in his equally haunting The Devils Backbone an earlier DVD Tuesday pick it begins as young Ofelia and her pregnant mother Carmen Ariadna Gil join Carmens new husband Captain Vidal Sergi Lopez at the rural army
read more
