'The Hobbit': Peace in Middle-Earth?

Entertainment Weekly ^ | Oct 04, 2007 | Benjamin Svetkey

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Fans have long dreamed ''Lord of the Rings'' director Peter Jackson would tackle J.R.R. Tolkien's ''The Hobbit,'' but a nasty legal battle with New Line Cinema has made it impossible. Now, at last, a cease-fire may be at hand

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

The hard news is that Jackson seems to be winning his lawsuit against New Line Cinema, that the company badly needs a sure moneymaker, and that the hardliners are talking peace. The rumours are that an announcement of Jackson as Director is imminent, and New Line is scouting locations for the Lonely Mountain!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

After you evaluate this, possibly a Ring Ping would be justified?

[Darkwolf377]

I couldn't get through any of the Tolkien books, but the movies were terrific. It seems they were made more as action/adventures when a more literary approach might have been interesting, but I like them for what they are.

Can't say as I find the prospect of The Hobbit all that interesting, though. More a kids' story.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

While it isn’t in this story, there are supposed to be plans for an additional movie, based on the Appendices, which would be about the meeting of the White Council and the spread of the threat of Sauron, essentially a prequel to the LOTR and much darker than the Hobbit.

[gondramB]

>>Can’t say as I find the prospect of The Hobbit all that interesting, though. More a kids’ story.<<

The movie will need to be very different from LoTR...

It really is a “there and back” boys adventure story, not a dark and epic struggle for the soul of the world.

Hopefully it won’t turn into YAIA - Yet another Iraq allegory.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Hopefully it won’t turn into YAIA

Doesn't seem likely, it isn't Peter Jackson's style! Also it won't be out for a few years, would be a poor idea to use a by then dated plot.

[gondramB]

I certainly hope you are right.

[Darkwolf377]

That sounds interesting, but I’ve kinda had it with prequels. They’re a very dull idea and I can’t think of one that really worked (though the third Star Wars one was ok). I like it better when a story unfolds from the beginning onward, and when it’s over, it’s over. So many of us long for stories to continue, but Hollywood always seems to do them to death. We should learn to let things end, and enjoy our memories, instead of having them swamped by endless retreads that make us forget why we thought these stories special in the first place.

[JennysCool]

Yet another Iraq allegory.

Haven't you noticed? Iraq seems to have simmered down, with cooler heads prevailing.

Ergo, it is not presently being discussed in the mainstream media.

When something bad and telegenic happens, they'll be right back on it.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

They’re a very dull idea

Well, I don't think that the Robert DeNiro 'prequel' part of The Godfather II was as bad as all that!

[Darkwolf377]

But that wasn’t a prequel itself. It used flashbacks to tell parallel stories. Using flashbacks doesn’t make it a prequel.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

It depends on what the meaning of ‘is’ is, I guess!

[Darkwolf377]

Let’s put it this way: You’re the first person I’ve ever encountered who considers Godfather 2 a prequel in any sense. ;)

[kb2614]

J.R.R. Tolkein never liked allegory. Hopefully Jackson and company will take that into account.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Actually Tolkien's ideas and notes on the 3 ages of Middle Earth (the appendices) were written first. This was followed by his plans for The Lord of the Rings, Then The Hobbit was dashed off as a children's story. Then The Lord of the Rings was completed and published. So you see that TLOTR was written as a Sequel to The Hobbit, which was an expansion of the idea which will be made into the 'prequel', which is actually the original story.

[Darkwolf377]

I understand the chronology. I’m just talking about the film as it’s being described in the article, as two movies, putting in material from the appendixes to almost create a new story between the books Hobbit and Fellowship.

[Lil'freeper]

Sweeeeeet. Thank you for the news!

[Old Sarge]

Well, this is a welcome piece of news!

If PJ is back at the helm, “The Hobbit” is sure to be as close to The Professor’s intent as humanly possible.

[HairOfTheDog]

I read the whole thing... not a lot of hard news, but I like the tone of the rumors!

I don’t want to see it with anyone else.

I’m sure ecurbh’ll ring ping it when he gets up :~)

[ecurbh]

Ring Ping!!

Anyone wishing to be added to or removed from the Ring-Ping list, please don't hesitate to let me know.

[Monkey Face]

Great news!

Thanks for the ping!

[Rocko]

Good point.

[SuziQ]

Encouraging news!! It would be nice to see "The Hobbit" on the big screen. Yes, some consider it more of a kids' story, but PJ could render it pretty intense for the screen; especially the Battle of the Five Armies! Heck, folks brought their younger kids to see the Rings movies, I don't see them holding them back from The Hobbit!

[300winmag]

It really is a “there and back” boys adventure story, not a dark and epic struggle for the soul of the world.

For a YA, The Hobbit brought the publisher back to Tolkien quickly, demanding more. I suspect a lot of adults read it too, and someone saw potential for a more significant story set in the same universe. Tolkien rummaged through his never-finished Silmarilion, and found an era where he could shoe-horn in some Hobbits, and write a bigger story. The rest, they say, is literary history.

I have to admit, even after a half-dozen readings, I'm turned off by the childish exposition of the first few chapters of The Hobbit. But the tone changes, and things get more "interesting" after that.

I'm convinced that Peter Jackson was the right person at the right time to do what was considered the impossible: actually make a movie that could tell the story as best as could be done in 12 hours of film. If PJ doesn't do The Hobbit, I'll wait to see it for free on cable some day.

Jackson made Newline billions. You'd think having him do more of the same would be a no-brainer. But there is no such thing as a "no-brainer" when it comes to Hollywood.

[Ladysmith]

Yep, leave it to Hollywood to screw up a good thing... Here's hoping Peter is back at the helm of The Hobbit.

[Cap'n Crunch]

YES! Last night the Indians beat the Yanks, and now this news.... life is good.

Thanks for the ping, I hope they “do it right.”