Jackson Won't Return to the Shire Soon

AP ^ | Thu Mar 4,11:56 AM ET

[maquiladora]

NEW YORK - Peter Jackson (news) won't be returning to the Shire any time soon.

The Oscar-winning director is planning to film "The Hobbit," the prequel to "The Lord of the Rings," trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, but two studios must first duke out the legal rights to the film.

Jackson said New Line has the rights to make the movie, but MGM has the rights to distribute it.

"I guess MGM's lawyers and New Line's lawyers are going to have a huge amount of fun over the next few years trying to work it all out," he told reporters recently in Los Angeles, according to AP Radio. "I'm obviously busy for a couple of years on King Kong so those lawyers can just go at it for a long time."

"The Hobbit" tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, who finds a powerful ring and eventually passes it on to his nephew, Frodo Baggins. Frodo's journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring is the basis for the "Rings" books and films.

Jackson said if he were going to direct the movie, he'd want it feel like the rest of the trilogy.

"I'd want Ian McKellan to be back as Gandalf, I'd want it to feel like it was part of the same mythology that we've done with Lord of the Rings," Jackson said.

On Sunday, Jackson won an Academy Award for best director and shared the adapted-screenplay award with his two co-writers for the final "Rings" film "The Return of the King."

"Return of the King" swept this year's Academy Awards (news - web sites), winning 11 total.

[maquiladora]

ring/hobbit ping!

[2Jedismom]

Yeah!!!

[dd5339]

Looks like Jackson will do the Hobbit!

Semper Fi

[ecurbh]

Ring Ping!!

The Hobbit Hole :: Troop Support Projects

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

[Maigret]

You'd think the potential of such a film would have the studios coming to an agreement quick, fast and in a hurry.

[grellis]

Why not start at the very beginning? I figure that if Jackson was able to script and shoot LOTR, something I always thought of as impossible, he's up to a real challenge in filming The Silmarillion. Then he could film The Hobbit. Gives him plenty of time to iron out the legalites!

[artios]

I have always thought that the Silmarillion would be a great basis for a TV series - so many short stories in it.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

King Kong? What's this King Kong stuff?

[Tribune7]

I saw the title I thought you were talking about Jesse or Janet or Michael.

Michael might be returning to his little shire.

[Rocko]

Kong bad idea.

Hobbit good idea.

[GretchenEE]

Well, the lawyers better get busy because Ian is no spring chicken and commitments have to be made!

PJ is absolutely right - "The Hobbit" has to feel like it's on a continuum with the sequel.

[ecurbh]

Dunno, I don't get it either. For some crazy reason, he thinks King Kong needs to be remade ~again~.

[SuziQ]

I have always thought that the Silmarillion would be a great basis for a TV series - so many short stories in it.

A Tolkien mini-series!!

[Alkhin]

I second that...making Silmarillion into a mini series woudl be far better...I think the people who remade Dune for the SciFi channel did an excellent job with Frank Herberts book..and there was LOADS of stuff in those books...I cant imagine trying to pack stuff into movie format for the Sil. I havent even read the book since junior high..and even then I gagged over it...it was far too complicated for my little brain to take up.

I wonder who he would pick to play a young Bilbo Baggins?? Fifty years is the prime of life for a hobbit...I really think Billy Boyd might be good at it...he has features that are very similar to Ian Holms.

Hi y'all!!

[JohnnyZ]

I'd want Ian McKellan to be back as Gandalf

Don't want to be morbid, but this movie is to be made HOW many years from now?

[grellis]

I have always thought that the Silmarillion would be a great basis for a TV series - so many short stories in it.

You're absolutely right! I hadn't thought of that. A miniseries, maybe 10 to 14 episodes...it would be much easier to stick to the book that way.

[rosyposy]

I have always thought that the Silmarillion would be a great basis for a TV series - so many short stories in it.

what about a whole bunch of movies! like one coming out every 6 months or so. cuz i dont think tv can to justice to tolkien the way the big screen can. and there's too much material in one chapter to fit in a normal tv time slot. *gasp*or they could make a LOTR channel on the tv! LOTR 24/7/365!!! oh be still my wildly beating heart!

[Iris7]

Speaking as a person with a very high regard for Tolkien's Masterpiece, it will be a sad day when Jackson can do more damage to the popular mind. Those movies he made are simply terrible.