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[WyndhamPrice]

A Hobbit film is never late. It arrives precisely when it means to.

"It will be good, bro, I promise you."

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit…

Wellington, NZ, March 21, 2011—Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on “The Hobbit,” filmmaker Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s widely read masterpiece.

“The Hobbit” is set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Martin Freeman takes the title role as Biblio Boggins and Ian McKellen returns in the role of Gandalf the Grey. The Dwarves are played by Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur) James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori). Reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Elijah Wood as Frodo. Jeffrey Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively. Further casting announcements are expected.

Full press release here

THE CAST

Martin Freeman as Biblio Boggins

Andy Serkis as Gollum

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield

Sir Ian McKellan as Gandalf the Grey

Returners from The Lord of the Rings trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Christopher Lee as Saruman, and Orlando Bloom as Legolas (being the son of Thranduil, king of Mirkwood where Bilbo's party finds itself during the story).

Also included is Evangeline Lilly (Kate from television series LOST) as a new character, the elf maiden Tauriel. Her exact purpose remains to be seen.

Full confirmed cast list here with more announcements to come

It's finally started, ladies and gentlemen, after years of turmoil, director changes, and perforated ulcers. I have started a new thread for discussion because the old one was full of rumors from years ago and wrong information. I will be keeping this frequently updated as production goes on.

 

[Treefingers]

This will be glorious.

So happy that Martin Freeman is Bilbo, such a good casting choice.

 

[Stinkles]

Cast looks good. That bloke who's playing Gollum looks wrong for the part though. And Professor X as a wizard? I'm not buying it.

 

[Snake]

Picture of wasted-away Peter Jackson in hobbit hole.

I said goddamn.

 

[Fuzzy]

What's the projected release date of the first movie?

 

[JonnyBrad]

Crazy how different PJ looks from when he made LOTR. Well dome him.

Can't wait for this!

 

[Bubs Mugumbo]

So so so so happy. :3! 2012 shall be a glorious year.

 

[Qwomo]

I will never get used to seeing Peter Jackson look like that.

 

[Discotheque]

He lost a lot of weight, but not in a good way. He looks sickly now.

Anyways can't wait for this one.

 

[lastplayed]

If they need to shoot some scenes for the ruined city of Osgiliath, they could always come down to Christchurch.

 

[Mission]

Picture of wasted-away Peter Jackson in hobbit hole.

I give the man props for continuing to lose the weight. Kevin Smith could take a page out of his book.

 

[Kraftwerk]

God, i cannot wait.

 

[Rocwell]

Yay! Really looking forward to this. And Jackson looks fine, he just needs to get rid of his old wardrobe and buy clothes that fit him.

 

[WyndhamPrice]

I give the man props for continuing to lose the weight. Kevin Smith could take a page out of his book.

Having a perforated ulcer and being in the hospital undergoing surgery for the past month or so probably didn't help him, either.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Still not a fan of there being two films, or the possibility of The Hobbit being transformed into LOTR 2.0. But I'm still excited and think Jackson will do this epicly regardless

 

[Spire]

So do these versions of the scripts include all the stuff with Gandalf going to Dol Guldor? I know they mentioned something about it a long time ago, but we do know if it's still in?

Also praying the kick-ass Goblin Town song makes it in somehow.

 

[WyndhamPrice]

So do these versions of the scripts include all the stuff with Gandalf going to Dol Guldor? I know they mentioned something about it a long time ago, but we do know if it's still in?

Also praying the kick-ass Goblin Town song makes it in somehow.

Yes, the Dol Guldor/Necromancer stuff will be in, which is why Galadriel and Saruman are also going to be in the film for scenes with the White Council.

 

[moojito]

I never did get round to finishing the book. I liked the bits at the start of lotr in the shire, before it all started to pick up pace. I hope this film isn't too fast paced.

 

[Spire]

Yes, the Dol Guldor/Necromancer stuff will be in, which is why Galadriel and Saruman are also going to be in the film for scenes with the White Council.

Hmmm. On one hand I really want to see that stuff so I'm happy, on the other hand that stuff seems much more like LotR in tone and makes me worry that these movies are going to be darker than they should be.

 

[GhaleonQ]

I genuinely dislike fanboys of anything, but I would see this even if they ran out of money and had to film the rest in Peter Jackson's garage.

 

[Stinkles]

Yes, the Dol Guldor/Necromancer stuff will be in, which is why Galadriel and Saruman are also going to be in the film for scenes with the White Council.

There's two movies to fill up. While there are plenty of events in the book, there isn't reallly a lot of meat, so I wouldn't expect them to cut out too much.

Maybe he will even put in a Tom Bombadil easter egg. Where Bombadil trolls the universe and does jack shit.

 

[Your Excellency]

Tim from the Office is starring in these huge budget blockbusters now? So weird. This is what it must have felt like for 21 Jump Street fans to see Depp make it big.

 

[Iadien]

Richard Armitage was good in Robin Hood.

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

Jackson is directing? Wasn't del Toro at one point?

 

[Your Excellency]

Fellowship was such a sick movie. They're all pretty good but that one is just utter badassery.

 

[spats]

That's Peter Jackson? Man is like a walking skeleton compared to what he was during the filming of FOTR. Hope he doesn't work himself to death.

 

[Canova]

They better make Smaug huge, anything less than Godzilla-size, I'm not gonna see it

 

[Spire]

Jackson is directing? Wasn't del Toro at one point?

Had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts.

 

[Solo]

Had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts.

Yup. Had to drop out to fill his busy schedule of cancelled projects.

 

[Windam]

Damn, Peter Jackson's lost some weight there. Anyway, I absolutely cannot wait for this to come out. Hopefully these movies are as good as the LotR trilogy was.

 

[PushTheButtonMax]

I sure am glad that Howard Shore is back.

 

[Stinkles]

I sure am glad that Howard Shore is back.

I often wonder if King Kong would have been better with his first pass.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts.

That sure worked out well for him

 

[Discotheque]

I often wonder if King Kong would have been better with his first pass.

I like Howard Shore's LOTR score way more than JNH's King Kong one (LOTR is one of my favorite soundtracks ever) but I think the King Kong ost was fine, I don't see how Shore would be able to improve that movie.

The problem with that film was the length. Otherwise it wasn't bad.

 

[Edmond Dantès]

My most anticipated film, by far.

 

[iNvid02]

holy shit its guy of gisborne

 

[CloudWolf]

Heh, Peter Jackson looks pretty badass in that shot.

Anyway, looking forward to this.

 

[Stinkles]

I'll be the first (and probably last) person in the thread to admit to having never read the book all the way through and mostly knowing it from the animated, Ralph Bakshi-directed movie from the late 70s. Yeah, I know.

I guess Richard Armitage is filling in the role of burning hotness left by the absence of Viggo, Orlando, et al, because he's, like, too good-looking by half to play a dwarf. Or maybe it's just that I have this indelible impression of these characters all being ugly and lumpy because I associate them with a Bakshi/Rankin/Bass production, and Thorin Oakenshield really is supposed to be as sexy as Richard Armitage.

>_>

Book is one of the most readable, easy to get into books of all time. Unlike the first Chapter of LOTR which is effectively the opposite of that.

 

[Toddler]

OP

 

[Daft_Cat]

Awesome picture! One of my absolute most anticipated films. 2012 can't come soon enough.

 

[Milabrega]

Can't wait to see Bard Vs Smaug on the big screen.

 

[BertramCooper]

Very excited about this.

Jackson needs to rebound big time after the horrid mess that was The Lovely Bones.

 

[Gvaz]

Cast looks good. That bloke who's playing Gollum looks wrong for the part though. And Professor X as a wizard? I'm not buying it.

Ah what?

Wait a second I thought you were being serious but when you said professor X I just knew you were trolling.

Serkis is who gollum is modeled after, and who did all the character movement and even the lines.

 

[WyndhamPrice]

OP

Word.

(If Alexis Denisof were in this somewhere it would be so rad, but that's like casting someone from Babylon 5 in a Scorcese movie.)

 

[madara]

Its actually happening! We got Ian too, so pumped!

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Really can't wait for this.

 

[Toddler]

Word.

(If Alexis Denisof were in this somewhere it would be so rad, but that's like casting someone from Babylon 5 in a Scorcese movie.)

You will now, and forever be know to me only as "Bookman"

 

[Advance_Alarm]

i'm excited for an inception style heist when bilbo sneaks all the dudes out from mirkwood in those barrels. PJ is the shit

 

[Evlar]

I give the man props for continuing to lose the weight. Kevin Smith could take a page out of his book.

Kevin Smith could take a few books out of his library.

 

[alphaNoid]

The Hobbit - Official Thread of I'm Rock Hard