TORN Exclusive: Guillermo Del Toro departs “The Hobbit”

[Dave_LF]

Wasn't the studio a displeased with him over the lawsuits from the last project? Maybe he just needed to manuever them into a position where they didn't have any other choice. He's going to have a lot of bargaining power now. "I guess I'll direct this vitally important project for you and make sure the time and money you've spent over the past couple years isn't a total waste, but first..."

[Alatar]

Rumour for now, but David Yates of Harry Potter may be the frontrunner for Director.

http://movies.ign.com/articles/109/1097112p1.html

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Yeah, that has appeared at several places now. I don't believe it. It just seems like he is going to have to be too busy with HP for the next couple of years, even if principal filming has ended. On the other hand, as one of the articles pointed out, maybe that is the point, and they want to have an excuse to delay the films further until MGM situation is resolved.

But still, I don't believe it.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I've been wondering, both in regards to this latest rumor of Yates, and the earlier speculation about Cuarón, who wrote the HP screenplays? Were the directors involved in the screenplaying writing, or did they just use screenplays written by someone else? That would seem to be relevant to this situation, with the screenplays supposedly already written and ready to go.

Edit: I've answered my own question: Steve Kloves has written the screenplays for all of the films except Order of the Phoenix, which was written by Michael Goldenberg. So Yates (and for that matter Cuarón) wouldn't have any problem not using someone else's screenplay.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Meanwhile, Two Studios Trying To Talk Peter Jackson Into Helming 'The Hobbit' Films

[Primula Baggins]

PJ: No! Don't throw me into the briar patch!

[axordil]

Sometimes you really do need to be forced into doing something you wanted to do anyway. It's not logical but it's often true.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

And right on schedule, Yates denies that there is any truth to the rumors about him:

Harry Potter director David Yates denies Hobbit claims

[sauronsfinger]

I suspect that in the end, the suits behind the film will borrow a page from THE GODFATHER and make Peter Jackson an offer he cannot refuse. It could be that the financial deal will have to be restructured allowing PJ more and others less. But less of something that could be a major money maker is a whole lot more than a bigger chunk of films that do not get made or get made by inferior filmmakers.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I think you are probably right, sf.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

TORN is reporting that it may Neill Blomkamp:

Is Neill Blomkamp the next ‘Hobbit’ director? Maybe

I wouldn't at all be surprised if this were true. I never saw District 9, so I don't really have an opinion about whether it would be a good thing.

[ArathornJax]

Interesting. No opinion either way on Neill Blomkamp. One of the worries I am starting to have is that this will be delayed and then rushed to get through production to the screen, thus impacting the overall quality of the project. Will it be unique on its own, or just a prequel of LOTR that is along the lines of other "prequels." I am (and still hope) this is a pair of movies that make up its own unique story and has its own themes. I hope it is on The Hobbit, and not on the White Council also. I think that theme will lose to many viewers unfamiliar with the book(s).

[eborr]

I thought Bloomkamp did a great job on district 9, a much better prospect than PJ or Yates

[Elentári]

Neill Blomkamp Neither Offered Nor Directing ‘The Hobbit’, Planning New Sci-Fi/Horror Project

This is also confirmed in an article in NYMag.com

...an insider at his agency, William Morris Endeavor, confirms to Vulture that not only is Blomkamp not doing the movie, no one from MGM/United Artists or Warner Bros. has even contacted them about his directing the film.

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/20 ... neill.html

[Elentári]

From the horse's mouth?

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/45585


Ain’t It Cool News has posted a quote under “Of Incomplete Stories Regarding Spiderman And The Hobbit” from a source named ”Derek”. For those who are familiar with Peter Jackson’s Bad Taste, the character of Derek was played by Jackson himself. When Harry Knowles asked “Derek” whether he was directing, he said:

No, nothing has really changed – I’ve always said that me directing was one option, and so that’s not really news. The studio are working out what that deal would look like, because how else do they know if it’s a viable option? But it’s honestly one of several different options – many irons are in the fire right now. What’s of great concern to everyone right now is trying to stay on schedule and not slip back another year, because we will start losing people – and that’s increasingly difficult as each day passes. A lot of people – both film makers and studios are working very hard right now, trying to get a positive outcome here.”

[sauronsfinger]

Thanks to Elen for that bit of information. It certainly would be the most sensible business decision to have Jackson direct the two films based on his past track record in Middle-earth. It will be interesting to see if folks like the other major holders of pieces of the profit pie will be willing to restructure their deals in order to give more to Jackson. To me its a no brainer but then I hold no share of any financial interest in this.

[ToshoftheWuffingas]

People at the top of a business are paid vast sums of money in order to make the right decisions.

What could possibly go wrong?

[Padme]

People at the top of a business are paid vast sums of money in order to make the right decisions.

What could possibly go wrong?

It's all good until there's a whole in the ocean.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Guillermo del Toro opens up on 'The Hobbit': 'It wasn't just MGM'

[Voronwë the Faithful]

And now the news comes that GdT is going to direct an adaptation of Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness, in 3-D, with James Cameron producing. This is a movie that he has long wanted to make.

Guillermo Del Toro To Direct AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS In 3-D For Universal! James Cameron To Produce!

This, combined with the news that he is making a "Haunted House" remake for Disney, suggests a couple of things to me. First of all, I think that a big part of why he left the project is that his heart really was not into it. What he really wants to do is make horror movies. Which leads to the second point, which is that I don't really think that he was the right person for The Hobbit after all. I think his vision for the film would have been too dark and would have emphasized the scary aspects too much. I have to say, I am now glad that he left the project (despite the lingering uncertainty).