Peter Jackson will be producer, not director, though.
…and they’re splitting it into two films, shot simultaneously. I wonder where the split will occur. It doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense to split it — the book’s not that long….
The Meme-Mandated, Semi-Regularly-Updated, Occasionally Coherent Thoughts of G.M. Skarka
It doesn’t make sense creatively, but fiscally it’s twice as many tickets.
Keep in mind that they turned Helm’s Deep into a half-hour or more, when it’s only a few pages in the book. They can easily drag The Hobbit out into two films–there are places, like the dwarves’ escape in barrels, that are basically summarized in the novel. My guess? They’ll split it at Smaug, do the big reveal of the dragon as the closing shot on the first film, and then the second will be about battling him and then the Battle of Five Armies.
If they want a cliffhanger ending, I’d guess they’ll make the break when the party has been captured by the elf king. Then the next one can open with a dramatic escape scene that builds up the finale at Lonely Mountain. That’s what I’d do anyway.
They’re also apparently bringing in stuff from Unfinished Tales. They could also build up Bard the Bowman, so Smaug isn’t killed by Generic Archer #14.
That’s my bet, too.
Hoping they get Weaving and McKellan back, at a minimum.
Could also fit in (fairly easily) Aragorn, Arwen, and Legolas, no problem.
CU
Weaving and McKellan — yes.
Putting in the rest? God, I hope not. I’d like them to try to stay close to the text…..
Well, Aragorn and Arwen might be hanging around in Rivendell… unless — hey, was Aragorn involved in rescuing Thrain from the Necromancer with Gandalf?
Legolas’ dad is the elf-king of Mirkwood.
(I was thinking of these as cameos rather than substantial characters, btw.)
CU
I had the same thought here. LOL.
Yep. My understanding–though this is based on old articles, so plans could easily have changed–is that they’re not “splitting The Hobbit, so much as they’re making one movie from The Hobbit novel, and then one based on Tokien’s notes and Unfinished Tales that takes place between Hobbit and LotR.
I would expect we’ll get a full backstory to Bard the Bowman of Esgaroth.
And maybe a romantic entanglement.
With a character they make up for it.
The split will come five seconds after Gollum’s first appearance in the movie. Now granted, I’m a bit cynical about this – but that’s where my money lies, and if I’m wrong I owe you two beers at the next Con.
I wonder where the split will occur. It doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense to split it — the book’s not that long….
I wondered that, myself, though it would be in line with the latest trend spawned out of LOTR, which seems to be to come up with a “series,” a la Narnia, Golden Compass, etc..
I’m guessing we get Smaug in one movie, and the Battle fo five Armies in the next. You can build from the BoFA to LotR pretty easilly, and it’s a place you could sneak in additional dwarves and elves we all know and love.