To everyone wondering why there’s no real buzz about a Hobbit movie, the answer’s simple: yup, you guessed it, there’s a battle going on over who has the rights:
NEW YORK (AP) – Peter Jackson 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 fight over legal rights to the film.
Jackson said New Line Cinema has the rights to make the movie, but MGM has the rights to distribute it.
Mister Jackson’s (everybody happy, now?) comments in the article pretty much indicate that he’s not too concerned about this, as he’s a) in the middle of making King Kong and b) currently running around Hollywood in God Mode. So, no Hobbit movie coming out next year to capitalize on the money and buzz that LotR racked up.
Hey. It’s not nearly as depressing when I put it that way…
(Link via Pejmanesque)
Moe
Hobbit, sure. Inevitable. Anything stinking of that much money is simply a case of when, not if.
I’m more curious to see if there’ll be a bunch of good fantasy-themed movies or television programs created in the wake of LotR’s vast lucre. And by good I meant not like Willow.
Seriously, has there ever been a fantasy-themed live action television series of any merit? Roar is the closest I can think of, though it was essentially just historically Celtic with a little hocus pocus thrown in. And it was cut after a season or so.
I absolutely do not count Xena or Hercules.
Hobbitts-Schmobbits…I could just kick myself for not having read The Hobbit before I read the LoTRs…I’m waiting for someone to tell me there’s no need…that there’s nothing in The Hobbit that’s not explained and improved upon in the LoTR…won’t someone indulge me?
Edward,
Don’t you worry about a thing.
The Hobbit is to LoTR what the David Niven/Woody Allen Casino Royale is to Goldfinger.
That, and Tolkien clearly retconned a bunch of stuff in the twenty years between Hobbit and LoTR.
Speaking of fantasy based tv series, I hear that NBC bought the rights to Eye Of The World, the first book of the Wheel of Time series. Heres hoping they get to it!
-bro
Edward:
The Hobbit is its own book. You don’t need to read it to understand much about LOTR, but I highly recommend it. If you liked LOTR, you’ll also like The Hobbit.
Actually, The Silmarillion does much more to explain that about LOTR that leaves people scratching their heads, but it’s less of a story and more of a historical narrative. Or, probably more accurately, a mythology.