It's Official: Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh to Produce "The Hobbit"

[pegkerr]

Read the press release here:

PETER JACKSON AND NEW LINE CINEMA JOIN WITH MGM TO PRODUCE "THE HOBBIT"

December 18, 2007

ACADEMY AWARD-WINNER PETER JACKSON AND NEW LINE CINEMA JOIN WITH MGM TO PRODUCE “THE HOBBIT,” EAGERLY-ANTICIPATED FANTASY ADVENTURE EPIC

NEW LINE AND MGM TO CO-PRODUCE AND SHARE WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS

PETER JACKSON AND FRAN WALSH TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE TWO FILMS BASED ON "THE HOBBIT"

Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, December 18, 2007) Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:

* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to "The Hobbit." New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.

* Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on "The Hobbit." New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.

* Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the "Lord of the Rings" (LOTR) Trilogy.

The rest of the press release is mostly kissy-face making up over the lawsuit. All is forgiven as long as there is oodles of money to be made. Cynicism aside, I'm really happy to hear this news (sorry, papersky, I know you're not.) The press release ends: For more information about "The Hobbit" films, please visit www.TheHobbitBlog.com.

Comments

[radiotelescope.livejournal.com]

Yikes. I wasn't expecting that.

Well, I'm pleased.

[brigidsblest.livejournal.com]

I'm glad they were able to settle their differences so this movie could be made.

But...um... "MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to “The Hobbit.”

I had, uh, sorta thought that the sequel was called "The Lord of the Rings"...

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

What Brigidblest said. Unless this means they're planning to split The Hobbit into two films?

I'm scared....

[dreamflower]

No, the plan is to write a fanfic script, covering the untold interlude between the two...

Be interesting. But I don't intend to treat it as canon.

[parsimonia.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's awesome. At one point around the time that Two Towers came out, there was a fan-made Hobbit trailer going around that I was naive enough to think was authentic, and I was so disappointed when I found out it was fake. Yay!

[radiotelescope.livejournal.com]

Yes, I read it as splitting the book into two movies.

[dreamflower]

Nope.

"The Hobbit" is going to be "The Hobbit". The sequel will be pure fanfic--covering the untold time in between Bilbo's Adventure and LotR.

Hmmm...wish *I* could have a hand in the script. But then, it wouldn't match with the beginning of Fellowship (as filmed) because I'd make everyone their proper ages...

[433.livejournal.com]

Is it really fan fiction if the script is authorized and licensed? There are tons of Star Wars novels not written by George Lucas, that's not fan fiction.

[dreamflower]

Yes, actually, it is. The writers are fans, for the most part, and it's not part of the actual set of films. There are a lot of "authorized" published fanfictions--"Wicked" "The Seven-percent Solution" "The Wind Done Gone" and on and on.

I don't see that "authorized and licensed" changes the nature of it. And particularly in JRRT's case--because *he* won't be the one authorizing it.

The only post-humous Tolkien that's *not* going to be fanfic is that produced by Christopher, and that's not because he's authorized, but because he's actually working with his father's material. Yet there are still those who will argue that The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin are not canon, because the finished product was never seen by Tolkien.

I don't consider the existing LotR movies as canon. They are AU fanfic. Exceptional, brilliant, expensive and *authorized* AU fanfic--but fanfic nonetheless.

[dreamflower]

Whoo-hoo!! *throws confetti*

(Hopes the script adheres closer to canon this time.)

[malinaldarose.livejournal.com]

This? Very cool. Though I'm a bit nervous about two films.

[teacherla.livejournal.com]

Wow, a two-movie cycle? Years of excitement!