Wednesday, November 18

• Just What Kind of Monster Is Guillermo del Toro?

  

  While everyone else was trolling around for hints about whom he might pick to play Bilbo, The Hobbit director Guillermo del Toro dropped an unexpected casting bombshell: That he will appear in his own movie. As a monster, no less. Coming from someone who takes his monsters so seriously — heck, he even takes them home as decorations — this promises to be a treat.

  Del Toro won't be one of the major monsters; certainly not the dragon Smaug, whom he has spent the better part of a year designing. Like Alfred Hitchcock, he will only make a brief cameo in his movie. Here's what he says about the part:

  I had a hand on the design of the creature and I will personally sculpt the appliances that will be applied on my face and hands.... I will have a line or two and die quickly.

  So with that in mind, what are the options? There are a lot of creatures in The Hobbit, some of them familiar from The Lord of the Rings, but del Toro is planning on giving even those his own personal twist. Here are some of the more likely prospects.

  
  

  Posted 11/18/2009 by reelz

  Related: Peter Jackson | Guillermo del Toro | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | The Hobbit

Tuesday, November 3

• McKellen "Couldn't Be Happier" about The Hobbit Script

  Talking to Sci Fi Wire, Ian McKellen (Gandalf) says that he has finally had a chance to read the script for Guillermo del Toro's live-action adaptation of The Hobbit ... and he "couldn't be happier" with it. And why shouldn't he be, since the part was written specifically with him in mind:

  As Peter has said, they loved writing Gandalf [for The Hobbit] because they knew who they were writing him for. ... There are a lot of characters in The Hobbit, including, crucially, Bilbo, and they don't know who's going to play Bilbo. So it's extremely attractive that this part has been written for me. The other Gandalf was written for, well, just as Gandalf. There's lots for me to enjoy, in all sorts of ways. And I couldn't be happier. But I'm sworn to secrecy. I'm not to say anything at all about the script.

  McKellen goes on to offer some reassurance about the continuity between The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings now that it is being helmed by del Toro, rather than Peter Jackson:

  They are the same person. ... They were separated at birth. They're twins. They have the same attitude. Neither likes working in Hollywood. They're both fascinated by fantasy and violence on the screen, and gore, and things that frighten you. They like going into the psyche. They're both brilliant storytellers in very much the same way. And I think the script, because I have read it, plays very much to Guillermo's strengths, as I've seen them. I have seen his other movies, and people act very well in them. So I think it's all fine. And Peter will always be there.

  Hopefully, this is all a signal that casting can now begin in earnest. Who's going to play Bilbo? Inquiring minds want to know.

  
  

  Posted 11/03/2009 by Bill

  Related: Ian McKellen | Peter Jackson | Guillermo del Toro | The Hobbit

Friday, September 4

• Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson Don Bowler Hats in New Image from Tintin Production

  It looks like Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are trying to make a fashion statement promoting The Adventures of Tintin, the 3-D motion-capture trilogy they're both producing. The Spanish site Estrenos de Cine just published this photo, which they received from Sony Pictures.

  In the photo, the two directors don antiquated bowler hats, a particularly common article of clothing in the Tintin universe. We agree with the folks at Cinema Blend who say that it's rather bizarre seeing Jackson all lithe and trim. Maybe his former hobbit-esque physique was a very prolonged publicity stunt for Lord of the Rings. Either way, it doesn't stop us from getting excited about Tintin, which unfortunately isn't due in U.S. theaters until December 23, 2011.

  The story is based on the Belgian comic strip series that first appeared in the late 1920s. The comic follows Tintin, a Belgian reporter, and his sidekick dog Snowy as they embark on various adventures across the globe. Paramount and Sony, who are producing the movies, decided to release the first movie, Secret of the Unicorn, in international cinemas beginning in late October 2011, ahead of the domestic release. This is due to its familiarity abroad and its lack of exposure in the States. Spielberg will direct that movie, while Jackson will take over for the second.

  The current cast includes British star Jamie Bell in the title role and Daniel Craig as his nemesis. Also cast are Andy Serkis (Gollum in Lord of the Rings), Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones, and Mackenzie Crook.

  You can check out the official English-language Tintin site for more pictures and videos from the production.

  
  

  Posted 09/04/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Daniel Craig | Mackenzie Crook | Nick Frost | Simon Pegg | Steven Spielberg | Peter Jackson | Gad Elmaleh | Jamie Bell | Toby Jones | Andy Serkis | Tintin

Tuesday, August 25

• Casting The Hobbit: The Top 5 Choices for Bilbo Baggins

  The Hobbit's executive producer Peter Jackson has said he’s holding off on casting decisions until the first draft of the script is done. But that hasn’t stopped the rampant buzz about who will take on the role of the hobbit himself, Bilbo Baggins.

  We take a look at the rumored top contenders to date, plus add a few suggestions, in Casting The Hobbit: The Top 5 Choices for Bilbo Baggins.

  
  

  Posted 08/25/2009 by reelz

  Related: Bruce Campbell | Daniel Radcliffe | David Tennant | James McAvoy | Peter Jackson | The Hobbit

Wednesday, August 19

• Blomkamp Would "Love to Make" a District 9 Sequel

  Thanks to a $37-million opening weekend, and a budget of just $30 million, the little sci-fi movie that could, District 9, may be more than just a dark horse, late-summer hit. It might be the start of a whole new franchise.

  Director Neill Blomkamp was known primarily for his work on commercials before his short film Alive in Joburg, the thematic inspiration for District 9, caught the eye of producer-director Peter Jackson. District 9 has already carved out a place in the hearts of sci-fi fans and could rake in the kind of cash that makes a sequel compulsory.

  Just prior to the opening of District 9, Jackson was hesitant to jump into sequel plans. Blomkamp, however, said that a sequel is up to the fans.

  I'd love to make a sequel, because it's so creatively rewarding to me; there's just something about (the story). It's my background mixed with the science fiction that I loved. I'd really like to go back to the world of District 9 — which, without [lead actor Sharlto Copley's] character, would be a very different kind of movie. So I think automatically the two of us will be reunited again, should the public decide that this film is something they want to see and it's successful.

  
  
  Next Showing: District 9 is in theaters now
  

  District 9 - Interview

  Neill Blomkamp and Sharlto Copley talk about the new sci-fi

  Posted 08/19/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Peter Jackson | Neill Blomkamp | Sharlto Copley | District 9

Tuesday, August 18

• District 9 Sequel?

  

  With District 9 striking massive success both critically and commercially, speculation is already underway as to whether or not director Neill Blomkamp and producer Peter Jackson will work on a sequel. This morning, MTV Movies cited excerpts from an interview with Blomkamp at Comic-Con as possible evidence that we can expect an expansion of the District 9 universe.

  When I started thinking about it, I thought I'd totally like to go back to the creative universe of District 9 for sure. Hopefully there's a place for that sometime in the future. It has to kind of do well first.

  Holding true to his reputation for artistic integrity, Jackson shared his colleague's reluctance to jump into sequel plans before knowing the fate of the first movie.

  We're superstitious. Sitting down and talking about sequels when you haven't even released the movie is, I think, tempting fate. We'll get the film released, see how it does. I believe movies should come from the heart, and if there's any sequel or continuation of District 9 it should only be because there's a good idea involved, not because it's a money-making venture.

  Now that we know the movie is a success, it seems likely that Jackson and Blomkamp will be in talks soon about the possibility of a second installment. We'll keep you updated when we hear more.

  
  

  Posted 08/18/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Peter Jackson | Neill Blomkamp | District 9

• Peter Jackson May Direct a Third Hobbit Movie

  Peter Jackson may not be done with Middle Earth after all.

  After directing the massively successful Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jackson handed the reins over to Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth), who is now behind two movie adaptations of The Hobbit.

  But now Marketsaw, a blog devoted to 3-D features, reports that not only will The Hobbit be in 3-D, but Jackson may direct a third movie that acts as a bridge between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, its chronological successor. (A third film that del Toro ruled out two months ago.)

  The author of the article quotes someone described as "one of my most trusted sources." Here's what that source had to say.

  I think The Hobbit may be a different beast to the book, at least in terms of going darker.... I can tell you this: Peter Jackson is very keen to have the two part Hobbit tale set in 3D. Del Toro, however, is holding back on that school of thought. At least for the time being.

  I'm hearing word — and it's only speculation at the moment — that it wont be two films. It will be three. The two parts and the bridge movie. Word alone is not trustworthy. However I hear this from lots of people and have seen things to indicate this may be the way it is heading.

  We can only imagine how ecstatic this would make die-hard Lord of the Rings fans (ourselves included), should it prove to be true. It remains a shame, though, that we'll have to wait more than two years to see anything, since the first movie in the Hobbit ... trilogy? ... is not due in theaters until December 2011.

  
  

  Posted 08/18/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Peter Jackson | Guillermo del Toro | The Hobbit

Monday, August 10

• New Red Band Zombieland Trailer Shows The Cast's Favorite Kills

  Anyone who likes zombie movies has a favorite kill scene, whether it's the disembowelment from George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead or the lawnmower sequence from Peter Jackson's cult classic Brain Dead, but the upcoming zombie comedy Zombieland looks to create all-new zombie-killing favorites that have a little more panache than simply "shooting for the head."

  As reported by io9, the cast was asked about their favorite zombie-killing method at the San Diego Comic-Con and here's what they said:

  Woody Harrelson: Chainsaw.

  Emma Stone: There's a part in the movie where I butted a zombie in the back of the head with my shotgun, and he fell 80 feet to his death.

  Jesse Eisenberg: The end of the movie takes place in this theme park where I ran past this ride that's like this huge swing, knowing that if I pass it at a certain speed and time, the zombies that were chasing me would get hit by it, and it's awesome.

  Director Ruben Fleischer: My favorite was in the first trailer where we did the "Zombie Kill of the Week" and we dropped a piano on a zombie's head.

  Some of those favorite scenes are briefly seen in the new red-band trailer, available at Fleischer's own website. How many you can find?

  
  
  Next Showing: Zombieland opens October 9

  Posted 08/10/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Woody Harrelson | Jesse Eisenberg | Peter Jackson | George Romero | Emma Stone | Zombieland | Resident Evil | Dawn of the Dead | Brain Dead

Thursday, July 30

• District 9 Featurette Brings the Story Into Focus

  Previous trailers and clips have tended to put the emphasis on the apartheid aspects of Neill Blomkamp's District 9: The aliens are segregated and mistreated by a populace resentful of their presence. That's a theme in the new featurette too, of course, but here we also get a closer look at the central figure in the human side of the drama, Agent Wilkus, played by newcomer Sharlto Copley.

  Wilkus has been infected by a mysterious virus that is changing his DNA. At the same time, it's gradually begun to dawn on him just how seriously the aliens are being mistreated, and he is determined to put a stop to it. These threads combine to throw him into the very center of events. He goes, as producer Peter Jackson puts it, "from being a nobody to being the most valuable person on the planet."

  
  

  Posted 07/30/2009 by Bill

  Related: Peter Jackson | Neill Blomkamp | Sharlto Copley | District 9

Tuesday, July 28

• Peter Jackson Explains Why The Hobbit Needed Two Parts

  In an interview at Comic Con, Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson spilled some interesting details about the status of the script for The Hobbit. He said the script for part one is about three weeks from completion. And everything — from casting to even getting a final green light from the studio — is still hanging on how that turns out.

  He also explained in detail exactly why filmmakers decided that The Hobbit wouldn't all fit into a single movie:

  We worked through the storyline, and we thought, "Well, obviously, we could squeeze The Hobbit into one movie," but even, like, a three-hour movie, you'd be amazed at how much of that story you'd have to lose. It's weird. I mean, the book ... is what the book is, and we just worked through a process of including all the events that we'd like to see in a film, and it was clear [that] it wasn't going to fit. Plus, the fact that we want to embellish a few things and put a little bit of extra ... narrative in for Gandalf and what he's doing in Dol Guldur and the Necromancer and various sort of side ... stories that are happening.

  So, if all goes according to plan, we should get to see some pretty interesting scenes even beyond what was included in the book. A confrontation between Gandalf and the Necromancer before he has been exposed as Sauron could really turn out to be quite spectacular. There had been some speculation that the Gandalf/Necromancer storyline could be a key part of the plans for the (now abandoned) idea for a bridge film between the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. It's good to see that the concept itself has not been wholly abandoned.

  
  

  Posted 07/28/2009 by Bill

  Related: Peter Jackson | The Hobbit | The Hobbit

Monday, July 27

• Yet Another King Kong in the Works

  

  Variety reports that Spirit Pictures has purchased the rights to Kong: King of Skull Island, a book written by Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland and released at the time Peter Jackson was working on his version of King Kong.

  Spirit apparently has plans to adapt the book, which is a prequel telling the story of Kong's fight for survival on Skull Island. The studio acquired the rights with the help of Merian C. Cooper's family members, who own the rights to all Kong material. Cooper directed the original 1933 King Kong movie along with Ernest B. Schoedsack.

  In a statement, Spirit's Steve Iles spoke about plans for the project:

  We're very concerned with honoring Merian C. Cooper's legacy in Hollywood. We want to make sure that whatever we deliver will honor his memory.

  Spirit is also working on War Eagles, a project originally developed by Cooper and creature-feature ubermeister Ray Harryhausen, who designed the effects for many monster movies during the 1950s-1970s. Harryhausen, was a major influence on Peter Jackson, Joe Dante (Gremlins, Small Soldiers), and Tim Burton.

  Cooper and Harryhausen were ready to go into production on War Eagles when WWII began, shelving the project for good. The movie was going to be about a pilot who crash-lands in the arctic and stumbles upon a lost civilization. Arnold Kunert, who is producing both Spirit movies, is optimistic about the project:

  It's a combination of all the things that have worked in adventure films for the last 70 or 80 years.

  
  

  Posted 07/27/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Peter Jackson | Ray Harryhausen | Ernest B. Schoedsack | Merian Cooper | King Kong | King Kong

Friday, July 24

• Peter Jackson Previews The Lovely Bones, Talks About The Hobbit

  

  EW reports that Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson spoke to the public at Comic-Con in San Diego following a screening of Neill Blomkamp's District 9, which he his producing. Jackson spoke about both The Hobbit, which is being directed by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth), and his own The Lovely Bones, due in theaters this December.

  Jackson will deliver a script for The Hobbit in a few weeks, and he says that work on the movie is still very preliminary.

  We don't have a budget. We don't have a green light. We can't offer any actors roles til then.

  Meanwhle, Jackson screened a short clip for The Lovely Bones ahead of the release of the first official trailer on August 7. The movie tells the story of a 14-year-old girl — portrayed by Saoirse Ronan — who is murdered and afterwards watches over her family from heaven. She also sees her killer (Stanley Tucci) and struggles with a desire for revenge. Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz play the girl's parents.

  Although the subject matter of the movie is grim, Jackson finds humor in the main character.

  She's wonderfully funny. She feels no self pity and makes ironic, wry observations.

  
  

  Posted 07/24/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Mark Wahlberg | Stanley Tucci | Peter Jackson | Guillermo del Toro | Saoirse Ronan | Rachel Weisz | Neill Blomkamp | The Lovely Bones | The Hobbit | District 9

Monday, July 20

• No Bilbo Yet, But the Re-building of Hobbiton Has Begun

  Rumors have been flying that there would be a major casting announcement for The Hobbit at Comic-Con next week: who would be tapped to play Bilbo Baggins. Among the frontrunners are said to be Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, and David Tennant, though there's obviously the chance that as with The Lord of the Rings an unknown will take the lead.

  Alas, executive producer Peter Jackson says that they're not quite ready yet:

  No, we won't be announcing Bilbo for a little while. We're starting to think about casting, but we're knee-deep in the script right now. And when we do go to actors, they're probably going to ask to see a script, so we're powering ahead with getting the first draft done.

  Nonetheless, preparations for filming are well underway. A familiar landscape is springing up in the New Zealand countryside as roads are laid out, fruit trees are planted and hobbit holes are being dug. Hobbiton is coming back, and there are pictures.

  
  

  Posted 07/20/2009 by Bill

  Related: Daniel Radcliffe | David Tennant | James McAvoy | Peter Jackson | The Hobbit

Friday, June 12

• Guillermo del Toro Confirms McKellen, Serkis, and Weaving Returning for The Hobbit

  Many fans are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Guillermo del Toro's vision of The Hobbit, due in 2012. For the uninitiated, The Hobbit is based on the J. R. R. Tolkien book of same name, which takes place before his Lord of the Rings trilogy.

  Several of The Hobbit's characters were featured in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies — leaving many to wonder if members of Jackson's cast would appear in del Toro's adaptation. According to the director himself, we can expect at least three familiar faces. In an interview with BBC Radio 5, he confirmed (around the 2:10:45 mark) that Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, and Hugo Weaving will reprise their roles as the wizard Gandalf, the treacherous Gollum, and the elf lord Elrond, respectively.

  No other casting decisions have been announced. The screenplay was written by del Toro and Jackson, along with Lord of the Rings co-writers Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh.

  
  

  Posted 06/12/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Hugo Weaving | Ian McKellen | Peter Jackson | Guillermo del Toro | Philippa Boyens | Fran Walsh | Andy Serkis | The Hobbit

Tuesday, June 9

• District 9 Hits the Streets with Warnings to Unwelcome Aliens

  The already impressively elaborate viral marketing campaign for the Peter Jackson-produced alien invasion flick District 9 has taken to the streets--and to the bus benches--with a series of alien alerts posted around Los Angeles and other major cities. The latest addition to the unwelcoming campaign adds a menacing vigilante edge with the silhouette of an alien on a well-used firing range target, an image featured on one of the more recent posters for the movie.

  
  

  Posted 06/09/2009 by Bill

  Related: Peter Jackson | District 9

Friday, June 5

• Clint Eastwood's Invictus Slated for December Release

  Variety reports that Warner Bros. has announced a December 11 release date for Clint Eastwood's Invictus.

  The movie, formerly titled The Human Factor, stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, captain of South Africa's 1995 Rugby World Cup team. It's based on John Carlin's book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation and tells the story of Mandela's attempts to use the rugby event to heal his country's reputation after years of apartheid and internal struggle. The title comes from the William Ernest Henley poem of same name, which Mandela often quoted.

  Invictus's mid-December release places it at the heart of Oscar season, which means it will undoubtedly get some nominations. Five of the past six Eastwood features were nominated for at least one award, including Million Dollar Baby, which earned Eastwood his second Best Picture and Best Director awards. Surprisingly, the one that wasn't nominated was his most commercially successful, last year's Gran Torino.

  The December 11 release date also puts Invictus aside Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones, so it's already looking to be a very promising Oscar season.

  
  

  Posted 06/05/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Clint Eastwood | Matt Damon | Morgan Freeman | Peter Jackson | Million Dollar Baby | Gran Torino | The Lovely Bones

Friday, May 29

• Steven Spielberg's Tintin Due in December 2011

  Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn finally has a release date. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter confirm that the 3-D motion-capture feature, which went into production this past January, will arrive in U.S. theaters on December 23, 2011.

  The story is based on the Belgian comic strip series that first appeared in the late 1920s. The comic follows Tintin, a Belgian reporter, and his sidekick dog Snowy as they embark on various adventures across the globe. Paramount and Sony, who are producing the movies, decided to release Secret of the Unicorn in international cinemas beginning in late October 2011, ahead of the domestic release, due to its familiarity abroad and its lack of exposure in the States.

  The movie is the first in a series of three adaptations, with the second to be helmed by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson. Spielberg and Jackson are also producing the series, along with Kathleen Kennedy. The current cast includes British star Jamie Bell in the title role and Daniel Craig as his nemesis. Also cast are Andy Serkis (Gollum in LOTR), Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Gad Elmaleh, Toby Jones, and Mackenzie Crook.

  You can check out the official English-language Tintin site, which includes pictures from the production and a video message from Spielberg and Jackson.

  
  

  Posted 05/29/2009 by Rich Z

  Related: Kathleen Kennedy | Mackenzie Crook | Nick Frost | Simon Pegg | Steven Spielberg | Peter Jackson | Gad Elmaleh | Jamie Bell | Toby Jones | Andy Serkis | Tintin

Friday, May 22

• New Uncut District 9 Trailer

  The Peter Jackson-produced District 9 has already caught some buzz as the surprise sci-fi hit of the summer. The story focuses on alien refugees who land their spaceship in Africa and are forced by humans into slavery. Sci-fi audiences know how well robots handle slavery by human hands, but how will aliens take it?

  The trailer District 9 debuted online a few weeks ago, but lacked some subtitles and non-blurry alien faces. That's been corrected in the trailer below:

  
  
  Next Showing: District 9 opens August 14

  Posted 05/22/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Peter Jackson | District 9

Saturday, May 2

• Jackson Distances District 9 from Cloverfield Comparisons

  Filming an original major motion picture in the sci-fi genre with a budget of only $30 million seems like an effort in futility in this day and age. Today's moviegoers are more sophisticated than ever and so is the technology -- James Cameron's Avatar is rumored to have a budget in excess of $200 million.

  So, how do you produce a film for that budget and manage to get people to see it? Enter producer Peter Jackson and director Neill Blomkamp. Shot "guerilla style" with a variety of cost-effective film techniques, District 9 has also benefited from an immersive viral website.

  With a similar budget and marketing campaign, comparisons to last year's Cloverfield were inevitable. However, Jackson says that is where the similarities end:

  It's not somebody running around with a camera, filming everything. We have a mixture of documentary and dramatized scenes.

  The plot of the film originated with Blomkamp's short film Alive in Joburg and tells the tale of alien refugees who land in Africa and are subsequently forced into slavery. Jackson told Entertainment Weekly:

  They have technology and weapons that are extremely appealing to various forces -- and that's where it all goes wrong.

  
  
  Next Showing: District 9 debuts August 14

  Posted 05/02/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Peter Jackson | Neill Blomkamp | Cloverfield | District 9

Thursday, April 16

• District 9 Could Be Sleeper Hit of the Summer

  Peter Jackson's latest production, District 9, has an ingenious -- yet not well marketed -- viral website. The site's so complex and realistic that you can easily spend more than an hour watching videos and exploring the background content for what is shaping up to be the surprise hit of the summer.

  Directed by Neill Blomkamp, known primarily for his short films and commercials that blend hand-held camera footage with photo-realistic computer-generated imagery, District 9 is based on Blomkamp's short film, Alive in Joburg. It tells the tale of alien refugees who land in Africa and are subsequently forced into slavery. When the aliens try to escape, the Multi-National United (MNU) corporation steps in to handle the situation.

  Blomkamp, already a cult favorite thanks to his Halo shorts, began working as a professional animator at 16 and is expected to deliver a tense thriller with incredible effects.

  
  
  Next Showing: District 9 debuts August 14

  Posted 04/16/2009 by BrentJS

  Related: Peter Jackson | Neill Blomkamp | District 9

Monday, January 19

• Dominic Monaghan in The Hobbit?

  When it comes to The Hobbit, the prequel to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Ian McKellen returning as Gandalf or Andy Serkis returning as Gollum seems natural, considering their characters' involvement in the original J.R.R. Tolkein novel, but Dominic Monaghan and his fellow hobbits returning seems odd, since their characters were not even born when The Hobbit takes place. Still, that's precisely what Monaghan revealed to MTV: "They really want us to come back, and I think there's a really strong chance that we might be back."

  The return of Monaghan and company would have to include some serious re-writes, however. "We're not in 'The Hobbit,' no, but I think the idea in [Peter Jackson's and director Guillermo del Toro's] heads is that the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings films was so beloved by the fans that they're really keen to try to say thank you for the support that they gave to the Lord of the Rings movies and possibly bring back some of those characters that they know and love."

  Whether Monaghan and company will appear in The Hobbit or its sequel, which will link the movie to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is uncertain.

  One thing that is is clear is that Serkis is ready to protect his "precious" again as Gollum: "I am going to really be looking forward to it," he told ComingSoon.net, "I mean the combination between [Del Toro] and Peter is extraordinary as well. I know they are writing at the moment."

  
  
  Next Showing: The Hobbit is scheduled for December 2011

  Posted 01/19/2009 by Ryan

  Related: Ian McKellen | Peter Jackson | Dominic Monaghan | Guillermo del Toro | Andy Serkis | The Hobbit | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Tuesday, January 6

• Hold Me Now: Pegg and Frost to Play Tintin Thompson Twins

  Comedy duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) have joined the cast of Tintin, the 3-D motion-capture adaptation of George Remi's classic comic. Rather than aging '80s pop icons, these Thompson Twins are a pair of bumbling detectives identical in every way except for the shape of their mustaches.

  Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, King Kong) will play Tintin's sidekick, Captain Haddock. The lead role of Tintin has not yet been cast.

  Tintin is a two picture project being directed and produced by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson.

  Source: Variety
  

  
  

  Posted 01/06/2009 by reelz

  Related: Nick Frost | Simon Pegg | Steven Spielberg | Peter Jackson | Tintin

Wednesday, August 27

• Rumors of Jackson Replacing Spielberg on Tintin Untrue
  

  Rumors have been circulating recently that Steven Spielberg would no longer be directing the first film in the Tintin trilogy for Dreamworks. Although Peter Jackson was slated to direct the sequel, the recent buzz around town was that the Lord of the Rings director would be stepping into the director's chair for the first film in place of Spielberg.

  According to The Hollywood Reporter, these reports are false. Spielberg will indeed direct the first Tintin film and Peter Jackson is still slated to direct the sequel.

  Tintin is based on the comic strip character created by Belgian artist Georges Remi under the pen name Herge in 1929. The first movie is based on "The Secret of the Unicorn" and "Red Rackham's Treasure." It will be animated with motion capture technology. Thomas Sangster (Love Actually) stars as Tintin and Andy Serkis (King Kong) stars as Captain Haddock.

  The trilogy is being produced by Herge Studios.

  Source: The Hollywood Reporter

  
  

  Posted 08/27/2008 by reelz

  Related: Steven Spielberg | Peter Jackson | Tintin

Thursday, April 24

• It's Official: Guillermo del Toro to Direct Hobbit Flicks

  After months and months of speculation, it's finally been confirmed that Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro has officially signed on to direct both The Hobbit and its as-yet-untitled sequel. Variety reports that del Toro, currently hard at work putting the finishing touches on Hellboy II: The Golden Army, will soon be packing up his belongings and moving to New Zealand, where he'll spend the next four years making the films with the help of Lord of the Rings demigod Peter Jackson and his WETA wizards.

  The recent announcement throws one heck of a monkey wrench into del Toro's already packed schedule of upcoming projects, including a possible third Hellboy movie. Somehow I think the fanboys will find a way to forgive him.

  Source: Variety

  
  

  Posted 04/24/2008 by reelz

  Related: Peter Jackson | Guillermo del Toro | The Hobbit | Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Monday, January 28

• Welcome to the Shire, Guillermo del Toro

  Lord of the Rings geeks have reason to rejoice this morning. According to the The Hollywood Reporter, fanboy favorite Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth) is currently in talks to direct the two-part adaptation of The Hobbit, based on LotR author J.R.R. Tolkien's follow-up to his acclaimed fantasy trilogy. It's a welcome development for Tolkien aficionados, the majority of whom would likely list del Toro as their second choice to helm The Hobbit after LotR director Peter Jackson, who has opted for Executive Producing duties on the highly anticipated pair of films.

  Del Toro is currently hard at work putting the finishing touches on Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, which opens July 11, 2008.

  
  

  Posted 01/28/2008 by reelz

  Related: Peter Jackson | Guillermo del Toro | Hellboy II: The Golden Army | Hellboy | The Hobbit

Wednesday, October 31

• Signs of life for a Halo flick

  The oft-discussed Halo flick, once dismissed as "entirely dead" by its own director, Neill Blomkamp, has apparently been upgraded to "mostly dead." According to CVG.com, a representative for Peter Jackson has confirmed that Jackson's FX studio Weta Workshop recently restarted pre-production on the videogame adaptation, with producers shopping the project to potential distribution partners.

  Hopes for a Halo flick appeared completely quashed a just few weeks ago, when Fox and Universal, the two studios who'd partnered to bring the project to the big screen, backed out of the deal, citing mounting costs as the primary reason.

  Could Halo hero Master Chief finally be ready for his close-up? We're not holding our breath.

  
  

  Posted 10/31/2007 by reelz

  Related: Peter Jackson | Halo

Monday, May 7

• Peter Jackson finally going back to work

  Dreamworks has won the bidding war to produce Peter Jackson's next project, The Lovely Bones, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

  THR describes the story, based on Alice Sebold's novel, as a supernatural drama about "a young girl who is murdered but continues to observe her family on Earth after her death. She witnesses the impact of her loss on her loved ones, while her killer skillfully covers his tracks and prepares to murder again."

  Uh-oh. "Supernatural drama" sounds suspiciously like "supernatural thriller." As we all know, supernatural thrillers invariably suck. Not like erotic thrillers. Those are awesome.

  
  

  Posted 05/07/2007 by reelz

  Related: Peter Jackson