Is New Line dumb enough to make the Hobbit w/o P Jackson?!?

[the mongoose]

Click (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/30755)

That would su-su-suck!!!:eek:

[Deckard]

oh big time.

I've just read Jackson's email. If the fans are gutted, I'm sure it's nothing compared to what Jackson's feeling about it all right now.

However last week, Mark Ordesky called Ken and told him that New Line would no longer be requiring our services on the Hobbit and the LOTR 'prequel'. This was a courtesy call to let us know that the studio was now actively looking to hire another filmmaker for both projects.

This outcome is not what we anticipated or wanted, but neither do we see any positive value in bitterness and rancor. We now have no choice but to let the idea of a film of The Hobbit go and move forward with other projects. We send our very best wishes to whomever has the privilege of making The Hobbit and look forward to seeing the film on the big screen.
Nooooo!! Don't give up!!

New Line are shitbags.

[King of Snake]

What are they on at New Line?!

[stimpee]

New Lines of cocaine.

[GforGroove]

GOOD!!! :D
oh god. i hate cheesy sci-fi a la lord of the rings
jaja this is way funny.

[Kennrr]

GOOD!!! :D
oh god. i hate cheesy sci-fi a la lord of the rings
jaja this is way funny.

whaaaaaaa?

[grady]

GOOD!!! :D
oh god. i hate cheesy sci-fi a la lord of the rings
jaja this is way funny.
awww....come on, thats not nice.

What's sad and ultimately frustrating is that the unique envoirnment and time that those three films were made is basically being discarded, haphazardly by some executives who feel they no longer need the core team of individuals involved in creating those films successful.

Maybe that is a bit romanticized, but New Line's behavior and course of action is simply propelled by greed on a large scale.

So they go and make The Hobbit and a LOTR prequel(Jebus, who didn't see that coming), but does/did New Line have the foresight to consider whether the actors and technicians loyal to Peter Jackson/Fran Walsh will join along.

Perhaps some might, motivated by the bottom line of money, but I can imagine most will not.

Then there is the slap in the face to the fan community, which is a double edged. Sure, the initial interest in The Hobbit may be substantial, but will wane very quickly. It seems most diehard fans of the LOTR trilogy are also very loyal to Jackson and crew. Out of spite I can see people not going to the film sheerly to prove a point.

Why abuse the talent that was responsible for bringing billions of dollars in revenue to your corporation?

I'm not advocating for The Hobbit movie, nor am I dismayed by the resulting situation, but it just brings to light some interesting insights into the relationship between corportations and talent.

It's like an ugly divorce and each side has their own reasons for why they can't get along and this is neither the first time, nor the last time this will happen.

But one last point, this makes me think of the situation that Mitch Hurwitz endured during the run of his show Arrested Development on FOX. While the two examples are not entirely congruent, there are many analogous details in how a corporation treats talent.

[grady]

New Lines of cocaine.

New Line's coke dealer must be some demi-god or the devil, or the ghost of former ENRON chief, Ken Lay.

[GforGroove]

whaaaaaaa?
yes darling. LOTR SUCKS LOL.

[GreenPea]

yes darling. LOTR SUCKS LOL.

It sucks just cause of that scene that Aragon falls from a cliff, and the stupid Aragorn/Liv Tayler romance. That been said I really feel we need more cheesy fantasy films but LOTR was not nerdy enough for my taste. :D

What about Neverending Story, one of my favorite films of all time. Or The Dark Crystal, I want to see more shit like that.

[GreenPea]

BTW, I like The Hobbit better than LOTR and I hope whoever directs it keeps it a children story as the book was, I hope it doesnt have a overly serious or realistic tone as LOTR. I would love to see Smaug on the big screen. :)

[Kennrr]

Then there is the slap in the face to the fan community, which is a double edged. Sure, the initial interest in The Hobbit may be substantial, but will wane very quickly. It seems most diehard fans of the LOTR trilogy are also very loyal to Jackson and crew. Out of spite I can see people not going to the film sheerly to prove a point.


that is just silly. most people will still see the movie. if the movie is just as good if not better than lotr, than no one will be talking about peter jackson. i think him and his team did a fantastic job and I wish he would be the director.

[grady]

that is just silly. most people will still see the movie. if the movie is just as good if not better than lotr, than no one will be talking about peter jackson. i think him and his team did a fantastic job and I wish he would be the director.

Good point, but you never know. Either way, people will go see it, just like when they decide to make more Star Wars films.

[Deckard]

"I'm very sad as I should have relished revisiting Middle Earth with Peter again. It's hard to imagine any other director matching his achievement in Tolkien country."
- Ian McKellen
And Gandalf should know! :D
(Now all they need is Saruman on their ass... )

A poll on the BBC would seem to suggest most people either think it's a good thing he's been dropped, or don't give a shit:
Can a Hobbit film succeed without Peter Jackson?
Yes: 86.40% No: 13.60%

Two sites have been set up for those who do give a shit...
Petition supporting Peter Jackson (http://www.petitiononline.com/hobnow/petition.html)
BoycottNewLine.com (http://www.boycottnewline.com)

[the mongoose]

What about Neverending Story, one of my favorite films of all time. Or The Dark Crystal, I want to see more shit like that.

Dark Crystal has a sequel on the way.....YES!

the Neverending Story is my favorite fantasy film ever, I would LOVE to see a big budget, book faithful version of this cut into 2 movies, with Weta Digital or Industrial Light doing the FX...people bringing their kids might shit though, in the book the Ivory Tower crumbles to the ground because of Atreyu's spilled blood after being stabbed by Bastian's sword! Guess they could do it without showing the sword or the wound and then just have like one drop hit the ground and *Crack!*;)

[Emmet]

Sam Raimi may be in the frame, all may not be lost?

[the mongoose]

Sam Raimi may be in the frame, all may not be lost?

Without Andy Serkis and Ian McKellan (and WETA) this will be a difficult movie to pull off, even with Raimi.

[big screen satellite]

And Gandalf should know! :D
(Now all they need is Saruman on their ass... )

A poll on the BBC would seem to suggest most people either think it's a good thing he's been dropped, or don't give a shit:
Can a Hobbit film succeed without Peter Jackson?
Yes: 86.40% No: 13.60%



well its the way the question is phrased, rather than what people think of Jackson being dropped

can it succeed? - yes obviously because most people (the general public) probably won't care about who directs it - and loads will assume its made by the same people anyway... sadly the a larger majority of film goers are not all that clued up on the industry and will view this like any other movie when it eventually comes out...

will it be any good? - who knows... that is another question

is it worth making without Jackson... that is another matter also

if the question was asked differently maybe the %'s would be different

still New Line are fools for kicking Jackson either way, because i think people who know, do have a loyalty to Jackson and if its a different set upwith the Hobbit it may not be able to live up to what Jackson did with the LOTR Trilogy...

still lets wait and see... Kershner's Star Wars Movie was way better than Lucas's First, 4th, 5th and 6th

maybe they will get Lucas in on the Hobbit... after all he has a beard...

[chuck]

Course.

It doesn't help the 'relationship' if one party is sueing the other (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1508543,00.html) for a shitload of cash.

It's all about money - don't romanticise Mr Jackson - he's got plenty on the go as it is.

He's thrown his lot in with M$oft - so he knows where the dosh is coming from.

Whether he pulls it off or not is another matter.

New Line will make the Hobbit - people will go and enjoy the dragon FX, lunchboxes will have rings on them again - and we'll all live happily ever after.

It's movie-making. It's always about money.

[Deckard]

Well let's just hope the world of Tolkien continues with a Chris Nolan rather than a Joel Schumacher.

[sunflowereye]

Thought I saw somewhere on the web that MGM has the rights to release "The Hobbit" while New Line has rights to produce it. MGM, which could use a big hit to help its recent rash of stinkers ( New Line too), was not informed by New Line that it would not be working with Jackson; the article I read ( I will look for link) said that MGM was not happy with this decision and wants PJ. Maybe there is still hope?

Either way I hope that whoever makes this movie will stay true to the story. "The Hobbit" is a masterpiece. PJ & Fran Walshs' screenplay left me cringing in some places, esp. RoTK, i.e. Gollum causing rift between Frodo & Sam with whole eating the waybread scene. Lame. Would be great if Ian McKellan, Ian Holmes & Hugo Weaving reprised their roles; hard to picture anyone doing sets and effects other than WETA. Can't wait to see Smaug!