The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

[MacGuffin]

Del Toro doubles up for 'Hobbit'
Source: Hollywood Reporter

Guillermo del Toro is in talks to direct back-to-back installments of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," which is being co-financed by New Line and MGM.

Del Toro's name was on a short list of directors who could tackle the project, one of the most anticipated literary adaptations of the past decade. An ill-chosen director for "Hobbit" could put billions of dollars at stake for New Line and MGM and could turn off an audience that encompasses millions of passionate readers, Tolkien fans and obsessive geeks.

Few filmmakers have the cachet that del Toro has, as well as a deep love for the source material, an assured grasp of fantasy filmmaking and an understanding and command of geek culture as well as its respect. Del Toro has built that goodwill through such films as the Oscar-nominated "Pan's Labyrinth," "Hellboy," "Blade 2" (which was made by New Line) and "The Devil's Backbone."

For New Line, making "Hobbit" had become a priority in the wake of its billion-dollar success of the Oscar-winning "The Lord of the Rings" movies, which were co-written and directed by Peter Jackson. Jackson wanted to adapt "Hobbit," but when he got into a dispute with the studio over profit participation, the project went into limbo; neither New Line nor MGM, both rights-holders to the film, wanted to risk alienating fans of the trilogy by making an adaptation that didn't have Jackson's involvement.

The December resolution of the Jackson suit, facilitated by MGM CEO Harry Sloan, paved the way for "Hobbit" to get back on the road to the screen. However, because of other commitments that included "The Lovely Bones" and "Tintin," Jackson could not take on writing and directing roles, opting instead to become an executive producer with approval over creative elements of the pair of films.

Because of the strike, no writer has been hired to adapt Tolkien's children's classic, though that process will be fast-tracked once it's resolved. Del Toro and Jackson will oversee "Hobbit's" writing.

Principal photography for the films, which will be shot simultaneously, is tentatively set for 2009. The production budget is estimated at $150 million per film. The release of the first film is slated for 2010 and the second in 2011.

"Hobbit," which Tolkien initially wrote for his children, was published in the U.K. in 1937 to wide acclaim. It centered on Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who joins a group of dwarves and the wizard Gandalf on a quest to find the treasure of a dragon named Smaug. Tolkien went on to write "The Lord of the Rings" 17 years later.

Del Toro is putting the finishing touches on Universal's summer release "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" and recently produced the critically acclaimed ghost story "The Orphanage." He is repped by Endeavor and Exile Entertainment.

[Sleepless]

I can see the trailer now: Gandalf walking across a beach yelling "Bilbo! Bilbo!"

[MacGuffin]

Tolkien estate sues New Line
Claims studio failed to provide cut of profits
Source: Variety

The Tolkien Trust (a British charity that manages the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien) and publisher HarperCollins brought a $150 million lawsuit against New Line Cinema on Monday, claiming the trust has not received any of its gross profit participation payments for the three films based on the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The suit was filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court.

In addition to the $150 million in compensatory damages, the suit seeks punitive damages, and most important, a declaration from the court that the plaintiffs can terminate any further rights New Line may have to the Tolkien works under the agreements -- including "The Hobbit," a feature adaptation of which is due to be produced by Peter Jackson, director of the "Rings" trilogy, for New Line and MGM.

According to the suit, although the "Lord of the Rings" films produced by New Line are among the most financially successful films ever created, with worldwide gross receipts of nearly $6 billion, New Line has failed to pay the plaintiffs any portion of the gross profit participation to which they are entitled under their deal.

Bonnie Eskenazi, who represents the trust, said, "New Line has brought new meaning to the phrase 'creative accounting.' I cannot imagine how on earth New Line will argue to a jury that these films could gross literally billions of dollars, and yet the creator's heirs, who are entitled to a share of gross receipts, don't get a penny."

New Line declined to comment on the suit.

As outlined in the complaint, which alleges breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud, among several other causes of action, the Tolkien trust is entitled to 7.5% gross profit participation under a 1969 agreement originally made with United Artists. Over the years, the rights passed from UA to Saul Zaentz to Miramax and, ultimately, to New Line.

The trust, run by Tolkien's now elderly children in the U.K., supports a wide range of charitable causes including Save the Children Fund, the Darfur Appeal, Asia Earthquake Appeal and the World Cancer Research Foundation.

While the main thrust of the complaint is that the trust has been paid nothing, the suit enumerates several areas of contention: underreporting homevideo revenue; $100 million payments to Zaentz and Miramax are treated as costs of the film; destruction of documents; and a refusal to allow any audit on the second and third films of the trilogy.

The "Rings" trilogy has been a magnet for litigation. Jackson settled his 2005 suit with New Line in December. He'd claimed he was shortchanged on profit participation, and during the war of words, New Line topper Bob Shaye said he would never work with Jackson again. With the settlement of the lawsuit, New Line announced that Jackson would produce, but not direct, "The Hobbit."

Producer Saul Zaentz, who at one time owned the film rights to the Tolkien properties, has sued New Line over profit participation twice, most recently in December. The suit alleges New Line has refused to make records available to Zaentz's auditors to allow them to conduct an audit, making it impossible to verify whether his profit participation statements are accurate.

[MacGuffin]

Guillermo del Toro on The Hobbit
Source: ComingSoon

On April 2nd, Guillermo del Toro posted the following regarding The Hobbit and its sequel on the official message boards for Hellboy II: The Golden Army:

Whew- Not yet. BUT there has been a lot of movement. And for the last few weeks there has been a lot of creative / cast / crew / visual talks and agreements and we have witnessed great progress in areas that I cannot disclose or that have already leaked from other sources.

I am dying to share news but I have to be patient and wait until the papers are done and my attachment is real. Nevertheless- a LOT of progress in defining the films, their cast and crew. And, may I add, we are all happily in synch about all creative aspects so far and all willing and eager to move forth.

I cannot say more but if all's well the time will come To talk of many things: Of shoes -- and ships -- and sealing wax -- Of cabbages -- and kings --

May Luck be with us

GDT

PD my silnece means nothing more than the fact that we are RUNNING against an impossible deadline on the HBII film, poster, campaign, ADR, VFX, etc I am SWAMPED.

BUT- Expect good things in the next 2 weeks and a nice item at COMICON. See you there-

New Line Cinema is planning a 2010 release for the first "Hobbit" film and a 2011 release for the second.

[MacGuffin]

Guillermo del Toro to direct 'Hobbit'
Filmmaker signs on helm feature and sequel
Source: Variety

In a major step forward on "The Hobbit," Guillermo del Toro has signed on to direct the New Line-MGM tentpole and its sequel.

The widely expected announcement -- which had been rumored for several weeks -- came Thursday afternoon jointly from exec producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, New Line president Toby Emmerich, and Mary Parent, newly named chief of MGM's Worldwide Motion Picture Group.

Del Toro's moving to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and his Wingnut and Weta production teams. He'll direct the two films back to back, with the sequel dealing with the 60-year period between "The Hobbit" and "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

New Line is overseeing development and will manage production. Both pics are being co-produced and co-financed by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Bros. distributing domestically and MGM handling international.

Del Toro won't leave for New Zealand immediately as he's still in post-production on U's "Hellboy 2," due out in July. His previous pic, "Pan's Labyrinth," was released through New Line's Picturehouse and set a record as the highest grossing Spanish language film in U.S. box office history.

The official signing of Del Toro comes four months after New Line settled a lawsuit with Jackson over "The Lord of the Rings" and announced that it had agreed with MGM to turn J.R.R. Tolkien's "Hobbit" into two live-action films. Sam Raimi had been preceived as the initial front-runner as director but Del Toro had emerged in recent months as the likely candidate.

The studios didn't give a start date on production and don't yet have a script. Though no screenplay deal's been set, it's expected that the "LOTR" scripting team of Jackson, Walsh and Philippa Boyens will collaborate with Del Toro.

With Del Toro blocking out four years for the project, it's likely that the studios are aiming at starting shooting next year and releasing the films in late 2011 and 2012.

Jackson's WETA stages, post-production and visual effects facilities -- built for "The Lord of the Rings" -- will be used for both films. And New Zealand will again be the site of Middle-earth, with the story centering on Bilbo Baggins taking the Ring of Power from Gollum.

[for petes sake]

Guillermo del Toro to direct 'Hobbit'
Filmmaker signs on helm feature and sequel
He'll direct the two films back to back, with the sequel dealing with the 60-year period between "The Hobbit" and "The Fellowship of the Ring," the first of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

Considering that to the best of my knowledge Tolkien never wrote about this period, this means they're going to make it up themselves?

[MacGuffin]

Guillermo Del Toro Addresses 'Hobbit' Fans' Concerns, Talks Possible Casting
'If you don't think Peter [Jackson] did a fabulous job, very likely you won't think I will,' director says.
Source: MTV

When Guillermo del Toro was officially announced as the director of "The Hobbit" and a second, transitional film last week, it became The Day Middle-earth Stood Still for every J.R.R. Tolkien fan.

How would the visionary director of "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Hellboy" approach hobbits and dwarves, riddles and Rivendell, the Battle of Five Armies and the great dragon Smaug? And perhaps most important, just what is that second film going to be about, anyway?

For his part, Del Toro is more than happy to discuss what he's got in his pocketses — and up his sleeve as well — revealing to MTV News his vision for the second film, his views on heroic fantasy (and how they've changed), his dream cast, the look and feel of "The Hobbit," his favorite scenes and more.

MTV: Peter Jackson created a defined film vocabulary for the look and feel of Middle-earth. How will you make it your own? Will you have to subvert yourself?

Guillermo del Toro: We are not attempting to do an exact replication. "The Hobbit" occurs a little over a half-century before the events of "Lord of the Rings." It transverses areas of Middle-earth that Peter did touch on [but also] many others he did not. There are many creatures he did not touch. I am expecting to create a large portion that is very new.

On the other hand, I am very comfortable living within the walls of the world he created during the second half of the second film. It's a world I absolutely love, visually. When you come to a film with a lot of precedents, you have to come to it with a lot of humility and a lot of enthusiasm. No matter what, you end up putting your stamp on it. Everything feels right to me. I don't worry about subverting myself.

MTV: Just two years ago, you were quoted as saying, "I was never into heroic fantasy." Did your views change?

Del Toro: I wasn't. I completely gravitated towards horror. For whatever reason, I never hooked into sword and sorcery. I really rediscovered fantasy through my love of filmmakers as a filmmaker. Something kind of popped and jelled. I now can empathize with one side of the fantasy genre without ever wandering into lubricated musclemen with giant swords. "The Hobbit" occupies a particular seat in fantasy that is irreplaceable. They can dredge up old cadavers in my closet. I'm not running for president. I'm a f---ing filmmaker! I'm just trying to make the movie I want to.

MTV: How do you view the transition period of the second film within the context of the larger "legendarium"?

Del Toro: [The intervening years between "The Hobbit" and "LOTR"] is the transition from the golden years to the rise of Sauron. It's essentially the beginning of civil war and uprisings. It's a very interesting time.

MTV: How much of that film, then, will be based on Tolkien's writings?

Del Toro: We're going to start with "The Hobbit," in the writing process. We'll see if we can fully contain it in one movie, which I think is perfectly possible. We'll take it from there. We just outlined what we want out of [the second film]. We outlined what we expect to tell. It's just plans and ideas right now.

MTV: Do you know who your protagonist would be in the second one? Gollum, perhaps? Or Aragorn? Gandalf?

Del Toro: [It's much more about] trying to reconcile the facts of the first movie with a slightly different point of view. You would be able to see events that were not witnessed in the first film [like driving the Necromancer from Mirkwood]. You would come to them in a roundabout way.

MTV: Do you view "The Hobbit" as a children's story?

Del Toro: I view it as such generally. It belongs on that shelf on the bookshelf. But what is quite touching and miraculous to me about it is that it also reflects the transition from innocence to the loss of innocence. It is a story about a beautifully carefree creature who learns about war and violence. The movie turns darker as it progresses. Don't expect me to do "The Neverending Story." I feel that my zone of comfort is perfectly met with this film — otherwise I wouldn't do it.

MTV: Will Ian Holm return as Bilbo?

Del Toro: [Holm] certainly is the paragon we aspire to. He will be involved in some manner, I'm sure. But at his age ... it's too early to tell. We are just in the early stages. It's too early to make commitments of that sort. We prefer to let the screenplay and the way the character comes to life guide us in the casting. I have many people in mind. Anything [else] I say will be used against me in a court of law. [Laughs.]

MTV: Andy Serkis [Gollum] and Ian McKellan [Gandalf] are involved though, yes?

Del Toro: We can be pretty sure that we're getting back Andy, Ian, [composer] Howard Shore and [conceptual designer] John Howe. I am going to supplement the team of designers with other choices. People that come from the comic book worlds, not in the superhero sense, but the darker, more European type of comics. We're going to enhance the team of artists that conceptualized the first trilogy to create this earlier, more golden time and the way it starts to get tarnished.

MTV: Is there a scene in "The Hobbit" you're most excited to bring to life?

Del Toro: The most beautiful scene in the book, I believe, is [the chapter] "Riddles in the Dark." I truly love it from a literary point of view and from an atmospheric point of view. It is my hope that when "The Hobbit" gets scary, it will get really scary. Peter is a master of the macabre, but I think these scary moments will have a tonal distinction from the original trilogy.

[But] the thing I've been most excited about are the spiders in Mirkwood. Smaug is one of my favorite characters in literature. It's such a beautiful and symbolic creature, totemic in what it represents and the power it has. My favorite creature in all of fantasy would be the dragon because of that book.

MTV: Do you have an idea for how you want Smaug to appear?

Del Toro: Well, yeah, but why spoil it? I do. One of the first things I discussed with Peter was that and the look and feel of the spiders, how they move. Those are the flavors that you will not enjoy until the plate is served.

MTV: You are treading on very sacred ground. Do you have a message to the fans to reassure them?

Del Toro: If you [go] deep enough you will find people that hate any depiction of Tolkien. They dislike any Tolkien that is not Tolkien. The people that are going to like it are going to like it because I come from a genuine place. And the people that are going to dislike it are going to dislike it because I'm coming from a genuine place. There's no two ways about it. You have to follow your instincts. My message is simple: If you don't think [Peter] did a fabulous job, very likely you won't think I will. If you think he did, I will do my best to make you proud of me.

[Sleepless]

I am getting more excited about these films by the day. Would be awesome for a Aragorn-centered film starring Viggo.

I have full confidence in GDT - if you squint he even looks a bit like PJ.

[MacGuffin]

McKellen to reprise Gandalf role in "Hobbit"

British actor Ian McKellen will reprise the role of the wizard Gandalf in the upcoming movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," he told a film magazine.

The 68-year-old star played the part in the hugely successful "Lord of the Rings" trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has been named to direct two films based on "The Hobbit."

"Yes, it's true," McKellen told Empire magazine.

"I spoke to Guillermo in the very room that Peter Jackson offered me the part and he confirmed that I would be reprising the role. Obviously, it's not a part that you turn down, I loved playing Gandalf."

Del Toro, whose credits include "Pan's Labyrinth," will move to New Zealand for the next four years to work on both "Hobbit" films with executive producer Jackson, according to New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.

The studios have said that filming will begin in 2009, with tentative release dates set of 2010 for the first film and 2011 for the sequel.

[MacGuffin]

Del Toro, Jackson Talk Hobbit
Source: SciFi Wire

Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro, who will respectively executive-produce and direct two upcoming films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit, interacted with each other and fans during an international Internet chat dubbed "An Unexpected Party," answering dozens of the 6,000-plus questions sent in and offering tidbits about things to come.

According to the filmmakers, 2009 will be dedicated to preproduction on both movies, with the films set to be shot back-to-back in New Zealand in 2010. The Hobbit will open in December 2011, followed by the tentatively titled Film Two in 2012. Several actors and behind-the-scenes figures from Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy are confirmed or likely to return, among them co-stars Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis, writer-producers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, composer Howard Shore and conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe.

Del Toro and Jackson confirmed that the first film will tell the story of The Hobbit, while the second will be an original tale bridging the period between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. And, they said, del Toro's films will be designed to stand on their own while syncing up with Jackson's Rings trilogy.

"I believe that it's a little bit of both; the world must feel like the same world, [in] the aspect ratio, music, essential established costume and production design trademarks," del Toro wrote from England. "But I would love to bring a lot of new flavors to the table. The Hobbit is, in essence, an overture to a massive symphonic work, so main themes are reprised, but new modulations and new colors are introduced, thematically and texturally."

Jackson, who was in New Zealand, added, "I love Guillermo's symphonic allusion. The 'overture' can have a different flavor, a different texture, yet be a carefully crafted introduction to what's to follow. Film Two is perfect to dramatize the shift in Middle-earth that propels us into the dark days of LOTR. If LOTR is World War I, then The Hobbit is like an Edwardian adventure tale, set in the days before [the] world notices the looming storm clouds."

Jackson, responding to a question about why he chose not to direct The Hobbit films, explained that "essentially competing against my own movies" seemed to be an unsatisfying way to spend the next five years. However, he wrote, "I love Tolkien and care deeply about the movies we made. I couldn't bear the idea of somebody else making them without our involvement. Being a writer and producer is the perfect way for me to work here. Guillermo has the ultimate responsibility of directing, and for him it's easier to make these movies feel different, simply because he's not me, and he therefore has an original vision, with new ideas to offer."

Del Toro, meanwhile, explained that The Hobbit was the only one of Tolkien's works with which he connected as a youth and that he dreamt of Mirkwood and Smaug for "ages." However, once he saw that Jackson had undertaken the Lord of the Rings trilogy he assumed that The Hobbit "would never come to be" for him. When it did, he leapt at the opportunity.

"The proposition of spending half a decade [to] craft these films received, as Peter will attest, a five-second 'YES' from me," del Toro wrote. "To people in my industry I'm usually a guy that tries to generate his own projects, and I remain very elusive when people try and attach me to big projects. For decades I have passed on films of enormous scope, but this is a fantastic privilege and I immediately said, 'Yes.'"

[for petes sake]

I am pumped for this because everyone seems to be doing it for the right reasons.  I am still skeptical of this original "Film Two" idea however...I don't like the idea of Del Torro, Walsh, et al trying to write what Tolkein would have.

[MacGuffin]

Guillermo Del Toro Answers 'Hobbit' Fans' Questions About Returning 'Rings' Cast, Religion And More'
The promise of that land is absolutely mind-boggling!' director gushes about upcoming films.
By Shawn Adler; MTV
   
The word "visionary" gets thrown around these days all too casually, but director Guillermo del Toro is one man for whom it is both earned and wholly appropriate. Now, with the release of "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" only two weeks away, del Toro is already shifting his vision to the future, training his childlike gaze on Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey, Thorin Oakenshield and other beloved characters from J.R.R. Tolkien's famous legendarium.

MTV News recently sat down with del Toro and brought along a whole host of fan questions on "The Hobbit" (as well as some of our own). The Mexican director talked about why Peter Jackson told him to lose weight, which "LOTR" stars might be returning and how Tolkien's personal faith will influence the project. (And don't forget to head over to the MTV Movies blog for even more answers from del Toro.)

Q: In the past year, I've spoken with Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin and Orlando Bloom, and all of them say they want back in. Who should wait by the phone? — MTV News

Del Toro: They said that? I'm a f---ing fan of all of them! The thing is that here and there in the book, in the existing book, there are places to have them almost casually, in secondary roles that are not that important but that would be incredibly enhancing as cameos go. But it is the second movie that is the treasure trove of possibilities. I believe the second movie will be present as an opportunity of enthusiasm and creation. I frankly look forward to that one so much. I really want us to prove that we have a solid concept for that, but the promise of that land is absolutely mind-boggling! I can't wait to mount on the horse and ride, and I hate horses!

Q: When can we hope to hear the title of [the second "Hobbit" film]? — Blueman

Del Toro: When we know where we are going to take it. We are going to have the big pow-wow about story and script, and start those processes officially after taking notes and readings and talking. Then we'll know. Funnily enough, I think the title is incredibly delicate on the second film because it will immediately tell you what it is. It cannot be "The Hobbit 2" because that sounds like "Electric Boogaloo"! [Laughs]

Q: You've repeatedly mentioned your desire to include Ian Holm, but given a lot of circumstances, it seems unlikely to me that he would return for all the action. Would you use him as a narrator, or in a framing device? Something like him reading "There and Back Again" to young hobbits? — MTV News

Del Toro: If Ian Holm is able and willing and in health and in disposition, I would love more than anything to use him. ... I think a lot of people don't take into account the inevitable physical exertion that making two movies back-to-back entails.

So that said, I think that there are many possibilities to keep Ian Holm involved in the movie. I will be as tricky as I can to keep him involved. A narration would be one resource I would absolutely embrace. But as I said before, I believe he created a beautiful, memorable character. He owns it, and we have to honor that. If there is any recasting for the younger part and so forth, it will permeate that decision and affect it. At the end of the day, the answer is we will keep him as involved as humanly and physically possible.

Q: What's the best advice Peter Jackson gave to you about this process? — MTV News

Del Toro: To lose weight! He said to me, "Lose weight, man, because you are not going to survive it if you are that fat!"

Q: Tolkien was a man of deep faith. Do you foresee exploring any theological or spiritual themes in making "The Hobbit" movie ? — K. Cassidy

Del Toro: I believe "The Hobbit" is a narrative that contains characters that are very symbolic of certain human traits. Obviously, pride and greed are easily found in Smaug the Dragon. Then the humble, sort of a sturdy moral fiber that Bilbo has very much represents the idea that Tolkien had about the little English man, the average English man. The dwarves represent other qualities, the elves represent other qualities and, like, in any fairy tale or fantasy narrative that is worth it, all these characters conform to a view of the world that is spiritual, ethical and moral. I think that this morality, this spiritual tale, will play a [large] part in the movie.

Q: I am wondering if you have given any thought to ways you might incorporate some of Tolkien's insights via his paintings and sketches? — Arathorn Jax

Del Toro: I think Tolkien has a great sense of design in his paintings. He has this fusion between medieval illuminations, art nouveau and art deco. It's a very strange fusion. Obviously, there is a guideline there to be followed — up to a point! I do intend to use some of the cues that he laid out that were not used in the trilogy. They will be another influence [I use]; they will not be a dogma just to follow verbatim.

[MacGuffin]

'Hobbit' duo adds writing duties
Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro to pen adaptations
Source: Hollywood Reporter

Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro's search for writers for "The Hobbit" and its companion film has ended, with the filmmakers deciding that no one is better suited for the task than they are.

Del Toro, who is directing the movies, will team with the "Lord of the Rings" filmmaker and "Hobbit" executive producer Jackson to adapt the J.R.R. Tolkien book and write its follow-up. Also joining them in the writers room are Frank Walsh and Philippa Boyens, both of whom collaborated with Jackson on the "Rings" trilogy.

The news caps off an eight-month search for a scribe to tackle the coveted task of bringing the literary classic to the big screen. When Jackson and New Line resolved their differences over profit participation in the "Rings" films, Jackson said he would not be writing the "Hobbit" movies because of other commitments, though he does have approval over creative elements in his role as exec producer.

Later, when del Toro came aboard, the deal was that the two would oversee the search for scribes and the writing. In the interim, three factors came into play: 1) The filmmakers saw their schedules open up, 2) During the general discussions about the films, they realized how much affection they had for the material, and 3) They also realized that in order to make the release dates, the process required people intimate with Tolkien's world of Middle Earth. All led to the decision that they would do the honors themselves along with Walsh and Boyens.

"Hobbit," written by Tolkien for his children years before the "Rings" trilogy, follows a young Bilbo Baggins, who finds his comfortable life turned upside down when the wizard Gandalf takes him on a journey for a hoard of treasure that involves trolls, humans, Gollum and his ring of invisibility and a dragon named Smaug.

"Hobbit" and its sequel are being co-produced, co-financed and co-distributed by New Line and MGM, with New Line managing production and handling domestic distribution through Warner Bros. and MGM distributing internationally.

The films will be shot simultaneously, with principal photography tentatively set for a late-2009 start. New Line and MGM hope to release "Hobbit" in 2011 and its sequel the following year.

[matt35mm]

nice.

[MacGuffin]

'Hobbit' Films Will Be One 'Continuous Journey,' Promises Guillermo Del Toro
Source: MTV

What's better than a second breakfast? For fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, it's the thought of two separate "Hobbit" films, the first of which comes our way in 2011.

But what could be even better still than two "Hobbit" films? How about just one? Make that one movie in two parts, director Guillermo del Toro insisted in an exclusive interview with MTV News, refusing, like Tolkien himself before him, to fractionalize his overall story into component parts.

"The reality is that we stopped talking the first movie and second movie, and we just started taking about the movie - the two episodes, or two parts, as if they were a single piece of narrative," he said of scriptwriting meetings between "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson, his filmmaking team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, and del Toro himself.

"We don't even call it the bridge movie, we just call it 'The Movie.' And this is great. When we found what reverberated, and we found it in one of our virtual meetings - we understood. It's a movie."

Intended or not, the methodology ties in nicely with the material, since Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" story, popularized in three separate volumes, was similarly intended to be one large, single volume work.

Practically, the division (or lack thereof) means little in so far as solving the narrative riddles of the second episode. (What will the second episode contain? What characters will return, etc?) Well, except for the very end that is, which will lead right into "The Fellowship of the Ring," del Toro revealed.

"We all agree that if we do our job right, it should all feel like a continuous journey. That's what we're striving for," Del Toro said. "You should see a movie that's five pictures long. If we do our job right, you put in 'The Hobbit' and you wind up watching the entire Pentology!"

And let me be the (second) to say: That would be one heck of a long day.

"But it's a good day!" Del Toro laughed with my colleague Josh Horowitz. "Better than paying taxes!"

As for the end of the first episode, the movie everyone assumed will follow the events of the novel fairly accurately? Where in the text will it finish?

"We are finding out," GDT quipped. "I think Smaug dies in the first movie. So draw your own conclusions."