For their 20th birthday, Empire was given a few world exclusives including a chat with Guillermo Del Toro and Peter Jackson to discuss and confirm some details surrounding the upcoming pair of Hobbit films.
In the interview, Del Toro and Jackson confirmed that both movies will focus on the story of The Hobbit and that the second of the two would not be a “bridge” film – an idea which had been long-speculated and apparently planned prior.
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Del Toro explains how the films will now be organized:
“We’ve decided to have The Hobbit span the two movies, including the White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur.”
Jackson followed up by adding a little explanation for why the story needs to be split up amongst two feature films:
“We decided it would be a mistake to try to cram everything into one movie… The essential brief was to do The Hobbit, and it allows us to make The Hobbit in a little more style, if you like, of the [LOTR] trilogy.”
In October of last year, Del Toro revealed where they were (at the time) in writing the scripts and planning the structure of the pair of movies. At that time, he said the first of the two films would end (story-wise) around the 14th chapter of the 19-chapter novel. This meant that the second film would only have five chapters to cover and the rest could be used to tie the story into the trilogy. Del Toro explained that the idea was that after it was all said and done, all five films would flow perfectly together and that the two hobbit films would essentially be one big movie.
“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….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!”
I suppose this news dampens the possibility of seeing other familiar faces from The Lord of the Rings trilogy returning. We had heard previously from Viggo Mortensen and Dominic Monaghan that there was strong interest in bringing many characters back to their famous roles for scenes in the second Hobbit movie – a movie that would be focused on bridging the gap between The Hobbit and the beginning of Fellowship of the Ring.
While excited, I’m slightly disappointed. I was really hoping to see them spend time filling in some of the 60 years between the stories and more importantly, to see many familiar faces return in some way, shape or form, to the character roles they perfected in the trilogy.
Who knows, maybe a third film can be made to act as a bridge movie? Doubtful considering story implications and how busy the two masterminds behind this project will be by then, let alone the cast.
What do you think of this news and which format do you prefer?
The first of The Hobbit films is due out in December, 2011 and the second in December, 2012.
Source: Empire
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20 Comments
Good news.
That was kind of what I was hoping for, but I agree with you Rob, that third film would be pretty sweet.
Loving Lord of the Rings and having read all the books I can see great potencial to extend this series (even further than just that bridge film), but I guess that it comes to a point where the audience (as in those who didn’t read the books) would just not adhere.
I don’t mind this news. I wasn’t really anxious to see any “filler” storyarcs that had never been written originally, anyway.
I’d prefer The Hobbit were split into two movies. I’m not sure how you can fit the relatively smaller book into two movies, but it’d probably be a better idea.
I’m a rather large Hobbit/LOTR fan, so I was really holding my breath on this one. I’m glad to finally hear that they decided to stick to just what’s already in the books. I’m also happy about spanning it across two movies because there is just so much to tell. A filler movie would be kind of cool to tie the two halves together, but I wouldn’t want it to be part of The Hobbit.
It will be a shame to not see some of the familiar faces from the trilogy. The biggest shame will be whatever happens with Bilbo though. On one hand, I really (REALLY) disliked his actor, but, on the other hand, they may choose to break continuity and with a younger actor.
@ Aaron
The Hobbit is being split into two movies.
“..the first of the two films would end (story-wise) around the 14th chapter of the 19-chapter novel.”
It’s a giant franchise for the studio with the LOTR Trilogy and now the two Hobbit films. They can still make more films which bridge the gap between the Hobbit and FOTR..There is plenty of Tolkien literature to make more movies of Middle Earth..The Simarillion has five books with lots of great stuff to make more of these movies as well as the History of Middle-earth..This is great news to me in that I think that they will eventually use JRR & Christopher Tolkien’s works to keep the franchise going…
Rob,
Personally I never liked the idea of filling in the 60 year gap. If one wishes to enjoy more Tolkien on the big screen, there is enough source material from The Silmirillion to form several interlacing films all while staying firmly in Middle Earth.
And what could the writers use those 60 years to write for when between the text of the Hobbit and Lord of Rings, all the necessary information is already present. There is nothing that they could add that wouldn’t feel like filler, like starch.
This announcement is welcome news to my ears, knowing that Jackson and Del Torro understand this as well.
jerseycajun,
I don’t expect a full movie to act as a bridge film (I mention that it won’t work because of story implications in the article) but I would of liked to see a part of the second Hobbit film work towards that angle as the entire movie wouldn’t be dedicated to just that (most of it would be to complete the story of The Hobbit).
As GK says, Silmarillion can be used to make more Middle-Earth films, it just wouldn’t be the same as bringing back the familiars within what we would have seen so far. I’d be up for that though.
Cool stuff either way, I can’t wait to see The Hobbit. I wonder when we’ll start hearing casting announcements…
I don’t see why it really needs to be split into two movies. Each of the LOTR books were longer than the Hobbit book and they all managed to fit into a 3-4 hour movie.
I also don’t really see a logical break storywise. If we’re to assume that they’ll split in the book once it reaches the middle, say chapter 9 or 10, then the movie will end with them getting out of Mirkwood. I don’t feel like that’s a very compelling ending for the first film.
I think it is a really stupid idea. The hobbit is a stand alone book and trying to tie it into the trilogy at any level ruins the magic of the book. Jackson is making a mistake. If I have noticed anything about movies, stick to the source material and you will have a successful movie. The track record of the lord of the rings shows this. Save the hobbit from this foolishnss.
The only recurring characters would be Bilbo and Gandalf, the mistake movies make is giving more of the same and just piling it on. Legolas, Gimli and the guys from the LOTR were not in the hobbit book and should not be in the hobbit movie. I also have reservations about Del Toro doing the movie. He is excellent at visual effects but he always seems to overdo it. The hobbit should follow the visual style of most of the LOTR movies.
And another thing. Gandalf should just do what he did in the books and tell the dwarves he has things that he has to attend to, and leave it at that.Don’t show the white council, and don’t show Dol Gulder. Leave the book alone. Let the book end with Bilbo back home considering writing about his travels. The story was about a reclusive little hobbit growing up. Leave it at that, please!
Have to admit, it’s odd that a shorter, straight forward tale needs two movies. Guess depends on how long they plan to make them.
I think new stuff with Gandalf would work as movie fans will understand where it is going. I guess he could end up meeting Aragorn, they were both travellers who knew each other well, but I don’t want lots of previous characters forced in just for the sake of it.
I wonder what the Subtitles will be?
Hopefully something better then The Hobbit Parts one and two.
@ Gary,
I was just wondering that too,
They can’t really call them volumes or chapters, and making up an entirely new name wouldn’t be approved by the fans.
I suppose something along the lines of what you said will probably be used
How about for a title:
Part I : “A Hobbit’s Tale”
Part II : “A Hobbit’s Tale : There and Back Again”
Nah…
‘The Hobbit’ is a standalone book in the Mythology of Middle Earth, however, Bilbo Baggins’ continued involvement in the Lord of The Rings, together with Gollum and Gandalf makes it inevitable that cinematic audiences, as well as those who immersed themselves in the stories of Middle Earth in print, might expect the appearances of certain characters from Lord of the Rings.
There is a lot of unused Lord of The Rings footage that could be incorporated into the Hobbit quite easily. I am a fan of the books, but I am also the first to say that the films are not the books!
Thanks to Peter Jackson, an ‘homage’ to Tolkein’s vision was created in the LOTR trilogy. Not everyone was pleased with how certain aspects were left out (Tom Bombadil?) However, I think that certain characters could return easily to enhance the links to the FILMS. It is not beyond the realms of impossiblity for Isildur’s heir (Aragorn) to make an appearance. The Dunedein are long lived beings and Aragorn would appear much the same age 60 years previously to the events in LOTR.
A little bit of a ‘tie in’at the end of the Hobbit film could be achieved quite easily. I would like to see how he came to Rivendell, and a little more of the History of The Elves, and Middle Earth.
Tolkein’s books are a rich tapestry, that was only touched on in the first three films. I can easily imagine it btaking two films to tell the ‘prequel’
Del Toro and Jackson are amongst the most brilliant minds in hollywood and I know they are taking there time in making sure that these films will come out well. I am personally excited and feel that these will come out wonderfully
you see this? This is the treatment a CONAN film deserves.
If it’s gonna be done do it right!!!!
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