Del Toro Quits 'The Hobbit'

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Mister Underhill

Peter Weir's name was frequently brought up in speculative lists even in the original director search. Based on his resume, I never quite got why he was so often suggested. I have a sneaking feeling that it's based mainly on the fact that he was one of the first to employ Billy Boyd after LotR.

I think Weir is an interesting director, but I would judge the odds of him getting involved with The Hobbit as extremely slim. He does films for grown-ups, complete with smoldering sexuality, ambiguity, and restrained understatement -- all qualities which aren't really in the Peter Jackson playbook. Besides, I've never seen that sense of humor and whimsy from him that I think a director really needs to have to do credit to Tolkien's novel. Also, Weir's more of an artist than a gun-for-hire (Green Card notwithstanding). He'd definitely be the type of guy who would want to make the project his own if he were to come on to it.

I am one of the Peter Weir advocates but nothing to do with Billy Boyd, I just love his films but to be honest I think I really would have wanted him to do the Rings or something form the Silmarilllion - I can really see him handling Tuor, Idril and Maeglin in Gondolin brilliantly. He really understands the tension of enclosed societies and I can only dream of the more sophisticated LOTR he might have produced. This is the man whose director's cut of Picnic at Hanging Rock is shorter than the released version! Ah well ....

[Morthoron]

Personally, I think someone like Terry Gilliam would be a brilliant choice. No one does fantasy (Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Brazil, The Fisher King, 12 Monkeys) or period comedy (The Holy Grail, Time Bandits, Jabberwocky) like him. And talk about creepy forests -- anyone who watched The Brothers Grimm will know what astounding work Gilliam could do with Mirkwood.

But, alas, I think Gilliam is far too much a free spirit to conform to a prewritten script or having PJ hover about him like a large New Zealandish bat. Too bad, as he certainly has English humor down cold -- even if he was originally from Wisconsin. But don't tell John Cleese, as I don't believe anyone has informed him.

[Ibrîniðilpathânezel]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Too bad, as he certainly has English humor down cold -- even if he was originally from Wisconsin.

And this is a bad thing? (Says she who was born and still lives in the aforementioned state. ) Living here, one develops some kind of a sense of humor as a defense mechanism, against the crazy politics and mosquitoes, if nothing else.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Ibrîniðilpathânezel

And this is a bad thing? (Says she who was born and still lives in the aforementioned state. ) Living here, one develops some kind of a sense of humor as a defense mechanism, against the crazy politics and mosquitoes, if nothing else.

I suppose it is rather fitting that the person with the most bizzare sense of humor in Britain's most famous oddball comedy troop (or would that be troupe?) would be from Wisconsin.

And I think Michigan shares Wisconsin's mosquitoes, Ibrin. They seem to be multitudinous this year. My daughter and I made an ill-fated hike into the woods last weekend, only to be turned back within a half-mile.

[skip spence]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Personally, I think someone like Terry Gilliam would be a brilliant choice.

I agree emphatically that would be a brilliant choice and that he would be an extremely unlikely choice. Too bad.

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

Oh what the hell, I'll direct it.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Fordim Hedgethistle

Oh what the hell, I'll direct it.

I trust you more than PJ.

[PrinceOfTheHalflings]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Personally, I think someone like Terry Gilliam would be a brilliant choice. No one does fantasy (Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Brazil, The Fisher King, 12 Monkeys) or period comedy (The Holy Grail, Time Bandits, Jabberwocky) like him. And talk about creepy forests -- anyone who watched The Brothers Grimm will know what astounding work Gilliam could do with Mirkwood.

But, alas, I think Gilliam is far too much a free spirit to conform to a prewritten script or having PJ hover about him like a large New Zealandish bat. Too bad, as he certainly has English humor down cold -- even if he was originally from Wisconsin. But don't tell John Cleese, as I don't believe anyone has informed him.

Gilliam's not from Wisconsin, he's from Minnesota. However, I imagine that John Cleese believes that he's from Barcelona.

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Minnesota was also the home of much of the mst3000 crew.

In September 1988, Hodgson enlisted Twin Cities-area comedians Trace Beaulieu and Josh Weinstein, and producer Jim Mallon, to help him shoot a pilot for the show. The robots and the set, in their crudest format, were built overnight by Hodgson.

And Mike Nelson grew up in Wisconsin and was working in the
Twin Cities before joining mst3000.

[Morthoron]

Pffft...the only difference between Wisconsin and Minnesota is that one has more vowels than the other. Both have 9 letters total and both have a lot of cows. Seriously, there's cows everywhere. And they are devious. Even now they are plotting bovine domination.

*knock, knock*

Oh, just a moment, there's someone at the door.

MOOOOOOWAHAHAHA!

Arrrrrgggghhhh!

[Gothbogg the Ripper]

This movie isn't going to happen, is it? They'll just keep coming up with excuse after excuse and it will languish in development Hell until being utterly forgotten.
For Gods sake, just do the movie or don't do it.
Don't keep toying with the fans like this.

[Mister Underhill]

More rumor-mongering:

Deadline reported a few days ago that the director's job was still open and that WB and MGM were lobbying hard to get Jackson to return to the helm. No news there, but one interesting aspect of the story is the idea that so many gross points have already been contracted on the picture that it will be tough to put together a deal that will attract a top tier director.

The story also notes that David Dobkin (a few Harry Potter films), David Yates (Shanghai Knights, Wedding Crashers), and -- double-ugh -- Brett Ratner have been angling for the job.

Meanwhile, IGN is reporting that TORN has sources who say that Jackson protégé Neill Blomkamp already has the job.

Anyway, they all sound like pretty pale replacements for Del Toro.

[Elerrina the Fair]

Oh no! That's really quite suckish. I was looking forward to The Hobbit with all of my heart. Guess I will have to content myself with the book and my imagination. *sadness*

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Be prepared for way over the top cgi of
especially Smaug, Beorn, and the Giant Spiders.

[Mister Underhill]

So Del Toro, in a heart-wrenching decision for both himself and Tolkien fans, decides to drop out of The Hobbit.

Bummer.

But surely he must have had some completely awesome project calling to him, something that put him in that Sophie's choice position of having to pick between it and TH. Maybe that At the Mountains of Madness adaptation he's had waiting in the wings for years.

Oh goody -- he's announcing his new project at ComicCon!

And it's...

Huh? Say that again? A redo of Haunted Mansion? Say that again, I think there's something wrong with my internet because it looks like he jumped from The Hobbit to adapt a Disney theme park ride.

[Inziladun]

That Del Toro would abandon The Hobbit to do that really is amazing. TH has a built-in fan base, and is nearly guaranteed to be a huge success, at least from a financial standpoint. I think it really must speak volumes about the dissatisfaction and frustration surrounding the project in general.

[Thinlómien]

*is disappointed*

Then again, I guess we shouldn't be surprised...