And directing The Hobbit...perhaps!?

[Boromir88]

Sci-fi/fantasy master Guillermo Del Toro in talks with directing The Hobbit movie.

Del Toro most recently directed the stunning, and fantastic movie, Pans Labyrinth. He's also directed Hellboy, and a successful film in Mexico, Cronos.

Personally, this is good news for The Hobbit, as Sam Raimi may have been a disastrous choice for director. Your thoughts on Guillermo directing The Hobbit and Peter Jackson producing?

[Aganzir]

Pan's Labyrinth is the only film I've seen by Del Toro, but even if I base my opinion only on that, I can say I'd be happy if they chose him.

PL is one of the best and most stunning films I've ever seen. Besides, I have never quite got used to the lightness of the Hobbit. I'm not saying the film should be as dark as PL, but I think a director with the habit of making merry films would have been quite catastrophic.

I honestly believe Del Toro would be able to make the Hobbit real when it comes to the scenery and characters... I guess I can make a wild guess and say that if he directs the Hobbit, I will enjoy it more than I did the Lotr movies.

[Boromir88]

I agree Agan, I think Pans Labyrinth has been Del Toro's most successful, and best, film as of yet. It was an absolutely stunning movie, and I like your point about him making The Hobbit a little "darker." It would be interesting to see how this would work out, as Tolkien attempted to make The Hobbit "fit" better with LOTR.

Anyway, fantasy is like Del Toro's bread and butter, and it is something you can tell he is very passionate about. As I said in the first post, I hope this works out, as the rumors that Raimi would do it, scared me.

[A Little Green]

Seconded. Del Toro would be great indeed (in case we can't have Tim Burton ). Just imagine his Mirkwood, or Gollum... I would definitely love to see a more "artistic" Tolkien-film (not talking about Tarkovsky or anything, but rather... umm... well, like Pan's Labyrinth compared to Wolfgang Petersen's Troy, if you get what I mean), and Del Toro would be just the man to do that.

As for Sam Raimi... well... he's just wrong. Is there a chance that he'll indeed direct the Hobbit?

I have nothing against PJ producing, though that might be because I don't know just how much influence does the producer have on the content of the film. If not much, well, then everything is fine. It would be sad indeed if all the Tolkien-related films should concentrate on the vision of one man. Del Toro, I'm sure, has a vision of his own of Middle-Earth, and most probably one that isn't too much like PJ's.

[Tuor in Gondolin]

He could be a good choice, since there's a bit
of a problem for a movie Hobbit, since it would
have to accomadate the lighter Hobbit book tone
with the already made LOTR movies. Of course,
his selection could endanger any dwarf tossing
episodes in the Hobbit movies.

[Sauron the White]

Del Toro is an excellent director if we use PANS L. as the measuring stick. He certainly evidences a great amount of talent and has a wonderful eye for what makes a movie stunning and a visual treat. That should serve him well in HOBBIT.

To maintain continuity with the other Middle-earth films, I dearly hope that Jackson is a very hands on producer and plays a pivotal role in the selection of such other talents as
writers
actors and actresses
set design
costume design
special effects
cinematographer
and all the other team members important to a huge big budget film like this will be. It is probably that Del Toro will want a few key people of his own that he has worked with in the past. That is fine. But it is my understanding that New Line wants as much continuinity visible on screen as possible.

One interesting thing will be over such issues as final cut of the film(s).

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by A Little Green

I would definitely love to see a more "artistic" Tolkien-film (not talking about Tarkovsky or anything, but rather... umm... well, like Pan's Labyrinth compared to Wolfgang Petersen's Troy, if you get what I mean), and Del Toro would be just the man to do that.

I do agree with you waiting for a more "artistic" take on a Tolkien story. But just thinking about Wolfgang Petersen I'd wish to say that his U-Boat film Das Boot (U-96) was one of the most deep, believable, touchingly realistic and still entertaining War-movie I have ever seen. So maybe he could come over that "Troy" stuff to eventually produce a realistical but still mind-gripping Hobbit? In Das Boot he clearly showed he can care of his characters and he has an ability to make them look real even if some of them are a bit stereotyped.

I would still go for Peter Weir if asked. Or if Ridley Scott would get an inspiration to produce something he managed in The Blade Runner or The Gladiator... But who would ask me about that?

I don't think Del Toro a bad choice. Don't get me wrong. I liked Pan's Labyrinth even if I thought it was a bit overdone...

Being artistically great or fresh you need to avoid the generalisations of the main-stream black-white stuff and the requirements of being slapstick in the "lowest common denominator" -way etc. But you can't follow the clicheés of "artsy" films either.