DEL TORO TO DIRECT ‘HOBBIT’
April 24, 2008
OSCAR®-NOMINATED FILMMAKER GUILLERMO DEL TORO
TO DIRECT “THE HOBBIT” AND ITS SEQUEL
“Hobbit” Executive Producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh Tap “Pan’s
Labyrinth” Director To Helm Latest Installments of “The Lord of the Rings” Saga
.
Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Hellboy,” “Blade 2”) will direct “The Hobbit” and its sequel, it was jointly announced today by “The Hobbit” Executive Producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, New Line Cinema’s President and COO Toby Emmerich, and Mary Parent, Chairperson, Worldwide Motion Picture Group, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM).
.
“Guillermo is a filmmaker of outstanding ability; he is a genuine storyteller who brings a tremendous amount of passion, energy and imagination to his work. A true original, Guillermo is a cinematic magician who has never lost his child-like sense of wonder. He understands that the fantastic must be grounded in the real and that all stories are only ever a reflection of ourselves,” say Jackson and Walsh. “We have long admired Guillermo’s work and cannot think of a more inspired filmmaker to take the journey back to Middle-earth. We are delighted ‘The Hobbit’ is in such trustworthy hands.”
.
Del Toro says, “This is a great honor, and I am indeed blessed to become a part of the filmmaking community that Peter, Fran and their extraordinary team of collaborators have created in New Zealand. I want to thank them, Bob Shaye, Michael Lynne, Toby Emmerich and Mark Ordesky for entrusting me with such an incredible project. Contributing to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ legacy is an absolute dream come true.”
.
Comments Emmerich, “Guillermo has a proven ability to bring fantasy worlds to life in a compelling and emotional way. He is the ideal filmmaker to work with Peter and Fran to bring Tolkien’s beloved Middle-earth back to the screen.”
.
Parent adds: “As the international distributors for ‘The Hobbit’ films, we couldn’t agree more with Peter, Fran and our partners at New Line, Guillermo is the perfect choice to direct. Audiences across the globe enjoy his unique cinematic viewpoint, imaginative direction and provocative storytelling talents. His vision, in collaboration with Peter and Fran, will ensure ‘The Hobbit’ as a very special film experience for audiences worldwide.”
.
Del Toro will move to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and his Wingnut and WETA production teams. He will helm the two films back to back – telling the story of “The Hobbit,” and its sequel, which will deal 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 the production. “The Hobbit” and its sequel are being co-produced and co-financed by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Brothers distributing domestically and MGM distributing internationally. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh are executive producing the films.
.
The Oscar®-winning, critically acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards®, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.
Hooray!! I’m so happy this has been confirmed!
Well, it’s about time!
Congratulations and let’s move this sucker along! ;D
YEEEE!!! Can’t wait to know something about the cast! And I really hope this blog will be filled with preproduction art and so on!
Fan italiani prepariamoci a quattro anni folli! xD
Fabulous news, but I find myself wondering what the second film will cover. I mean, all I can recall about the 60-year interval between The Hobbit and LOTR is the White Council driving the Necromancer from Dol Guldur, Bilbo adopting Frodo, and Gandalf and Aragorn hunting for Gollum. Is that enough for an entire feature?
Great news! It really made my day! I’m getting more and more excited for more announcements (casting etc..)!
yeah!! that’s great!! Viva Mexico!
How cool it would be to work with peter and guillermo!
I want to work in the art department of the hobbit!! That’d be awesome
Wonderful! Yeah! This is the best news I’ve had in a long time. Very excited to be watching everything to develop.
¡Felicidades Guillermo!, I and other mexican Tolkien fans (and no mexicans I hope) trush in you completely.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!! GUILLERMO… QUE BUENA NOTICIA QUE UN MEXICANO CON EL TALENTO DE GUILLERMO DEL TORO SEA LA PERSONA QUE DIRIGA ESTE INTERESANTE PROYECTO, WOW!!! BIEN NEW LINE!!, GOOD NEW LINE!!
So excited with this news. Now we can go back to Middle-earth!
This news is a LOTR’s Fan continued dream come true.
I trust with Peter & Fran at the Helm the film will be just as successfull as the Trilogy. But “Peter” How hard is it going to be, sitting on the side lines watching someone else direct the film. I’m sure Del Toro will do fine.
Fantastic to see the passion continued and shared.
Fantastic!….
Mucha Suerte Guillermo!
Esperamos que disfrutes realizando estas películas y sepas trasmitir el amor y el respeto hacia la obra de Tolkien que tan bien supieron captar Peter Jackson y su equipo.
Alejandro Pérez Mansergas
VALENCIA-SPAIN-
Congratulations Mr Del Toro! i’m sure your work will be astonish like Mr Jackson work…
i hope you want keep true continuity with LORT, keeping on board the great Ian Holm for Bilbo, he’s not too old..and Bilbo don’t is aged in LORT how Gandalf said! and for ian Holm talent, to be more young it’s easy! and Howard Shore for the Soundtrack, to complete his OPERA. and of course Gandalf himself Ian McKellen! but overall think about Ian Holm please!!!
gift us true continuity.
have good years in middle heart Mr Del Toro, you and Mr Jackson will be like Dante and Virgilio! Good Work ! thanks a lot!
If PJ’s not directing I can’t think of anyone else I’d trust for the job than Del Toro.
Great news that the row’s out of the way. But, I’ very worried about the second film. This just gives an excuse for the writers to let loose. If a second story had been needed then Tolkein would have written it. The Lord of the Rings was written to take up where The Hobbit ended, so there is no reason for a second prequel. Unless of course it’s just another excuse to make money!
FIANLLY!!!!! now lets get the original cast in this ) ,and me a plane ticket to NZ )
Not sure I like the choice of Director, but about time this is done with. Now they can get started and makes some great films.
I really hope they will cast the same actors from LOTR. It just would not be the same if someone else was playing Gandalf or Bilbo.
btw can’t wait to see the movies:)
Well, after all this time i am happy, that it is official.
Yes, it’s really about time =)
Until now the long time of waiting begins =)
Gut, dass endlich die offizielle Bestätigung da ist =)
Aber dass Del Toro es machen würde, war schon länger klar, bei dem Lesestoff =)
Jetzt beginnt, die damals bei den HdR-Verfilmungen von J.R.R.Tolkien die freudige Zeit des Wartes *grins*
Pretty cool - Guillermo del Toro was surely the best choice.
Guillermo is one of the best directors I’ve ever knew. “El Laberinto Del Fauno”, “The Devil’s Backbone”…. He really deserves to do this movie and I really think he will do a wonderful job. Thank you Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh for choosing him because he really is worth it. I all wish you Good Luck !!!!! (Go GDT! Go!!!)
Well, i go back to Middle-earth now!!!
Good luck Guilhermo, Peter!
Fantastic! I can’t wait to see his style and vision on-screen
That’s great news - loved Hellboy & Pans Labyrinth. Hope the production values are consistent with the Jackson movies.
Excelente noticia !!!!! Muchisimas felicidades a Guillermo de parte de todos sus paisanos, sabemos que no nos defraudará y que se logrará una super producción. Peter y su equipo no se equivocaron al hacer esta elección, Guillermo es uno de los mas grandes cineastas y no lo digo sólo por ser Mexicano, el mismo lo ha demostrado. SUERTE !!!!
I loved Pan’s Labyrinth. I think this was a good move to have Del Toro direct these films. After three films of PJ, Del Toro may add a fresh perspective that will further enhance Middle Earth. Can’t wait to hear of more developments!
For everlasting excitement. Lets get it on
With Del Toro at the helm, PJ and Fran behind the scenes and WETA for the special FX, this can’t go wrong. Let’s get this show on the road!!!
Tim, in response to your question about whether there is enough material to make a second movie, they could make an entire trilogy from what is available. Consider for example the history of Aragorn during this period — his tenure in Rohan and Gondor as “Thorongil” could fill a trilogy itself, even though a lot of details would have to be filled in. My guess is that the lives of Gandalf and Aragorn will provide most of the material, including the battle at Dol Guldor and possibly the battle at Umbar.
YEAH!!!! Pan’s Labyrinth - directed by Del Toro - was great movie and I am confident he is the right choice for The Hobbit (except for Peter Jackson, of course).
I think Del Toro is a great choice for director based on his past films. He’ll definitely add a new perspective while hopefully staying true to PJ’s vision of Middle Earth.
They hired Peter Jackson’s Non-Union Mexican Equivalent
No seriously - it’s a great choice for director. Way better than if they had chosen Sam Raimi. Can’t wait!
OMG, how can you doubt the Director? Okay so I saw Hellboy and that wasn’t great, but Pan’s Labyrinth was the best film I have watched in a really long time. Hopefully he can bring some of that to this production. That would be awesome. I’m glad the production is staying in New Zealand, but I think the Hobbit should have a different feel to LOTR, it’s a different time within Middle Earth and should be treated as such. I cannot wait to see this. Hopefully, the rumours of Ian McKellan returning to the role of Gandalf are based in fact.
Not sure I like the choice of directors, but hey its about time they chose one! And I’m sure he will do fine. But I’m kinda confused, the FIRST movie will be the whole entire story of ‘The Hobbit’ and then the SECOND will be like a fill in of the 60 years between ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Fellowship of the Ring’? Did enough happen during those 60 years to make a whole movie?
Ohh Yeahhh!!! I really am delighted with the choise. Since I herad the rumour, I couldn’t wait it to be confirmed; It’s just amazing. Now I can’t wait for more details about production.
NO No no no nooo..
i want Peter to do it
Tho im not going to lets this ruin anything for me.
sweeeet!
its about time!
do it justice GUILLERMO DEL TORO.
Fantastic news, Del Toro is an amazing director and more than capable of undertaking the task. I’m glad Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh are still involved. I think they’ll make a great team. I hope Howard Shore does the score for these new movies aswell, his music was like the heart of the lord of the rings trilogy.
Don’t worry! Guillermo is the only director (besides Peter) who has the chops to do this right!
This will undoubtedly be movie history. May the hair on your toes never fall out!
Great news! And great Choice… I’m looking forward to Del Toro Interpretation
I think it’s a great choice of director. I can’t wait!!!!!
Good Luck Guillermo!!!!!
FELICIDADES MEMO TU TIENES MUCHA CREATIVIDAD E IMAGINACION PARA UNA LIBRO COMO EL HOBBIT Y YA ESPERAMOS CON ANSIAS TU MANO PARA DIRIGIR ESTA PELICULA
No clue why Peter Jackson cannot direct these movies. Putting a new Director in the movies is like destroying what the movies could have been.
Wonderful…
Finally we have the official announcement…
I really love Del Toro’s movie “Pan’s Labyrinth”, so I guess that he will do a great job…
And let’s not forget that also Peter Jackson is involved…
“The Hobbit” is in good hands…
Another Tolkien’s Masterpiece in front of our eyes…
Another Beautiful Dream in an horrible reality full of Disgrace…
I’m just so happy…^__^
well i couldnt be happier but i trst he will not muck it all up and give peter a bad name peter jackson you rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so exited about that! Things are going forward with movie! Yessss!!!
GDT is one of the greatest director I’ve ever known. He will make a fantastic job (as enormous as Pan’s Labyrinth).Thank you Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh for choosing him. I all wish you good luck!!!
Clearly good news that the beginning of the story (at least in terms of published novels) is to be told, although quite what can fill an entire film for the 2nd one is intriguing. What might be difficult to translate onto the screen without it being ‘childish’ is the generally whimsical nature of the Hobbit when compared to the more serious tone of LOTR. I do hope however we are spared the increasingly overblown production values of of Peter’s undoubted fine efforts and can stick to the story rather than invent completely unnecessary ‘extras’ and embelleshments; the stories are perfectly good as they are and really do not need any ‘help’.
del toro to direct the hobbit
this very happy
empiezen pronto el film
empiezo a impasientarme
nai eru varyuva len
a all
namarie
fantastic
good news
gretings from chile
for fans the lord of the rings
nai eru varyuba len
a all
………..namarie…………
sweet
I’m glad that their going to make ‘The Hobbit’ but think Del Toro might “F” it up! Who wrote the screenplay? I think Jackson need to take the Director spot!
CAN WE HELP? CAN WE HELP GET THIS SHOE ON THE ROAD
WHERE DO I SIGN UP TO GO TO NEW ZEELAND???
Fantastic…I’m with Frances…where do we sign up to get a drop of bloody work here!? seriously so great to even consider some of the old film chaps coming together…heh Gandalph how’ya doin’?
Whatever happened to that other director… what’s his name… Peter Jackson!?! Other than dropping some cool parts out of the trilogy (which would not entirely be his fault), why would he not be the one to finish what he started?
I am not to certain, and yet a little down hearted about the choice for the Director of this long awaited film. I must admit that I was hoping for Peter Jackson. I was, however, impressed with Pan’s Labyrinth. I feel that The Hobbit is long overdue. Anxiously I await its arrival!!
My son and I just watched Pan’s Labyrinth again after hearing the news of Del Toro being named director of the Hobbit films.
Watching it once more was a moving experience. Seeing the quality and imagination of the direction leaves me no doubt that The Hobbit is in good hands.