Posted on 01/28/2007 4:33:14 PM PST by maquiladora
There has been speculation about this since last November but according to a major newspaper, Sam "Spider-Man" Raimi is considering directing The Hobbit.
LA Times has the following:
In a move that would have ramifications for several major multi-nationals, and millions of fans, "Spider-Man" maestro Sam Raimi has been telling associates, as well as his corporate masters at Sony, that he is thinking of directing "The Hobbit," the prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork, "The Lord of the Rings." At least two top-level insiders – who declined to be named -- have heard the words out of the director's mouth.
A year ago, such a swap of franchises would have been unthinkable, given that Peter Jackson co-wrote and directed the Oscar-winning "Rings" trilogy, but that was before the slugfest erupted between the once-rotund director and New Line honcho Bob Shaye.
Jackson is suing the studio over money he says is owed to him from the the "Rings" films, which grossed more than $3 billion at the box office and another $1 billion on DVD. In the last few weeks, Shaye has declared Jackson persona-non-grata at New Line, stating publicly that, "He will never make any movie with New Line Cinema again while I'm still working at the company."
According to a New Line source, the studio isn't just contemplating one "Hobbit" movie, but two. The prequel tells the story of hobbit Bilbo Baggins and how he first discovers the magical but sinister ring, the very object that drives the action in "Lord of the Rings."
Still, while Raimi might be an irresistable replacement for Jackson, his ascension to the directing chair is far from a sure thing. New Line says it doesn't have a deal with the director, and Raimi hasn't met with Shaye or production president Toby Emmerich. More potentially problematic is the fact that MGM owns the distribution rights to the film. An MGM spokeman insists that MGM remains firmly in the Jackson camp: "We support Peter Jackson, and when the dust settles, we believe he is the one who will be making this movie."
A call to Raimi's office was directed to his agent, Richard Lovett, at CAA. The agency did not comment.
For Sony, losing Raimi – who gave "Spider-Man" its distinctive visual theatrics – would be a blow. Studio chief Amy Pascal has said she wants to make six installments of the "Spider-Man" tale. Just this week, the studio announced it was rehiring David Koepp, who wrote the first film, to write "Spider-Man 4."
Right, The Hobbit is NOT a prequel to LotR. It's a stand on it's own book, it just happened to have happened before the time of LotR.
How many billions did Shaye make for New Line?
All Shaye has to do is keep his mouth shut, and spend his cut of the money PJ will make for him. Being a liberal, he can't even recognize his own best interests.
I can't see how that could be done in less than....say....twelve parts or so.
Perhaps Raimi could do an indie "Evil Dead" version of "The Hobbit"? As long as Bruce Campbell is in it...
I notice that there are a lot of scenes in "Army of Darkness" that reappear in Jackson's LOTR.
I heard rumors about that! One said that Ashton Kutcher was being considered for Ash. Blecch!!
Not being an LOTR fan, I didn't see that pic. But I did enjoy "Army of Darkness"!
Shaye better not be so smug. Has ANY movie franchise made the kind of money for New Line that the LOTR series has made? I thought I'd read that New Line's option on "The Hobbit" runs out this year, anyway. If that happens, New Line won't have any say about it anymore, anyway.
My take as well.
I love the work of both Jackson and Raimi. I can see a situation where Jackson is the producer and Raimi directs, though. But I bet part of any deal is that Shaye says bye bye. A Hollywood executive should never get into a pissing match with a director who has made billions of dollars with their films (even if their next movie "only" made half a billion dollars). No matter the outcome, in the long run the director almost always wins and the executive almost always gets a golden parachute, but lots fewer party invitations.
Harry Knowles (the lefty film geek operator of the great movie geek site Aint It Cool News) is friends with both of the directors. Let's let him work out the deal.
The one problem I'd have with Raimi is I can't think of a character in The Hobbit for Bruce Campbell to play! No problem with casting his brother Ted Raimi. He's used to performing in "sword operas." I just hope he doesn't bring to much of Joxer to any role.
And Zaentz will have every reason to sue to regain the rights if New Line plays any games whatever about "in production".
I think Bruce would make a GREAT Gollum!
Yeah, "Army of Darkness" is one of my favorites.
OK, so now we'll have the Hobbit shot in "shaky-cam," with Bruce Campbell playing the Dwarves. All of them. ;)
If there was any justice those rights would go to John Fogerty, but that's another story...
"Good...bad...I'm the hobbit with The Ring."
A hobbit with a boomstick... I like it!
;D
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