Pan’s Labyrinth and Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro has OFFICIALLY signed on to direct The Hobbit and it’s sequel. The Hobbit sequel, which is currently untitled will deal with the 60-year period between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will executive produce the project which will be co-financed by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Brothers distributing domestically and MGM distributing internationally. del Toro will have to move to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and WETA on the back-to-back film projects. Del Toro won’t leave for New Zealand until later this year as he’s still doing post-production work on Hellboy II: The Golden Army, which will hit theaters in July. If the production begins next year, The Hobbit and it’s sequel could hit theaters in late 2011 and 2012.
I’m extremely excited to see what del Toro will be able to bring to the Lord of the Rings universe. No screenplay has been set for the epic prequel, but it is expected that the Lord of the Rigns scripting team of Jackson, Walsh and Philippa Boyens will work on the two screenplays in collaboration with Del Toro. I hope he Guillermo given a chance to make the project his own. At the same time I am disappointed that this will cannibalize Guillermo for the next four years, as I know he has so many great films in him itching to come out.
Discuss: What do you think now that it is official that Guillermo del Toro will be directing The Hobbit?
April 24th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I’m so glad that del toro is now officially signed on, however, I do agree, I wish this didn’t mean four or five years without any other del toro helmed projects.
April 24th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I’ll be first in line to see The Hobbit but I was looking forward to At the Mountains of Madness and that newly announced Saturn and the End of Days idea
April 24th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I would rather have seen Del Toro direct the last two Harry Potter films.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
This is the best news I’ve heard all week.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
@ JKRowling
true that. WTF is this 4-films-for-Yates BS?
Cuaron & Newell were better.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Awesome. Finally some progress will be made towards actually seeing these films on the big screen and in the hands of the director most suited to lead from Jackson.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
WTF about the Hobbit sequel?!
I’m fine with them splitting The Hobbit into two movies like that final Harry Potter or something ,even though I don’t think it’s really necessary, especially given what was done with the three LOTR movies.
But what is up with this movie that bridges The Hobbit and LOTR?! Are they making the story up completely? That’s just silly. Follow the novels.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
I don’t think they will have to “make up the story completely”… there is a TON of Tolkeinania material–story notes and history– that can be used to fill in the gaps.
I’d rather have some Similarion madness myself, and Del Toro rockin the Lovecraft above all else.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Sweet. Geeking out can officially commence.
del Toro’s Hobbit > Jackson’s LOTRs
April 24th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Cool! Cool! Cool!
I’m wondering what the “sequel” will be?
And yes..del Toro doing the Lovecraft Mythos proud would (will) be a cool thing.
But they could have done a LOT worse for the Hobbit…Should be a thing of beauty.
What’s the final word on why Jackson didn’t do it?
April 24th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
FUCK YES!
April 24th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Sauce,
Jackson will be working with Del Toro, along with Weta. And I love Jacksons LOTR.
Up yours :P
April 24th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
Boooo….
Del toro is overrated, people give him way too much credit for Pan’s Labyrinth….don’t forget that hes responsible for Blade 2, and Hellboy…….
As far as im concerned Peter Jackson is and should be the director to helm these movies…..
April 24th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Amazing. This is the best thing to happen to the Lord of the Rings Series. If he infuses half the mysticism of Pan’s Labyrinth into this thing it’ll be one of the best fantasy films in years. I grew tired of the original trilogy after seeing them once but I know del Toro will delve deeper and darker than Jackson would so I hope he has many liberties with the creative direction of the film.
April 24th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
What’s wrong with Blade 2 and Hellboy? Pan’s Labyrinth and Devil’s Backbone are awesome films. He will be great for LOTR.
I’m just glad Raimi didn’t get it, I can only imagine the lame shit he would have brought to the film.
April 24th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Also, you hating on Blade 2? That had some of the best action I’ve ever seen–you must be outta your goddamn mind. What do you expect a director to do with the Blade premise?
April 24th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
This the best news that came out of hollywood this week iam relly excited to see how they are going to do this move though i am ecity about the hobit secqual but it is such a big book and its were do stop for part 1 and continue for part 2 but i have full fat is peater jacktion and the fact that his writing team is coming backis gret and Guillermo del Toro diricing this move the man pastion for movie is amising
April 24th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
While I’m mixed on Del Toro’s work to date - Pan’s Labyrinth was phenomenal, Hellboy was…faithful. The Hobbit seems like a labor of love for him, and it couldn’t be in better hands. I look forward to it.
April 24th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
this is awesome del toro is the best….why do 2 when you can do 3 and have a full saga with lord of the rings.
April 24th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
@ Captain Awesome
Raimi’s Hobbit = Emo Frodo, a dance off with Gollum for the Ring, JK Simmons as the voice of Smaug, and a special cameo by Bruce Campbell as Drunk Bard #4
Huzzah for del Toro! The only question is, where does Doug Jones fit in best. Could he do motion capture for Smaug? Or…Andy Serkis as Beorn the man and Doug Jones as Beorn the Bear. That might be cool.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
ARRIBA DEL TORO!!!
ERES UN ORGULLO PARA LA RAZA HISPANA!!!!
ARRIBA TOLKIEN ERES TODO UNA LEYENDA
ARRIBA los GOBLINS!!!!!!!
April 24th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I was all for Del Toro to do The Hobbit prequels until he admitted in an interview that he hadn’t finished reading LOTR because it was “just too dense”. That’s disturbing. I still don’t get that if Jackson is going to be working with him why he doesn’t just direct it himself? And for those wondering what the sequel to The Hobbit will be…there are al kinds of stories in appendices and other sources that fill in the gap between The Hobbit and LOTR.
April 24th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
The one thing I want to know is… how can I get to help work on this film? I’m thrilled that if it’s not Peter Jackson, it’s Del Toro.
April 25th, 2008 at 6:51 am
I think this is great. Del Toro is one of my favorites working today. I am worried though, this means no other del Toro films for at least 4 years. Plus there are 2 movies, while I don’t doubt his directing rep. the story may get stretched too thin (but then again Peter Jackson has handled LOTR for this long, I’d be surprised if he couldn’t write 2 more scripts). Finally, I’d just like to say I think Jackson, while still loving the franchise and wanting it to continue, would like to step away from LOTR a bit, while it has meant great success for him, he would like to be known for more than the series, I believe.
April 25th, 2008 at 8:07 am
This is awesome… I was hoping this news would come this week as he hinted at it last weekend at Comic Con…
Can’t wait to see what these films are like.
I also think that he will be able to write and sketch some stuff out for other projects while working on this just to make sure he isnt sticking with 1 project for too long nonstop…
April 25th, 2008 at 11:56 am
A lot of great news today, Peter!
As for the fill-in sequel, Chris Tolkien has published what, about 20 books of material spanning thousands of years of Middle-Earth history signed JRR hisself, most of it early drafts or unfinished tales (like, uh, Unfinished Tales). While all I have read of this stuff concerns previous eras of M-E history, I’m sure there’s enough stories set in the right time for good, not-quite-original tales for the sequel. I think Del Toro is gonna pull this one off soft as anything, no worries there.
April 27th, 2008 at 6:11 am
First of all, the news that the hobbit movie is being made at all is the best news I’ve heard since it was announced that LOTR was being made. Secondly, getting Del Toro on board is a genius move, and whoever got him to sign on (instead of directing Harry Potter) deserves some huge amount of recognition.
I am worried however about the plan they’ve set up in making 2 movies. When I first heard this, i thought great, the hobbit NEEDS to be split into two movies to allow Tolkien’s descriptive writing to come through on the screen. But to have the hobbit as one movie is a mistake i believe.
The Silmarillion could feature in the hobbit sequel, as that deals with the Rings of Power and how Gondor became King-less. Only time will tell i guess!