We can probably expect to see a good many materials for The Hobbit before it opens a year and a half from now. We’ve seen a few images of Bilbo (Martin Freeman) and Gandalf (Ian McKellen) with a few of the company of dwarves in the background of one image. Now here’s a promo photo of the three brother dwarves Nori (Jed Brophy), Ori (Adam Brown) and Dori (Mark Hadlow) as they’ll look in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Read a few details from the studio and see a larger image after the break. Read More »
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Go back in time and see the Shire before The Lord of the Rings with these first official photos from Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson‘s The Hobbit. Jackson has been shooting his two-part film adaptation of the classic J.R.R. Tolkien novel for several weeks but all we’ve seen from set was one video. Now, Entertainment Weekly has premiered three exclusive images from The Hobbit including Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Ian McKellen as Gandalf and more. Check them out after the jump. Read More »
Titles can be everything, and The Curse of the Buxom Strumpet is possibly the most eye-catching film title I’ve seen this week. But is it the best title for a zombie movie, especially one that stars Ian McKellen, Judi Dench, and Gillian Anderson? That I can’t say (even after seeing Judi Dench cameo as a sort of buxom almost-strumpet in Pirates of the Caribbean) but for a film that seems to be cut from the same cloth as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, one could probably do worse. Read More »
How can we not share this photo? Ian McKellen dropped this image onto Flickr last night and says, “The Hobbit is being filmed in 3D. Even wizards have to wear the glasses. Snapped by Peter Jackson in Wellington, 2011.”
More to the point, this is our first look at the new/old Gandalf as Ian McKellen returns to the role for the two Hobbit films. There is no surprise here — it’s Gandalf — but I’m happy to see him back in makeup and hair. Lots of hair. We’re really waiting to get a look at some of the truly new cast in character as various denizens of Middle-Earth, but this is a fun shot regardless. I don’t suppose he was actually watching an early New Zealand screening of Priest, hence the suspicious look?
Check out a larger version after the break. Read More »
Peter Jackson is shooting The Hobbit in New Zealand right now, and today Sir Ian McKellen has confirmed a long-standing cast rumor: Hugo Weaving will indeed be seen in the film(s) as the elf lord Elrond. More info on that after the break, along with the final confirmation that Saoirse Ronan won’t make it to Middle-Earth after all. Read More »
Warner Bros/New Line Cinema and MGM have announced the start of production on The Hobbit in New Zealand, which includes a full update on the signed cast (many of which have been previously announced or rumored, but a couple new additions):
Martin Freeman takes the title role as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen returns in the role of Gandalf the Grey. The Dwarves are played by Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur) James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori). Reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Elijah Wood as Frodo. Jeffrey Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively. Further casting announcements are expected.
Director Peter Jackson has also launched a facebook page which will be updated throughout the production. The first updates includes two production photos featuring Jackson in a couple of the completed sets. Hit the jump to see everything.
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We’re just about two weeks away from cameras finally rolling on Peter Jackson‘s two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. It seems like we’ve been talking about it forever. And while we all wait in anticipation of news coming from the set, those of us who have poured over all the extras on the Lord of the Rings Extended Editions already have a pretty good idea: A lot of work, designing, preparation and planning. Pre-production is a big part of those discs.
One of the major differences with The Hobbit, though, is that these films will be shot in 3D. And while it’ll surely be quite a while before we see any footage in 3D (fingers crossed for Comic-Con, but highly doubtful) Gandalf himself, Ian McKellen, is in New Zealand getting ready for the shoot and has posted on his official blog what it was like to see Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, in three dimensions. “Three Bilbos simultaneously,” he says, hence the photo above. It’s certainly worth a read. Check it out after the jump. Read More »
There’s a bunch of varied news from the Shire today, including, appropriately, a new image of the Shire.
First up is some minor casting clarification. While Ian McKellen has listed The Hobbit on his own website as a 201? project (that question mark is verbatim, not my typo) and therefore seemingly confirms his participation, Ron Perlman will not be in the film. The actor told ComingSoon that he’s not doing the movie. When Guillermo del Toro was directing there was talk of Mr. Perlman landing in the cast, but don’t expect that to happen at this point.
After the break, the latest trouble for the production: accusations of racism in the casting process. Read More »
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