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The Hobbit On Hold

Posted by Soulskill on from the had-such-a-nice-ring-to-it dept.

Flea of Pain writes "Director Guillermo Del Toro has confirmed upcoming Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit has been put on hold indefinitely because the movie has been caught in a 'tangled negotiation' over the future of the MGM movie studio. The film, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's first book in the fantasy series, was reportedly due to begin shooting this summer, but has been mired in delays. Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, who will act as producer on the new film, recently dismissed rumors of trouble with the picture, insisting, 'It's not really been delayed, because we've never announced the date.'"

24 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. Dang by 2names · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now what will I do?

    --
    "I'm just here to regulate funkiness."
    1. Re:Dang by BJ_Covert_Action · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Read the book.

      --
      Motorcycles, Robots, Space Gossip and More!
    2. Re:Dang by 2names · · Score: 5, Funny

      There's a book?

      --
      "I'm just here to regulate funkiness."
    3. Re:Dang by Low+Ranked+Craig · · Score: 4, Funny

      Now what will I do?

      Play Duke Nukem Forever

      --
      I still cannot find the droids I am looking for...
    4. Re:Dang by DeadDecoy · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ya, I think it's based off the cartoon.

    5. Re:Dang by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

      Now what will I do?

      Play Duke Nukem Forever

      Not necessarily forever, he only has to play Duke Nukem until Hobbit will come into cinemas.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    6. Re:Dang by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 4, Funny

      That was loosely based off the broadway show.

    7. Re:Dang by monoi · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Not an especially good one. And I say that as a Tolkien fan.

      If you're about ten (which I think was Tolkein's intended audience) then as I recall it's fantastic compared to the other books offered to you at that age.

    8. Re:Dang by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      That was based on the Leonard Nimoy song

    9. Re:Dang by nabsltd · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I didn't like it much as a kid, either, preferring C.S. Lewis and Madeleine L'Engle. The story isn't especially thrilling, and there's a distinct impression that the writer is talking down to you.

      I never felt that, but it's still better than C.S. Lewis preaching to you.

    10. Re:Dang by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      That can only be fully appreciated in the original Klingon.

  2. The next James Bond as well! by The-Pheon · · Score: 5, Informative

    Bond 23 has also been delayed because of MGM's legal issues. http://www.imdb.com/news/ni2143090/

    I was looking forward to seeing Mr. Craig shoot some guns, drive some fast cars, and flirt with some girls.

    1. Re:The next James Bond as well! by h4rr4r · · Score: 3, Insightful

      There is no debate, the correct answer is Connery was the best Bond. It really is that simple.

    2. Re:The next James Bond as well! by syousef · · Score: 4, Funny

      I was looking forward to seeing Mr. Craig shoot some guns, drive some fast cars, and flirt with some girls.

      Teaches me not to read the subject line first. For a moment I was wondering what version of the hobbit you were referring to!!!!

      --
      These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    3. Re:The next James Bond as well! by geekoid · · Score: 4, Funny

      I think it's a false comparison.
      Brosnan was at the last in a newest 'gadget' cycle of the series. Mr. Craig version he IS the weapon.

      The bond series gadgets cycle in there and back again.

      See what I did there?

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    4. Re:The next James Bond as well! by tool462 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Christopher Tolkien released an amended version of The Hobbit based on his father's notes and drafts.

      Apparently the elder Tolkien did a LOT of speed in his autumn years...

  3. "On Hold" by TopSpin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Given Jackson's track record with LOTR the Hobbit movies are worth a couple billion dollars in revenue. There is absolutely no possibility they won't get made. There have been several fits of "on hold" while the rights were negotiated with the Tolkiens. There will be more "on hold" moments while more parties wrangle for their cut. In the end it will make it to the screen because everyone, absolutely everyone, wants this.

    --
    Lurking at the bottom of the gravity well, getting old
    1. Re:"On Hold" by Monkeedude1212 · · Score: 5, Funny

      well, not really.

      I must say, your well thought out post in conjuction with the reserve you maintained during your rebuttle, has caused me to reconsider my stance on what I believe. The GP almost had me convinced, but you so eloquently countered his every notion, leaving your thoughts superior. Tell me good sir, how do I subscribe to your newsletter?

    2. Re:"On Hold" by interkin3tic · · Score: 4, Funny

      There is absolutely no possibility they won't get made.

      If it gets delayed until 2012, some would argue there's a very good possibility it won't get made regardless of how profitable it would be. Because that's when Sauron is prophesied to come back, and he has a really good legal team.

  4. Time is of the essence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    They can't wait too long. Ian McKellen just turned 71.

  5. Re:Way back in the day, at summer camp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    an audience.

  6. Jackson, overrated by TiggertheMad · · Score: 5, Insightful

    however, jackson did a good job with the trilogy.

    Elf shield surfing.
    Dwarf tossing jokes.
    Rewriting parts of the story to make it 'more exciting'.


    Let's just say that he did ok, hmmm?

    --

    HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
    1. Re:Jackson, overrated by geekoid · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And it was still better then anyone else could of done.

      It was a great Job. No, it wasn't perfect, but it was still an awesome movie that told the story.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  7. Re:They are waiting for copyright to expire in 2 by JimDarley · · Score: 5, Informative

    The US adopted the Berne convention in 1988, according to which:- "One important minimum rule was that the term of copyright was to be a minimum of the author's lifetime plus 50 years."

    According to Wikipedia, Tolkien died in 1973, that plus 50 years means that it'll be 2023 before the copyright expires.