The
Hobbit Is Official!
New Line, MGM and Peter Jackson Have Worked
It Out!
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Okay...roll
out the dragon...
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Merry
Christmas, you Tolkien fanatics! Santa just left a little
something in your stocking early! Now who are they going
to get to direct?
From
New Line Cinema:
Academy
Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman
and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye
and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema
have jointly announced today that they have entered into
the following series of agreements:
* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two
films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to “The
Hobbit.” New Line will distribute in North America
and MGM will distribute internationally.
* Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers
of two films based on “The Hobbit.” New Line
will manage the production of the films, which will be shot
simultaneously.
* Peter
Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating
to the “Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) Trilogy.
Said Peter Jackson, “I’m very pleased that we’ve
been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may
begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line. ‘The
Lord of the Rings’ is a legacy we proudly share with
Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with
millions of loyal fans all over the world. We are delighted
to continue our journey through Middle Earth. I also want
to thank Harry Sloan and our new friends at MGM for helping
us find the common ground necessary to continue that journey.”
“Peter Jackson has proven himself as the filmmaker
who can bring the extraordinary imagination of Tolkien to
life and we full heartedly agree with the fans worldwide
who know he should be making ‘The Hobbit,’”
said Sloan, MGM’s Chairman and CEO. "Now that
we are all in agreement on 'The Hobbit,' we can focus on
assembling the production team that will capture this phenomenal
tale on film."
Bob Shaye, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO comments, “We
are very pleased we have been able to resolve our differences,
and that Peter and Fran will be actively and creatively
involved with ‘The Hobbit’ movies. We know they
will bring the same passion, care and talent to these films
that they so ably accomplished with ‘The Lord of the
Rings’ Trilogy.”
“Peter is a visionary filmmaker, and he broke new
ground with ‘The Lord of the Rings,’”
notes Michael Lynne, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO. “We’re
delighted he’s back for ‘The Hobbit’ films
and that the Tolkien saga will continue with his imprint.
We greatly appreciate the efforts of Harry Sloan, who has
been instrumental in helping us reach our new accord.”
The two “Hobbit” films – “The Hobbit”
and its sequel – are scheduled to be shot simultaneously,
with pre-production beginning as soon as possible. Principal
photography is tentatively set for a 2009 start, with the
intention of “The Hobbit” release slated for
2010 and its sequel the following year, in 2011.
The Oscar-winning, critically-acclaimed LOTR Trilogy grossed
nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box-office. In 2003,
“Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards,
winning all of the eleven 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.
For more information about “The Hobbit” films,
please visit www.TheHobbitBlog.com
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