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2009 | 2008

15 articles from 2009

Video: Peter Jackson Says Casting 'The Hobbit' Actors Is Not Easy

5 hours ago | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Peter Jackson has recently sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about the casting process for his upcoming film "The Hobbit" that has taken place. Claiming it is not easy to find the depicters of the lead characters, including the hobbit, dwarf and elf, the filmmaker explained, "They have to have a particular type of physical appearance."

During the same occasion, Jackson also affirmed previous statement that the script for the second part of the movie will be delivered around Christmas. Meanwhile, the production is expected to be kicked off in March or April 2010. However, he noted that the schedule could be changed because the shooting should wait for a green light from the studio.

"The Hobbit" will re-create the scenes of the novel, with additional events that make an impact to "The Lords of the Rings", such as the expulsion of Sauron from Mirkwood by The White Council. »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Tobey's not a Hobbit yet

18 December 2009 6:48 AM, PST | Hindustan Times - Cinema | See recent Hindustan Times - Cinema news »

Spiderman star Tobey Maguire has said he is baffled by reports he’s set to play the lead role in upcoming movie, The Hobbit, because he hasn’t been approached to discuss the part. The actor has been rumoured to star in The Lord of the Rings prequel but Maguire has dismissed the claims as “just not true”, reports buzzhollywood.com. “Nobody has given me a script or approached me for it,” he said. »

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Tobey Maguire Not In Talks to Play Bilbo Baggins

14 December 2009 8:09 PM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

It seems that Tobey Maguire will not be seen putting off his Spider-Man costume to play in "The Hobbit". Shortly after there was report that he was in talks to be Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming Guillermo del Toro-directed movie, his publicist Kelly Bush exclusively told Movieline the rumor "is false".

News that Maguire might be seen as the lead star in the adventure film was first brought into attention by Latino Review. On Monday, December 14, the site reported, during a press junket for "Brothers", the 34-year-old actor said he would work with del Toro for his next project.

Later, the site claimed they have confirmed to agency sources that CAA and the producers of "The Hobbit" were in early stages of talks for Maguire to take the lead role. However, it was noted that he had not been cast and an offer had not been made.

Widely known »

- AceShowbiz.com

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'The X Factor' Stars Could Take Twin Roles in 'The Hobbit'

9 December 2009 9:56 PM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Casting news continues coming from "The Hobbit". After Peter Jackson revealed three "Lord of the Rings" stars who are going to return for the upcoming adventure film, Warner Bros. Pictures is reportedly considering two stars of British "The X Factor" to take the roles of dwarf twins, Fili and Kili.

According to U.K.'s Vexed Magazine, manager of the reality show Louis Walsh has been in talks with Jackson's people about two of the show's finalists, John Grimes and Edward Grimes, to join a celluloid screen test in Los Angeles. If the rumor is true, the twin brothers could be seen playing Fili and Kili in the movie.

John and Edward aka Jedward became famous after appearing in the sixth series of "The X Factor" though they were eliminated from the competition on November 22. Before being linked to "The Hobbit", the 18-year-old Irish guys have been rumored to be »

- AceShowbiz.com

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'The Hobbit' Auditioning 'Unknown Actors', Tom Waits Said Among the Candidates

6 December 2009 11:29 PM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Peter Jackson has given an update on his upcoming movie project, "The Hobbit". Being met by IGN at a cocktail reception for his new film "The Lovely Bones", the filmmaker informed that casting directors for the adventure movie have been auditioning "unknown actors" for the role of Bilbo Baggins.

Previously, there were some actors who have been linked to the lead role, like Daniel Radcliffe, Martin Freeman, James McAvoy, and David Tennant. When asked if he could clarify who, among those names, does not have the possibility to play Bilbo, Jackson said some of them were not under consideration. However, he refused to say who had been ruled out because he didn't want anyone to figure anything out via process of elimination.

Additionally, Ain't It Cool News has added another name among the candidates to play Bilbo. According to the site, a trusted source has told them that Tom Waits »

- AceShowbiz.com

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'The Hobbit' Filming Pushed Back Until Mid 2010, Cast to Be Revealed Soon

30 November 2009 7:45 PM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Peter Jackson has hinted that production for "The Hobbit" will be delayed from the original estimate of March 2010 to the middle of 2010. Speaking to German site Movie Reporter, the producer stated the production will be started after scripts for the two films are complete.

"We're currently working on the second script which we hope to have completed by the end of this year or beginning of next. When the scripts are completed, we can begin with the exact calculation of the necessary budget. We hope to start filming in the middle of next year," he stated. "However, we've received no green light from the studio yet."

Following Jackson's statement, there has been a speculation that the release dates for "The Hobbit" and "The Hobbit 2" will also be pushed back. However, Entertainment Weekly has received a confirmation from a source for the movies who insisted that "no one on the »

- AceShowbiz.com

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First 'Hobbit' Film Gets Complete Script

23 November 2009 8:19 PM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

The work on "The Hobbit" has moved on to the next level. A month after Ian McKellen, who is set to reprise his role as Gandalf, informed that the scripts for the two films adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's novel would be delivered soon, producer Peter Jackson has announced that the script for the first film is complete.

"'The Hobbit' will be two movies and we've written the first script and delivered it to the studio who seem to be happy with it," he said at a press conference ahead of the premiere of his new film "The Lovely Bones". Moreover, the script for "The Hobbit 2" can be expected to be finished soon as Jackson stated, "We're now halfway through the second script and Philippa [Boyens], Fran [Walsh], Guillermo[del Toro] and myself are doing the scripts and having great fun."

Sharing about his experience in writing the script, Jackson claimed, »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Aragorn Possibly Not Appearing in 'The Hobbit'

8 November 2009 10:53 PM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Viggo Mortensen, the depicter of Aragorn in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, has hinted that his character will not likely be seen in "The Hobbit". Though he has been reported being approached to reprise his role in the Guillermo del Toro's upcoming movie project, the actor recently told Coming Soon, "I think they're just worried about shooting the first part of that movie which doesn't involve my character."

However, Mortensen did not rule out possibility that Aragorn may appear in "The Hobbit 2", the second installment of the adventure movie. "My character is around at times - in the middle, but it would only be if they made a second movie or connecting movie that connected 'The Hobbit' to 'The Lord of the Rings' that I might appear, which would be great," he explained, admitting that he is interested to play the character again.

"The Hobbit" is an »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Guillermo del Toro Talks Creatures of 'The Hobbit'

6 November 2009 1:06 AM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Director Guillermo del Toro has recently discussed the visions he has for the creatures to be seen in "The Hobbit". To Total Film, he opened up about the work he did for the dragon Smaug, the spiders of Mirkwood, the Wargs and others, saying "The way I phrased it to Weta, I said we would keep the DNA in the same gene pool as the Rings trilogy, but that we would generate a different type of character."

"For example, in the trilogy most of the creatures are brutish or inarticulate. In The Hobbit, the creatures speak: Smaug has beautiful lines of dialog; the Great Goblin has beautiful lines of dialog; many creatures do," the 45-year-old went on explaining. "So we had to design them with a different approach because you are not just designing things that are scary."

The Academy Award-nominated filmmaker added further, "I also wanted some of the »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Ian McKellen Talks 'The Hobbit' Script

3 November 2009 12:14 AM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Ian McKellen has finally read the script for "The Hobbit", and he shared that producer Peter Jackson and his co-scribblers, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, have written the Gandalf screenplay specifically for him. The 70-year-old gushed about the matter to Sci Fi Wire while promoting AMC's "The Prisoner".

"As Peter has said, they loved writing Gandalf [for The Hobbit] because they knew who they were writing him for," the actor who will be seen reprising his role as Gandalf said. "There are a lot of characters in The Hobbit including, crucially, Bilbo, and they don't know who's going to play Bilbo. So it's extremely attractive that this part has been written for me."

While being blunt in expressing his feeling toward the script, McKellen was careful enough to not spill any beans. "The other Gandalf was written for, well, just as Gandalf," he went on saying. "There's lots for me to enjoy, in all sorts of ways. »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Ian McKellen: 'The Hobbit' Scripts to 'Be Delivered Very Soon'

13 October 2009 8:42 PM, PDT | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Having starred as Gandalf in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Ian McKellen is set to reprise the role in "The Hobbit", and he has a few tidbits to spill on the status of the two films adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien's novel. "The scripts for the two films will be delivered very soon," the 70-year-old actor told Empire at the San Sebastian Film Festival.

"Then they'll be budgeted, and then they'll be cast," the two-time Academy Award nominee continued. "And they'll be going when they've always said they would be, which is next spring - March or April. [Director] Guillermo [del Toro] even told me at one point, 'We're going to film for 383 days.' He's got that artistic autism!"

Asked about the speculation on the possible return of other Lotr cast, McKellen suggested fans not to put up high hope. "Unfortunately, there won't be many of the actors going back, unless »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Guillermo del Toro Confirms 'The Hobbit' Starts Filming in 2010

28 June 2009 11:16 PM, PDT | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Guillermo del Toro, the director of "Hellboy", recently talked about his upcoming movie "The Hobbit". In an interview with tourism reps from New Zealand, he confirmed the production schedule of his new project, stating "It will start in March 2010 and we will shoot for about 370 days." Furthermore, he informed that the post production will take several months after the shooting before the release of the first part in 2011, while "The Hobbit 2" will be released in 2012.

Guillermo additionally revealed that though most of the New Zealand's landscapes seen in the first film will be similar to the ones used "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, the end part will use landscapes "that you haven't seen in the trilogy." About the shooting locations for the second movie, however, he explained that from the beginning, it will have landscapes which are completely different from the "Lord of the Rings".

"The Hobbit" is taken »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Casting Confirmation for 'The Hobbit'

11 June 2009 11:35 PM, PDT | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Director Guillermo del Toro has apparently secured the three "The Lord of the Rings" actors he wants for "The Hobbit". In a new interview on BBC Radio, the man behind "Hellboy" and its feature series has confirmed the joining of Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis and Hugo Weaving to the project.

Revealing the casting to Simon Mayo of BBC Radio 5, the 44-year-old filmmaker gushed McKellen, Serkis and Weaving will return "...as the roles they originated in the trilogy". That means McKellen will once again take on the role of wise wizard Gandalf, Serkis will reprise his role as Gollum, and Weaving will portray once more the Master of Rivendell, Lord Elrond.

The radio interview with Guillermo del Toro can be listened to via BBC, and the casting news for "The Hobbit" discussion starts at the 02:10:55 mark into the interview.

"The Hobbit" is the first of the two-part movies made »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Initial Plans for Two 'The Hobbit' Movies Changed

17 April 2009 8:47 PM, PDT | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Producer Peter Jackson and director Guillermo Del Toro have revised the plan for their two "The Hobbit" movies. In an interview with Empire Magazine, the filmmaker duo spilled the bean that while they stick to their idea to adapt the novel into two films, "The Hobbit 2" won't be used as the bridge between the book and the Lord of the Rings trilogy as what was initially set.

"We've decided to have The Hobbit span the two movies, including the White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur," Del Toro revealed the new concept. Jackson then added, providing explanation on the change of mind, "We decided it would be a mistake to try to cram everything into one movie. The essential brief was to do The Hobbit, and it allows us to make The Hobbit in a little more style, if you like, of the [Lotr] trilogy. »

- AceShowbiz.com

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Dominic Monaghan Throws Possibility of the Hobbits' Appearance in 'The Hobbit'

19 January 2009 12:56 AM, PST | Aceshowbiz | See recent Aceshowbiz news »

Dominic Monaghan could be seen once again as the intelligent yet innocent and well-meaning Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck. To MTV News at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, the 32-year-old actor reveals that "The Hobbit" producers want to bring "Lord of the Rings" hobbits back, saying "They really want us to come back, and I think there's a really strong chance that we might be back."

On the chance, Monaghan who will next be seen starring as Barnell Bohusk in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" gushes that he has met the writers, Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. "I've been chatting with Pete and [writers] Fran [Walsh] and Philippa [Boyens] about the chance of us coming back," he recalls. "I think the fans of the first three 'Lord of the Rings' films will be charmed by going back into the world."

He further notes that the J.R.R. Tolkien novel doesn't actually include the four "Lotr" hobbits in the storylines. »

- AceShowbiz.com

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2009 | 2008

15 articles from 2009

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