Sorry, but i'm a little confused now, as i was under the understanding that film one was going to be The Hobbit and then film two would focus on that period between The Hobbit and The Fellowship, thus linking it all together. But now it sounds as though The Hobbit is going to be spread over the two films instead,... it's all as clear as mud.

I would love to see a two-part movie of the hobbit! If it takes two movies to "fit it all in", im all for it!
There doing the same thing with the last Harry Poter film (two-parts) to make sure all the info gets put into the movie. So why not the Hobbit?

"I hate waiting."

Me too. But once the actor to play Bilbo is named, things should start rolling on the Hobbits news front.

Elanor, thanks for all the posts. I am hoping that everyone is as excited as I am just to see the teasers for this film. GDT seems perfect for this movie and what I wanted for these films. I wish he would use Ted Nasmith as an artist, I love his work. I think Lee, Howe, and Nasmith would be excellent. I just can't wait for everything to come along and the actors to be picked; I check every morning and night to see if the actor to play Bilbo has been announced. GDT said it would be a couple of weeks, and it has been, I hate waiting.

A further new post on TORn today from Guillermo del Toro, laying out his vision for THE HOBBIT:

"We are indeed conceiving these two films as part of a larger entity AS WELL as representing the book within them.

Therefore the HOBBIT narrative and beats and tone etc will not exist as a standalone but will have "long lines" that will actually be carried through the existing Trilogy and will illuminate it in a different way.

I believe this can be done. The experience of seeing both Hobbit movies will contain the same iconic beats that exist in the book but they will be enhanced by the Dol Guldur / Necromancer moments.

This i not an "This OR That" but a "This AND That" point of view, since, inevitably, for most people, this films will exist as part of a larger Geopolitical landscape and in our minds this exponentially grows the appeal of the tale-

Think about it- In a strange way that's what happens the further you dive into the Tolkien Universe... things form an astonishing "Mandala" of characters and places and facts. That was an experience that, in my case, sent shivers down my spine every time I came to a fork on the road and I was able to see the connective tissue and the astonishing possibilities behind it.

The experience of reading the book, for all of us, is encapsulated in a place and a time that solidifies it forever. That "imprint" is unique to each reader the world around and, like fingerprints, it becomes distinctive and irreplaceable.

The same goes for the films- many a Tolkien fan in recent years got his / her start with the movie PJ and the gang made so the Hobbit has, by imprimatur, a double allegiance and at the same time the duty to expand and present things anew-

So- in this I am going by my compass but hand-in-hand with them... I am trying to explore the avenues that enhance my memories of reading that book or my love for the LOTR films and I'm doing it with the best team possible. Nothing we are adding feels (to any of us) as a minus but rather a plus

So, my vows-

It is my solemn duty to make THE HOBBIT the best film viewing experience that the medium can provide. We want to make these movies as unique and powerful and new for you and your children as our group of artists and craftsmen can. We want to challenge all of us into creating something we've never sen, rather than solely reproducing it- and perhaps, in some measure, rather than looking back and arguing about what was or could have been, we may smile in luring more and more readers and viewer into experiencing the Universe created long ago by the Professor.

I thank you for your kind and wise words and refreshing clarity-

Yr Obt Svt

GDT "

Thanks, Tuor. There have been two more posts from Guillermo on TORn, which I posted in the "Battle for Middle-earth" thread in this same Hobbit Movie Category, thinking they might add to the discussion raging there. But as they don't seem to be being appreciated I'll repost them here instead.

The first from June 23rd:

A post by GdT at TORN, in response to worries that his style would be too “grotesque and fatalistic” to appropriately adapt The Hobbit

Quote:
"I take no offense. truly- but this is perhaps a good time to clarify two things that pop up now and then:

1) Some people post as if my involvement is big news (good or bad) and some even hope (others fear) that perhaps my involvement will be palliated and limited by the fact that WETA is involved or Howard Shore or Alan and John, etc as if I fall under "damage control" by using the same team of this or that team...

Some, more gentle in their critique, just use the word vision with quotation marks and pray for PJ to restrain me...

So, look, let me clarify these choices (Alan, John, Howard) are already my choices- Not only I never fought them- I personally urged these artists and to come back as part of the realization of the vision I have for these films. They were not brought on board as an insurance policy against my personality...

The more you are familiar with my work, the more you'll ease or increase your anxieties- but if you go from an incomplete view (only PANS LABYRINTH or only BLADE II, say) the more you will remain in an uneasy twilight-

IF you are familiar with all my work and you still have anxieties, chances are that you may have some ground to be wary of those tendencies to pop up somehow, somewhere....

B) The part that may bring the palette and tone one shade darker than the book is the Geo-political / Dol-Guldur portions, which add considerable gravity to Gandalf's quest and the origins of the map and key, but i truly believe that they will make for a much more satisfying film narrative at the end of the day.

Once again, if you seek my posting in other topics you will find that I have often, and unprompted, used that exact word: WHIMSY to describe one of the many things that will differentiate LOTR and TH.

Peter and I have said it, time and again, this will not be an exercise in mimicry of style and I will NOT be trying to emulate PJ's style or achievements but I do intend to respectfully build up on them-

In my mind, the mistake would be to approach THE HOBBIT as if it needs the exact same tools and look as LOTR, they are quite different in tone and in look and deserve to feel like tales that can be viewed together and exist in the same universe and Mithology but that can also stand on their own.

The challenges of the book and the added material is enormous since it includes many passages and moments that are iconic but difficult to translate to film- others just require of intelligence and hard work. It is my hope that in the not so distant future images, teasers etc will slowly unveil the personality and majesty of our enterprise to you all and then you can decide if you like what we are doing or not.

In the meantime I remain,
Sincerely Yours

Guillermo "

Interestingly, GDT may not realize that a lot of the more purist fans are more hopeful about him restraining PJ than they are hopeful that PJ will restrain him! ;- )

I am glad that there was a more thorough description as to why there would be two movies. I was one of the fans who wanted two movies primarily devoted to the Hobbit, so I was relieved to hear about it. To hear the passion that GDT feels about this project and the conviction he has to do what he feels is right is what I hoped to hear from the person who is directing the movies that are based on this story. I know it will not be exact, but as close as possible would be terrific. The story itself is a wonderful piece, so just trying to film as much of it as possible should make an incredible movie, or movies.

The passion he clearly has for the project leads me only to have full confidence in the man.

I continue to be impressed by GDT, and encouraged by his approach to this enormous task...