My view of the WSOGMM

I have been a fan of Tolkien and his writing since I was about 9 years old. My year 4 teacher read my class The Hobbit during a school term. Over the years I have read the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings several times (it gets better each time). Infact I am almost due to read them again…

Back in 1999 or around then, I remember getting very excited because the man who brought us ‘Bad Taste’ was going to be making three LOTR films back-to-back – In New Zealand. A few years later, Peter Jackson and company delivered what can be only described as three of the most lovingly crafted films of all time. I guess you could say I’m a fairly big fan – I can’t say I wore the cloak and ears, etc… but I did go to New Zealand, walked around the Hobbiton set in Mata Mata and saw the first public session of the Return of the King at the Embassy Cinema in Wellington (After watching both the extended versions of FOTR and TTT).

So like every other fan out there I have been keeping an eye out for news of the Hobbit. I really liked the idea that Ian McKellen put forward which was to do it as a TV series. Anyway, I was told by a friend today that they had announced not one but two Hobbit films – I was intrigued. I go online this evening and what do I find on theonering.net – that Peter Jackson will not be directing! Read the letter from Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh here at theonering.net – it explains what’s happening with New Line and the rights to the film…

… or does it?

Over at this site: http://derhobbit-film.de/indexengl.shtml – I found this…

“Producer Saul Zaentz said in an interview with the German movie magazine ‘Cinema’, The Hobbit surely will be made by Peter Jackson. MGM-boss Harry Sloan meanwhile gives 2008 or 2009 as date.
Translation from the magazine:
Q: What is with the long anticipated Hobbit-adaption?
A: It will definitely be shot by Peter Jackson. The question is only when. He wants to shoot another movie first. Next year the Hobbit-rights will fall back to my company. I suppose that Peter will wait because he knows that he will make the best deal with us. And he is fed up with the studios: to get his profit share on the rings trilogy he had to sue New Line. With us in contrast he knows that he will be paid fairly and artistically supported without reservation. “

So, on the 11/17/2006, we have Saul Zaentz saying that Peter Jackson will be making the Hobbit as he will be regaining the rights to the films next year, and then a couple of days later we get the letter from Jackson saying that it’s not happening with Wingnut!

Let’s just hope the Hollywood game playing and positioning pays off for us, the Fans.