I read an interesting article today from the Wall Street Journal (reprinted in our local paper, the Detroit Free Press). Unfortunately one has to subscribe to the WSJ to read the online version, so I am unable to link to the original. The article discussed the possibility of making a movie based on The Hobbit, citing how New Line has recently acquired the rights to it, but must share distribution rights with MGM. “Unsurprisingly, MGM — which these days makes few big-budget movies — is rubbing its hands with glee.“[…] For its part, New Line says it will pursue a deal only if [director Peter] Jackson takes on the project. […] ‘A big reason for the franchise’s success has been Peter… He’s so passionate about the subject and we feel very loyal to him,’ says New Line cochairman Bob Shaye.” Because of the current King Kong project, Jackson wouldn’t be able to work on a Hobbit until late 2005 if not 2006.
New Line and MGM have yet to sit down to seriously discuss The Hobbit. When they do make it to the negotiating table, it is likely that MGM will want to retain some sort of cut. A possible proposal could include the two sharing costs and splitting the profit, with New Line taking the domestic distribution right and MGM taking the international rights. Such a split isn’t unusual. In the case of the Rings films, New Line used independent distributors for the international release.
“We’re open to any discussions that the other rights holders would like to have,” says Chris McGurk, MGM vice chairman.
If New Line can’t do a deal with MGM, it says it may go back to the drawing board and either pursue its own prequel filling in the period between The Hobbit and the first Rings book, or create a sequel that follows on from Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. However, that option faces a number of potential complications, including the Tolkien family.
Family members still benefit from sales of the books, but they signed away their say on any films based on The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit when JRR Tolkien sold the rights to MGM. A new prequel or sequel could be another matter, however.
Starting from scratch with a new story would also involve extending Tolkien’s fantasy world without the Tolkien vision, and his fans may object. “To take some elves and short guys with furry feet and invent new challenges for them that aren’t in the source material…would be a betrayal of Tolkien and Mr Jackson’s achievements,” says Houghton Mifflin’s [Tolkien projects director Clay] Harper.
“We’re open to any discussions that the other rights holders would like to have,” says Chris McGurk, MGM vice chairman.
If New Line can’t do a deal with MGM, it says it may go back to the drawing board and either pursue its own prequel filling in the period between The Hobbit and the first Rings book, or create a sequel that follows on from Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. However, that option faces a number of potential complications, including the Tolkien family.
Family members still benefit from sales of the books, but they signed away their say on any films based on The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit when JRR Tolkien sold the rights to MGM. A new prequel or sequel could be another matter, however.
Starting from scratch with a new story would also involve extending Tolkien’s fantasy world without the Tolkien vision, and his fans may object. “To take some elves and short guys with furry feet and invent new challenges for them that aren’t in the source material…would be a betrayal of Tolkien and Mr Jackson’s achievements,” says Houghton Mifflin’s [Tolkien projects director Clay] Harper.
I had read in interviews with Jackson that the Tolkien family retains more rights to The Hobbit than to LOTR, and that their lack of approval was indeed a stumbling block in proceeding with another film; for the WSJ to say otherwise is literally news to me. A New York Times article, reprinted at the Alameda Times-Star site, goes even further, saying “both [Ian McKellen] and Jackson also mentioned the rights issue, amid growing rumors of resistance to further film efforts on the part of the Tolkien estate. The buzz grew so intense that the estate felt obliged to release a statement denying that it was trying to obstruct the making of The Hobbit. (Christopher Tolkien, the famously press-shy son of the author, declined to comment.)”
So it looks like a new Hobbit movie could be a real possibility. This is a relief, if only because the idea of Hollywood creating an original Middle-earth adventure is not only frightening but downright blasphemous.
New Line might do well to consider a hand-puppet version of Tolkien’s stories, just to cut down costs.
And you can keep track of Hobbit movie news at this fan site.
