The Hobbit films, previously to be directed by Guillermo del Toro and now to be directed by Peter Jackson again.

Well the only reason why this has to do with MGM at all is the extremely bizarre rights situation, which came about thanks to, of all things, that Rankin-Bass animated Hobbit talked about upthread. Ever since the seventies when Saul Zaentz -- who I think still has final say as original rightsholder, but I could be wrong -- split the difference between the Rankin-Bass TV projects and the Bakshi movie there's been no one overall Tolkien film rights package, and the making of that earlier Hobbit created a situation that eventually resulted in MGM having a say in the matter instead of it just being New Line/Warners straight up. It's one reason why Warners went ahead and put in the bid to take it over but MGM's creditors didn't accept that and etc. etc. here we are today.

Actually looking over at Finke (though the story is by Mike Fleming) there's this:

http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/del-toro-leaves-the-hobbit-and-evidently-peter-jackson-wont-be-next/

...which mentions that Sam Raimi had initially wanted the directing job. So maybe him?

Some 'where it stands' stuff from that story:

It seems particularly unfortunate that after putting years into writing scripts and making endless trips to New Zealand, del Toro would depart solely because of the MGM situation. That rationale only came up recently, after del Toro completed two scripts with the original Lord of the Rings writing team of Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and Fran Walsh. They'd just begun talking about shooting in 3D. If MGM is really the sole reason, that's too bad because there are signs that things are going to happen soon to decide the ultimate ownership of The Hobbit and other assets. Clearly the fact that the studio -- and a talented production and marketing team -- has been frozen in suspended animation has been as much an albatross around The Hobbit as it has been for the James Bond series. But everybody is happy with the two Hobbit scripts and all involved still expect production to start late this year or early next year--it will have to, if New Line and MGM are to get the pictures in theaters December, 2012 and December, 2013. This franchise is too valuable to let languish much longer and the debt holders of MGM won't be happy when they realize that the director has walked because they've allowed things to fester so long and handcuffed the executives brought in under Harry Sloan to turn things around.

Though under financial duress, MGM has continued to meet its rights payment obligations on The Hobbit, but hasn't been able to do any more than that. Warner Bros is the lead studio on the project, and has ultimate say on green light, but perhaps the films are too large an investment to front alone, or that prospect doesn't benefit the leverage Warner Bros has in a potential buyout of MGM's assets. Rumblings are that there may well be a new player entering the fray shortly, bringing equity and new experienced management. Summit Entertainment and Spyglass are the names most often mentioned, though we also hear Terry Semel and Peter Chernin, the latter of whom reportedly doesn't want it.

Everyone knows that at the end of the day it'll be the dude that did "Transporter"/"Incredible Hulk," or Joe Johnston, or some other competent hack that can bring this in quickly and on-budget - hell, even Ratner or McG - because Hobbit movie = movie that really does not need to be made. After all this dithering, I imagine they want to just get it done (in 3-D, natch) and over with.

If anything I'm betting McKellen's out now as Gandalf

This'll be an absolute laughing stock if this turns out to be the case.

McKellen's been "out" for a while now, I thought.

I make the bad jokes so you don't have to!

And they are appreciated.

LOL one of the projects Del Toro now returns to is a Dan Simmons adaptation. That's more his speed if you ask me. Dude is a visual wizard but makes empty films.

Between those two articles the outlook sounds pretty bad. Cuaron or Raimi could do it IMO.

"Dude is a visual wizard but makes empty films."

Is angst-ridden Bilbo with rich interior life appropriate for The Hobbit?

Well I mean empty in the sense of leaving you with nothing afterward. Surely this film should have feeling of some sort.

That's because of his scripts, though. Which wouldn't have been a problem on The Hobbit.

He did co-write it, and they are using those scripts, but Jackson/Boyens being the other 2/3rds is probably safeguard enough. Del Toro strikes me as someone who could really shine in collaboration, actually. His movies come CLOSE to hitting the mark.

Pan's Labyrinth is great. I'm under the impression The Devil's Backbone is too, though I have yet to see it.

TDB is the best thing he's done, though I'm also inordinately fond of Hellboy II.

his more popcorn movies aren't that great, although i wish they were (first 30 mins of hellboy 1 is awesome tho). his more personal arty ones are better.

I tried so hard with those Hellboys.

they should get jodorowsky to direct and turn it into a 10hr epic w music by pink floyd

I thought the character relationships in the second one rang true and were even quite affecting. The production design was not just gorgeous, but also incredibly full of personality. Add great action scenes, and what's not to like?

xpost re Hellboys

the action scenes were lifeless horrible eesh

2nd Hellboy was a major buzzkill to me, lame story/villain and some of the most painful attempts at snappy banter ever. one of those rare movies that would've been improved by the auteur farming out some of the script to a more formulaic Hollywood hack.

All y'all disappointed by Hellboy, watch Prince of Persia and you will feel about 100000000x better about Hellboy.

Watching horrible crap to feel better about mediocre crap is not the right way to enjoy movies imho.

PS Hellboy 2 was mediocre crap

PPS I am American

Oh, I just realized del Toro is the guy who did Cronos. I remember liking that movie a lot, though it's been loooong since I saw it. Hellboy was a bit of a disappointment, Hellboy and Abe Sapien themselves were nicely done and they'd found the perfect actors to play them, but I found the plot and the action scenes lacking a bit. Also, I expected it to have loads of cool monsters, which is the main attraction in the comic, but instead it had loads of copies of the same monster, which was kinda boring. (Maybe Hellboy II corrects this? I haven't seen it.) The finale was nice though.

Hellboy II has a cool plant monster but you never get a good chance to ogle it. And a boring vengeful elf warrior. And an elf king played by Roy Dotrice [my audiobook reader hero] who barely says anything.

Goblin Market is visual high point of II but again, you don't get a chance to enjoy it.

For Hellboy to be mediocre crap, there'd have to be comparable excellent crap, and the upper-limit of property-franchise movies doesn't raise the bar that much past Hellboy. LOTR series had lifeless action and clunky dialogue, too.

Director's Cut of first "Hellboy" is pretty great. Second "Hellboy" totally pointless, but no one but Del Toro would toss in that incredible scene of the giant plant demon/monster/god in its death throws.

best part of 2 is the angel of death

wd take either hellboy over LOTR in a heartbeat

half a heartbeat

Hmmmm not sure about this HB over LOTR!
you do know hell boy's made up & and LOTR's was real don't you?

Only reason i was excited about Hobbit was Del Toro would be involved, maybe it's best left unmade!

& and? just choose one ;-/

they should get jodorowsky to direct and turn it into a 10hr epic w music by pink floyd

― don cab for cutie (Future_Perfect), Tuesday, June 1, 2010 12:52 PM (3 hours ago)

Yes!

kenneth branagh to direct, randall wallace to script, visual design sean bean

wld take both Hellboys on TV over any one LOTR in the cinema

(NB do not watch either Hellboy on TV, they suck there)

Peter Jackson is on!

Huh.

gilliam pls

in what amounts to a dream come true for fans of Middle Earth

All fans of Middle Earth?

Pick a fan, any fan.

he'd write a better script, that random fan

It is darraghmac's chance to shine.

entire script in prose, all elvish songs to end 'john terry is a cunt' or soforth

Figures.

Should be said that http://www.theonering.net/ makes it sound like this is all still up in the air.

I still can't read that without seeing it as The Onering, like something that oners.

Hahaha

M. Night Shmalayan's The Onering

ew

And imagine the twist ending.

"Gollum was a hobbit all along!"

"Well, yeah."

*silence*