Emmie
04-10-2009, 08:24 PM
Apparently the webmaster of DelToroFilms.com wrote this on March 2nd:
Most importantly - I traded a few emails with G over vacation. He is in New Zealand at the moment and working 24/7. He says he misses you all and says to expect "MASSIVE" (direct quote) announcements regarding the HOBBIT in a few weeks, so stay tuned. ...and it's been 5-6 weeks, so I'm not sure what's up with that. It seems like there ought to be more information by this point. I mean, they must have started casting work by now? And they're going to have to replant the Hobbiton set before long - and obviously start doing concept illustration and location scouting type things.
There was also more info about LOTR being thrown around by this point in production. It's April 2009 and the Hobbit movie will be out... December 2011 I think? (Rumor about it being delayed until 2012 is false (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2008/12/19/30806-rumors-abound-hobbit-delayed-until-2012/), and I assume December though I don't know if that's been officially said.) But the first LOTR movie was out December 2001, and there were quite a few stories around this time in 1999.
For example, some posts from theonering.net:
April 11, 1999: "Hobbiton Is Being Built" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/04/11/22347-hobbiton-is-being-built/%3Cbr%20/%3E) - "A secret start has been made on the mega-budget film Lord of the Rings in the central Waikato. The New Zealand Herald has discovered that soldiers, earth-movers and builders have been working for two weeks amid the rolling hills and trees of a private farm between Matamata and Karapiro."
April 20, 1999: "Time for Film Wannabes to Toss Hats in the ring" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/04/20/22341-time-for-film-wannabes-to-toss-hats-in-the-ring/) - information about official casting call for extras; notes that Peter Jackson is still in the process of casting leads.
April 30, 1999: "40-metres of aspiring hobbits" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/04/30/22339-40-metres-of-aspiring-hobbits/) - story about aspiring extras lining up to have their photo taken. Quotes the film's publicist as saying that 15 thousand extras will be needed for the movie.
May 10th, 1999: "LOTR Tidbit" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/05/10/22321-lotr-tidbit/) - talking about Massive, the technology used to create the large-scale battle scenes.
May 30th, 1999: "Ian McKellen Steps into the Rings" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/05/30/22308-ian-mckellen-steps-into-the-rings/) - rumor about Ian McKellen as Gandalf
I can only hope that all this means news is indeed coming soon. :)
Most importantly - I traded a few emails with G over vacation. He is in New Zealand at the moment and working 24/7. He says he misses you all and says to expect "MASSIVE" (direct quote) announcements regarding the HOBBIT in a few weeks, so stay tuned. ...and it's been 5-6 weeks, so I'm not sure what's up with that. It seems like there ought to be more information by this point. I mean, they must have started casting work by now? And they're going to have to replant the Hobbiton set before long - and obviously start doing concept illustration and location scouting type things.
There was also more info about LOTR being thrown around by this point in production. It's April 2009 and the Hobbit movie will be out... December 2011 I think? (Rumor about it being delayed until 2012 is false (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2008/12/19/30806-rumors-abound-hobbit-delayed-until-2012/), and I assume December though I don't know if that's been officially said.) But the first LOTR movie was out December 2001, and there were quite a few stories around this time in 1999.
For example, some posts from theonering.net:
April 11, 1999: "Hobbiton Is Being Built" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/04/11/22347-hobbiton-is-being-built/%3Cbr%20/%3E) - "A secret start has been made on the mega-budget film Lord of the Rings in the central Waikato. The New Zealand Herald has discovered that soldiers, earth-movers and builders have been working for two weeks amid the rolling hills and trees of a private farm between Matamata and Karapiro."
April 20, 1999: "Time for Film Wannabes to Toss Hats in the ring" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/04/20/22341-time-for-film-wannabes-to-toss-hats-in-the-ring/) - information about official casting call for extras; notes that Peter Jackson is still in the process of casting leads.
April 30, 1999: "40-metres of aspiring hobbits" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/04/30/22339-40-metres-of-aspiring-hobbits/) - story about aspiring extras lining up to have their photo taken. Quotes the film's publicist as saying that 15 thousand extras will be needed for the movie.
May 10th, 1999: "LOTR Tidbit" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/05/10/22321-lotr-tidbit/) - talking about Massive, the technology used to create the large-scale battle scenes.
May 30th, 1999: "Ian McKellen Steps into the Rings" (http://www.theonering.net/torwp/1999/05/30/22308-ian-mckellen-steps-into-the-rings/) - rumor about Ian McKellen as Gandalf
I can only hope that all this means news is indeed coming soon. :)