Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on “The Hobbit,” filmmaker Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s widely read masterpiece.
“The Hobbit” is set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”
The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.
“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum.
Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
Martin Freeman takes the title role as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen returns in the role of Gandalf the Grey. The Dwarves are played by Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur) James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori). Reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Elijah Wood as Frodo. Jeffrey Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively. Further casting announcements are expected.
“The Hobbit” is produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, alongside Carolynne Cunningham. Executive producers are Ken Kamins and Zane Weiner, with Philippa Boyens as co-producer. The Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, also from the production team of Jackson and Walsh, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, “The Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.
Among the creative behind-the-scenes team returning to Jackson’s crew are director of photography Andrew Lesnie, production designer Dan Hennah, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, composer Howard Shore and make-up and hair designer Peter King. Costumes are designed by Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor.
Taylor is also overseeing the design and production of weaponry, armour and prosthetics which are once again being made by the award winning Weta Workshop. Weta Digital take on the visual effects for both films, led by the film’s visual effects supervisor, Joe Letteri. Post production will take place at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.
“The Hobbit” films are co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing being handled by MGM. The two films are planned for release in late 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Ian McKellen Talks ‘The Hobbit’ In 3D
Gandalf himself, Ian McKellen, gave an update from near the Wellington set of ‘The Hobbit’ on his official site:
I’ve seen Bilbo — in three dimensions.
I was visiting old friends in the Stone Street offices and heard Martin Freeman was just round the corner by the permanent greenscreen, done up as Bilbo, testing his costume in front of the 3D cameras. Indeed, there he was in the open air, mostly oblivious to the camera, though turning this way and that as required. Martin improvised a hobbity gait, padding back and forth, testing his big hairy Hobbit feet, pointy ears and little tum.
Beneath the shade of a tent, in a sun hat, Andrew Lesnie was remotely controlling the two lenses within the mighty camera which digitally records in 3D. His screen showed the familiar 2D image but next to it, above the director’s chair, was a large colour screen in full magical three dimensions, much as it will appear in the cinema — courtesy of the spy-glasses that transform the blurred outlines onscreen to the high definition exactitude of the 3D effect.
Three Bilbos simultaneously, two performances on screen and the actor beyond: which was the real one? Martin Freeman was transmuting into a character whose reality will soon be as authentic as his own.
Update: DS got to chat with James Nesbitt on being cast as dwarf Bofur in ‘The Hobbit:’
You’re over in New Zealand filming The Hobbit at the moment – how’s that going?
“Good. We haven’t actually started filming yet. We got here quite early – we were always going to spend a number of weeks mainly kind of getting fit because it’s a huge project and will involve a lot of stamina and stuff. And also getting used to the different types of work we’ll be doing.”
How’s Peter Jackson doing after his surgery?
“Peter got a bit ill but he’s well and on the mend now so we start in a few weeks. It’s been a fantastic experience. Obviously it’s very sad here at the moment with the earthquake in Christchurch. It’s been very keenly felt all over the islands. But Kiwis are a tight-knit group and everyone’s offering a lot of support. But yes, it’s terribly beautiful. It’s a wonderful opportunity. It’s great for me just to be involved in something this epic and to have the opportunity to work with all these great people. It really is something I’m very grateful for.
You said before you were having dwarf training – what’s that been like?
“Yeah, it’s good! I mean, we’re all playing dwarves – we’re playing Tolkien dwarves, Bilbo Baggins goes on this journey with 13 dwarves, so it’s great. We’re just really doing different things.”
What have they been making you do?
“We’re doing lots of horse riding and stunts and stuff. We’re basically playing! It’s a very good way to earn a living, it’s great. They’re working us hard I have to say! But they’re very down to earth. It has such a feeling of being a little company, it just happens to be a little company of thousands of people! But everyone is enjoying it. Every day’s a little treat.”
Who is the best and worst at the stunts, horseriding and so on? <
“Richard Armitage is very good at the old horse riding because of course he did it in Robin Hood, so he’s very good at that. Of course he’s playing our leader, so it’s right that he’s good at that. Aidan Turner and Rob Kazinsky, they’re fit young men. But we’re all shapes and all sizes and we all have our own skills.”
Were you a fantasy film fan before you joined The Hobbit?
“No I wasn’t really, to tell you the truth. But obviously coming out to do this now I’ve immersed myself in it a bit. It’s funny – as a company, we watched the three films together, so we were in the cinema all together. It’s a very exciting prospect to be watching those and thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to be in something like that’. It is a chance to be a kid again.”
The Hobbit movies are due for release in December 2012 and December 2013
Source: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=75416, http://www.flicksnews.net/2011/03/ian-mckellen-talks-hobbit-in-3d.html
