Del Toro Updates on HOBBIT Shoot

I'm cautiously hopeful for this.

I say "cautious" because, well, I never had the desire to see anything of del Toro's before and I still wonder why Peter Jackson let him have the director's chair.

The general feeling wasn't angst against Toro, it was more of Jackson's vision was perfect, why mess with it by bringing in someone new?

StarlightGuard, I kind of feel the same way. The best GDT film was Pan's Labyrinth and Blade2 IMO. I hope he doesn't let us down as he has with his Hellboy films.

PJ I think devoted so many years of his life to making LOTR trilogy that I just don't think he was willing to make that commitment again. I don't blame him and at least he's still a producer so he'll have some say on how the project develops.

How good are 2010-2012 looking. The Hobbit films and all the Marvel stuff and hopefully WB/DC will have their game together and these may be the best years for fantasy genre fans

I actually watched hellboy 2 for the second time the other day, and it reminded me just how good GDT is. I can't wait to see what he does with smaug. I also wonder who GDT is going to get to do the voice of smaug

Everything I've seen Del Toro has done is excellent so far. I just hope the creatures stay the same, LOTR creatures has to look the same except that dragon. Sure hope he comes up with a better design than some of the films oout there.

I am excited about this and for me if PJ doesn't want to direct then GDT is a great replacement. I think these movies will be quality just like the trilogy. However after these movies are made they need to stop. Anything after a second prequel would be a shameless attempt at milking Tolkien's legacy for more money. In other words I never want to see a movie based on the Simarillion or Children of Hurin. Five movies is enough.

I wonder what they'll call the movies.  The Hobbit is fine for the first one, but they need another name for the second.

As far as the Silmarillion goes, they couldn't make a movie.  They'd have to make a series, and it would be too expensive I'd think.

Still I'd live to see that happen.

I understand the reservations with having a different director filming these movies, even if it is Del Toro. But the most important thing is the script. So I am much more positive about this since PJ, Fran, and Del Toro are all part of the writing process. LOTR was always considered a very hard book to translate to film, and IMO it was done PERFECTLY. They had the utmost respect for the story and even the changes that were made, were only made to keep Tolkiens overall vision the priority. Also, let's not forget that LOTR used 2 additional units to direct with and the 2nd unit did some major scenes not just extra shots. I'm just happy to have a VERY good director attached to the Hobbit. So as long as it's a good script/story, Good script Good director = Good Hobbit.

almost, how about The Hobbitt 2?

The title will most likely be the The Hobbit part 1 and The Hobbit part 2. As far as the concern of another director takeing over middle earth, I share a little bit of that as well. The Devil's Backbone is excellent as well as Pan's Labrinth. Visually I Thought HellBoy was great but the story was lacking. Hell Boy II looks better than the first but I have yet to see the film.

But look, When you think about it Pete, Fran, and Philipa are writing it again (and writing is the pillar of any production like drumshine said unfortuately hollywood has seem to forgotten that.) and then Peter will oversee the production as a whole which means WETA will be involved in the effects 100% (can't wait to see Smaug)so in actuallity these movies are already gonna be good. "Let's have a little optimism here" (Han Solo the Return of the Jedi).I think we can all be put at ease gentlemen just sit back and wait for 2011 & 12. This story is in the right hands. 

Whats up with all the hate for Del Toro?  He is PJ's hand picked guy so you have to trust he made a great choice considering how great the LOTR movies were. 

I saw Hellboy 2 for the first time last week.  I never liked the first one, the special effects were not that good and the puppets...well, they not only looked like puppets but they moved like them as well...very clumsy though I did like his use of colors in the film.  Now Hellboy 2...100 times better than the first one and everything looked better which may have something to do with the higher budget.  Plus I liked his Pan movie and Blade 2.  I think the Hobbit is in good hands.

370 days of shooting...now you know why PJ didn't want to direct it again. 

Who is going to be Bilbo?  I still think it's that guy from "Wanted" because Del Toro had already mentioned that he liked him.  I still want to see Ron Pearlman as a Dwarf.