Whether you’re excited or disappointed, The Hobbit is becoming a trilogy. Peter Jackson announced the news just yesterday. Yay or nay?
It has been speculated for some time, and now all the nerd-kind can rejoice at the knowledge that The Hobbit shall become a trilogy!
Peter Jackson confirmed, via Facebook page, that Warner Bros. has given him the green light to cinematic glory.
“It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made,” he wrote. “Recently Fran [Walsh], Phil[lippa Boyens] and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie — and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life. All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.'”
Now, this all sounds pretty and poetic, but… We have no idea how the films will be divided. The Hobbit is not as elaborate as The Lord of the Rings (about 300 pages vs. 1,000-plus) — should we be worried? Hopefully not. Jackson is drawing material beyond the book, paying special attention to extra notes Tolkien published awhile back. Still, the risk of the plot being watered down is great; it will take a village of writers to flush it out into a trilogy.
“We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance,” Jackson continued. “The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.”
As humble Middle Earth fans, we’d gladly pay money for any glimpse back into that world. If Jackson can re-invent the excitement The Lord of the Rings ignited more than 10 years ago (has it been that long?), he could well make movie history.
The first instalment of the film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is slated for released on Dec. 14.
What do you think?
Photo courtesy of Lia Toby/WENN.com
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