Sci-Fi Storm

So, the ruckus between an Australian actor’s union operating in New Zealand and Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit production, which resulted in “alerts” from other major acting unions to their membership to avoid the production, has drawn the attention of New Zealand’s prime minister, and is offering to have government officials mediate. Prime Minster John Key is concerned about the potential impact to the NZ film industry if the production moves elsewhere, likely to Eastern Europe. “If you can’t make ‘The Hobbit’ here, frankly, what movies are you going to make here?” he said.

The LA Times is reporting that Warner Bros./New Line and MGM are very close to giving the green light for production of The Hobbit, having resolved or nearly resolved remaining rights issues and finalized the necessary deals. If production starts by the 1st quarter of next year, then they could still hit their target of the first movie’s release for the 2012 holiday season, with the second a year later.

But now a fire apparently broke out at Portsmouth Miniatures Studio, one of the stage locations where The Hobbit was to be filmed. The cause of the fire is under investigation and the extent of damage is unknown.

What should be a slam-dunk movie just can’t catch a break. With all of the MGM woes preventing a green light, now an Australian actor’s union with a unit in New Zealand is attempting to “do damage” according to producer/director Peter Jackson, saying the terms for the actors are below standard, and other large actor’s unions (including SAG and AFTRA) are supporting them by issuing alerts warning their memberships not to accept work on the film. What may be at issue is whether it is legal for the studio to actually negotiate with them, given the tangled web of labour laws in New Zealand.

Update 9/28: Studios are now chiming in with support for Jackson.

Blastr (nee Sci-Fi Wire) has an interesting graphical representation of what has transpired in the history of attempting to get a live-action version of The Hobbit on the big screen – think Family Circus. Points off though for “The Similarion”.

Apparently there was a growing optimism among the Tolkien fans that there would be a pending announcement on August 21st – hopefully the greenlight on production of The Hobbit – based on a private event following a “refurbishment” being held at the Weta Cave. But later reports showed that the event is nothing special. But if the sets are indeed being unpacked, there is still hope.

First among the rumors, there is the possibility that David Tennant could take over the apparently vacant role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in The Avengers; now there is a rumor, although not necessarily a high confidence one yet, that 7th Doctor Sylvester McCoy has been cast in a role in The Hobbit, possibly in the role of Bilbo Baggins – a role he lost out to Ian Holm for The Lord Of The Rings. Lending credence to this is the fact that McCoy is 12 years younger than Holm, and the role is for a younger (relatively, in halfling years) Bilbo…

Just an update on the latest of the Hobbit saga – the production, not the story: Peter Jackson is reportedly meeting with actors this week in LA, with NY and the U.K. on the schedule, even though the production has not yet received a green light from studios WB and MGM due to MGM’s financial situation. WB is reportedly negotiating with MGM – which really means they are negotiating with creditors who probably see this as MGM’s only major franchise…

Given all the doubts about when production will begin, or even who the director is, this is a good sign: images from the Shire, or that which will be the set for the eventually upcoming Hobbit features. Looks like the same attention to detail is being used…

The making of The Hobbit could be as much a saga as the story itself. With the departure of Guillermo del Toro as director of the project, there is a void to fill – if production ever gets moving again. Currently at the top of the void-fill rumor list David Yates, who has directed the last 4 Harry Potter films, including the yet-to-be-released two-part finale. Can he move from one epic series to another?

Shock: Guillermo del Toro has officially announced his departure from The Hobbit as director. “In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming ‘The Hobbit,’ I am faced with the hardest decision of my life”, Guillermo said. At this point he will continue co-writing the screenplay. Update 6/1: Peter Jackson says that he might direct instead.