Sci-Fi Storm

When will The Hobbit go before the cameras? Director Guillermo del Toro doesn’t know. “You know, there cannot be any start date, really, until the MGM situation gets resolved, because they do hold a considerable portion of the rights,” del Toro said in a conference call, referring to MGM’s financial troubles, with the studio looking for a buyer to avoid bankruptcy. He also states unequivocally that “It’s not green-lit. That’s categorical. It is not green-lit.”

Warner Bros. has announced that the release dates for parts 1 and 2 of The Hobbit will be set in December 2012 and 2013, respectively (despite an IMAX release that gave 2013 as the release date of just The Hobbit, which was an error). Both scripts are details are being worked out, but it looks like full production could begin on time by this summer.

Ian McKellan (Gandalf) has posted on his official site that filming on The Hobbit will commence this July (earlier reports said June) and casting has started in several cities. Director Guillermo del Toro is also currently living in Wellington, near the Jacksons’ studio.

Peter Jackson recently gave The Hollywood Reporter a one-on-one on-camera interview as part of their Director’s Roundtable. Check out what he says about The Hobbit and how they really are on schedule – if the studio gives the green light.

It may not be true at this point, but I can see him in it…Tobey Maguire responded to web reports by saying he is not in discussions to play Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, and wasn’t considering it as he believed previous rumors that James McAvoy had been cast (which were untrue), but now seems amenable to the idea. “…I certainly wouldn’t take myself out of the conversation … if I was part of it.”

Peter Jackson cleared up a question on how The Hobbit will be represented as two films – that both movies are completely based on the book and split at a middle point that he and his writing team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens along with director Guillermo del Toro figured would work. This should ens speculation that the second movie might be an all-new filler story between The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings.

TheOneRing.net is reporting that filming may not start on The Hobbit until mid-2010, based on  a German interview Peter Jackson gave to moviereporter.net. No green light has been given for production yet, but they are still working on the scripts. Update 12/1: Peter Jackson clarified the schedule for SCI FI Wire.

On Saturday, May 24th, at 4PM ET, you can join Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro online for a chat about The Hobbit films. Online registration is required. The chat is being hosted by Weta, the special effects group responsible for The Lord Of The Rings.