With the future of The Hobbit films at stake, Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh met with officials from the New Zealand government to negotiate a path to keep the much-anticipated productions in New Zealand. According to the New Zealand Herald, other countries are now vying for The Hobbit films, after Jackson and the crew’s union struggled to come to terms. “It’s not a game because right now, in America, Warner Bros. studios are running the numbers on five to six different locations,” Jackson’s producing partner Philippa Boyens told Radio New Zealand. “That’s very real–and that has put at risk the livelihoods of countless thousands of New Zealand industry workers.” Meanwhile, both the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times are reporting that the films are finally close to receiving a greenlight, with embattled MGM, which will produce the films along with Warner Bros. and New Line, the one last hurdle. Hopes are high that the films can go in to production early next year.
Oct 4
2010
09:28 AM ET
Peter Jackson meets with NZ officials; 'The Hobbit' gains momentum
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Almost there!!! Peter Jackson better direct them, and I do hope they’re filmed in New Zealand!!!
This is so pathetic, NZ’s film industry is 1/1000th of what hollywood is and Peter Jackson did IMMENSE good with the lord of the rings being shot in NZ which lead to massive tourism growth etc. He literally put NZ on the map. You ask anyone in north america what is most popular about NZ and 90% would say LOTR was shot there.
I can not believe the union is putting up such a fight, they badly need these movies shot there lol. The government should be paying the WB for crying out loud. It’s all greed….
Joe, the problem is that New Zealand actors don’t have the same rights and privileges as other actors in the civilized world. Due to NZ labor laws, NZ actors are treated as “independent contractors,” not employees. Thus, NZ producers use this as an excuse, saying it’s against the law to sit down and talk with actors because they are not a “union.” Because these actors are not part of a “union,” they don’t receive residuals or other benefits that the members of SAG and its equivalents receive. No wonder productions want to film in NZ – yes, it is an absolutely gorgeous country, but the prime reason is filmmakers know they can pay the talent less than if filmed elsewhere. To add insult to injury, the NZ producers claim that they are the ones taking the greater risk, therefore they should receive the bigger reward/paycheck, not the actors. Ironically, it is the actors who are “the face” of any production. If a production bombs, it’s not the producers’ names that get dragged in the mud and abused in the media/tabloids, it’s the actors’ names. Cases in point – Jennifer Aniston and “The Bounty Hunter,” Jennifer Lopez and “Gigli,” Mariah Carey and “Glitter,” Elizabeth Berkley and “Showgirls” – you get the point, eh? SAG and other such equivalent unions should support Equity, lest their rights be reduced to those of their NZ counterparts. Even if Peter Jackson supposedly will do the “right” thing and set aside residuals for non-union actors, what happens when the next production comes around? Is it back to treating NZ actors as lesser than their colleagues in other countries where the actors are supported by a union?
I have faith that Peter and Co. will find amazing locations, wherever they have to look…but agreed, NZ just feels right. I would have thought that MGM would have a been a tougher nut to crack than the locals, though, so here’s hoping they figure it all out….
This is the first welcome news about this production in a long time. I threw in the towel about ever seeing The Hobbit come to fruition a while ago, but it looks like I was wrong. (Feels good to be wrong!) I believe that other than Hobbiton, no overlapping geography was actually filmed with a New Zealand backdrop. Rivendell and Bree were both sound stages and green screens. Therefore; New Zealand is not essential to the production.
They used locations all over. So much so that National Geographic produced a special that covered all the locations. You should watch more of the DVD features if you believe they only used one real NZ location, lol.
I’m one of those geeks who made the trip to NZ because of LOTR, and took a few LOTR-themed tours. I can tell you that Rivendell, specifically, was shot a great deal in a National Park where they built sets out of styrofoam so they could assemble and dismantle them without damaging the trees. And Hobbiton was awesome. It would be a shame to lose it.
uhh, wazza hobbit?
After 3 extremely overrated, and very boring films.. I doubt this will be any good.. I Hope it never gets made
Oh, go back and watch The Hangover another 20 times.
The Twilight movies are waiting for you. Enjoy and stop trolling please.
What about the thousands of American film industry workers who have lost jobs because productions have moved overseas?!? Bring these productions back within the Thirty Mile Zone!
I’d normally agree with you, but this was a New Zealand-made product. Should stay there for creative reasons, too.
Agreed. In general, I’m all for bringing these productions back home, though.
I’m very happy that this movie will finally be made. But I think NZ is the only place it could be shot at. The location is gorgeous and has the right look for the film.
Locations can be done in CG now.
Also, the most dramatic scenes in LOTR were either done on a soundstage with blue screen, or done via helicopter or crane shot with of empty scenery and the “people/characters” were digitally added later. This could be done in Hollywood on a back lot.
I don’t feel too comfortable that the movie will begin production soon. I think MGM has been the quintessential stick in the mud, and I have no confidence in the studio’s financial stability. That being said, I do hope I’m wrong.
I think Uwe Boll has expressed interest in directing The Hobbit. Why not go with him?