Fantasy Nerds Everywhere Suddenly, Inexplicably Aroused

NY TIMES: Master of ‘Rings’ to Tackle ‘Hobbit’
By DAVID M. HALBFINGER - Published: December 19, 2007

LOS ANGELES — Goblins, trolls and dragons were a breeze compared with the caustic clash of egos that kept “The Hobbit” in Hollywood limbo for years. But a settlement announced on Tuesday between Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema holds the promise that peace will break out in Middle Earth and that fans could see the first of two resulting movies by December 2010.

The pact, which two people involved said was worth nearly $40 million to Mr. Jackson, ends years of litigation and acrimonious auditing over his share of the profits from the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Those movies grossed $2.9 billion worldwide, made Mr. Jackson’s reputation and vastly enhanced New Line’s stature among the major movie studios.

Though Sam Raimi has stated his interest, it is unclear who will direct the two Hobbit movies, but Mr. Jackson will not. Mr. Jackson and his producing and writing partners, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, are committed to making “The Lovely Bones” through 2008 and then he is directing “Tintin,” based on the Belgian comic strip, for Steven Spielberg.

But Mr. Jackson and his wife, Ms. Walsh, will be executive producers of the Hobbit films, and they will share with New Line the right to approve all creative elements: director, screenwriter, script, cast, filming location, even the visual-effects company used (as if there were any doubt that his Weta Digital would be chosen). “They can assure that the films will be made with the same level of quality as if they were writing and directing,” Mr. Jackson’s manager, Ken Kamins, said.

Settlement of the litigation freed New Line, which held the rights to make a “Hobbit” movie, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which has distribution rights, to cut a 50-50 financing deal: New Line will make the two films and distribute them domestically, and MGM will distribute them overseas. The untitled sequel is described as bridging the 60-year gap between the end of J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Hobbit” and the beginning of the “Rings” trilogy.

Despite the treasure involved — or perhaps because of it — the Jackson-New Line marriage grew testy by 2003, when Mr. Jackson began complaining about his share of the profits. New Line paid added bonuses, but Mr. Jackson nonetheless began an audit, which was said to particularly antagonize Bob Shaye, the studio’s co-chairman with Michael Lynne.

Warfare broke into the open in February 2005, when Mr. Jackson sued New Line over his audit, saying the studio was stonewalling his accountants. After Mr. Jackson told fans in a Web posting late last year that New Line had formally dropped him from “The Hobbit,” Mr. Shaye exploded on the Web, “He thinks that we owe him something after we’ve paid him over a quarter of a billion dollars.”

A thaw began some weeks later, Mr. Kamins said, when Mr. Jackson dined at the home of Harry Sloan, the chairman of MGM. It held distribution rights to “The Hobbit” and Mr. Sloan was desperate to get the franchise moving. By May, during the Cannes Film Festival, Mr. Jackson and Mr. Shaye joined a multiparty conference call; it was the first time they had spoken in about two years, Mr. Kamins said. “That call created a tone that really lasted into the fall,” he said.

If Mr. Sloan was motivated to spur a deal — he said the “halo effect” alone from “The Hobbit” could help attract talent and financing to MGM — Messrs. Shaye and Lynne of New Line were said to be facing a deadline of their own: their contracts as studio bosses expire in 2008, and the public combat with Mr. Jackson was a cause for frequent criticism. (Mr. Jackson at one point offered his “Lovely Bones” project to every major studio except New Line.)

The studio, meanwhile, has had a run of two years with only two hits, “Rush Hour 3” and “Hairspray.” Its costly “Golden Compass” opened to a disappointing $25.8 million gross in its first weekend.

In an interview on Tuesday, Mr. Shaye admitted that he had taken some aspects of the dispute with Mr. Jackson quite personally, but he and Mr. Lynne insisted they had faced no pressure from above to cut a deal.

Mr. Lynne said, “No one told us we had to resolve it one way or another.”

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VARIETY: 'Hobbit' back on track as twin bill
New Line settles dispute with Jackson
By MICHAEL FLEMING
Posted: Tue., Dec. 18, 2007, 9:23am PT

"The Hobbit" is finally happening.

After settling a lawsuit with Peter Jackson on "The Lord of the Rings," New Line co-chairmen/co-CEOs Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne announced jointly with MGM chairman Harry Sloan that the way is clear to turn J.R.R. Tolkien's "Hobbit" into two live-action films.

The resolution clears the way for "Spider-Man" helmer Sam Raimi to direct. While Shaye said no creative alignments have yet been made, Raimi has long been interested -- as long as Jackson was involved or gave his blessing.

The studios hope to start production in 2009, shooting two films simultaneously and releasing them in December 2010 and December 2011. New Line will run production and distribute domestically, while MGM will release internationally. The studios will co-finance the films.

Jackson's Kiwi stages, post-production and visual effects facilities -- which he built to accommodate "LOTR" -- likely will be used to mount "The Hobbit." And New Zealand once again will be used as the visual backdrop for Middle-earth, this time to tell the story of how Frodo's uncle, Bilbo Baggins, ventured from the Shire and wound up taking the Ring of Power from Gollum.

The key to moving forward was settling all litigation between Jackson and New Line over funds owed the filmmaker for "LOTR."

Jackson and partner Fran Walsh filed suit in Los Angeles Federal Court in 2005, charging they were shortchanged in profit participation on "The Fellowship of the Ring." A bitter war of words set Jackson and Walsh in one corner, Shaye and Lynne in the other.

Jackson's next two directing gigs are both for DreamWorks. He optioned Alice Sebold novel "The Lovely Bones" and wrote the script with his "LOTR" partners Walsh and Philippa Boyens. He'll also team with Steven Spielberg to co-direct "Tintin."

While those commitments will keep Jackson from directing "The Hobbit," the settlement deal is helpful not only for Shaye and Lynne but also for MGM's Sloan, who helped put the parties together.

The contracts of Shaye and Lynne expire next fall. The studio has weathered several tough post-"LOTR" years, and its latest attempt at a fantasy trilogy, "The Golden Compass," has proved tepid. Pic has so far grossed just north of $40 million domestic, while drawing $90 million in offshore ticket sales. Though Hossein Amini has scripted sequel "The Subtle Knife," it's unclear whether the second installment of Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy will go into production.

At MGM, Sloan planned to revive the studio with franchises. Dealt a setback when "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins" went to Warner Bros. (MGM is suing financier Halcyon, claiming that its negotiation rights were violated), Sloan now has two plum titles to use as building blocks. Though Columbia distributes the James Bond film about to begin production, MGM gets the 007 franchise back after that, and Sloan said Daniel Craig is signed to a multipicture dseal.

"I give a lot of credit to Peter, Bob and Michael for putting their differences aside for a tremendous property that has an enormous fan base," Sloan said. "Between 'The Hobbit' and Bond, we're involved in two of the best-known franchises in the world."

Shaye and Lynne said while they have not yet gotten to shake hands with Jackson and Walsh, they consider the legal matter to be history.

"This is a complete resolution of all the disputes between us," Lynne said. "Obviously, there is extensive auditing on pictures that are successful. In our business, you can have differences of an accounting and legal nature that polarize people and get in the way of personal and professional relationships."

Shaye, whose barbed public comments toward Jackson once widened the gulf between them, said he was also relieved.

"Nobody likes contention," Shaye told Daily Variety. "None of us, not me, Michael, Peter or Fran, were happy that a dispute was destroying a fruitful and prosperous enterprise.

"All these lawyers were going crazy not letting the principals communicate directly, when we might have been able to solve this years ago. Movies are difficult enough to make without having a war going on," Shaye continued. "The settlement was done with the idea that the good spirit that nurtured the first three films can continue. I hope we can revive what was once a wonderful relationship."

Jackson was unavailable to comment beyond a statement and there was no comment about the size of his "LOTR" settlement.

"I'm very pleased that we've been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line," Jackson said in the statement. "The Lord of the Rings" is a "legacy we proudly share with Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with millions of loyal fans all over the world. We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle-earth."

(Janet Shprintz in Hollywood contributed to this report.)

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"Mr. Lynne said, 'No one told us we had to resolve it one way or another.'"

Nothing except the oceans of money and piles of awards the "Rings" series has amassed! I figured something would get worked out eventually. Initially, I was worried about two "Hobbit" movies, but this is encouraging:

"The untitled sequel is described as bridging the 60-year gap between the end of J. R. R. Tolkien’s 'Hobbit' and the beginning of the 'Rings' trilogy."

That's fine with me! I was only concerned with padding (what I think is) Tolkien’s most succinct and self-contained book in order to stretch it over two films.

Cool! Well, we'll see...

Tintin And The Uncanny Valley

VARIETY: Spielberg, Jackson team for Tintin
Duo pact for adventure trilogy
By ANNE THOMPSON, PAMELA MCCLINTOCK
Posted: Mon., May 14, 2007, 8:21pm PT

Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are teaming to direct and produce three back-to-back features based on Georges Remi's beloved Belgian comic-strip hero Tintin for DreamWorks. Pics will be produced in full digital 3-D using performance capture technology.

The two filmmakers will each direct at least one of the movies; studio wouldn't say which director would helm the third. Kathleen Kennedy joins Spielberg and Jackson as a producer on the three films, which might be released through DreamWorks Animation.

Tintin has long been a passion project for Spielberg, who has been trying to get film rights to the comedic and adventurous book series for more than 25 years, a goal realized over the past year. With the rights in place, Spielberg, Jackson and DreamWorks began quietly developing the project.

Jackson's New Zealand-based WETA Digital, the f/x house behind "The Lord of the Rings" franchise, produced a 20-minute test reel bringing to life the characters created by Remi, who wrote under the pen name of Herge.

"Herge's characters have been reborn as living beings, expressing emotion and a soul which goes far beyond anything we've seen to date with computer animated characters," Spielberg said.

"We want Tintin's adventures to have the reality of a live-action film, and yet Peter and I felt that shooting them in a traditional live-action format would simply not honor the distinctive look of the characters and world that Herge created," Spielberg continued.

Official word of the three-pic pact comes just weeks after Jackson inked a deal with DreamWorks to direct "Lovely Bones," based on Alice Sebold's haunting tome about a 14-year-old girl who watches over her family -- and attacker -- from heaven after she is raped and killed.

Tintin project, announced by the two filmmakers and DreamWorks co-chair-CEO Stacey Snider, may explain, at least in part, why DreamWorks emerged the winner in the bidding for "Bones," beating out several other suitors.

Tintin also answers the question of which tentpole Jackson will turn his attention to next.

The Spielberg-Jackson project isn't likely to languish in development for long. Spielberg could become available this fall after wrapping "Indiana Jones 4." Jackson will wrap "Bones" by the end of the year.

Spielberg and Jackson have selected three stories from Remi's "The Adventures of Tintin" series, which encompassed 23 books published between 1929 and 1976. The series still attracts 2 million new fans a year.

Series, which has sold more than 200 million copies worldwide, chronicles adventures of a junior reporter who will follows stories to the ends of the earth, even though he often finds his own life in jeopardy. His able assistants include a white dog named Snowy, the lunatic Captain Haddock, the muddled genius Professor Calculus and the Thompson Twins.

Jackson said WETA will stay true to Remi's original designs in bringing the cast of Tintin to life, but that the characters won't look cartoonish.

"Instead," Jackson said, "we're making them look photorealistic; the fibers of their clothing, the pores of their skin and each individual hair. They look exactly like real people --but real Herge people!"

DreamWorks bought the film rights from Herge Studios in Brussels, Belgium. Company is led by prexy Fanny Rodwell, Remi's wife when he died in 1983.

"We couldn't think of a better way to honor Herge's legacy that this announcement within days of the 100th anniversary of his birth, May 22, 1907," Rodwell said.

Spielberg and Jackson are currently evaluating whether to release Tintin through DreamWorks Animation. Paramount distributes all DreamWorks Animation films.

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"Instead," Jackson said, "we're making them look photorealistic; the fibers of their clothing, the pores of their skin and each individual hair. They look exactly like real people --but real Herge people!"

Hmm. Good luck with the dot eyes.

Things Get Nasty Over The Hobbit

VARIETY: Shaye denies Jackson 'Hobbit' gig
New Line topper says director not welcome
By NICOLE LAPORTE, DAVE MCNARY

The feud over "The Hobbit" is getting hotter and meaner.

In the most recent sturm und drang over J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel, long-discussed as a project for "Lord of the Rings" helmer Peter Jackson, New Line co-chairman Bob Shaye told Sci Fi Wire that Jackson would never direct "The Hobbit" as long as Shaye is running New Line.

New Line, which released the "LOTR" trilogy, is in a public feud and lawsuit with Jackson over money the helmer says is owed him from the "Rings" pics. Trilogy grossed more than $3 billion worldwide in ticket sales alone.

"It will never happen during my watch," Shaye said of Jackson directing "The Hobbit" along with an "LOTR" prequel. New Line and MGM own the rights to both films.

Shaye's words are a more explicit snub to Jackson than occurred last November, when Jackson posted a letter to his fans on the "LOTR" fan site Theonering.net saying that New Line had alerted him that they were proceeding to make "The Hobbit" without him.

The severing of ties was prompted by Jackson's declared refusal to make a movie with New Line until his ongoing lawsuit is settled. (Suit was filed in August 2005 after accounting issues were raised in a partial audit of the first "LOTR" film.) New Line told Jackson that because the studio's option to the property, obtained from Saul Zaentz, was set to expire, New Line would proceed sans Jackson.

People close to the situation say the lawsuit is nowhere near being settled.

Shaye's attack was more acerbic, and definitive, than simply walking away from the table.

Jackson got "a quarter of a billion dollars paid to him so far, justifiably, according to contract, completely right, and this guy ... turns around without wanting to have a discussion with us and sues us and refused to discuss it unless we just give in to his plan," Shaye said. "I don't want to work with that guy anymore. Why would I? So the answer is, he will never make any movie with New Line Cinema again while I'm still working at the company."

Shaye also went on to say that he was "offended" that Jackson, as well as several "LOTR" thesps ("because, I'm guessing, of Peter's complaint") would not participate in a video celebrating New Line's 40th anniversary.

On Wednesday, Jackson issued a statement in response to Shaye's outburst, saying, "It is regrettable that Bob has chosen to make (the argument) personal. I have always had the highest respect and affection for Bob and other senior management at New Line and continue to do so."

Jackson addressed the suit by saying: "Contrary to recent comments made by Bob Shaye, we attempted to discuss the issues raised by the 'Fellowship' audit with New Line for over a year, but the studio was and continues to be completely uncooperative. This has compelled us to file a lawsuit to pursue our contractual rights under the law. Nobody likes legal action, but the studio left us with no alternative."

As for the anniversary video, Jackson said, "In light of these circumstances, I didn't think it was appropriate for me to be involved in (the video). I have never discussed this video with any of the cast of the 'LOTR.' The issues that Bob Shaye has with the cast pre-date this lawsuit by many years."

A source close to Jackson called Shaye's remarks "a strategy to try and create favor (for New Line) by saying how much money Peter made. The issue isn't what Peter made, it's why Bob and Mike (Lynne, co-chairman of New Line) don't want to talk about what they made. What is it that they don't want us to see?"

Shaye and Lynne were exec producers on the "LOTR" films.

As with earlier exchanges in this feud, Shaye's remarks were vented via the Internet, where Jackson fans avidly lurk. (Jackson's statement was released to Daily Variety.) Indeed, all parties seem intent on generating buzz, and perhaps action, by addressing the issue publicly.

Last October, Rick Sands, chief operating officer of MGM, which owns the distribution rights to the "Hobbit," posted a letter on Theonering.net in response to a petition signed by 50,000 fans demanding that Jackson be allowed to direct "Hobbit."

Sands wrote: "MGM would be thrilled to collaborate with the Academy-Award winning director on this MGM/New Line Cinema production."

New Line would not comment Wednesday about Jackson's latest statement.

Eyes Watering, Nerds Look Heavenward In Hope

ROTTEN TOMATOES: MGM Says "Not So Fast" to the End of Jackson's "Hobbit"
Posted on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006, 03:06 AM

Scott Weinberg writes: "And the "Hobbit" arguments continue! Last we heard, Peter Jackson was divorcing himself from the project because of a legal battle with New Line. So the studio said fine, we'll get someone else to direct it. And the fans were angry. But now comes MGM to the rescue?

From Moviehole: "Yesterday, the "Lord of the Rings" director told TheOneRing.net that New Line have removed him from the project. The filmmaker’s statement also reiterated in detail his stance on "The Hobbit" -- that he is not willing to have a serious conversation about directing the film until his ongoing lawsuit with New Line over what he considers improper accounting practices over "LOTR" profits is settled.

New Line's given reason for proceeding sans Jackson is that the studio's rights to the pic are about to expire, and seeing as the lawsuit with Jackson isn't moving ahead, well, the message was that New Line is.

An MGM spokesperson tells Variety today that they're going to fight for Jackson. The spokesperson states, "The matter of Peter Jackson directing 'The Hobbit' films is far from closed."

Woohoo! Flex that copyright muscle, MGM! (For the record, New Line has the production rights for "The Hobbit" and a second LOTR prequel, yet for some convoluted reason from years back, MGM owns the distribution rights for a Hobbit flick. Fingers crossed!)"

Jackson Not To Direct Hobbit; Nerds Weep

HOLLYWOOD ELSEWHERE (Jeffrey Wells) - According to a letter from Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh posted late last night on theonering.net, New Line Cinema has parted ways with Jackson/Walsh over a lawsuit that they had brought aainst the distributor tied to Fellowship of the Ring revenues (i.e., product licensing, "differences of opinion", etc.).

The positive-minded Jackson/Walsh had been expecting settlement on the lawsuit, which would then be followed by a deal to start work on The Hobbit plus a Lord of the Rings prequel. However, according to the letter, "last week [New Line bigwig] Mark Ordesky called Ken Kamins" -- Jackson/Walsh's manager -- "and told him that New Line would no longer be requiring our services on The Hobbit and the LOTR 'prequel'...this was a courtesy call to let us know that the studio was now actively looking to hire another filmmaker for both projects.

"Ordesky said that New Line has a limited time option on the [Hobbit] film rights they have obtained from Saul Zaentz (this has never been conveyed to us before), and because we won't discuss making the movies until the lawsuit is resolved, the studio is going to have to hire another director. Given that New Line [is] committed to this course of action, we felt at the very least, we owed you, the fans, a straightforward account of events as they have unfolded for us."

What's really going on here, I believe, is a reflection of the this year's sea-change attitude among distributors and producers towards coddled, overpaid wunderkind types like Jackson -- big-name talents who get rich deals for themselves and their production companies, after which they go off and strain or exceed the budget, and then their sometimes indulgent, overlong film (i.e., King Kong) comes out and does moderately well but not well enough. Result: the wunderkind makes out like a bandit and the studio is left holding the bag.

Image-wise, Universal's King Kong experience with Jackson made him into the ultimate enfant terrible poster boy for indulgent, genius-boy tendencies. Jackson's middle name is "wheeee!" -- it's what makes him what he is. If you make a movie with Jackson, provision #1 in his contract is that he gets to go "wheeee!" all through the making of it. At the end of the day the film will be in some ways awesome/brilliant/ eye-popping and what the fans want, and in other ways indulgent, show-offy, overlong and flooded with fake-looking bullshit CG shots that "wheeee!" types love to create because fake CG shots are so deliriously comic-book "imaginative."

You may make a huge profit with a Jackson film and you may not, but one thing for sure is that he and his New Zealand pallies will make out like kings plus they'll all get to go "wheeee!" for 18 months or two years, on your dime.

I'm basically saying that New Line did a good thing here. The more Peter Jackson gets cut down and has to trim his sails and stop "wheee"-ing his way through movie-making, the better. I say this because I have never suffered so acutely in my moviegoing years...I've never felt so awful, so trapped, so stuck on Devil's Island- with-dysentery as I did while watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy and also the first 70 minutes of King Kong. I just know that the fewer "paints" Jackson has to work with, the better his films will turn out to be.

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I don't really this has as much to do with Jackson's excesses as it does with his unwillingness to play ball and agree to make two more films before the legal dust settled. The "below-enormous-expectations" box office of 'Kong' probably didn't help, either.