http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/07/03/37402-mckellen-talks-hobbit-in-nz/
It'll be sad if this happens.
Ian McKellen might not be in The Hobbit
- Thread starter Dream
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http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/07/03/37402-mckellen-talks-hobbit-in-nz/
It'll be sad if this happens.
I just hope they don't replace him with Michael Gambon.
Why are they draggin' their butts so much on this?
First del Toro, now (maybe) sir Ian.
First del Toro, now (maybe) sir Ian.
It's because MGM is broke, isn't it?
Damn, that would be a major blow for the movie if Ian McKellen steps down from the role. His performance as Gandalf (especially as Gandalf the Grey) is my favorite aspect of the entire trilogy and his return in The Hobbit is what I'm looking forward to the most with the films (that and "Riddles in the Dark").
I had read (sorry I can't remember exactly where or I would give a link) that Jackson's Wingnut Films was ponying up most of the cash for these films. The reason why production is being held up is because no one knows where the rights (that MGM holds) might end up falling. What would be the point of producing a film and risking all that money on a movie that could very well end up caught in power struggle with the new owners.
This is the same thing with the Bond movies also. No one wants to get screwed by whoever MGM gets sold too.
(And I know Jackson is pushing this right now because his company is wasting money daily on preproduction. They have already started the outdoor sets for Bag End so all the vegetation will "grow in" properly in time for shooting.)
This is the same thing with the Bond movies also. No one wants to get screwed by whoever MGM gets sold too.
(And I know Jackson is pushing this right now because his company is wasting money daily on preproduction. They have already started the outdoor sets for Bag End so all the vegetation will "grow in" properly in time for shooting.)
Well, crumbs. I was looking forward to this, but it looks like it just might not happen.
I don't understand why no one is willing to sweep up MGM. Hello with Bond and The Hobbit you are talking about box office and merchandising in the billions. Billions and no one is investing in MGM and these franchises. If McKellan has to leave, I fear these films will never get made, and that Craig will also end up finished as Bond. I hate Hollywood politics.
Well, hypothetically, MGM had those franchises, and it didn't do them much good.
When we did the Red Carpet Tour of NZ in March '09 we met with Daniel Reeve, official calligrapher for the films. He strongly indicated he was doing pre-prod work back THEN and that was almost a year and a half ago!
Add to that Hobbiton has been worked on now for over a YEAR and I have to say, that's a LOT of time and money spent VERY early for maybe nothing.
SOMETHING has to happen VERY soon.
Lionsgate and Time-Warner have both made offers to buy MGM in the past six months. Lionsgate offered 1.2 billion, Time-Warner 1.5 billion. MGM's creditors rejected both; they want something closer to 2.5 billion.
^Nice idea.
Personally, I want Peter Jackson to be the head honcho for filming (why mess with success? If it ain't broke, don't fix it) and I definitely want Sir Ian back.
Personally, I want Peter Jackson to be the head honcho for filming (why mess with success? If it ain't broke, don't fix it) and I definitely want Sir Ian back.
Technically, it isn't the creditors who have rejected the offers, but rather the consortium of private investment groups (led by Providence Capital), Comcast and Sony, which bought MGM in late 2004. MGM hasn't gone into debt restructuring -- which would see those ownership shares diluted, while the hundred-plus creditors would have their debt converted into ownership -- yet, but it's looking like the most likely outcome at this point.
Keep in mind that MGM, as of June 10, was $3.7 billion in debt (and that debt load increases daily).
It's worth noting that New Line Cinema blew through the $3 billion it made on Lord of the Rings relatively quickly, as well.
Yes I think its creditors and too many hands in the pot and over spending that put MGM in this place. Aren't there still lawsuits out there on how much New Line pocketed and didn't pay?
1 billion and change sounds reasonable. And again, if you cleared up these issues, the profit would be record breaking. The over 2 billion pressing point just seems like Sony and Comcast wanting to make extra.
Are they willing to take a hit in the pocket (sad to think of billions as poverty!) to ensure quality film is made? Nope. Christopher Lee is already too old, and it might be too late for Ian Holm to make any hobbitesque appearance.
To me, this is the scary side of Hollywood and Corporate America. If all these mega groups let the Hobbit drop into total development hell, well it would be our version of the BP spill!
1 billion and change sounds reasonable. And again, if you cleared up these issues, the profit would be record breaking. The over 2 billion pressing point just seems like Sony and Comcast wanting to make extra.
Are they willing to take a hit in the pocket (sad to think of billions as poverty!) to ensure quality film is made? Nope. Christopher Lee is already too old, and it might be too late for Ian Holm to make any hobbitesque appearance.
To me, this is the scary side of Hollywood and Corporate America. If all these mega groups let the Hobbit drop into total development hell, well it would be our version of the BP spill!
Holm already said he won't be playing Bilbo.
Jackson doesn't need his company to buy MGM in order for him to direct the next Bond. If he asks, I'm sure he would get the job pretty easily.
Also, Comcast and Sony aren't the managing partners of MGM. TPG Capital, Providence Equity and DLJ Merchant Banking put up the majority of the funding in the 2004 purchase of MGM, and Providence has been the group calling the shots for the last few years.
Financial crises are nothing new for MGM, either. Back when that investment consortium bought the studio in 2004, around half of the $5 billion or so purchase price went to covering MGM's existing debt at the time. MGM's had this problem for a long time, dating back to the '80s. Times have never been quite this dire, but the studio has long had a problem of overhead and expenses exceeding revenue, and its DVD sales (such as Stargate) have now plummeted into the shitter. Hell, the studio only had enough cash on hand to release one movie last year. That's when you know it's time to pack it in.