andPOP » The Lord of the Rings

The Hobbit is Having Huge Problems

Sam Rashid — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:45:02 +0000

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Despite being a small creature, this Bilbo Baggins is causing huge amounts of problems.

Guillermo del Toro, who was handpicked by Peter Jackson to steer The Hobbit movies, has decided to leave his directing post for the two-part Lord of the Rings prequels because of ongoing troubles at the two studios behind the highly anticipated films, reports Eonline!

The studios are MGM and New Line.

“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 announced on TheOneRing.net fan site. “After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien’s Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures.”

To prep the films with Jackson, del Toro moved with his family to New Zealand. And shooting was planned to take way this summer for a holiday 2012 release. But problems with MGM and New Line began as they couldn’t get their act together, and del Toro couldn’t wait any longer.

“The blessings have been plenty, but the mounting pressures of conflicting schedules have overwhelmed the time slot originally allocated for the project,” del Toro said. “I wish the production nothing but the very best of luck and I will be first in line to see the finished product .”

Aside from all of the problems, del Toro will remain as a co writer on the project, along with Jackson and his LOTR partners, Fran Walsh and Phillippa Boyens.

But for now, the hunt for a new director has begun. Possible candidates: Gandalf the Grey.

Ryan Gosling Jumps

andPOP Staff — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:06:58 +0000

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Ryan Gosling has suddenly dropped out of the highly anticipated film “The Lovely Bones.”

Adapted from the bestselling book and directed by Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings), the film just began shooting on Sunday. “Creative differences” is the official reason being given for Gosling’s swift departure.

Gosling, who had gained weight and grown a full beard for the role, will now be replaced by Mark Wahlberg.

“The Lovely Bones” also stars Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci, and will be released next year.

Sean Astin Joins Cast of ’24′

andPOP Staff — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 19:44:29 +0000

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A hobbit is about to infiltrate the cast of Fox’s “24.”

Sean Astin, best known as the hobbit Sam from The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, will join the cast of the TV drama in time for season five.

Reuters reports Astin, 34, will play a new addition to the Counter Terrorist Unit in the real-time TV drama series.

The fifth season will premiere with two episodes on January 8, 2006 and two more on January 9. The episodes will run from 8-10 p.m.

On January 16, the fifth “hour” of “24″ will air in the show’s regular 9 p.m. Monday slot.

The series picks up 18 months after the final episode of season four, leaving Keifer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer presumed dead, but actually living a new life with a new love interest and her son.

Astin has been working non-stop since The Lord of the Rings wrapped in 2003 – he currently has six films in production, most notably Click, with Christopher Walken and Adam Sandler, and the animated movie Cat Tale.