The Hobbit by Sam Raimi??

[giovanniroberto]

Most of you have probably heard Pete Jackson won't be directing and writing The Hobbit and the LOTR prequel. Yes you heard that right New Line wants to make a prequel after The Hobbit.

Now MGM seems to own a bit of the rights to The Hobbit movie and still wants Peter Jackson to do it. I read the letter PJ wrote theonering.net and he says that New Line offered to settle the lawsuit he has with them (he had LOTR productions audited and he was shorted some things) if he agreed to direct The Hobbit and the Prequel<s> to LOTR. Kind of shifty so he refused which I probably would have done as well. Not a good way to do business New Line.

Now in an obvious ploy to gauge Sam Raimi's interest, someone leaked some info saying Sam Raimi was interested or New Line was interested in him to direct the Hobbit and the LOTR prequel<s>.

I like Sam Raimi. Similar background as PJ. Their first films were campy humor/splatter pictures and they have shown much versatility. While I think he would do a great job, it would not be the same team as Phillipa and Fran along with Pete and their friends. From what I understand, those three bring something to a production that is un-matched in Hollywood. (probably because they aren't IN Hollywood) It wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't be LOTR.

[Emily]

Heres the thing. new Line looses the rights to the Rings in a year to another producer. who favors Jackson.

Rami is okay. But this is Jacksons films. It'd be like asking someone else to do a spider man 4 without Rami. Who wants to change directers after three films?
www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds40108.html

[giovanniroberto]

Yeah that news came in right after I wrote that post hahah.

The actors would not want to do it without Jackson. Saul Zaentz <sp?> said the rights go back to him and he wants PJ.

[Emily]

I was listening to Slice of scifi (thats right people who think I'm a dork, laugh it up) that he might do two films, one incuding footnotes TOlkin did.

[matt]

Raimi's all right, and he's done well by Spidey, but Jackson brought a depth and a solemness to LOTR I didn't think possible. It's him, or no one.

I'd love to see a 'sequel' which addresses the post-LOTR events described in the ROTK appendix (which were touched on in that fantastic flash-forward scene of Aragorn's funeral, narrated by Elrond), such as the reconstruction of Middle-Earth, the eventual deaths of the hobbits and Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas travelling over the seas...

[giovanniroberto]

Stop it I am getting teary eyed.