I am deeply sorry to read this, because I had my heart set on Guillermo directing these movies, as we all did...
It was announced today at TheOneRing.net that Guillermo will not be directing "The Hobbit", but that he will remain as a co-writer and will also do all in his power to keep protecting this project.

The link: http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2010/05/30/36920-guillermo-del-toro-departs-the-hobbit/

AICN is reporting the on the press release too; http://www.aintitcool.com/node/45299

as well as comicbookmovie; http://comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Poni ... s/?a=18638

and IGN; http://movies.ign.com/articles/109/1093748p1.html

CHUD; http://chud.com/articles/articles/23885 ... Page1.html

ComingSoon; http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=66547

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Gojira - King of all that is, all that was, and all that ever will be.

*whispers* I didn't.

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Bring on Hellboy III?

Eventho I have been HEARTBROKEN, knowing that GDT will NOT direct The Hobbit; I have to agree with Kusanivy:

HELLBOY III

BRING IT OOOOOON!!



Luv//Emma

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the story is now being covered just about everywhere.


HB3 AtTheMountainsOfMadness

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Gojira - King of all that is, all that was, and all that ever will be.

I was really looking forward to this. I still watch the original animated The Hobbit, and feel that it is the only film to portray non-human humanoid characters, visually, as nonhuman. No Golum has ever been as impressive, the trolls are incredibly colorful characters instead of beastly, elves are not just pretty humans with pointy ears, dwarves are not just short stout humans, and hobbits are not just child-like humans. The orcs are among the most impressive having dimensions that no human could match with Star-Trek make-up.

I mention this; because, after seeing Pan's Labrynth and Hellboy II, especially the troll market scene, it is obvious that Del Toro focuses on qualities like these. Put any two humanoid species from his film side-by-side, and words are not necessary to determine that they are in no way related. I hope that even though he is no longer directing, that his vision of the characters and creatures is still preserved.

If that is the case, the only remaining fear I have is that another director may not be able to make it work, to sell the creatures and characters to the audience visually. Del Toro is able to use prosthetics and make them believable. He obviously does not depend on having CG creatures and effects for every scene. This only works when the director is constantly aware that one bad shot can ruin the believability of that creature. An example where this happened for me would be Aliens vs Predator. I remember a one-on-one fight scene between an alien and a predator that looked like a fight scene from an old Godzilla movie. The toes of the predator were longer than the actor's feet and would bounce like rubber when he stomped and tossed around. The tail of the alien was obviously dead weight, rubber. That is the reality, and that is what the director should have been trying to keep the audience from seeing. Del Toro accomplishes that, and I don't know if there are any other directors out there that currently do. It takes a lot more than a great make-up job. The audience is not watching a slide show.

So, my greatest hope is that the door remains open for Del Toro to return the film as Director, and, of course, I hope that he does. The Hobbit is loved, liked, and disliked by every generation. The Tolkien films are forever, as far as films go. Whoever makes this film will be remembered. I would bet that most of the Rankin/Bass, Bakshi, and even Peter Jackson films (like Bad Taste, a great horror comedy) are now watched by people who enjoyed their work with the Tolkien films and go looking for more.

Please come back Del Toro. This film needs you.

I'm glad that PJ has not completely closed the door to directing the films himself. I think he's the only real choice to do these at this point. He worked so closely with GDT on the films that he's really the only director who can realize the films fairly similarly to what del Toro was planning.

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Whether this is true or not ... no idea. I know Blomkamp was mentioned when G left, but who knows?

http://www.flicks.co.nz/news/scoop-neil ... ng-hobbit/

HM

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