Scoop: Neill Blomkamp Directing HobbitRSS

Scoop: Neill Blomkamp Directing Hobbit

Peter Jackson and Neill Blomkamp

9th Sep 2010

District 9 director Neill Blomkamp will be helming The Hobbit.

Rumoured since June (see this TheOneRing.net article), our local sources say it is so, and that filming will begin next year.

South African-raised, Canada-based Blomkamp's first feature film was District 9, a sleeper hit that earnt a nomination for Best Picture at the 2010 Academy Awards. He was mentored during production by Peter Jackson, who recognised his talent after seeing a short film called Alive in Joburg (essentially a low-budget, simplified version of the feature).

Guillermo Del Toro, the original director of The Hobbit, had to drop out due to lengthy financial delays. He will still remain with the project, however, both as a scripwriter and in a supervisory role.

Filming on The Hobbit (parts one and two) is expected to begin next year.

The people's comments

Neil has proven with minimal budget that he can deliver a great film. Yeah his resume isn't as extensive as other directors but i think that he would be a great choice IF PJ wasn't going to helm it. District 9 is one of the best sci-fi films of the last decade. Different and original story with great visuals.

By George

Sometimes there are films that are sleeper hits, sometimes there are films that are hyped. Lord of the Rings was not a sleeper, although there was hype. District 9, with all due respect to Neill Blomkamp is a film that I have tried to watch on 7 different occasions, each time I have had to go off and do something, so despite having it on Blu Ray for almost a year, I still have not seen it all the way through in one sitting.

Lord of the Rings is a film (I consider the 3 to be one, like the Ring), is a 12 hour plus film that I watch religiously at least a couple of times a year over a weekend.

There is only one person that can direct the Hobbit. Come on Sir Peter, we all know that there will be a match bigger draw if you are at the helm. You have already won the trust of fans and non fans alike, you are the visual architect of Middle Earth and only you can create the magic again.

We all see it, you should too.

By bccan

Why is this even a rumour? The very patient fans of Middle Earth are expecting, nay insisting, that Peter Jackson direct the two installments of The Hobbit. This is a responsiblity that Mr.Jackson has whether he wants it or not. This is not Spiderman III or a second version of The Haunted Mansion. This is one of the great literary classics of all time. Mr.Jackson owes it to the millions of fans of Middle Earth to direct The Hobbit. The same fans who made him a very, very wealthy man. None of us really care about other obligations or commitements that he may have for other projects(No one is holding their breath or circling their calendars for the release date of Tin Tin). This is the last part of the saga of the ring that can be brought to the big screen. He put Middle Earth in the theaters and on DVD. I feel that he is beholden to us to finish the job that he started. I am angry and quite upset that other names are still being bandied about for the critical role of Director. Hopefully this will stop immediately.

By Matthew

The following is to be sung using the 'Big Ben' bells tune!.....Wrong wrong wrong wrong.........wrong wrong wrong wrong.... your'e wrong, your'e wrong, your'e wrong!!!

By Someone in the know!

MGM hasn't even offered the film to Blomkamp. And why would he take on a project for a company that doesn't have their finances straightened out?

this was debunked long ago by the informative folks at NY Magazine.

By you're wrong.

People still don't know about this...if this is actually 'official'. I've posted on some IMDB message boards, but I guess it will be a few days until we see it on some international movie sites.

By Craig

Scoop: Neill Blomkamp Directing HobbitRSS