Hobbit Movie Delay?

Recently Peter Jackson was quick to put down the rumors of a delay to the release time of The Hobbit yet in the latest Variety they have an interview with New Line Cinema executive Alan Horn who says the most probable release date will be Christmas 2012.

That’s a full year later than the current proposed release.

Although he doesn’t say why he thinks The Hobbit will be a year behind schedule the restructuring of joint Hobbit owners MGM is hinted at.

New Line Cinema share financing rights to The Hobbit with MGM which is currently up for sale to the highest bidder. MGM’s rights to The Hobbit will pass on to the as yet unknown new owners.

If a buyer cannot be found it is thought the assets of MGM will be broken up and sold individually. The Hobbit is one of those assets.

Normal practice would see the second script handed in to New Line Cinema for the green light. Once everyone is happy with the scripts a budget would be worked out and work start in earnest.

Its going to be difficult to work out a budget when you don’t know the financial position of the company who is supposed to be sharing the costs with you.

The above contradicts Peter Jackson who said in December that rumors of a delay were unfounded and as long as shooting began by mid 2010 he was confident of a Christmas 2011 release.

He did note though that this was dependent on the green light from the studio. Original story –> Peter Jackson Talks Hobbit Casting

We’ve heard these contradictions plenty of times already of course. One person says one thing only for it to be quickly shot down by another a few days later.

Examples….

On 23rd August 2009 Sir Ian McKellen told a cinema audience at an all night screening of The Lord of the Rings trilogy in London that he knew who had been given the role of Bilbo Baggins. Original story –> Bilbo Role Is Taken

“I believe we’re very close now to saying one name” Del Toro told MTV movies back in June 2009 when asked who was in the frame for the Bilbo baggins part, adding that “an announcement was no more than a couple of weeks away.” original story –> Bilbo Baggins Actor Close to Being Named.

6 months later and despite the above 2 statements we still get the “casting is still underway” or “no decisions have been made” statements in response to any breaking stories of a possible actor for the role of Bilbo Baggins.

The Hobbit