Lord of the Rings fan site TheOneRing.net claim they have inside information naming Neill Blomkamp as the new director of The Hobbit. No announcement has yet been made by the studio to verify but their sources are usually spot on.
So who is Neill Blomkamp? He comes from a background of visual effects and animation and was signed to direct his first movie, the adaptation of the Halo video game but the project died before it started due to lack of funds.
Peter Jackson was to produce Halo but when that movie fell through moved on to make District 9 which was an adaptation of Neill Blomkamp’s short movie ‘Alive in Joburg’
If correct then presumably the appointment of Blomkamp comes from a recommendation from Peter Jackson who both New Line Cinema and MGM have tried to persuade to take over as replacement director.
Although he has little experience it would probably prove difficult to convince a ‘name’ to come in and take over a project that for the most part only requires the actual shooting to complete.
The screenplays are written, the design of the creatures is done, Hobbiton is being rebuilt as we speak and the casting is underway. Would a Sam Raimi or a Tim Burton be happy coming in and finishing off a Guillermo Del Toro movie? Probably not.
An up and coming film maker such as Neill Blomkamp willing to work under the wing of Peter Jackson is probably the only route left to the studios, especially taking into consideration the short notice being given.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
HA! I was arguing for Blomkamp on TORn the day I heard that GDT stepped down. I thought – and still do think – that he’s one of the best possible choices.
This is actually a really good thing, I think. I love that a ‘non-Hollywood’ director will do this. It keeps the feel fresh, and I LOVED District 9. How that guy was able to make a really relateable human story with aliens, spaceships and robots work, is amazing. I think this will work out well for The Hobbit.
Yes, I believe — based on the “freshness factor” and the wonderfully-realized “District 9″– that Peter Jackson has a winner in Neil Blomkamp as “Hobbit” director. I was beginning to worry that there would be such delays that certain cast members might literally not be around indefinitely to play their appointed roles. If Christopher Lee is to appear in Hobbit 1 or 2, we’d better get started because he’s got to be in his 90′s. Please, film this movie!
Still haven’t seen District 9, but by all accounts he would be a good choice. And he fulfills many of the requirements that Ady suggested would have made Branagh a good choice.
plz anyone but tim burton…….
“Johnny Depp as Bilbo! /wrists”
And then I woke up
since years we don’t hear other things but rumors – so every tiny little message is always a ray of light! but i start to doubt that the hobbit shall really happen one day because the principal actors become older – time flies and there is also a big risk in always waiting and losing time because the public could get tired and maybe there shall be another film coming out attracting people more because there is a time for everything! we don’t even know the eventual actors – no one is really confirmed! i’m frustrated when every time i visit this homepage there is a big O in the news! i mean the responsible people should really start to move because above all for them time should be money and with every lost time they lose much money! in the meantime they could already have earned a golden nose – but what are they doing – nothing! i really can’t understand this! it’s not just for the public – it’s also for them!!!!!!!! so i think i shall come back for to have a look in a month or two – and who knows – maybe there shall be a surprise – or not!?!?
No, Tim Burton is not the man for the job…
Get theese nasty Charlie and the chocolate factory with a mix of alice in wonderland pictures butin my head, then translate that into middle earth and it will all get messed up.
Im glad to hear Neill Blomkamp could be the man for the job, district 9 was really well made and as someone else said, nice not to have a huge hollywood name directing it, would hate to see bilbo turn in to some 3D Avatar adventure bullshit.
Even though i think it was a huge loss that GDT decided to quit he been involved for some time i think we still will get alot of the feeling GDT would have put in middle earth with any other director.
And with PJ involved I feel very secure that this wont be anything but success.
I agree with you. For the most part, Tim Burton turn every movie that he touches into crap.
please don’t let blomkamp direct the hobbit. his only experience is with a visually impressive but conceptually and thematically flawed movie. district 9 was awful. what was it? it started interestingly enough as metaphor for apartheid and quickly degenerated into the worst and most awkward of action movie cliches. it was as if two different scripts with entirely different directorial conceptions had been spliced together- or as if the director’s chair had changed hands mid-movie. the result was disasterous. please don’t let this man get his hands on the hobbit!
@evan
If district nine was visually impressive, than Blomkamp sounds like the perfect man for the job. After all, the only thing that needs to be done (virtually) is filming.
Uhh come on…
We all want Peter Jackson come PJ…
I am waiting this movie for years i want to be perfect
Why did Peter Jackson turn this down? The LOR trilogy has made his carrier. It makes no sense. It has to be about money. Blomkamp has no experience. He is the only man for the job in my oppinion.