sauce: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8573948.stm

At first this seems to be awesome, especially with Ian McKellen returning as Gandalf.

But then...

They are making things up...

with an original story...

AN ORIGINAL STORY...

 

Bilbo/Gandalf slash? Good God no! Oh, and the films could be in 3D. Potentially.

 

Damn, wish I could write that script.

 

I'm refraining from activating RAGE!mode until we have more info. Who knows, could be awesome.

I seriously doubt it, however.

 

lulz. Now I have a really recent example of fanfiction when my brother tries to get me to admit that it is irrelevant.

Oh, and the 3-D idea is bad. A very bad idea. It would make the movie totally gimmicky. Plus I can't see 3-D very well

 

Lawl, at least Del Toro's directing both movies. And Jackson's also producing both.

Also, no 3D. That would make me break my streak as the only person I know who hasn't seen a 3D movie yet.

 

This is fail. I can already taste the fail...

I mean, the only people who will flock to see this are the die-hard nerd set - and they're gonna collectively rage hard at the new, "original" parts. Why anyone would risk imparting their vision on a 'verse that has it's own working language just boggles my mind.

Let the cgi and cast selection carry an already popular and cohesive plot <--that's all they had to do. It's not that hard of a concept, but Hollywood enjoys raping shit unnecessarily when short-term money is plentiful enough...

 

I'm probablly missing something.. but, according to Tolkien's original plot, did anyhting important actually happen in that period? Frodo gets born, Sauron builds up some strength, dwarves go to Moria... OH MY GOD! THIS IS GOING TO BE A MORIA MOVIE!! 8D

 

Dwarves go to Moria, AND the White Council beats Sauron out of Dol Guldur.

EDIT :

Looks like I was right.

 

I'm looking forward to the one with Bilbo, but the other one I'm not so sure about. I mean, Tolkien made a pretty definitive timeline and it's going to be hard to implement something new to the canon story without breaking the "chain".

At any rate, I'm guessing the movie will involve some places we don't know as well as Gondor or Rohan, like the Blue Mountains or Esgaroth (I really hope we'll see this one in either of the films). If it does involve Gondor or Rohan, I expect it will be a minor story to the overall universe and what's the point in that?

 

Saruman's fall, Gondor's struggles, Dúnedain rangers in the north holding back the dark, Sauron consolidating power, the land south of Bree falling into chaos and lawlessness, Wormtongue in Rohan, the Goblins and Orcs of the North found their way to Sauron's banner... You'd think there's a story here somewhere.

 

Yeah, but I'm not sure they can put too much of those things in one movie's worth. After all, the original Hobbit storyline still has to be told at some point. I don't think we'll see too much of Gondor or Rohan here. Though Saruman's fall is comprised within the taking of Dol Guldur.

For most of the stuff you said, they'd have to invent an actual story, characters, climax etc... With Dol Guldur, they have a general outline, several well-known characters (Gandalf, Saruman, Galadriel, Elrond) and a home-delivered climatic end-battle. It would be illogical not to use this, and pull something totally out of their asses, all the while angering die-hard fans.

Plus, they'll want to milk Gandalf for all he's worth.

 

I'm extremely doubtful any of the modern directors can actually create a story like Tolkien did. Tolkien created the world and only he would know what works and what doesn't.

I just hope they don't completely rape the canon lore of Middle Earth...

 

And del Toro is now off The Hobbit. Sad news, although he's still involved in production and writing. (Didn't see the point in a new thread).

 

Lets hope that isn't a reaction to reading the script...

Bah. I'll never watch it anyway. I liked the book, and I'm not going to watch a fanfiction movie.

 

The delay might cause other problems as well. Ian McKellen is already 71 years old...