Sam Raimi To Do The Hobbit?

Sam-Raimi-HobbitOk, file this one under “Probably not true at all”. But this morning the internet is all abuzz with this one. Apparently New Line has approached Spider-Man and Evil Dead director Sam Raimi to possibly step in and direct The Hobbit and the 2nd Lord of the Rings Prequel. This has, at least for the moment, stopped a lot of the short sighted bitching and moaning about Peter Jackson not returning for The Hobbit (Something that is every bit as much Jackson’s fault as it is New Line’s… make no mistake, they’re both to blame here, but blinded Jackson followers refuse to see any fault with their god).

I’ll repeat myself here. Would I like to see Jackson back to direct The Hobbit? HELL YES! He did a great job with LOTR (Remember, I called Return of the King the single greatest achievement in film history, and I stand by that), but to say ANY one director MUST direct a certain film is silly, naive and short sighted.

When they announced they were going to make The Lord of the Rings in the first place… no one said “Peter Jackson MUST direct them”. No one. But he did them and it turned out great. Another gifted director could just as ealisy (or not so easlily) step in and do just as well… or even better than Jackson (or almost as good). And let’s remember… The Hobbit is a different feel of a story than LOTR… another director could actually be a good idea.

Now back to Raimi.

If this rumor was true (and I don’t personally think it is) I’d like the idea. Raimi is a diverse director who can manage multiple styles. Army of Darkness and Spider-Man are TOTALLY different films, and he manages both genres well. For him to bring his creative mind to The Hobbit would be great, a fresh vision for Middle Earth and the new feel of The Hobbit.

So forget Peter Jackson for a moment… ok… just for a minute. If this rumor was true, what would you think of a Sam Raimi directing The Hobbit?

Comment with Facebook

37 thoughts on “Sam Raimi To Do The Hobbit?

  1. I personally say Jackson all the way. As far as I can tell, New Line is in the wrong, and Jackson deserves the money for the Fellowship. That aside, I dont care at all whether or not Jackson gets his money, or if New Line is actually right or wrong. All I want is another adventure like the three Jackson gave us. He’s a great director, and his people are as good as him. Possibly a bigger problem than directing is the team. Jackson had the best person for every job. If he’s gone, what’ll happen to the unstoppable team? Some of them may not continue with the movies simply because they are loyal to the man. I mean, the two most important actors that will be carrying over, Ian McKellen and Andy Sirkus are both very loyal. Weta Workshop and Weta Digital are also irriplacable. The people are just CRAZY GOOD at what they do, and to lose any of them would be a shame. PJ is like the center of a wheel. If he’s missing, then all the spokes will go awry or break off, and the wheel will not work. The people on the Hobbit shouldn’t reinvent the wheel; all they have to do is get Peter Jackson, and it’s all THERE.

  2. It amazes how many people seem to be willing to kind of write jackson off after king kong…..so he got carried away on his childhood dream….if we were to right every director off for one misstep michael bay would still be making commercials!!!

  3. ROTK is the greatest single achievment in film history? That makes you certifiably insane. Please get help.

    As a huge Tolkien fan, I am thankful to Mr. Jackson for his vision and determination in bringing LOTR to the screen, not to mention how he threw himself into the work.
    That being said, I’m excited at the prospect of a better director doing the next Tolkien tale. Maybe even one that knows what editing is.

  4. I’m sorry, but who cares if jackson isn’t doing the film. Raimi will do just fine with this project. A new vision of Tolkien’s world sounds refreshing to me. I like jackson, but he is vastly overrated.

  5. “Just cause I’m not a blind fan boy who sees no fault in his hero (I’m not suggesting that’s what you’re doing) doesn’t mean I or anyone else is “hating” him.”

    I wasn’t referring to you.

  6. Del toro is interesting. I don’t think raimi has the right sensibility myself but del toro is a good fit…..I could see that more than I could raimi….

    mind you it is time for raimi to step away from spider-man….
    he hasn’t done anything else since the first one….he has constantly been doing them for the past what is it now 6 years?

    perhaps they do a swap..jackson does spiderman 4 and raimi does the hobbit!!

    the thought of bruce campbell as gandalf is nice..I would pay to see that.

  7. LOVE IT! :D Although I’ve never thought of him for directing the Hobbit before, but now that it’s being thrown out there, it very well could work out great I think. Ever since the Evil Dead series I’ve been a huge fan of Sam. Although for a long time he didn’t do much of anything. Then along come Spider-man and BAM!, he’s back on the map again big time.

    Next to Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro, I think Raimi is the best of comic book movie directors period. Hell, he’s one of the best out of every type of genre he’s done. Like John said, he is a VERY diverse director and plus everything he’s done already have really all been fantasy movies or TV shows in some form anyhow.

    So I think an all out fantasy character driven story like the Hobbit is right up his ally. I would very well like to see this happen and since he said the 3rd Spider-man movie is the last one for him, well…who knows? :) *crosses fingers*

  8. you want to read jackson hate head over to aint it cool news..jesus the guys over there (not harry etc) but the guys on the boards are fucking crazy….its like a competition to see who can say the most hateful thing. it is at such ridiculous levels that i don’t believe any of them even mean what they say.

    you think i am negative jay? go and check it out…very funny.

    I still reckon we are going to see jackson do it ultimately. I would be surprised if raimi does it and to be honest I don’t think many of the big guys would be interested and new line are not going to risk the film with a ratner or anderson…..if people are mad now imagine it if they gave to ratner…people really hate that guy. sure he aint the best director in the world but he is hardly the worst(that honor belongs to a certain guy directing the changebots in my opinion). I don’t want ratner doing the hobbit though…that would be awful.don’t get me wrong. but he is so hated its silly……

  9. Ummmm… what Peter Jackson hate? I said he’s a great director. I’d love to see him direct the Hobbit, and that he did a wonderful job with LOTR.

    Just cause I’m not a blind fan boy who sees no fault in his hero (I’m not suggesting that’s what you’re doing) doesn’t mean I or anyone else is “hating” him.

  10. I’m of the camp that as much as I love the LotR, I wanted to see someone new do The Hobbit. This rumour is the best one so far. I like the idea of handing this off to Raimi – it would be in good hands. The guy works well with good material and The Hobbit is pretty darn good material.

  11. I think that allowing MGM to have any major part in The Hobbit film would be disastrous! If they had their way with LOTR there would only be one film instead of three and far more radical (and awful changes) would have been made to the story.

  12. the fact that new line was the only company to have the balls to make the trilogy has nothing at all to do with this.

    there is no question that they deserve all the credit and respect for making the films. that is not in question at all…but jackson delivered a pretty decent return on that investment wouldn’t you say?

    that rumour about him getting the rights is rubbish. how does his releasing a statement saying he isn’t doing the film stop new line from going ahead??…the rights go back to their original owner saul zaentz anyway.

    That rumour must have stemmed from the fact that saul zaentz has said if he gets the rights back he will definitely get jackson to make it…the only people who can do anything to stop this film is MGM. they have said it is far from over so obviously they want him to make it too. MGM could possibly stall New LIne until they lose the rights and then make it with zaentz but jackson can’t so anything. new line have already ..supposedly…approached another director so that rumour is ridiculous.

    but lets say it is true….that would make him an asshole you say. why??…what if MGM want jackson to do it so bad they do stall them and stop them so they can make it with jackson. does that make MGM assholes? not really….it makes them realise that business wise it does make sense to go with jackson – regardless of what you think of kong….the film still made cash and I bet most other studios in town are thinking this is a silly move by new line. it also shows how desperate they are to keep the books closed which sounds dodgy to me.

    I love getting into this stuff with campea….because I know you are not gonna budge and you will stick to you guns….great stuff…

  13. John, a settlement will in no way get to the truth of the matter, and will therefore not be a good indicator as to whether Jackson should continue his association with New Line.

    Again, this isn’t some sort of slam against New Line. Even if they did use some creative bookkeeping to hold onto a larger share of the profits, and I’m not saying that they did, it seems to be standard practice at most studios. Colour me cynical, but you should almost expect situations like that when you enter the business. I may be in one of the lower-tiers of the entertainment industry, but even with only a few years under my belt I know that the employer/employee relationship is a constant tug-of-war. The only real ammunition the employee seems to have is to cut ties with the employer and find work elsewhere, an option Jackson appears to have decided on. And what’s wrong with that?

  14. I must admit that the statement released from Jackson does put him in a better light than New Line, and he does have the right to have an audit,
    but hey who knows if he needs it. I do agree with him that the Hobbit should be a separate deal, it seems like New Line was just trying to attach something to the audit that Jackson didn’t want. Raimi would probably do a pretty good job, but I would be disappointed if Jackson was unable to do it.

  15. Hey Red Steven,

    I agree that he should want to clear up the old stuff first… that’s why he should accept the offer to sit down and segotiate a settlement.

    Both sides are wrong here. They both have an out… and they’re both refusing to do it. Period… and of discussion.

    The rumor on some LOTR sites now is that Jackson is just using all this as a ploy to get New Line to lose the rights to The Hobbit so he can get them… I hope he’s not that much of an asshole.

    Remember… New Line invested $300 million in 3 movies with LOTR when no other studio would. People should remember that… whithout New Line… there never would have been the LOTR that we know now.

  16. I don’t see where “fault” plays into this. Why should Peter Jackson accept a settlement if, should he be correct and New Line has used creative bookkeeping to keep him from money owed him and his production company, all this leads to is a similiar situation with The Hobbit? I’ve taken on jobs before where my desire to work with a particular person or franchise has overridden my trepedition over dealing with a potentially dishonest employer, but just as often I’ve found the risks weren’t worth it and I’ve declined. In no way am I saying that New Line is guilty, or that they shouldn’t move forward on their own, I just don’t understand how a desire to clear things up with a potential employer before making a committment is a bad thing, particularly when the livelihoods of others is also at stake.

    And for the record, I haven’t enjoyed a Peter Jackson film in ten years, so this isn’t born of some slavish devotion to the man.

  17. While I like the idea, I don’t think Raimi will do it. I even think he said that he would want to do something ‘smaller’ after Spidey 3.

    And Jackson should leave the Rings (and 200 million dollar movies) alone for a few years.

  18. I see your point campea…and totally disregard it.

    I am kidding…but yeah I know what you mean the thing is settling doesn’t stop them from doing it again. It has a lot do with wanting to go in knowing people are being straight up with you.New Lines worry is they get found guilty – if the books are crooked every film maker who has ever made a film for them is going to have them audited. that is why they fighting it hard….it is going to be held up in courts for years…if they were to allow a totally independant auditor to come and audit the lotr books this could go away.

    that is what makes me think they know they have done something wrong. If they were totally innocent with nothing to hide why don’t they let an audit happen so they can say “see…we told you we did nothing wrong” why don’t they do that?? that smells dodgy to me. jackson is happy to accept whatever an independant investigation or auditor finds so again why won’t new line let that happen???jackson hasn’t said “give me millions and then we’ll talk” he has said prove to me you are on the up and up because it looks to us there is something wrong here.

    and i know you are ever the diplomat but seriously john … you know deep down they are probably guilty of it. they are a film studio…

    I just want continuity in the films. I know the hobbit is a different story but it is still in middle earth and as far as I am concerned NZ is the cinematic version of middle earth.
    I want weta to do the effects and I want jackson to direct..I want NZ scenery…..

    I even want new lines logo at the start to flow with the other films…but i am a fucking super geek like that…..

  19. And why Alfie, not just sit down and negotiate a settlement? I agree with you… New Line should let the audit happen. But… Jackson should also be willing to sit down at a negotiation and figure out a deal.

    SOrry… this is two sided. Both sides have a way to settle this… and both sides refuse.

    That’s why I never said this was just Jackson’s fault. This is BOTH of their faults. Period.

  20. and why don’t new line wnat an audit done? because I am sorry john I know you really like to see both sides of the story but that is good but lets face it ..New Line are more than likely guilty or they would open their books up.

  21. The main thing is continuity – I want the same hobbiton. I want it to be filmed in the same locations……would the new guys use weta?? probably not…would they film in NZ?? I doubt it but maybe..Raimis company has filmed a lot of stuff there…Hercules. Xena, Boogeyman they were all raimi productions….filmed down there so maybe they will..

    I personally don’t think Raimi would do it anyway….there is a lot of baggage with the films and he has the clout to do whatever he wants…why would he want to step into this coming out of spider-man 3?

    All new line have to do is let an auditor look at their books and jackson will do it. They don’t have to fight it in court….he will accept whatever they find he just wanmts someone outside of wingnut and new line to do an audit and establish whther or not he has been paid what he is owed. It doesn’t have to go to court…but new line are fighting it tooth and nail.

  22. Hey V Wilson,

    Ummmm… who said Jackson is Right? You’re just believeing Jackson claims that he is owed more money? Has a court ruled that yet? Nope. So why beleive Jackson over New Line? New Line says they don’t owe him more.

    New Line offered Jackson to make The Hobbit. Jackson said “Only if you do things with this court dispute my way”. New Line said “Let’s negotiate a settlement then”. Jackson (by his own admission) said “no”.

    New Line has no choice but to move forward or their rights to The Hobbit Lapse. Jackson refuses to move forward until the court case is settled.

    So I ask you… what would you do if you were New Line? They offered to negotiate with Jackson, and he refused.

    They are BOTH in the wrong here… and this is indeed both their faults. To not recognize that I believe is blantant fanboyism.

  23. You know, I have to say I’m getting a little ticked off with the notion that you believe that both parties are at blame here. I suppose Peter Jackson should be grateful to New Line for dishing out the millions that allowed him to make his dream trilogy. That said, Peter Jackson delivered in spades. He made three epic masterpieces that will live on longer than we are on this planet. He reinvented the way epic films could and should be made. His vision and tireless commitment to the films, film studio and fan base were unprecedented. So what was his reward? That New Line would rip him off financially. The fact is the man is owed millions based on the contract his company (Wingnut) signed.
    The greedy but narrow minded corporate entity that is New Line all of a sudden forgot the 3 Billion in revenue, the 17 Oscars (all 3 films) won and the millions made from licensing and dvd related sales. Rather than insult the man that delivered three classics on time and pretty close to on budget, I say you pay him what he feels is owed to him so that you cannot only insure that he make “The Hobbit”, but that he also make other films for your studio. Peter Jackson is not just any filmmaker. To LotR fans he is a god but the truth is evident. PJ is a master craftsman with great commitment and vision. Ha also has spawned an industry in New Zealand that employs hundreds of artists and craftsmen who work for his numerous companies like Weta Digital, who for my money, have out performed ILM over the past 10 years. Sam Raimi is a good director, Spielberg, Nolan, Singer and many more could probably make decent versions of this film. But they won’t be as good as PJ. Jackson has already designed the template from which all other films involving Middle Earth must be made from. He has reached perfection. To settle for another’s vision is to choose hamburger over steak. Jackson’s unique visual,artistic, emotional and storytelling vision cannot be copied by somone else. The Hobbit is so near the release of the 3 LotR films that CONTINUITY is vital.
    Do I want Middle Earth to look like anything other than New Zealand with the added touches of artist conceptualizations from John Howe and Alan Lee, art and set design from Dan Hennah, costume designs from Ngila Dickson, the glorious CGI from WETA Digital and the incomparable Miniatures that came out of Richard Taylor’s WETA department cannot be matched by anyone in the business. Spiderman 1 or 2 does not hold up against the LotR trilogy and nothing Spielberg or Lucas have done comes close either (SORRY STAR WARS FANS). What about casting? Many actors are qualified to play Gandalf but after three great films, I feel Ian McKellan owns that part. New Line have really dropped the ball. Even if the film is made by Raimi, it will probably do the kind of money his Spider-Man films have made. Between 2 and 3 hundred million dollars in the US, but will it have the same worldwide appeal and the same sales on dvd that PJ was able to gather with his three epics? I doubt it. The knuckehead MBA’s at New Line have ripped themselves off. PJ was hoping to do the Hobbit as two films. That was potentially 2 Billion in revenue. I doubt that anybody elses attempt to make The Hobbit will make anywhere near that amount. New Line should have shut up and paid Wingnut Films what they owed them instead of insulting Peter Jackson and forcing a long painful lawsuit.
    For this they will lose his quality control and vision not to mention the most important thing, MILLIONS of dollars. The biggest losers of all in this are the devoted fans who were hoping for the film or films to be made by Jackson for artistic and continuity purposes. A great shame.

  24. jackson is a raimi rip off? please..there is a big difference between the two. he was inspired by raimi but rip off??

    oh and lets remember that raimi has his fair share of bad films…for the love of the game? the quick and the dead??

    don’t get me wrong I am a raimi fan…but I agree with the guy above that he might be a bit to quirky for it

  25. Jacksonian vision? pardon me while I vomit. Yeah, he did great with lord of the rings… but please. He’s not suddenly the be all and end all. I hated King Kong.

    Bring on Raimi baby! Or, that dude who directed Shawshank Redemption. That would rule too.

  26. hmm not so sure myself, although Spiderman was good it was a little run-of-the-mill action for me, nothing vast and epic it just purred along. Also Evil Dead was only good because it was so so bad!

  27. I am a Raimi fan boy, but i think he may be a little too quirky for Hobbit. I think itll be good, but probably disappoint people by its lack of Jacksonian vision.

Leave a Reply