Over the next few years, MGM is planning to release half a dozen films, some in the $150 million to $200 million-plus range. Studio is ready to unveil such high-profile projects as “Terminator 4”; one or two installments of “The Hobbit,” which Sloan hopes will be directed by Peter Jackson; and a sequel to “The Thomas Crown Affair” with Pierce Brosnan.
The idea of “Tentpole” movies has returned to MGM’s business plan. Backing a few guaranteed blockbusters to drag in some major piles of money, and let that bankroll all the other projects that they hope to also make money from.
Out of that list however, I can only see The Hobbit guaranteeing them money. They hope to get Jackson on board with it, and I am sure he wouldnt mind, but I dont think Jackson is a must. I would be happy to see ANY good director get behind that project and simply “do it right” Doesnt have to be Jackson. Id sooner see someone else do it and get to see it 2 years from now rather than wait for Jackson to finish Lovely Bones and Halo. Just because Jackson did a great job with Lord of the Rings doesnt mean he is the only one who can do Hobbit. Im sure he would do it fine, but WHEN?
I liked Thomas Crown Affair, and I loved the first two Terminator films, but I dont see these as being blockbuster staples to carry the rest of the studio. At least they already have the James Bond Franchise and a very hopeful Rocky sequel coming out.
For the love of Middle Earth, just bring out the Hobbit!!!
Well that’s just super, Roy. Thanks for taking the time to post.
i am not intrested in this at all i dont care when it come out or even if it gets made.
I’m saying, in the interest of time and money, WETA is needed. Elves, Goblins and the Shire all make their appearance and, unless they want to spend millions copying everything… WETA.
But obviously, yes- they don’t NEED them like a fish needs water.
I enjoyed The Thomas Crown Affair, but I don’t really see the need for a sequel. I suppose there could be a story to tell there, but the movie told a nice, self contained story as it was. Plus, I’m surprised they’re making that one of their ‘tentpole’ movies. Did The Thomas Crown Affair really make that much money that a sequel would be a tentpole?
Not only that, but a Terminator 4 without James Cameron, Linda Hamilton, and now probably not even Arnold, seems really, really pointless. Why would I pay money to see that? Of the movies mentioned, only The Hobbit would seem like a slam dunk for a major profit margin.
It’s great that Robert Rodriguez has gone outside of Hollywood to work on his films, but he still hasn’t made a single film that really holds up, IMO. He makes entertaining, but disposable entertainment. We’ll look back on his work one day like we look back on the original Italian Job. It’s fun to recall the flick, but you don’t look at it the same way you look back on David Lean’s work or Kubrick’s films.
I’d LOVE to see Peter Jackson direct this… but Rodney is right… is doesn’t NEED Peter Jackson.
IE. The original Star Wars trilogy has 3 different director
Harry Potter Franchise all different directors
It also doesn’t NEED WETA. WETA would be AWSOME! But not totally 100% needed. Another good VFX company could easily immitate the style.
All things being equal… get Jackson and WETA… but it’s ok if they can’t.
Jackson needn’t direct The Hobbit (though what a wank that would be!). But they do need WETA for continuity’s sake (based on the fact they’re coproducing it with New Line- seems that’s what they’re going for).
I’d be mildly and pleasantly surprised if Jackson took it on.
Alfie what wrong with Robert Rodriguez, not that many directors out there that has done childrens movies, spykids, and also turn out some frickin nice films with lots of innovations.
Peter Jackson. I dunno. The trilogy he did was…I dunno…it was OK, I guess, but I’m not even sure I’d want him to do The Hobbit. Also, weren’t the Jackson films New Line? Or am I remembering that wrong? Is he going to work for MGM now?
Any thing that is rushed for monetary goals usually don’t turn out very good.
i couldn’t imagine anything worse than robert rodriguez’s the hobbit.
that would be absolutely awful…..
I think who ever does The hobbit is gonna destroy it. They will make it just as the trilogy and that would be so fucking wrong. The hobbit is a childrens book. One exception though Robert Rodriguez.
New Line has rights to the characters, but MGM has distibution rights so the will have to make it together. Same thing with Terminator
I think you goofed Rodney.
MGM/Sony could do a sequel to “Thomas Crown Affair” okay. Not thrilled with that idea, but okay. [As far as recent films with Brosnan, I’d much rather see a sequel to “Matador”, but that’s just me, I suppose]
But “Hobbit” is under New Line/Warners, and the “Terminator” franchise was given to Warner, not MGM/Sony.
Right?
And Uwe Boll keeps making movies too. Peter Jackson did King Kong which was not the greatest film either.
They dont NEED Peter Jackson to do the Hobbit. They just need someone who simply will stay true to the source material, and get the message out.
You make it sound like Peter Jackson is the ONLY good director out there. That is RE-TAR-DED. Jackson directed 7 movies before bringing out the Frighteners, and then Lord of the Rings, and King Kong. He didnt make 3 blockbuster films, he made one, released in 3 parts. Then he released King Kong which was only mildly received.
He has produced franchises that have made HIM a name, not the other way around. LotR made Jackson. He did a great job, but he had everything done right already before him. Dont get me wrong, I would love Jackson to be behind this too, but he isnt the ONLY guy who could.
Give it to a director who has more “successful actions” and by your definitions alone we are guaranteed a BETTER film than Jackson could do.
I do hope you are done. That was silly.
You obviousy aren’t a good business man to say that they don’t NEED to get Peter Jackson. Have you ever heard of “successful actions”? This guy made fuckin THREE MAJOR BLOCKBUSTERS that fuckin kicked serious ASS at the box office PLUS inSANE DVD sales for each of those movies AND they had so many different kinds of DVD packages and they ALL sold insanely.
For you to say they don’t need Peter Jackson is, quite simply, RE-TAR-DED. Yeah, they COULD get some other great director, but they’re not all in love with the LOTR’s series like this guy. And with these fantasy films like LOTR and Spiderman and all that shit, a LOVE of the series is inSANELY important. You can’t just get some fuck to do it who read the book and shit. Peter Jackson already got the right vibe of the series and it was a SMASH and it was perfectly done.
To get another guy would be STUPID.
Point said. I’m done.