Del Toro Quits 'The Hobbit'

[Mister Underhill]

Harsh! I have my criticisms of Jackson's treatment of LotR, but comparing him to Michael Bay is hitting below the belt.

Also, I imagine if there were creative differences which were that profound, GDT would have been gone a long time ago. Jackson doesn't appear to me to be the tyrant he is sometimes imagined to be. For instance, he's pretty much single-handedly helped Neil Blomkamp have a career. He produced District 9, and that film is unmistakably Blomkamp's.

Of course it's easy to be cynical when ninety-nine times out of a hundred these "amicable departures" are exactly -- and pretty transparently -- the opposite, but in this case the official story seems like just the obvious truth. GDT is tired of cooling his heels on a project which may not get off the ground for months, maybe years, maybe not at all. There's only so many artists renderings and storyboards and maquettes you can futz around with before you start to think, I'm ready to make a film already.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Mister Underhill

Harsh! I have my criticisms of Jackson's treatment of LotR, but comparing him to Michael Bay is hitting below the belt.

Well, I've gotten better over the years, but sometimes my restraint gives way.

As penance I'll write "Even the smallest person can change the world" 100 times in sidewalk chalk outside my house.

Really though, even though the story of The Hobbit is generally more lighthearted and childlike in tone than LOTR, it could still be cheapened by trying to make it 'contemporary'. I hope they can find someone who will respect the source material enough to avoid that.

As a fan of the first two X-Men movies, I wonder what someone like Bryan Singer could bring to the project.