Tag: peter jackson

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Roundup: What is Peter Jackson doing with Episode VIII?

Tricksy Hobbit!April Fools! Here’s one we missed: First Showing spotted what appears to be an Episode VIII script or treatment that appears very briefly in Peter Jackson’s latest Hobbit behind-the-scenes video, which was released on Monday. Of course, there are also appear to be scripts that say The Silmarillion, which I don’t believe anyone even has the film rights for, so take it as you will. I’m sure you can guess how I’m leaning. Well played, hobbitses.

Box office. The Motley Fool predicts that Episode VII will make a lot of money. Not just a a lot of money (because duh) but that it will go where only James Cameron has gone before: To make $2 billion worldwide. Well, if anyone can, it would be Star Wars… Right?

People. J.J. Abrams talks Star Wars and Star Trek with SFX, while Harrison Ford’s lips are sealed on Entertainment Tonight Oh the humanity. Or maybe he’s just tortured his publicist enough this week.

Back… To the future! Movies.com gathers some Lucas’ quotes on earlier plans for extending the saga.

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Roundup: Ewan McGregor and Samuel L. Jackson would be happy to dispense spectral advice in Episode VII

The Episode VII frenzy has finally slowed down a bit as we wait for news of a director and confirmation of the Kasdan rumors – or maybe it’s just the upcoming holidays – but there are still a few things floating around.

Alumni. We already heard from him way back on D-Day, but Ewan McGregor reiterates that he’d be happy to come back “if they need me.” Samuel L. Jackson is up for it as well/ “I can come back as one-armed or a one-handed Jedi that’s still around that didn’t actually die,” he told E!

Directors. It was briefly speculated that The Prince of Egypt’s Brenda Chapman might be a dark horse in the director’s race, but the tail end of a recent profile in the Daily Record reveals that she’ll be returning the Dreamworks in the new year. Meanwhile… Peter Jackson?

Distribution. It was big news last week that Netflix and Disney had signed a pretty big agreement, but is Star Wars included? Well, distribution rights to the first six films remain with 20th Century Fox, but the Netflix deal doesn’t start until 2016 – so look for Episode VII to air on Disney’s current partner, Starz, first.

Box office. Here’s a little more kissing cousins competition for Episode VII – the Fantastic Four reboot.

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Star Wars in 3-D rumors rearing up again

With Avatar having beat out most of the top-grossing films of all time in a mere matter of weeks, the press is sniffing around those old rerelease rumors, digging up comments from various directors and basically? A big fat maybe. What else is new? The relevant bit:

George Lucas, the director, spent $13m filming the original in 1976, added special effects in 1997 and 2004, and will now spend another $10m to change it into a 3-D spectacular.

“George cannot leave it alone,” said an associate. “He is salivating at the opportunity to play with it again. This time the Death Star is really going to explode all over the audience and leave them gasping.”

At the moment there are only half a dozen companies that can turn reels of celluloid into 3-D digital movies.

An ‘associate.’ That’s cute.

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Could David Tennant be playing Bilbo Baggins?

Geoff Boucher pointed out yesterday that David Tennant is heading to San Diego for the first time – ostenibly to promote his last spin as Doctor Who – and could that perhaps mean he’s won the lead role in The Hobbit? Others are taking the speculation as an excuse to crow that it’s a done deal, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

As for Peter Jackson, he’s denying that we’ll get any casting news at Comic-Con.

Boucher’s also running an opinion poll, where Atonement’s James McAvoy is just narrowly beating Tennant.