The Hollywood Reporter is the first with the story, updating the rundown I detailed last week concerning the production woes facing Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit films and whether or not they would stay and shoot in New Zealand as had been the case for the three films in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Fans can rest easy as The Hobbit and its untitled sequel will shoot in New Zealand as was announced by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key in a live press conference . The announcement brought word the government would broaden the criteria for its large budget incentive program, resulting in an additional rebate to Warner Bros. of up to US$15 million, depending in an unspecified way on how each part of the two-part movie performs.
Additionally, a “long-term strategic partnership” with the studio, which will see joint promotion of New Zealand as a film production and tourism destination. The government will offset up to US$10 million of Warners’ marketing costs. This brings the benefit to Warner Bros. up to a potential US$25 million.
As for the labor issues that started the fracas, The Hollywood Reporter says Key also said the government would immediately introduce in parliament legislation sought by Warners that would clarify the employment status of film industry workers. The presumed effect would be to make unionization of the film industry more difficult or impossible.
As a result of all of this the films will be able to begin production early 2011 with the first film expected to hit theaters December 2012 and the second film one year later, in December 2013.
Previous casting announced Martin Freeman (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) would star as Bilbo Baggins in the two films based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s novel “The Hobbit; or There and Back Again.” The film will tell the story of tiny, furry-footed Bilbo Baggins and his adventures in Middle-earth ultimately served as the prelude to Tolkien’s epic “The Lord of the Rings”, which was published in three volumes during the 1950s. These novels are perhaps the most beloved works of fantasy in the twentieth century.
Joining Freeman are Richard Armitage (UK TV’s MI-5 and soon to appear in Captain America: The First Avenger) who will play Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the Company of Dwarves which sets off to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a thieving dragon. Additionally, Aidan Turner (TV’s Being Human) and Rob Kazinsky (Red Tails) who play the dwarves Kili and Fili respectively, Graham McTavish (Rambo) will play Dwalin; John Callen will play Oin; Stephen Hunter will play Bombur; Mark Hadlow (King Kong) will play Dori and Peter Hambleton will play Gloin.
Current expectation is for Ian McKellan to return as Gandalf and Andy Serkis is also expected to return in some capacity.
