Here we go, then.
The recent news of Cate Blanchett returning to Middle Earth to play Galadriel in The Hobbit despite the character never actually appearing in The Hobbit appears to have been just the beginning of the casting news with a second non-Hobbit now set to join the ranks. And this one would appear to give an indication as to what the extra material is that Peter Jackson plans to add.
For those unaware the plans are for The Hobbit to come as not one film but two, despite the fact that the book it is based on is significantly shorter and simpler than any of the individual volumes of The Lord Of The Rings, each of which was contained in only a single film. Peter Jackson et al have always indicated that their intention was to fill one film with the story of the book while using the other to tell some sort of related but largely original story within the world of Middle Earth. The latest casting pretty much tells us what that story will be.
According to Deadline Orlando Bloom is on the verge of signing up to reprise his role as Legolas. And while Legolas does not appear in The Hobbit his father does. You see, Legolas is the prince of the Mirkwood elves, where Gollum is left in captivity at the end of The Hobbit. It is Gollum's escape that sends Legolas to Rivendell at the beginning of The Lord Of The Rings. Mirkwood, incidentally, is also where Sauron initially rebuilt his power before he was driven out by the Council of Wizards, declaring himself openly, and resettling in Mordor.
So it seems clear to me. The first Hobbit movie is going to be the book. The second Hobbit movie is going to fill in the gap between The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, which means we're going to spend a lot of time in Mirkwood with Gollum in captivity, Sauron growing in power and the Council of Wizards moving against him and realizing who he truly is. Expect The Hobbit Part Two to include very few - if any - actual hobbits and to end with the seemingly successful assault against "the Shadow Of Dol-Guldur" as Sauron was referring to himself at the time.
It has widely been assumed that this time period would be what the second movie covered - it's the only logical choice, really - but the early casting of the brown wizard Radagast and now Legolas, who only makes sense in this context, seems to confirm it. It would also make a good degree of sense for Galadriel to be consulted in any sort of action of this sort.
The next question, I suppose, would be whither Christopher Lee? Saruman was very much in on all of this stuff so if this is where they're going he should be added soon.
The recent news of Cate Blanchett returning to Middle Earth to play Galadriel in The Hobbit despite the character never actually appearing in The Hobbit appears to have been just the beginning of the casting news with a second non-Hobbit now set to join the ranks. And this one would appear to give an indication as to what the extra material is that Peter Jackson plans to add.
For those unaware the plans are for The Hobbit to come as not one film but two, despite the fact that the book it is based on is significantly shorter and simpler than any of the individual volumes of The Lord Of The Rings, each of which was contained in only a single film. Peter Jackson et al have always indicated that their intention was to fill one film with the story of the book while using the other to tell some sort of related but largely original story within the world of Middle Earth. The latest casting pretty much tells us what that story will be.
According to Deadline Orlando Bloom is on the verge of signing up to reprise his role as Legolas. And while Legolas does not appear in The Hobbit his father does. You see, Legolas is the prince of the Mirkwood elves, where Gollum is left in captivity at the end of The Hobbit. It is Gollum's escape that sends Legolas to Rivendell at the beginning of The Lord Of The Rings. Mirkwood, incidentally, is also where Sauron initially rebuilt his power before he was driven out by the Council of Wizards, declaring himself openly, and resettling in Mordor.
So it seems clear to me. The first Hobbit movie is going to be the book. The second Hobbit movie is going to fill in the gap between The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, which means we're going to spend a lot of time in Mirkwood with Gollum in captivity, Sauron growing in power and the Council of Wizards moving against him and realizing who he truly is. Expect The Hobbit Part Two to include very few - if any - actual hobbits and to end with the seemingly successful assault against "the Shadow Of Dol-Guldur" as Sauron was referring to himself at the time.
It has widely been assumed that this time period would be what the second movie covered - it's the only logical choice, really - but the early casting of the brown wizard Radagast and now Legolas, who only makes sense in this context, seems to confirm it. It would also make a good degree of sense for Galadriel to be consulted in any sort of action of this sort.
The next question, I suppose, would be whither Christopher Lee? Saruman was very much in on all of this stuff so if this is where they're going he should be added soon.
More from The Hobbit
- News: Bilbo, Meet Dwarves. Dwarves, Meet Bilbo.
- News: Bilbo Stabs Himself A Spider In New Shot From THE HOBBIT
- News: THE HOBBIT Trailer Arrives!
- News: New Shot Of Martin Freeman As Bilbo Baggins In THE HOBBIT
- News: Bifur, Bofur And Bombur! More Dwarves From THE HOBBIT Revealed!
- News: Meet Oin And Gloin From Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT
- News: First Look At Dori, Ori and Nori. Three Dwarves From THE HOBBIT!
- News: Hobbits And Wizards And Dwarves, Oh My! First Images From Jackson's THE HOBBIT.
- News: Evangeline Lilly To Play New Character Created For Peter Jackson's HOBBIT Films
- News: THE HOBBIT Films Get Full Titles And Release Dates
- News: Stephen Fry Joins THE HOBBIT
- News: Peter Jackson Undergoes Emergency Surgery For Perforated Ulcer, THE HOBBIT Delayed Slightly.
- News: Cate Blanchett Cast As Galadriel In THE HOBBIT
- News: Jonathan King And Jason Stutter Comment On THE HOBBIT Deal.
- News: What Cost To Keep THE HOBBIT In New Zealand?
- News: It's Official: Martin Freeman Is Bilbo Baggins In THE HOBBIT
- News: HOBBIT Boycott Lifted But It's Probably Moving Anyway
- News: THE HOBBIT Has A Green Light And A Start Date. Now It Just Needs A Location.
- News: Peter Jackson's Miniature Effects Studio Burns To The Ground.
- News: Screen Actors' Guild Boycotting THE HOBBIT
- News: Ian McKellen On THE HOBBIT: Not Under Contract And Getting Impatient.
- News: Peter Jackson Probably Heading Back To Middle Earth ...
- News: Guillermo Del Toro Quits THE HOBBIT
unless they are completely revamping the GDT screenplay, which seems unlikely at this point, your assertion about the structure of the film is incorrect. GDT has publicly stated that the screenplay in development had the main plot of "the hobbit" broken up into two films, which means any additional inclusions would be interwoven throughout both films.