No 3D Hobbit or Tom Cruise as Bilbo

03 September 2009

John Howell

Sometimes it's hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to movie speculation, so it's nice to hear a director directly squashing rumours that have taken on a life all their own. Guillermo del Toro, director of the two upcoming Peter Jackson produced movies based on Tolkien's, The Hobbit, has done just that. First Showing reports that in recent responses to forum questions on TheOneRing.net, Del Toro said that they are not pursuing 3D for The Hobbit, even though the special effects are being created by Weta Digital in New Zealand, the same company presently finishing off James Cameron's 3D magnum opus, Avatar.

"Let me be very clear one more time: we are not talking about 3D, we are NOT writing the screenplay for 3D right now", he said.

He also waxed lyrical about Avatar: "I've seen Avatar and I was absolutely blown away by it! I myself expect to explore 3D soon enough - it is the future, just not my immediate future."

Del toro also revealed that contrary to wild internet rumours, neither David Tennant nor Tom Cruise are being cast as Bilbo and they won't be redesigning Gollum. He did say that they had hired Oscar winner Guillermo Navarro as the director of photography. Guillermo Navarro worked on Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy II.

Earlier Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, the writing team that adapted Lord of the Rings for the big screen, were confirmed as the writers of the new films. Additionally, Del Toro recently revealed on BBC radio that Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Hugo Weaving (Elrond) and Andy Serkis (Gollum) will reprise their Lord of the Rings' roles.

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