After Ian McKellen (otherwise known as Gandalf) posted a note on his website, a week or two ago, saying that shooting on the first Hobbit movie (of two) was to begin this coming July, it was all but a done deal; despite no official word on the start date, Peter Jackson (the writer/director behind The Lord of the Rings trilogy) had suggested that he would begin filming this summer, and all signs pointed to that going ahead; however, now it seems like production has hit a few snags, and that the July start date is being pushed back indefinitely.
The reason for the delay, it appears, hangs solely with the financial troubles of MGM Studios, which currently owns the distribution rights to The Hobbit, and is in such dire straits that the company is currently attempting to auction off some of its major assets in order to balance out some pretty hefty debts.
And whilst, once again, there is no official word on filming beginning, or having stalled, it seems rather unlikely that the first instalment will be ready for a release next year (which was the original plan), especially if shooting isn’t going to start before the end of this year (which actually looks like the soonest it will begin); but even Sir Ian McKellen isn’t confident enough to post that, with his website now stating that filming will take place “at a time to be announced.”
Watch this space (or Gandalf’s personal website) for more news, as and when it arrives.
