News.com.au report that The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), an Australian union, has advised members not to accept work on The Hobbit. Peter Jackson has responded by saying; “I can’t see beyond the ugly spectre of an Australian bully-boy using what he perceives as his weak Kiwi cousin to gain a foothold in this country’s film industry.”. Meanwhile, the New Zealand Actors Equity have stated that they have no interest in jeopardizing the production.
Dominic Monaghan will not appear in ‘The Hobbit’. See full article here
According to an article on the Wellington Dominion Post’s website, and as seen in an advertisement run in their newspaper, the search for scale doubles for “The Hobbit” has begun.
“The Hobbit casting department advertised in The Dominion Post yesterday for ‘short and tall’ people for a preliminary casting call to take place at the Te Whaea National Dance and Drama Centre in Newtown on Sunday.”
You can read more here.
According to this article in News in Film Spyglass Entertainment’s plan to reorganize MGM may help with all of the film projects put on hold due to MGM’s $4 billion debt.
According to The New York Times Sahara India Pariwar, a media conglomerate, has made a bid to take over MGM’s $4 Billion debt. It is this massive debt that is preventing the studio from getting financing in place to start films like ‘The Hobbit’.
The Lonely Mountain Band, made up from members of the Celtic band Fathom, has just released ‘Beyond the Western Seas’, an album of Tolkien inspired songs. You can find further information at the band’s website here.
According to Ian McKellen, as quoted in The Bolton News, filming of The Hobbit should start early in the New Year.
You can read the full story here.