While Peter Jackson has been confirmed to be producing New Line’s upcoming two films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, the question why he wouldn’t return to the directing chair on the Lord of the Rings prequel was left unanswered.

Until now, that is. Jackson’s manager Ken Kamins tells Entertainment Weekly: ‘Peter won’t be directing because he felt the fans have waited long enough for The Hobbit. It will take the better part of every day of the next four years to write, direct and produce two Hobbit films. Given his current obligations to both The Lovely Bones and Tintin, waiting for Peter, Fran, and Phillippa to write, direct and produce The Hobbit would require the fans wait even longer.’

Jackson and the studio heads will start mapping out the two films in early 2008, which are currently scheduled to hit cinemas in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

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Posted in Movies, The Hobbit / LOTR •

In spite of a disappointingly low $41 million gross at the US box office after its first two weekends, The Golden Compass is doing rather well financially in overseas markets.

New Line Cinema has announced that the film has surpassed the $100 million mark in the international box office after opening at #1 in 23 territories. The fantasy epic is continuing to play well with notable performances in the United Kingdom ($26.7 million), Spain ($11.4 million), France ($10.3 million), Germany ($9.8 million), Russia ($6.8 million) and Asia ($11.3 million), including a spectacular $3.5 million in its South Korean debut.

With the film yet to open in Australia and New Zealand (Dec. 26), parts of South America (Dec. 20 - Dec. 25), India (Jan. 4), and Japan (March 1), there is still every chance that it will recuperate its enormous production costs, which in turn should make the studio more agreeable to the idea of greenlighting the anticipated two sequels.

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Posted in His Dark Materials, Movies •

Four actors have newly joined the cast of Stephen Sommers’ live-action G.I. Joe film.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lost’s Mr. Eko Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje will play ordnance expert Heavy Duty, while Said Taghmaoui (Sleeper Cell, The Kite Runner) will star as Breaker, the team’s communications specialist. Meanwhile, Latino Review reports that Korean star Byeong-Heon Lee (Winter Sonata) will play Storm Shadow and Rachel Nichols (Charlie Wilson’s War) takes the role of Shana “Scarlett” O’Hara.

The film goes into production in February, with Paramount targeting a August 2009 release.

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Posted in Movies •

No Fight Club reunion: First Brad Pitt, and now also Edward Norton has left the Kevin Macdonald-directed State of Play, reports Variety.

Pitt left the project at Thanksgiving because he was unhappy with the script of the adaptation of the acclaimed British mini-series, but he was soon replaced with Russell Crowe. This, however, delayed the start of principal photography to January, overlapping with Norton’s commitment to star in indie flick Leaves of Grass.

In his place Ben Affleck will now play the fast-rising politician caught up in a murder conspiracy. Crowe will play a journalist who leads a newspaper’s investigation into the killing. He’s conflicted in that he once ran the pol’s campaigns, and he is now romancing his estranged wife.

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Posted in Movies •

CBBC Newsround has learned of more names that have come on board Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

More interesting than the names of the young newcomers is the confirmation of the Hogwarts students they’ll be playing in the film: Freddie Stroma (as Cormac McLaggen), Louis Cordice (Blaise Zabini), Anna Shaffer (Romilda Vane), Georgina Leonidas (Katie Bell), Isabella Laughland (Leanne - Katie’s friend), Robert Knox (Marcus Belby).

Additionally, Warner Bros. has released the official plot synopsis of the film:

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Posted in Harry Potter, Movies •