Dori, Nori, and Ori Make a First Appearance (Updated)

New Line Cinema and MGM via Comingsoon.net have just released our first look at Dori, Nori, and Ori from Peter Jackson’s upcoming adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. I now have some new ideas for styling my beard…

Here is the official text to go along with the image:

These three brothers, all sons of the same mother, could not be more different from each other.

Dori, the oldest, spends much of his time watching out for Ori, the youngest; making sure he’s not caught a chill or got himself killed by Wargs or Goblins.

Nobody quite knows what Nori gets up to most of the time, except that it’s guaranteed to be dodgy and quite probably, illegal.

Dori, Nori and Ori are intensely loyal to each other – and whilst they are perfectly happy fighting amongst themselves, woe-betide anyone who means harm to one of these brothers.

This picture is awesome but sadly The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey won’t be released until December 2012.

Update on 7/10: Top picture is bow updated with a look at Oin and Gloin!

Production Begins on The Hobbit

Here is an excerpt from the official press release from Peter Jackson’s Facebook page:

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit…

Wellington, NZ, March 21, 2011—Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on “The Hobbit,” filmmaker Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s widely read masterpiece. 

“The Hobbit” is set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology.  Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand. 

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug.  Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild.  Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. 

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum.  

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know. 

Martin Freeman takes the title role as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen returns in the role of Gandalf the Grey.   The Dwarves are played by Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur) James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori).  Reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Elijah Wood as Frodo.  Jeffrey Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively.  Further casting announcements are expected.

An official blog for the production has begun and is located here. Along with this official commencement announcement two images were also released by Warner Bros. showing Peter Jackson hanging out at Bag End. Warner Bros. is keeping the project tightly under wraps at the moment so these photos mark the first official images we have of filming.

It should also be noted that Howard Shore, the composer for the Lord of the Rings films, is returning to provide the score for Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit.

After years of delays and problems production is underway at last! Teatime will be updated accordingly whenever new details and images from the production are revealed.

Del Toro Leaves The Hobbit

The Devil’s Backbone and Pan’s Labyrinth director Guillerm Del Toro has just officially announced that he is stepping down as director for the upcoming two-part film adaptation of The Hobbit.

Currently in pre-production at Peter Jackson’s WETA studios in New Zealand, filming on The Hobbit has faced countless delays due to various production issues with New Line Cinema and MGM. Del Toro was signed to live in New Zealand working on The Hobbit exculsively for three years. Due to the many delays that was quickly going to become six years — which was causing Del Toro significant issues with his long term production plans for his other film projects.

Del Toro was not only the director of The Hobbit but also a co-writer and designer along with Peter Jackson. From the press release it seems that Del Toro’s many designs and contributions to the script will not dissapear but will instead remain an integral part of the work. Currently, a new director has not yet been announced for the project.

This is dissapointing news as I strongly felt that he was the perfect director for The Hobbit and I was really looking forward to his interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendary work.

The two parts of The Hobbit are still scheduled to be released in December 2012 and December 2013.