The Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn’t Equal Success

by

The Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn't Equal Success

Summary

  • The Hobbit
    broke Peter Jackson after his successful
    Lord of the Rings
    films, leading to disappointment and condemnation from fans and critics.
  • Andy Serkis inherits the
    Lord of the Rings
    franchise amidst declining interest, thanks to lackluster adaptations.
  • The messy production of
    The Hobbit
    , marred by legal battles and disagreements, resulted in a bloated, CGI-heavy mess that alienated the Tolkien faithful.

As a lifelong fan of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth saga, I have to say that it pains me deeply to see the once glorious cinematic adaptations of my beloved tales lose their luster over the years. Having grown up with Peter Jackson’s trilogy, I remember the awe and wonder those films instilled in me, making me feel as if I had truly stepped into Middle-earth.

Peter Jackson’s career was significantly elevated by “The Lord of the Rings,” but his downfall can be attributed to “The Hobbit.” The desolate set in the Blu-ray featurette speaks volumes about his state at that time. In just under a decade, the general sentiment towards him shifted dramatically from admiration to criticism in discussions and media analyses. His fantasy films, initially praised as heartfelt projects, were later considered nothing more than required corporate products. It’s puzzling how a trilogy could gross $2.9 billion and still be deemed a major letdown. Transforming a young-adult adventure novel into an R-rated action movie is one method to divide the fanbase.

Despite his connection to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels through his role as Gollum in “The Lord of the Rings” series, Andy Serkis, who is now set to direct the upcoming film “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum”, faces a daunting challenge ahead. With the release of Amazon Prime Video’s “The Rings of Power,” interest in hobbits and orcs might be at an all-time low, given that less than half of viewers completed the first season and it received minimal recognition from the Emmys. One can’t help but recall the challenging production of The Hobbit as a possible omen for the future.

Initially, filming the original text that served as the basis for “The Lord of the Rings” appeared unassailable on paper. However, it’s essential to remember that “LotR” was born out of a complex network of collaborators working together to bring the live-action adaptation to fruition. Unfortunately, this same intricate alliance of creative and corporate forces ended up undermining “The Hobbit,” causing tension and rivalry for a larger share. The enchantment faded even before the cameras began rolling. After the “Hobbit” films were made, fans of Tolkien lost trust in Jackson and no longer viewed him in the same light. Is it just to hold him accountable? Instead of using bold text, consider placing the important parts in italics for emphasis:

The Hobbit Should Have Been an Easy Slam Dunk

It took years of careful planning and selecting just the right actors to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s literature in “The Lord of the Rings” series to life on the big screen. Six decades later, Guillermo Del Toro’s idea for a two-part adaptation of “The Hobbit,” published in 1937, seemed like an obvious choice for producers and rights holders looking to capitalize on the success of their Oscar-winning trilogy. However, instead of following through with a two-part series as planned, the filmmakers chose to split “The Hobbit” into three movies, despite having less material than “The Lord of the Rings” and each installment running for approximately 2.5 hours. This decision might have been the first sign that things were starting to go wrong.

In the winter season of 2012, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey began the trilogy; the following year saw the release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug; and in 2014, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies concluded the prequels. Interestingly, this trilogy was the only one with an R-rating among them. Peter Jackson returned as director, backed by talented actors such as Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage in leading roles. Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, and Cate Blanchett reprised their characters from the previous series, maintaining continuity. However, Guillermo Del Toro, who intended to add a unique touch to Bilbo Baggins’s lighter tale, was not present for filming. This absence served as a significant red flag that things might not be running smoothly.

The main issue that derailed the project was either too much or too little progress. It’s an overstatement to call the lengthy preparation and filming stages “a living hell,” but it certainly felt that way for those caught in limbo. In a peculiar twist of the industry, production on The Hobbit started before it had official legal authorization. It was inevitable that the movie would be produced, just not immediately. Some fans even regret that it ever came to fruition.

The Hobbit Stalls in Production Purgatory

The Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn't Equal SuccessThe Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn't Equal SuccessThe Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn't Equal Success

Jackson demanded more money due to his belief that New Line Cinema had cheated him out of merchandising earnings, while the Tolkien estate also sought a larger share from NLC. This prolonged legal wrangling lasted for years beyond initial expectations because MGM, who owned the film rights at the time, was experiencing internal chaos. In the end, four years were wasted without a movie or director being produced.

During the preparations for the legal confrontation, Guillermo Del Toro was busy designing storyboards, writing dialogues, and organizing details for the action sequences and additional shots while the team remained on standby for the go-ahead. The difficult shooting conditions in the quagmire drained the crew’s spirits. Overwhelmed by the stress, Guillermo Del Toro, who had spent a year and a half in New Zealand then, decided to step down. Jackson accepted it graciously, acknowledging his dedication. It appears that the director grew restless and felt that the studios (and Jackson) were unnecessarily wasting his precious time; in 2010, Jackson subtly explained this to TheOneRing.Net:

“In essence, Guillermo found it hard to dedicate six years of his life solely to creating films in New Zealand, given his initial agreement was for three years. … The unique creativity that defines Guillermo is deeply embedded in the scripts and designs of these two movies, making them truly lucky recipients of his creative genes.”

Jackson, against his wishes, was thrust back into the directing chair once more, toiling in 21-hour shifts to get it done on time and on budget, according to The New Zealand Herald. Much of the preparatory labor had been performed, but Jackson had to make use of the props and sets Del Toro had selected. It was a terrible time for almost everyone involved. Bankrupted after one too many ambitious flops, New Line Cinema’s brief but brilliant run as one of the greatest independent studios ended in 2008, assimilated into Warner Bros., its days as a major mover and shaker in the industry were over. Jackson had delivered the studio its crowning glory, but nothing could save New Line Cinema. In the years after, Lord of the Rings media would noticeably drift further and further from the classic trilogy and Jackson’s presence, with diminishing results.

How Lord of the Rings Lost Its Mojo

The Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn't Equal SuccessThe Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn't Equal SuccessThe Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn't Equal SuccessThe Hobbit Trilogy Proved that Profit Doesn't Equal Success

In the initial release of the first trilogy of “The Hobbit,” the films performed exceptionally well financially. Each sequel comfortably recovered the substantial combined budget of approximately 765 million USD for all three movies. However, moviegoers who anticipated a faithful adaptation of the book were surprised by the numerous deviations Peter Jackson made in the beloved Middle-earth mythology. They criticized the film for its excessive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI), lengthy runtime, and inappropriate level of violence that didn’t align with the straightforward narrative about a non-complex character. Critics were equally unforgiving, with one reviewer from The Atlantic calling it a “violent betrayal” of Tolkien, while another on the same platform accused Jackson of an inflated ego. The initial adoration had vanished, and there would be no more red carpet affection.

Jackson openly expressed his frustration in interviews about not having enough time for reflection. Instead of pausing the tight production schedule and discarding all prior work, he chose to improvise everything spontaneously rather than reworking the script or reshaping the scenes for a more structured flow, adjusting the edited footage later on. Second-unit director Andy Serkis stated that many sequences from The Battle of Five Armies were filmed without a clear thematic focus or narrative direction. Actors in suits fought each other in front of a green screen with no discernible motivation, scenes being recorded in a desperate attempt to keep up with the overwhelming workload, as three epic-sized films were released one year apart.

The diverse response to the Hobbit movies marked a significant decline. While loyal fans of the books and initial films still exist, the enthusiasm has waned as corporations exploit Tolkien’s creative works extensively. They delve into even the appendices for marketable content, leaving many original enthusiasts disenchanted with the 2010s Peter Jackson production. Today, a proposed 2026 movie centered on Gollum faces challenges. Here’s hoping Serkis has learned from past mistakes. By the way, you can stream The Hobbit on Max.

Read More

2024-08-03 06:02