Firstshowing.net have confirmation(via TheOneRing.net) that "The Hobbit" will not be shooting in 3D as the rumor earlier in the week suggested. He also confirms that he has hired Oscar winner Guillermo Navarro (of Pan's Labyrinth, Night at the Museum, Hellboy II) as the Director of Photography of Hobbit.
Most of these updates and quotes come from the actual forums on TORN where Guillermo posts regularly...
"As a co-writer and director of this film (who works with the design teams, costume teams, creature teams, VFX teams every day of the week), let me be very clear one more time: we are not talking about 3D, we are NOT writing the screenplay for 3D right now- we are hiring my DoP Guillermo Navarro to shoot the film and we are not discussing 3D with him either or with WETA digital or WB or anyone else.
That should be a little less sidestepping, I hope. If after AVATAR the market may change and demands are put upon us, etc that is in the future. But if such things happen and we start discussing 3D down the line, I'll let it be know here at TORN because that's the proper way of doing things. But make no mistake- I've been living in NZ for almost a year now and we have not been discussing 3D.
When we do, I'll make sure your source finds out. Thank You, Guillermo."
Avatar is currently being finished at Weta Digital in New Zealand, which is the same company that will eventually work on The Hobbit.These next responses stem from the earlier discussions on the TORN forums(with Marketsaw) about 3D and if it's really the future of movies...
"I believe Jim [Dorey of MarketSaw] is defending what he believes to be true. He is a knowledgeable, passionate film-lover and perhaps his source in this case is also someone that would love to see the HOBBIT films happen in 3D. Perhaps so-
Jim has been right in the past and he may be right in the future. He is dead-on about the imminent conversion of film into an expanding 3-D field - at least in most blockbusters and I know of, at least, 4 or 5 major filmmakers preparing 3D films right now. Some of them seriously artistic and ungimmicky!!
I've seen AVATAR and I was absolutely blown away by it!! I myself expect to explore 3D soon enough- it is the future, just not my immediate future. I promise to you guys and Jim to let you know if anything changes in that or any regard…
And no- neither David Tennant nor Tom Cruise are Bilbo and we are not redesigning Gollum. My best wishes to all- GDT."
Well, at least we can rest assured those meeting with Cruise had nothing to do with The Hobbit..must have been Halo then right?;)
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.