Can’t lie, that premise does not inspire confidence. It just sounds like writers trying to create a story continuing the series but with a level of timidity that doesn’t let them truly tell a...
Plot synopsis — 14 years after the passing of Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began.
Can’t lie, that premise does not inspire confidence. It just sounds like writers trying to create a story continuing the series but with a level of timidity that doesn’t let them truly tell a great story. Which doesn’t need to be the case, since Tolkien had extensive notes to work off of.
There is genuinely a lot more stories to tell from Tolkien’s world. I’m surprised no one’s done the war against the witch king of angmar - not only is it a pretty classic war story, but it involves predecessors to many of the main characters of LotR and fleshes out wtf Aragorn’s deal is.
I can already see what the plot of this movie is going to be like; Sam, Pippen, Merry banter and make references to things that happened in the trilogy. Sam’s daughter finds some non-canonical mcguffin they invented for the movie which is both dangerous while simultaneously being irrelevant. She gets kidnapped or something. Sam and co are like “oh no my daughter has been kidnapped, time to go adventuring”. They grab Orlando bloom from the Orlando bloom closet.
They go on an adventure and kill the fragment of Sauron or whatever bullshit and rescue Sam’s daughter. Nothing of consequence happens to the world or any characters because the writers know that Tolkien wrote about the future’s of these characters so they can’t do anything that matters.
Slow piano rendition of the Lord of the Rings theme. Samwise picks up the Baggins' journal and dusts it off. Cut to Pippin telling Sam's daughter about the adventure to destroy the ring. Cut to...
Slow piano rendition of the Lord of the Rings theme.
Samwise picks up the Baggins' journal and dusts it off.
Cut to Pippin telling Sam's daughter about the adventure to destroy the ring.
Cut to the daughter picking up a McGuffin while the music gets slightly more dramatic.
There is so much written in the Silmarillion and in the works of Christopher Tolkien that could be adapted. I have no particular attachment to the series produced by Amazon, as it resembled...
There is so much written in the Silmarillion and in the works of Christopher Tolkien that could be adapted. I have no particular attachment to the series produced by Amazon, as it resembled nothing to me so much as a kind of dry, boardroom drama more at home in the world of Dallas than Middle Earth. Even done without much heart or feeling, these were still good stories and there are plenty that haven't been approached yet.
Even so, I would probably watch it, if the title were something like "Pippin and Merry's Bogus Journey".
I have read a good chunk of Tolkien's works, and while I have enjoyed exploring the dimensions of the LotR-iverse, the Silmarillion as written is b o r i n g. There are a lot of neat little...
I have read a good chunk of Tolkien's works, and while I have enjoyed exploring the dimensions of the LotR-iverse, the Silmarillion as written is b o r i n g. There are a lot of neat little stories - you have all the business with Valinor and the departure of the elves (including Galadriel), you have classic stories like the Silmarils and the various stupidity they spawned, and you have epic things like the end of the first age and the defeat of Morgoth. These could all be adapted beautifully, but I saw the nonsense with the Hobbit "trilogy", a story written for children in a familiar and friendly style, turned into unnecessary Serious Business and CGI that sucked all the joy out for me. I don't trust Hollywood to treat these stories well and not to try and insert existing characters to draw casual viewers in (like the Orlando Bloom closet!), especially when the source material is so dry and reads like the Old Testament. I think I'd rather watch Pippin and Merry's Bogus Journey than a hack job of a pretentious Tolkienverse origin story, but I am also a bit of a snob.
Last I checked, they did not have the rights to adapt the Silmarillion (or any book other than the 4 (or technically 7, as LotR is really 6 books inside 3 volumes) already adapted by PJ, for that...
Last I checked, they did not have the rights to adapt the Silmarillion (or any book other than the 4 (or technically 7, as LotR is really 6 books inside 3 volumes) already adapted by PJ, for that matter), and they likely never will until they hit the public domain. There's not too much available material left to adapt, for better or worse.
I don't think the "present" is the main plot, but a framing device to help adapt the early chapters that didn't get adapted. Stephen literally says he wants to adapt Chapters 3-8. The articles I'm...
I don't think the "present" is the main plot, but a framing device to help adapt the early chapters that didn't get adapted. Stephen literally says he wants to adapt Chapters 3-8. The articles I'm finding are all a mix of quotes and some paraphrasing, and this one paraphrased a quote that I think is vital:
He added: "I started talking it over with my son Peter, who's also a screenwriter, and we worked out what we thought would work, especially as a framing device for that story."
So based on that, his priority seems to be adapting those early chapters. At a guess, they're going with a framing device rather than a straight adaptation to make the film feel more complete and capable of standing alone. I expect most of the movie would be flashbacks to the events of those chapters, and the "present" may involve some potential loose end. Maybe they'll need to save the daughter, but I figure she will mainly be used as a gateway to further re-explore the events as an "outsider", and perhaps probe at some details that weren't revealed to the greater cast.
I have admittedly never read the books nor seen the movies, so what that might entail all depends on what happens in Chapters 3-8. Like... Did anything happen in those chapters that none of the living characters would know? Was there a character from there who didn't make the cut for the film??
Either way, as a non-fan, I'm actually kind of optimistic. Stephen Colbert doesn't seem like the kind of name they'd pull for a cheap money grab, meaning he's working on this because he's a fan of the source material. And projects made by fans can be a lot better than those made just to earn money because really passionate fans will put their hearts into a chance to work on it in an official capacity.
Or... They can suck by choosing to ignore canon and shoehorn their own original characters into major roles, and/or their skill is just horrible and everyone is wildly out of character. Either outcome is possible. But at least this one comes from a place of passion rather than greed, and that alone makes me more optimistic for it.
Just a minor character, he is a merry fellow. Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow. None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the Master: His songs are stronger songs, and his...
Was there a character from there who didn't make the cut for the film??
Just a minor character, he is a merry fellow. Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow. None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the Master: His songs are stronger songs, and his feet are faster.
Ooooof... thanks for the correction. It's been years since I read the books and people meme on Tom Bombadil so much that he's overshadowed her in my memory. :( They really are more of a package deal.
Ooooof... thanks for the correction. It's been years since I read the books and people meme on Tom Bombadil so much that he's overshadowed her in my memory. :( They really are more of a package deal.
They are, but no apologies, it's entirely possible a third person is also in those chapters and we're both forgetting (Lobelia? Fredregar Fatty Bolger? Ham Gamgee? Gildor? Did I look all of these...
They are, but no apologies, it's entirely possible a third person is also in those chapters and we're both forgetting (Lobelia? Fredregar Fatty Bolger? Ham Gamgee? Gildor? Did I look all of these up but did I forget what chapters we're referring to and thus add question marks? Yes!)
So, as a non-fan with minimal context, my first, very obviously wrong thought reading that snippet clearly meming him from the book: "Frodo left this guy hanging in a game of tag and this guy has...
So, as a non-fan with minimal context, my first, very obviously wrong thought reading that snippet clearly meming him from the book: "Frodo left this guy hanging in a game of tag and this guy has been waiting for years to be caught so he can stop being 'it'." Obviously wrong, but made me snicker imagining the rest of the group griping about having to pick up Frodo's slack fourteen years after the guy died.
Shit how did you know about the game of tag if you don't read the books? Goldberry grabbed him by the beard (tag) and he had to marry her so he's been "it" ever since. This is absolutely true and...
Shit how did you know about the game of tag if you don't read the books?
Goldberry grabbed him by the beard (tag) and he had to marry her so he's been "it" ever since. This is absolutely true and I met Tom Shippey, Tolkien scholar, so you have to believe me. ʘ‿ʘ
This bit makes me cautiously optimistic. The first half of FotR cuts out a lot, and these particular chapters have a lot that I missed. Fog on the Barrow-Downs really is such an important chapter...
But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in [‘The Fellowship of the Ring’] that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day. It’s basically the chapter ‘Three Is Company’ [Chapter III] through ‘Fog on the Barrow-Downs’ [Chapter VIII].
This bit makes me cautiously optimistic. The first half of FotR cuts out a lot, and these particular chapters have a lot that I missed. Fog on the Barrow-Downs really is such an important chapter because there's a strong argument that it's the closest Frodo gets to failing before he actually does fail in Mt. Doom. The other chapters also add to the story, we could maybe get the Thinking Fox as well as Bombadil and maybe a more faithful portrayal of Farmer Maggot.
Some of those chapters absolutely need a narrator though, and I think that's where the style can make a difference. If it's the older hobbits telling Elanor the story of the journey, I could easily see Sean Astin acting as narrator as well, giving insight into characters' thoughts as their actions are shown. Adapting it directly into the films wouldn't work as well, since the LotR movies really are more action-oriented than the books were. A second retelling with a different style could work out.
Note that I'm generally very critical of LotR media - I disliked the Hobbit movies, haven't touched the Amazon show because it didn't look appealing, and haven't enjoyed most of the LotR games I've played. Having something to be even mildly optimistic about feels odd, but I think this is the best shot I've seen in a while.
I don’t think “Let’s focus on Tom Bombadil” is really where you would go when you’re being timid about what kind of story you want to tell.
It just sounds like writers trying to create a story continuing the series but with a level of timidity that doesn’t let them truly tell a great story.
I don’t think “Let’s focus on Tom Bombadil” is really where you would go when you’re being timid about what kind of story you want to tell.
Colbert is a smart guy who loves Tolkien but he lacks filmmaking and screenwriting credits as far as I know. His son Peter Colbert was an actor in "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" but I don't...
Colbert is a smart guy who loves Tolkien but he lacks filmmaking and screenwriting credits as far as I know. His son Peter Colbert was an actor in "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" but I don't believe he has much experience either. That's a little weird for a first film project, but it could be great anyway. Apparently Peter Jackson is on the helm, so perhaps the contribution of the Colberts will be heavily guided. It doesn't look like they're writing, maybe they'll be "idea people" more than anything.
The article specifically called Peter a screenwriter, so I found this article that gives a bit more detail on Peter's background. Also saw one article mention he studied film in university. So,...
After he appeared alongside Stephen and his younger brother John in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug as hooded Laketown spies in 2013, Peter went on to work behind the scenes for several projects.
Five years later, he wrote and directed the short At the Crossroads Down Yonder, and the following year, he served as co-executive producer and director of the comedy series Where's Noah?.
Most recently, Peter worked in the sound department for the short film Those Who Move Mountains in 2020, and his next project will feature him in front of the camera: He's slated to star in the short film The Virgin, which is currently in post-production.
Also saw one article mention he studied film in university. So, his son isn't totally new. Neither is he. Also, based on what I'm seeing, they (or at least Colbert) will be co-writing the script with Boyens, and have been talking about development with Jackson for two years now. So seems a lot more involved than just being idea guys.
Neither Stephen Colbert nor "Peter McGee" nor "Peter Colbert" has any screenwriting credit on IMDB. I studied film in university, I sure as hell cannot do LOTR :P
Neither Stephen Colbert nor "Peter McGee" nor "Peter Colbert" has any screenwriting credit on IMDB. I studied film in university, I sure as hell cannot do LOTR :P
Honesty, I'm going to say that I'm interested to see Colbert's take on something set in the LotR universe. Maybe it'll be awful. Maybe it'll be something special. I don't know. I trust Stephen...
Honesty, I'm going to say that I'm interested to see Colbert's take on something set in the LotR universe. Maybe it'll be awful. Maybe it'll be something special. I don't know. I trust Stephen Colbert's vision a hell of a lot more than I trust the vision of some others, though, and at least he's chosen three comedic characters to work with rather than trying to tackle something like Gandalf's pre-Middle Earth years or something.
If you don't agree with me, well that's your right. I'm not that passionate about it, just curious.
FWIW, I'm of the same mind on this. Colbert genuinely, deeply cares about the legendarium. That alone makes me interested to see what he comes up with.
FWIW, I'm of the same mind on this. Colbert genuinely, deeply cares about the legendarium. That alone makes me interested to see what he comes up with.
Not more than me, and I wouldn't trust me to write the script for this. Knowing the source material is useful, but what you really need is the ability to write something that is both new and good...
Colbert genuinely, deeply cares about the legendarium.
Not more than me, and I wouldn't trust me to write the script for this. Knowing the source material is useful, but what you really need is the ability to write something that is both new and good while being solidly based on Tolkien. I consider that a huge challenge.
Looking at Colbert's Goodreads, it seems like he's mainly written mediocre parody books based on his TV persona. And again, I'm punching up when I say that.
He's not writing it solo at least. I have no clue about his son's ability, but they're working with the screenwriter and director for the original trilogy. They say he approached Jackson about...
He's not writing it solo at least. I have no clue about his son's ability, but they're working with the screenwriter and director for the original trilogy. They say he approached Jackson about this two years ago, so I'm assuming the others are fairly confident in this project's potential if they haven't pulled the plug yet.
Just saying... We actually have no clue what to expect. Colbert's career is built around comedy with a particular emphasis on political commentary, so all his works so far have been in those spheres. We can't really use it to gauge his ability to write a more serious fantasy story. Wouldn't be the first time a comedian broke into another genre, just look at Jordan Peele.
Fair chance it'll still turn out mediocre of course. I'm active in the fan fiction scene, and I know that passion alone isn't enough to make something good. But I'd take mediocre over a soulless cash grab that barely respects the original material any day. At least the fact he and his son are fans raises the chance they'll make something with a heart, something that feels increasingly rare in films these days.
I don't think it means much to be honest. The creatives can have as much heart invested into it and it can still turn out mediocre. Duncan Jones cared a lot about Warcraft lore for example but it...
I don't think it means much to be honest. The creatives can have as much heart invested into it and it can still turn out mediocre. Duncan Jones cared a lot about Warcraft lore for example but it was not a success.
It's less that it guarantees it will be good and more that it changes which types of bad it might be in a way that avoids the most frustrating options imo.
It's less that it guarantees it will be good and more that it changes which types of bad it might be in a way that avoids the most frustrating options imo.
And many of the possible issues may come down to executives exerting control over the production, which was absolutely the case with The Hobbit. Warner decided they were going to adapt it, and it...
And many of the possible issues may come down to executives exerting control over the production, which was absolutely the case with The Hobbit.
Warner decided they were going to adapt it, and it had to check the trilogy box (because that was the fad at the time) as well as several other short lived trends. They didn't want Jackson anywhere near it, who by all accounts cares deeply about Middle Earth, because he spent the decade after The Lord of the Rings engaged in litigation with them over compensation (ye olde percentage of net instead of gross receipts). So they got Del Toro, and he likely quit because of executive meddling, and then it got dumped back on Jackson at the last minute, as a last resort.
You can't make something creative with money people backseat driving the whole way. And a big media company desperate to kickstart a "cinematic universe" is absolutely going to be doing that.
Sounds like we're getting Tom Bombadil? I don't know if you can call be optimistic, but you can certainly call me curious.
"You know what the books mean to me, and what your films mean to me,” Colbert told Jackson. “But the thing I found myself reading over and over again were the six chapters early on in [‘The Fellowship of the Ring’] that y’all never developed into the first movie back in the day. It’s basically the chapter ‘Three Is Company’ [Chapter III] through ‘Fog on the Barrow-Downs’ [Chapter VIII]. And I thought, ‘Oh, wait, maybe that could be its own story that could fit into the larger story. Could we make something that was completely faithful to the books while also being completely faithful to the movies that you guys had already made?'”
Sounds like we're getting Tom Bombadil? I don't know if you can call be optimistic, but you can certainly call me curious.
Can’t lie, that premise does not inspire confidence. It just sounds like writers trying to create a story continuing the series but with a level of timidity that doesn’t let them truly tell a great story. Which doesn’t need to be the case, since Tolkien had extensive notes to work off of.
There is genuinely a lot more stories to tell from Tolkien’s world. I’m surprised no one’s done the war against the witch king of angmar - not only is it a pretty classic war story, but it involves predecessors to many of the main characters of LotR and fleshes out wtf Aragorn’s deal is.
I can already see what the plot of this movie is going to be like; Sam, Pippen, Merry banter and make references to things that happened in the trilogy. Sam’s daughter finds some non-canonical mcguffin they invented for the movie which is both dangerous while simultaneously being irrelevant. She gets kidnapped or something. Sam and co are like “oh no my daughter has been kidnapped, time to go adventuring”. They grab Orlando bloom from the Orlando bloom closet.
They go on an adventure and kill the fragment of Sauron or whatever bullshit and rescue Sam’s daughter. Nothing of consequence happens to the world or any characters because the writers know that Tolkien wrote about the future’s of these characters so they can’t do anything that matters.
Slow piano rendition of the Lord of the Rings theme.
Samwise picks up the Baggins' journal and dusts it off.
Cut to Pippin telling Sam's daughter about the adventure to destroy the ring.
Cut to the daughter picking up a McGuffin while the music gets slightly more dramatic.
Cut to the Eye of Sauron™️ and Sauron voice.
Gandalf: "You must leave the Shire!"
Text: THIS SUMMER
Drum build starts.
Text: HE'S BACK (SOMEHOW)
Logo: 2 Hobbits 2 Furious: There and Back Again
There is so much written in the Silmarillion and in the works of Christopher Tolkien that could be adapted. I have no particular attachment to the series produced by Amazon, as it resembled nothing to me so much as a kind of dry, boardroom drama more at home in the world of Dallas than Middle Earth. Even done without much heart or feeling, these were still good stories and there are plenty that haven't been approached yet.
Even so, I would probably watch it, if the title were something like "Pippin and Merry's Bogus Journey".
I have read a good chunk of Tolkien's works, and while I have enjoyed exploring the dimensions of the LotR-iverse, the Silmarillion as written is b o r i n g. There are a lot of neat little stories - you have all the business with Valinor and the departure of the elves (including Galadriel), you have classic stories like the Silmarils and the various stupidity they spawned, and you have epic things like the end of the first age and the defeat of Morgoth. These could all be adapted beautifully, but I saw the nonsense with the Hobbit "trilogy", a story written for children in a familiar and friendly style, turned into unnecessary Serious Business and CGI that sucked all the joy out for me. I don't trust Hollywood to treat these stories well and not to try and insert existing characters to draw casual viewers in (like the Orlando Bloom closet!), especially when the source material is so dry and reads like the Old Testament. I think I'd rather watch Pippin and Merry's Bogus Journey than a hack job of a pretentious Tolkienverse origin story, but I am also a bit of a snob.
Last I checked, they did not have the rights to adapt the Silmarillion (or any book other than the 4 (or technically 7, as LotR is really 6 books inside 3 volumes) already adapted by PJ, for that matter), and they likely never will until they hit the public domain. There's not too much available material left to adapt, for better or worse.
Orlando Bloom Closet is a set of words I didn't expect to ever read.
I don't think the "present" is the main plot, but a framing device to help adapt the early chapters that didn't get adapted. Stephen literally says he wants to adapt Chapters 3-8. The articles I'm finding are all a mix of quotes and some paraphrasing, and this one paraphrased a quote that I think is vital:
So based on that, his priority seems to be adapting those early chapters. At a guess, they're going with a framing device rather than a straight adaptation to make the film feel more complete and capable of standing alone. I expect most of the movie would be flashbacks to the events of those chapters, and the "present" may involve some potential loose end. Maybe they'll need to save the daughter, but I figure she will mainly be used as a gateway to further re-explore the events as an "outsider", and perhaps probe at some details that weren't revealed to the greater cast.
I have admittedly never read the books nor seen the movies, so what that might entail all depends on what happens in Chapters 3-8. Like... Did anything happen in those chapters that none of the living characters would know? Was there a character from there who didn't make the cut for the film??
Either way, as a non-fan, I'm actually kind of optimistic. Stephen Colbert doesn't seem like the kind of name they'd pull for a cheap money grab, meaning he's working on this because he's a fan of the source material. And projects made by fans can be a lot better than those made just to earn money because really passionate fans will put their hearts into a chance to work on it in an official capacity.
Or... They can suck by choosing to ignore canon and shoehorn their own original characters into major roles, and/or their skill is just horrible and everyone is wildly out of character. Either outcome is possible. But at least this one comes from a place of passion rather than greed, and that alone makes me more optimistic for it.
Just a minor character, he is a merry fellow. Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow. None has ever caught him yet, for Tom, he is the Master: His songs are stronger songs, and his feet are faster.
This is obviously Goldberry River-Daughter erasure!
TWO minor characters!
Ooooof... thanks for the correction. It's been years since I read the books and people meme on Tom Bombadil so much that he's overshadowed her in my memory. :( They really are more of a package deal.
They are, but no apologies, it's entirely possible a third person is also in those chapters and we're both forgetting (Lobelia? Fredregar Fatty Bolger? Ham Gamgee? Gildor? Did I look all of these up but did I forget what chapters we're referring to and thus add question marks? Yes!)
So, as a non-fan with minimal context, my first, very obviously wrong thought reading that snippet clearly meming him from the book: "Frodo left this guy hanging in a game of tag and this guy has been waiting for years to be caught so he can stop being 'it'." Obviously wrong, but made me snicker imagining the rest of the group griping about having to pick up Frodo's slack fourteen years after the guy died.
Shit how did you know about the game of tag if you don't read the books?
Goldberry grabbed him by the beard (tag) and he had to marry her so he's been "it" ever since. This is absolutely true and I met Tom Shippey, Tolkien scholar, so you have to believe me. ʘ‿ʘ
This bit makes me cautiously optimistic. The first half of FotR cuts out a lot, and these particular chapters have a lot that I missed. Fog on the Barrow-Downs really is such an important chapter because there's a strong argument that it's the closest Frodo gets to failing before he actually does fail in Mt. Doom. The other chapters also add to the story, we could maybe get the Thinking Fox as well as Bombadil and maybe a more faithful portrayal of Farmer Maggot.
Some of those chapters absolutely need a narrator though, and I think that's where the style can make a difference. If it's the older hobbits telling Elanor the story of the journey, I could easily see Sean Astin acting as narrator as well, giving insight into characters' thoughts as their actions are shown. Adapting it directly into the films wouldn't work as well, since the LotR movies really are more action-oriented than the books were. A second retelling with a different style could work out.
Note that I'm generally very critical of LotR media - I disliked the Hobbit movies, haven't touched the Amazon show because it didn't look appealing, and haven't enjoyed most of the LotR games I've played. Having something to be even mildly optimistic about feels odd, but I think this is the best shot I've seen in a while.
I don’t think “Let’s focus on Tom Bombadil” is really where you would go when you’re being timid about what kind of story you want to tell.
Stop spoiling the movie it's not even been produced yet
Colbert is a smart guy who loves Tolkien but he lacks filmmaking and screenwriting credits as far as I know. His son Peter Colbert was an actor in "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" but I don't believe he has much experience either. That's a little weird for a first film project, but it could be great anyway. Apparently Peter Jackson is on the helm, so perhaps the contribution of the Colberts will be heavily guided. It doesn't look like they're writing, maybe they'll be "idea people" more than anything.
The article specifically called Peter a screenwriter, so I found this article that gives a bit more detail on Peter's background.
Also saw one article mention he studied film in university. So, his son isn't totally new. Neither is he. Also, based on what I'm seeing, they (or at least Colbert) will be co-writing the script with Boyens, and have been talking about development with Jackson for two years now. So seems a lot more involved than just being idea guys.
Neither Stephen Colbert nor "Peter McGee" nor "Peter Colbert" has any screenwriting credit on IMDB. I studied film in university, I sure as hell cannot do LOTR :P
Honesty, I'm going to say that I'm interested to see Colbert's take on something set in the LotR universe. Maybe it'll be awful. Maybe it'll be something special. I don't know. I trust Stephen Colbert's vision a hell of a lot more than I trust the vision of some others, though, and at least he's chosen three comedic characters to work with rather than trying to tackle something like Gandalf's pre-Middle Earth years or something.
If you don't agree with me, well that's your right. I'm not that passionate about it, just curious.
FWIW, I'm of the same mind on this. Colbert genuinely, deeply cares about the legendarium. That alone makes me interested to see what he comes up with.
Not more than me, and I wouldn't trust me to write the script for this. Knowing the source material is useful, but what you really need is the ability to write something that is both new and good while being solidly based on Tolkien. I consider that a huge challenge.
Looking at Colbert's Goodreads, it seems like he's mainly written mediocre parody books based on his TV persona. And again, I'm punching up when I say that.
He's not writing it solo at least. I have no clue about his son's ability, but they're working with the screenwriter and director for the original trilogy. They say he approached Jackson about this two years ago, so I'm assuming the others are fairly confident in this project's potential if they haven't pulled the plug yet.
Just saying... We actually have no clue what to expect. Colbert's career is built around comedy with a particular emphasis on political commentary, so all his works so far have been in those spheres. We can't really use it to gauge his ability to write a more serious fantasy story. Wouldn't be the first time a comedian broke into another genre, just look at Jordan Peele.
Fair chance it'll still turn out mediocre of course. I'm active in the fan fiction scene, and I know that passion alone isn't enough to make something good. But I'd take mediocre over a soulless cash grab that barely respects the original material any day. At least the fact he and his son are fans raises the chance they'll make something with a heart, something that feels increasingly rare in films these days.
I don't think it means much to be honest. The creatives can have as much heart invested into it and it can still turn out mediocre. Duncan Jones cared a lot about Warcraft lore for example but it was not a success.
It's less that it guarantees it will be good and more that it changes which types of bad it might be in a way that avoids the most frustrating options imo.
Exactly. Caring may not be sufficient on its own, but it's absolutely necessary to potentially even be good in the first place.
And many of the possible issues may come down to executives exerting control over the production, which was absolutely the case with The Hobbit.
Warner decided they were going to adapt it, and it had to check the trilogy box (because that was the fad at the time) as well as several other short lived trends. They didn't want Jackson anywhere near it, who by all accounts cares deeply about Middle Earth, because he spent the decade after The Lord of the Rings engaged in litigation with them over compensation (ye olde percentage of net instead of gross receipts). So they got Del Toro, and he likely quit because of executive meddling, and then it got dumped back on Jackson at the last minute, as a last resort.
You can't make something creative with money people backseat driving the whole way. And a big media company desperate to kickstart a "cinematic universe" is absolutely going to be doing that.
Sounds like we're getting Tom Bombadil? I don't know if you can call be optimistic, but you can certainly call me curious.
So this is what he decided to do with his life after they fired him...