On aurait presque envie de s'exciter, mais avec les nombreux déboires que le projet a rencontrés, prendre les dernières informations en date concernant l'adaptation de Bilbo le Hobbit avec des pincettes semble l'idée la plus judicieuse.
La Warner et la MGM viennent en tout cas d'officialiser le feu vert du projet par le biais d'un communiqué de presse officiel, avec Peter Jackson à la barre ! Si tout va bien, autrement dit, si les conflits en cours se sont bientôt plus qu'un mauvais souvenir, et notamment la question des acteurs "rebelles", la production devrait débuter en février prochain, en Nouvelle-Zélande. Si le film doit finalement se tourner ailleurs, il faudra par contre compter sur un nouveau détail...
Concernant le financement, la MGM va se tourner vers des investissements extérieurs, et au pire, la Warner s'est décidée à lui avancer la somme nécessaire. Du côté des studios, on parle de rêve devenu réalité de retrouver Peter Jackson à la tête du projet, l'homme le plus qualifié du monde pour donner vie à l'univers de J.R.R. Tolkien, tandis que ce dernier se dit impatient de retrouver ce monde merveilleux qu'est la Terre du Milieu avec Gandalf et Bilbo.
Au passage, les deux films seront bel et bien tournés en Digital 3-D ! Ci-dessous, le communiqué de presse complet.

Discuter de Bilbo sur le forum

The two films based on "The Hobbit" are now greenlit and will begin principal photography in February 2011, under the direction of Peter Jackson, it was jointly announced today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema, Alan Horn, President and Chief Operating Officer, Warner Bros. and Steve Cooper, co-Chief Executive Officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

"Exploring Tolkien's Middle-earth goes way beyond a normal film-making experience" Jackson says, "It's an all-immersive journey into a very special place of imagination, beauty and drama. We're looking forward to re-entering this wondrous world with Gandalf and Bilbo - and our friends at New Line Cinema, Warner Brothers and MGM".

"Peter is a filmmaker of incomparable ability; having him return to Middle-earth to produce and direct is a dream come true. A true original, Peter is a gifted story-teller, visionary director and pioneer in film technology," said Emmerich. "Reuniting with Peter, Fran and Philippa truly makes it feel like we are going 'there and back again.'"

"There is no human being on the planet as qualified as Peter Jackson to direct these films," said Horn. "Peter is incredibly talented and has the creative vision and experience to bring this beloved property to life in a way that no other filmmaker could. And the team of Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens has proven through their work on the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy that no one is more skilled at transforming Tolkien's written words into a vibrant, living language that makes the audience believe they are not merely visiting Middle-earth, but actually living in it. We couldn't be more thrilled and look forward to seeing 'The Hobbit' take shape under Peter's stewardship and the team he is putting together."

"MGM is excited to move forward and add to the successful 'Lord of the Rings' franchise," said Cooper. "Under Peter's direction, the films will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the original 'LOTR' trilogy and also bring the stories to a new generation of fans."

Jackson, who directed all three "Lord of the Rings" films, will helm the two films back-to-back, telling the story of "The Hobbit" in two parts. Jackson will utilize groundbreaking visual effects and his incomparable story-telling to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's novel to the big screen. Both Hobbit movies will be filmed in Digital 3-D, using the latest camera and stereo technology to create a high quality, comfortable viewing experience. Jackson also co-wrote the screenplays with Fran Walsh, Phillipa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro.

"The Hobbit" is being co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production, Warner Bros Pictures handling domestic distribution and MGM distributing internationally. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham are producing the films, with Phillipa Boyens as co-producer and Ken Kamins as executive producer.

The Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed LOTR trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, "Return of the King" swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy's production was also unprecedented at the time.