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Are they Solo: A Star Wars Storying Lord of the Rings? How are decisions like this still made?

I'm someone who loves the Hobbit trilogy, and even I think that sounds like a terrible idea.

Not every IP needs to be a franchise or can even sustain one (I think Middle Earth could, but they really need the rights to the Simmarillion stuff).

Silmarillion stuff isn't even that highly detailed to make films of either. You have to invent a lot to fill in a lot of gaps in terms of plotting and pacing.

Thing is LotR is a machine for making money and I suspect they don't want to remake the original 3 films. That leaves them with hunting around for other things if they've still got a licence and if the Tolkien Estate allows them.


And lets face it LotR is a very very powerful IP. It's right up there with Starwars as a very long lasting IP even through long periods where nothing was done directly with it. Heck LotR had VERY little done with it at all over the decades in a big way until the films; and yet its still a very iconic and powerful IP.

Part of me is kind of sad, but also not surprised. I'm just going to cross my fingers it's done more like LotR and less like The Hobbit.

It’ll be fine. I always wanted to know how Gollum got those gold dice…

I mean, it's Andy Serkis directing.

Gollum's a very, very, very important character to him. I can't see him letting things run bad.

I feel like I’ve consumed just the right amount of Gollum. No room for more.


The Fall of Gondolin and The Children of Hurin were both expanded to novella length; why not make them into movies? (I’m sure they can sneak Gollum in somehow.)

Peter Jackson’s ‘Hunt for Gollum’ movie is likely a hidden Aragorn epic - Polygon

So there’s just one question: What, exactly, could it be about? With real experts on the text like Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and Fran Walsh involved, there’s one thing that leaps to mind immediately — a 50 day slog during which Aragorn captured Gollum in a marsh and dragged him bodily overland for close to 900 miles until they reached the court prisons of the elven king Thranduil.

Still not too keen on this.

 Ghaz wrote:
Peter Jackson’s ‘Hunt for Gollum’ movie is likely a hidden Aragorn epic - Polygon

So there’s just one question: What, exactly, could it be about? With real experts on the text like Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, and Fran Walsh involved, there’s one thing that leaps to mind immediately — a 50 day slog during which Aragorn captured Gollum in a marsh and dragged him bodily overland for close to 900 miles until they reached the court prisons of the elven king Thranduil.

Still not too keen on this.

Agreed. It is not clear what this would add to the development of either character.

I have no interest as this feels like a naked cash grab.

Can we make it three movies, please? Fifty days and nine hundred miles is a lot of ground to cover in one teeny tiny four hour movie.

This needs Tom Bombadil, played by Matt Berry.

 Geifer wrote:
Can we make it three movies, please? Fifty days and nine hundred miles is a lot of ground to cover in one teeny tiny four hour movie.

Be careful what you wish for:

 Ghaz wrote:
Warner Bros. to Release New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ in 2026, Peter Jackson to Produce and Andy Serkis to Direct - Variety

Warner Bros. will release the first of its new batch of live-action “The Lord of the Rings” films in 2026, which will focus on Andy Serkis’ Gollum.

Original “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy filmmaker Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing the movie and “will be involved every step of the way,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an earnings call Thursday.

Ugh...

So a trilogy (or more) is entirely possible.

I hope this prequel showers us with big, epic scenes that answer all our questions, like how did gollum learn to catch fish, and where did he get his loin cloth.

Why doesn't he just make the At The Mountains of Madness movie?

Edit: I think that was actually Guillermo Del Toro

Humor aside, I can understand that they want to do something with the IP. If they absolutely have to, I don't think this is the worst way to go about it. I prefer expansion like we've seen with Star Wars or Alien over endless reboots, remakes or the multiversal fad we're experiencing right now. And a short series of movies per decade doesn't seem excessive compared to Marvel's output, or Fast and Furious.

Execution is a different question. Especially since it's Warner. But at least in principle I don't think all the snippy comments (including my own ) are warranted just yet.

Legendary’s been having the most successful year of any big studio, and they seem comfortable working with Warner. I say we give them a chance. Maybe it’s time for Balrog X Smaug: Rise of Ungoliant.

 BobtheInquisitor wrote:
Maybe it’s time for Balrog X Smaug: Rise of Ungoliant.

I am more interested in that than a Gollum movie.

...especially after the Gollum game.

 Geifer wrote:
Humor aside, I can understand that they want to do something with the IP. If they absolutely have to, I don't think this is the worst way to go about it. I prefer expansion like we've seen with Star Wars or Alien over endless reboots, remakes or the multiversal fad we're experiencing right now. And a short series of movies per decade doesn't seem excessive compared to Marvel's output, or Fast and Furious.

Execution is a different question. Especially since it's Warner. But at least in principle I don't think all the snippy comments (including my own ) are warranted just yet.

This may also be one of those wonderful contractual things where they have to do something with the IP every “x” years, or the rights revert back to the original holder. And that’s why we get such a stream of quality* Spider-Man related spinoffs from Sony.

* noting that “mediocre”, “bad” and “atrocious” are valid points on the scale of quality…

Mobius is available on Disney+ and I have not been able to convince anyone to watch it with me.

I watched the first 30 mins or so and it didn't keep my attention really.

Its never Morbing time.

Caught it on Netflix not long ago, and it was just….crap.

I don’t know how you make vampires lamer than Twilight managed, but they did.

Isn't Morbius a whiny vegan vampire? That might have something to do with it.

No, you’re think of Duckula. Who rocks.

Count Chocula, who ducks?

The trailer dropped for Megalopolis.


Looks beautiful and surreal and pretentious as all get out. I’m tentatively interested, even if only for the weirdness.

There’s also a whiff of Old Man Yells at Kids in the narration. I wonder how that will play out.

It'll either be a masterpiece or a magnificent failure. Either way it should be interesting to watch.

Is it supposed to be a modern take on Metropolis?

 Flinty wrote:
Is it supposed to be a modern take on Metropolis?

No. It has been a passion project for almost forty years and the description has changed constantly: "The story still seems like a bit of a mess—in a recent statement, Coppola said it was inspired by the New York financial crisis of 1990 but also the Catiline Conspiracy but also Studio 54 but also 9/11 but also Hitchcock but also all the prophets but also etc., etc., etc."

The main character is named Cesar Catilina, played by Adam Driver, and is an architect who can control time trying to rebuild a Rome/New York City stand in while facing opposition from Mayor Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito).

I finally watched the Megalopolis trailer and it looks gloriously awful.