The Production Design of The Hobbit: AEJ

Hero Complex continues their series of articles from behind the scenes of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey were they interview more then just the cast but the crew of the movie that are critical part in creating Middle-Earth. The latest is a conversation with Production Designer Dan Hennah who has been designing for the film for the last three years and was the art director for The Lord of the Rings trilogy and won an Academy Award for Return of the King. Segments below, full interview here.

HC: Can you start by explaining what your job entails? Production design must have been so important for a film like this one.
DH: A production designer takes responsibility for the look of everything pretty much on the picture except the actors and what they’re wearing, and obviously lighting is a separate area. It starts with liaising with the director, with the script and working out creatively what the director’s vision is. And while it’s permissible for the production designer to have a vision, it’s always good to try and work out what the director’s vision is and to bring that to the screen. That’s the ultimate aim. And it involves liaising really closely, collaborating with the director of photography, the cinematographer and the costume department, because you don’t want purple costumes in a green room. And it’s one of those things that worked really well on “The Lord of the Rings,” and it’s worked again very well on “The Hobbit” — that sort of interdepartmental collaboration. The production designer has to put together a team of people who can execute the director’s vision and have it ready within the budget. Always, always the budget is a really big consideration, and time. And of course always time and money fight with each other; if you haven’t got enough of one, you need more of the other. Apart from coming up with this great grand vision that works with the director, it’s also about attention to detail. Every nut and bolt, every small thing being in the right place. So it’s a big-picture job, but with attention to the detail as well.

Peter Jackson on Trilogy, Smaug Design

In an article from Hero Complex, The Hobbit trilogy director Peter Jackson commented on the move to the a trilogy, aspects of the story expanded from the novel, and about designing the look of Smaug.

Highlights:
- Announcement of change to a trilogy "was announced to us the day of the wrap party" according to Martin Freeman (Bilbo).
- The Lord of the Rings appendices used to provide more of Gandalf's history, how he joined Thorin's company of dwarves and provide more story for Gollum.
- After Guillermo Del Toro left the production, "I thought, if I’m going to do it I need to actually be comfortable, to do the thing that I want to do in my head. So I suddenly found myself scrambling. I was literally scrambling to get designs ready on time for the film that I wanted to make. And we were revising the script furiously. The delay didn’t help anybody. It didn’t help him. It didn’t help us. It didn’t help the film."
- On Smaug: "The trouble with redesigning dragons is that if you really get fruity with it, it suddenly starts to look like some sort of monster from another planet — you very quickly can go into science-fiction territory. ...So I’m not trying to step away from the dragon. I just want to present the most venal, scary, decrepit, nasty dragon that I possibly can."
- "I just like to tell stories," Jackson said. "I don’t set out to try to preach to people and put hidden meaning into things. I just think if you can entertain people and give people a good time at the movies you’re doing your job well. I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that."

Inside $1 Billion Dollar The Hobbit Trilogy Gamble

The Hollywood Reporter has posted the cover story for their October 26th issue of the magazine as the recount why Warner Bros. and MGM are willing to gamble $1 billion on The Hobbit Trilogy. Below is the highlights and you can find the full article here and photo gallery here.

Highlights
- The cost of the first two movies are estimated around $315 million each to make (most big budget movies land in the $150 to $200 million range) but others are saying its inflated and New Zealand tax rebates will drop cost to $200 million each.
- Cost of the third film is unknown since a lot of it was already filmed as additional footage for first two
- To get the budget he wanted, Peter Jackson deferred his fee (but I assume he has back end points or something to make up the difference)

Is This Smaug the Dragon?

It turns out that Peter Jackson's most recent production video provided a nice little chestnut with a possible design for Smaug the Dragon on a shirt. It seems very Tolkien in design. More than likely this image is one of many designs developed during pre-production for the CGI character but the result is a classic depiction of a huge and dangerous dragon.

Official Titles and Release Dates for The Hobbit

Warner Bros has issued a press release that announces the official titles and release dates for both The Hobbit films. Part one is called "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" out December 14, 2012. The title fits how Bilbo Baggins becomes involved in the overall battle against evil in Middle-Earth in the beginning of the book. Part two will be called "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" with release date of December 13, 2012. That sub-title is a reference to the book that Bilbo writes about his adventures as referenced in the beginning and end of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Both films are set 60 years before the trilogy but will explore aspects of Middle-Earth beyond what is explicitly covered in The Hobbit novel (such as the battle of Dol Guldor). It is unknown if this is the worldwide release date but I would be verify surprised if it isn't. The full press release is below. Title image mockup from The One Ring.

The Hobbit Has Begun Rehearsals

Sir Ian McKellen has once again provide a new update on the status of The Hobbit production from his own unique perspective. The lastest is news the cast recently had its first researsal on the set of Bag End in the Stone STree Studios in Miramar, New Zealand. Below is the key snippet, his full entry can be found here.

...I was there too, in Hobbiton, with a semi-circle of dwarves and Bilbo, their reluctant host. I was at the cast’s first joint rehearsal where Peter Jackson, with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, invited our comments on their script so far. This is as close to bliss as an actor can get. Facing three Oscar-winning screenplay writers who genuinely want us actors to contribute. AND there were piles of snacks on the coffee tables: fresh fruit, NZ cheese, Minties.

McKellen: Bilbo in 3D

Sir Ian McKellen has added a new entry to his Hobbit blog where he speaks of seeing Martin Freeman in full Bilbo Baggins costume and makesup as they run through tests for the 3D cameras. Sadly no pictures were provided.

I've seen Bilbo — in three dimensions.

I was visiting old friends in the Stone Street offices and heard Martin Freeman was just round the corner by the permanent greenscreen, done up as Bilbo, testing his costume in front of the 3D cameras. Indeed, there he was in the open air, mostly oblivious to the camera, though turning this way and that as required. Martin improvised a hobbity gait, padding back and forth, testing his big hairy Hobbit feet, pointy ears and little tum.

Beneath the shade of a tent, in a sun hat, Andrew Lesnie was remotely controlling the two lenses within the mighty camera which digitally records in 3D. His screen showed the familiar 2D image but next to it, above the director's chair, was a large colour screen in full magical three dimensions, much as it will appear in the cinema — courtesy of the spy-glasses that transform the blurred outlines onscreen to the high definition exactitude of the 3D effect.

Three Bilbos simultaneously, two performances on screen and the actor beyond: which was the real one? Martin Freeman was transmuting into a character whose reality will soon be as authentic as his own.

— Ian McKellen, Wellington, March 2011

The Hobbit Subtitles Revealed?

Once the decision was made to break The Hobbit into two parts, it is natural to wonder what the official titles of the movies may be. Unlike The Lord of the Rings, there are no subtitles as chosen by JRR Tolkien. As a result Peter Jackson and company get to make them. For now the placeholder names have been simply The Hobbit Part One and The Hobbit Part Two but it seems The One Ring has learned of better candidate titles being considered:

Mr. Underbelly noticed that New Line has recently registered the following two film titles: The Hobbit: There and Back Again and The Hobbit: An/The Unexpected Journey

Note the order listed may not be the order the subtitles are used (even assuming they are used). The first title, There and Back Again, is a recall to Lord of the Rings and Bilbo's own title for his adventures. I am not sure if Unexpected Journey has any such call back to Tolkien works.

The Hobbit Miramar Set Pics

The One Ring has posted a gallery of images from The Hobbit sets that are being built on a soundstage in Miramar, New Zealand. The theory is the sets are for the Mines of Moria but that is unconfirmed. Click here for the full gallery.

Ronan Not Cast, Mountain Search, and Casting Call

There are two three pieces of new regarding The Hobbit production that is prepping to start up next year. The first is the rumor that Saoirse Ronan has been cast in the film. The actress shoots down the rumor telling The Irish Times, "No, nothing has actually been confirmed yet. I'd love to get a role in The Hobbit. I think everybody in the world would like a role in The Hobbit." I would not be surprised if something comes up for her in one of the two films.

The second piece of news is that The Hobbit production has been denied access to shoot at or around Mount Ngauruhoe. The mountain was used as Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. However since those films have been made the area has been declared scared ground by a local Maori tribe in New Zealand. The NZ Herald reports, "the moviemakers could instead fall back on Mt Taranaki and the Southern Alps. Location scouts have visited Taranaki, and Jackson is said to have flown into Queenstown recently to inspect the mountain-ringed Lake Wanaka." Considering some film making jiujutsu was used to make the mountain look the way it did for the trilogy, finding a replacement is more of an issue of inconvenience cost and than a problem for visual continuity for the films. (via Dark Horizons)

Last is an official casting call for Elves in New Zealand for the film according to The One Ring. If you don't live in the country, not news of value but does indicate that the film will make use of the race once again, likely with city visits and in battle scenes.

Freeman: The Hobbit "Very Daunting"

All signs indicate that The Hobbit is on schedule to begin principle photography on February 14th. Peter Jackson is currently recovering from his perforated stomach ulcer at home and reports indicate that Hobbiton has been closed from the public in preparation for filming. Meanwhile, Martin Freeman is getting closer to the "daunting" task of taking on the famous role of Bilbo Baggins.

“It’s very daunting – the daunting part is leaving home… I’m a real homebody, even before we had children, I was a homebody, so with children it’s like aww… I’m very excited though,” he told Modcast host Eddie Piller.

Martin initially turned down the role because of his commitments to the BBC detective drama. “I had to turn it down because of being contractually obliged to do the second series of Sherlock for the BBC, which we are doing in the middle of this year,” he recalled. ”I turned it down with a very heavy heart because things like this don’t come your way very often. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, as far as scale is concerned. It’s a huge, huge deal. But I was contracted to do Sherlock. I wanted to do both. When I found out I couldn’t do both it was very sad. And then it was very flattering when Peter Jackson rearranged the filming around my availability.”

Hobbit 3D, McKellen, Freeman, Hobbiton Updates

A few odds and ends have cropped up over the weekend regarding The Hobbit. Not really "new" news but more of an update on existing information such as further confirmation that The Hobbit films will be in 3D, Ian McKellen is still game to reprise Gandalf, Martin Freeman has begun prep for role of Bilbo Baggins, and Hobbiton nears completion.

ComicBookMovie.com reports that Peter Jackson has settled on using the EPIC camera for use in filming when production starts in February by ordering 30 of the very expensive cameras. "The Hobbit will be amongst the first productions in the world to use the EPIC and at least thirty cameras will be required by the 3D production," explained RED founder Jim Jannard in a forum post. I don't know enough about these things to consider it anything other than trivia but it does prove that Jackson is committed to making both films in real 3D.

In the next issue of Total Film, a new look on the set construction of Hobbiton. I had thought the set was completed but it’s possible that this is part of the expansion and strengthening of the underground Hobbit homes since Hobbit on will remain a standing tourist attraction once filming completes.

Martin Freeman provided a brief update in regards to prepping for the role of Bilbo Baggins saying "“I’ve had wig, feet, ears,” he revealed at the Evening Standard theatre awards on Sunday. “Full steam ahead for me to look like Bilbo.”

Sir Ian McKellen's official website has a new entry for 2010 indicating that he has been cast as Gandalf for the two Hobbit films. This is the closest so far to official confirmation that he has signed on to the film. Previously he has been a cheerleader of the films and consistently shown a desire to reprise the role but MGM and the actor boycott meant he had not yet signed a contract and expressed doubt that he would be able to if future projects created a schedule conflict. This update seems to indicate that is no longer an issue and he is prepped to once again be the beard.

Cast for The Hobbit Lead Roles Announced

Warner Bros and Peter Jackson have issued a press release that officially announces some of the lead castmembers for The Hobbit, specficially Bilbo Baggins and the Company of Dwarves.

It seems the schedule conflict with Sherlock has been sorted as Martin Freeman has scored the role of Bilbo Baggins, something that has been rumored for a while now and probably the result of the shooting start date being delayed to February. The press release is below but here is the summary of the casting, hit the links for their imdb.com profile.

Martin Freeman - Bilbo Baggins
Richard Armitage - Thorin Oakenshield (Dwarf), leader of the Company of Dwarves
Rob Kazinsky - Kili
Aidan Turner - Fili
Graham McTavish - Dwalin
John Callen - Oin
Stephen Hunter - Bombur
Mark Hadlow - Dori
Peter Hambleton - Gloin

There are still more roles to be cast. Both Ian McKellan (Gandalf) and Andy Serkis (Gollum) have both verbally said they are willing to reprise their roles. Currently casting rumors have Stephen Fry, Bill Nighy (as voice of Smaug the Dragon), Jimmy Nesbitt, Aiden Turner (as Elf King) and David Tennant also in contention for various roles.

The press release:

Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Rob Kazinsky, Aidan Turner, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow and Peter Hambleton have joined the ensemble cast of the The Hobbit, 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.; Steve Cooper, co-Chief Executive Officer of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., and Peter Jackson.

Since The Hobbit films received a green light on October 15, pre-production has been in full swing. Set for release in December, 2012 and December, 2013, we can confirm that Martin Freeman (The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Hot Fuzz) will play Bilbo Baggins, the hero of the story. Richard Armitage (UK TV's MI-5 and soon to appear in Captain America: The First Avenger) is set to play Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of the Company of Dwarves which sets off to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a thieving dragon.

"Despite the various rumours and speculation surrounding this role, there has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us,” says Peter Jackson. “There are a few times in your career when you come across an actor who you know was born to play a role, but that was the case as soon as I met Martin. He is intelligent, funny, surprising and brave - exactly like Bilbo and I feel incredibly proud to be able to announce that he is our Hobbit.”

He adds “Richard is one of the most exciting and dynamic actors working on screen today and we know he is going to make an amazing Thorin Oakensheild. We cannot wait to start this adventure with him and feel very lucky that one of the most beloved characters in Middle-earth is in such good hands."

Rounding out the Company of Dwarves are Aidan Turner (TV's Being Human) and Rob Kazinsky (TVs EastEnders) who play Kili and Fili, respectively. Jackson comments "Rob is an extremely talented young actor with a huge career in front of him, I'm thrilled that he has agreed to take on the role of Fili. Besides his talent as an actor, Rob is also a champion sword fighter; I'm looking forward to seeing the damage he can do to a horde of marauding Goblins!" He continues, "Adian is a wonderfully gifted young actor who hails from Ireland. I'm sure he will bring enormous heart and humor to the role of Kili."

The remaining dwarves will be played by Graham McTavish (Secretariat and TV's 24) as Dwalin; John Callen (TV's Power Rangers Jungle Fury) as Oin; Stephen Hunter (TV's All Saints) as Bombur; Mark Hadlow (King Kong) as Dori; and Peter Hambleton (TV's The Strip) as Gloin.

Jackson notes, "Graham is a terrific actor, with a great depth of experience, which I know he will bring to the role of "Dwalin. I have worked with Mark Hadlow on many projects; he is a fantastic actor. I am thrilled to be working with both of them on these movies. He adds, "I am also proud to announce the casting of New Zealand actors as Peter Hambleton, John Callen and Stephen Hunter. Fran and I know that they will bring great depth and talent to our Company of Dwarves."

The two The Hobbit films are 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 serving as co-producer and Ken Kamins as executive producer.

The Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed LOTR trilogy, also from the production team of Jackson, Walsh and Cunningham, 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.

The Hobbit Will Be in 3D, Casting Rumors

An official press release has been issued about the news that The Hobbit has the green light to begin production with Peter Jackson directing. With that release comes official verification that The Hobbit films will be released in 3D (which means the LOTR trilogy will likely be converted). On the bright side, it will be real 3D and not the fake post production 3D process used by The Last Airbender and Clash of the Titans to disastrous results.

On a related note, the news has kicked off multiple casting rumors. All unconfirmed and with the current actor boycott unlikely to be officially signed until that is settled one way or the other. Martin Freeman remains in the running, at least according to Simon Pegg, for Bilbo Baggins as the February start date is likely to come after Sherlock season 2 is filmed (but could create conflict for season 3 filming). Also in running for unknown roles are Jimmy Nesbitt, Michael Fassbender and the last Dr. Who David Tennant.

Hobbiton Nearing Completion

While the boycott from the .05% of New Zealand actors that somehow got the support of 99% of other non-New Zealand actors continues, pre-production continued on the location of Hobbiton. As the image from the Daily Mail shows, the location is actually pretty sizable in scope. Click here to view more images.

Bilbo has called in the builders as preparations for the latest JRR Tolkien blockbuster continues. Just weeks after sheep were spotted making the most of the old Lord Of The Rings' set, the New Zealand location has been revived for the two-part Hobbit prequel.

New Hobbit holes are being dug, while the old ones are being spruced up ready for the start of filming later this year. The set, which will portray the Hobbit village of Hobbiton, will remain as a permanent tourist attraction and theme park near the Waikato town of Matamata.

The Hobbits Begins Casting Process

Despite the financial situation with MGM having no end in site, Peter Jackson has moving forward in the un-official pre-production process by heading to Los Angeles to start meeting actors. Casting Director Victoria Burrows has been quietly assembling a roster of potential actors for the project. The Hollywood Reporter is also saying that Jackson is very close to signing a deal to direct the films once the film finally gets the official green light.

I am not sure how Peter Jackson will be able to sign up actors when he will be unable to even estimate a start date on the production. At this point everything continues to hinge on the MGM creditors who have no real leadership and seem at a complete loss on what to do next. Theoretically, Warner Bros. could take on the full cost of producing the films but it still requires MGM to sign off on it. Right now I doubt there is someone with the authority to approve it. As it is, it seems that Jackson is trying to get as much done as possible so that one the green light comes, he can pretty much start production immediately.

Jackson Might Direct The Hobbit Films

Now that Guillermo del Toro has quit as director of The Hobbit, the search for a new director has begun. del Toro had to quit because he had obligations to other projects that the year delay in The Hobbit films would have interfered with. Peter Jackson has consistently said he has no intention of directing the two films but has now added a new caveat to it. New Zealand's Stuff reports that if a suitable replacement is not found. However, even that has problems as Jackson has his own obligations to deal with.

"If that's what I have to do to protect Warner Bros' investment, then obviously that's one angle which I'll explore," he said. But stepping in as director would be difficult as he had signed writer and director contracts with Hollywood studios for two other films, with one likely to begin next year. "The other studios may not let me out of the contracts."

"One of my best friends died about a year ago," Del Toro said. "The main thing we have in common was at age 11 we read The Hobbit. We used to spend many, many afternoons talking about how great it would be to make The Hobbit into a movie. So it was very personal to me."

Jackson said November was now the earliest start date for shooting, but it depended on finding the right director. "I just don't know now until we get a new director. The key thing is that we don't intend to shut the project down.

"We don't intend to let this affect the progress. Everybody, including the studio, wants to see things carry on as per normal. The idea is to make it as smooth a transition as we can."

Clearly Peter Jackson has a strong desire to see the films made but at this point the cruz of everything is the future of MGM which remains murky and does not seem close to being settled. I don't see another director committing to the films until MGM is settled to avoid the same circumstances that del Toro and Jackson are in with future projects being potentially negatively affected due to the lack of a concrete timeline to work off of.

Del Toro: The Hobbit Not Greenlit, No 3D

While helping to promote Splice that is hitting theatres next Friday, The Hobbit Director Guillermo del Toro provided an update on the progress for the Hobbit. Specifically he verified the film has not yet been greenlit as MGM's financial status has not yet been determined. Additionally there is no intention of filming in 3D but that doesn't prevent the studio from deciding to convert it at a later date.

Q: We've been following your production of THE HOBBIT, and every time the production gets delayed. Do you know when you're actually going to start and get on set?
Guillermo del Toro: There cannot be any start dates really until the MGM situation is resolved, because they do hold a considerable portion of the rights, and it's impossible to make a unilateral decision by New Line or Warners to give the greenlight to proceed. We really believe that things will be known after the fact of MGM's fate. Whether they stay and get supported, or they get bought, or they transfer some of the rights: nobody knows. We've been caught in a very tangled negotiation.

Now I've been on the project for nearly two years. We have designed all the creatures; we have designed the sets and wardrobes; we have done animatics and planned very lengthy action sequences and scary sequences and funny sequences. We are very, very prepared for when it's finally triggered, but we don't know anything is sold.

Q: The story that was reported earlier today that THE HOBBIT has been greenlit and will be shot in 3D, that is false?
Del Toro: On both counts, there are no final answers. It is not greenlit. That is categorical. And 3D has been discussed literally once in the room. The budget and the schedule and everything that we are handling - the cost of the film, the number of days it would take to shoot - is being handled right now without looking towards 3D. Is there a chance it will become 3D in the future? Maybe. Right now, it's not being planned as such.

The Hobbit in "Design Phase"

MTV recently spoke with Richard Taylor who returns to middle earth as the Effects Supervisor on The Hobbit films after having the same role for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Currently the film is in the "design phase" but has not yet officially begun pre-production.

"The great thing now is that we have experience, which we didn't have last time. We were going into it so green. This time, at least, we have the knowledge of what we learned last time, and hopefully we're wise enough to learn from that."

..it's fantastic to think that we're going to be able to develop the dwarves to such a higher degree... the richness of their culture. The fact that through so many different dwarfs, you'll get to appreciate their cultural differences, where they come from, them as a people."

We haven't actually started fully on pre-production yet — we're still in the design phase — but it's a wonderful opportunity to work with a unique director in [director] Guillermo [del Toro] and continue to work with Peter [Jackson] as the producer, who is so heavily involved."

It's been an unrushed period of pre-pre-[production], and that's been a pleasure as everyone gets back into the right headspace," he said. "As far as schedules go, you'd need to talk to someone else about that. But from our own perspective, we're enjoying this early phase as it's ticking along."

New Rumors Indicate Hobbit Delay

The One Ring is reporting that the impending sale of MGM is behind the delay on the start of The Hobbit films.

The venerable film studio behind James Bond and about 4,000 other titles is reported to be in about $3.7 billion in debt but holds the distribution rights for two “Hobbit” films that are under contract to be made by Warner Bros. The two studios have an agreement in place to produce and distribute the film but financial difficulties for MGM, including the potential sale of the studio and its holdings, including rights to the films based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, has delayed the films.

“At this stage we are all working and hoping for the best case scenario. Without a doubt, the MGM situation carries great importance.”

It appears the two films will not get funded and green lights from the studios until the MGM financial affairs are settled. Meanwhile the team in New Zealand continues to work on pre-pre-production (or unofficial pre-production)...

Ian McKellen (Gandalf) posted that he expects production to begin in July. Meanwhile, Andy Serkis (Gollum) has told Digital Spy (video at link) that filming will start "at some point towards the end of this year I expect to start kicking off."

The "pre-pre-production" work has gone so far to include the construction of Hobbiton with a crew of 60 rebuilding the set that had been torn down in 2002. As Serkis indicated in his interview, he has been shown pre-visualization, at least one of the movies scripts is done with the other due very soon and there are rumors of extras casting about to begin soon. Basically it sounds like the "unofficial" pre-production is being treated as official by the crew of The Hobbit films with a goal of hitting that July start date. However, the recent push to make the films in 3D might push that date to October.

Considering how important the films are to Warner Bros. as tent pole features, I find it hard to believe they would delay the films a year unless they absolutely had no recourse. WB and MGM already have a contract for the films, the issue is simply making sure MGM can pay their half of the production costs. The joint agreement between WB and MGM was not something that WB even wanted but the result of one of many lawsuits New Line experienced once the Lord of the Rings trilogy became a huge success. I expect that if MGM cannot meet their contractual obligations, WB has other avenues to handle the issue, none of which require delaying the films. I think all involved would prefer to avoid any future court battles but it seems a year delay would be just as costly.

The sale of MGM is hoped to be completed by the summer. Once that occurs, hopefully something official about the future of the Hobbit films (and the Bond films) will be released. (links via Dark Horizons)