Hobbit 3D Glasses Look Cool – That'll Justify the Blatant Cash-Grab, Right?

From HobbitFilm.it (via Coming Soon) is the special Middle-Earthized 3D specs you'll get this Christmas for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

I've made my piece with how cynical this trilogy decision is, no matter the spin from Warner Brothers and Peter Jackson. Doesn't mean I have to like it or will quietly shut up. Oh no, they're gonna squeeze every penny from our pockets for what should have been one, three-hour movie into three, long movies over the next three years. That gives me carte blanche to call em out.

Oh yeah, the glasses look cool.

Skyfall Trailer

I'll do everyone a favor and shut up. For once.

Enjoy the epic trailer for Skyfall from Yahoo! Movies. There's also an international trailer. But there isn't much difference. Pick your poison. I am now officially jealous of those who get to see this in October.

The Hobbit is Officially a Trilogy

It was going to happen the moment Peter Jackson planted the seeds at Comic-Con. The Hobbit is going to be a trilogy. There's just too much money to be made here, and Warner Brothers frankly wants as big a sure-thing as possible. Doesn't make it a good idea but financially speaking, it makes all the sense in the world.

This morning, Jackson has taken to Facebook to officially announce their change of course:

"It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie - and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life.  All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved 'yes.'

We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance.  The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.

So, without further ado and on behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.

It has been an unexpected journey indeed, and in the words of Professor Tolkien himself, 'a tale that grew in the telling.'

Cheers,

Peter J"

While details are early and many of the fine print to be determined later, Jackson and Warner Brothers are aiming the closing Hobbit installment for an unorthodox summer 2014 release. Knowing the Brothers Warner, probably the middle-to-end of July; a date that's been good to them. The Salkinds would approve of this blatant cash-grab.

The Hangover Part III Is Real, People - There's Promo Art to Prove It!

Hopefully Todd Phillips will end the trilogy with class and sty--who are we kidding? It's going to be another pricey, glorified retread of The Hangover. That didn't bother me as much as others for Part II, besides Phillips point-blank lying when that question was posed in pre-production.

At this point we should know better. It’s irrelevant since it'll still make a fortune. The public loved that Wolfpack. Courtesy of Legendary Entertainment's Facebook:

A Shining Prequel In Development - Yeah That Makes Sense

Feel like Warner Brothers picked the wrong time to spring on the LA Times their "exploring the possibility" for a prequel to Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Everyone was all "Prequels are cool!" following X-Men: First Class and Rise of the Apes. Then came Prometheus as the great divider of this summer and we're back to square one. Also doesn't help someone has the nuts to want to directly follow in Kubrick's foot-steps.

Said balls belong to Laeta Kalogridis (a producer on Shutter Island and Avatar), Bradley Fischer and James Vanderbilt. If nothing else, the trio is bold. You have to hand it to them.

I guess this would focus more on the Overlook Hotel and how it became so spooky. Barry Nelson uttering those three little words, "Indian burial ground" wasn't enough apparently. But I would forgive it all if they get someone to mimic Scatman Crothers this side of Karl Urban's Bones McCoy.

The Hobbit Wasn't Stretched Out Enough - Now It's a Trilogy?

The story they tell on the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring DVD (the Extended Editions, duh!) is how Bob Shaye was dumbfounded at the thought of turning J.R.R. Tolkien's literary trilogy into two films. "Now Peter... why in the world would anyone want to make two movies? Isn't it three books? Then it should be three movies!"

If only Shaye's wisdom was around today to slap some sense into Peter Jackson.

What was supposed to be The Hobbit and an untitled Lord of the Rings "bridge" film has ballooned into The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Instead of one three-hour cinematic undertaking on Tolkien's children story is going to be two, three-hour endeavors, caulked full of brand-new characters, like Evangeline Lilly as a warrior Elf (Not picking on her; just giving an example) and including favorites who had nary a presence in the afore-mentioned novel.

But that isn't enough for Jackson, who must wear out as much good will as possible and remind me why Guillermo del Toro's exiting was the last straw in my giving a shit. THR confirms discussions first brought aloud by Jackson at Comic-Con. He, along with producer/wife Fran Walsh and co-writer/producer/pal Philippa Boyens are in talks with Warner Brothers to stretch The Hobbit into a trilogy.

All comes to down "figuring out the logistics." Translation: if the studio will agree to hand over enough cash to everyone to willingly return for more, since reshoots are already scheduled next summer anyway for There and Back Again. Of course, it will happen. Warner Brothers is still hurting for sure-thing money-printing franchises in the wake of Harry Potter and Christopher Nolan's Batman ending and the status of Zack Snyder's Superman in the "Too early to tell" phase.

I despise the very notion of treating us movie-goers as idiots, thinking we'll just keep coming back for more. But in this case, especially overseas, you couldn't find a safer done-deals.

Life of Pi Trailer is Gorgeous

Talk coming out of ShoWest was nothing short of raves, not to mention the generally-overblown "Oscar buzz," for Ang Lee's Life of Pi. Then there was that single production still Fox sent out. Not aware of the originating Yann Martel novel. So while it was intriguing, couldn't get past how odd it looked.

Until viewing the 3D preview scene in front of Prometheus. Good enough to consider my ticket sold then and there. Hopefully the reaction from your screening(s) wasn't mine. Lots of "Huuuh, what was thaaaaat?" (Yes, I'm adding to Southern stereotypes).

Now Fox has released the theatrical trailer for your viewing pleasure:

Edgar Wright & J.J. Abrams - Together At Last

We'll spare you any Steve Weintraub jokes, though a Matt Goldberg one might be thrown in for good measure. There's a film called Collider, not named after the movie-news site we all dig, in development, "TOLDJA" reports.

The intriguing aspect is the involvement of Edgar Wright, attached to direct and co-author the screenplay with I Am Legend's Mark Protosevich. Wright's a talent guy beloved as a cult figure by the online community. Yet to breakout with a four-quad hit. Like Sam Raimi before him, it's all in due time to happen for the British helmer.

Sadly J.J. Abrams is producing, via his Bad Robot productions. Don't expect details. That image of the pair yuking it up is supposed to be enough to peak our curiosity. For once, they're right.

Andrew Stanton Going Back to the Well - Directing Finding Nemo 2

You can't help but think Andrew Stanton is returning to safe-ground like a dog with its tail between its legs. Animation has been good to him (I present two Academy Awards as Exhibit A) but John Carter was intended as his transition to live-action. Something meant to stick. Why go back to the medium?

Because Carter, while a creative triumph, has gone down in the mere five months since its release as one of the all-time commercial flops. While it will take years for its reputation to stop being linked to its theatrical failings, Stanton still has to work. But what could he possibly do now following such an infamous turkey?

Hey, how about Finding Nemo 2!

Reports "TOLDJA," he will direct the sequel to one of Pixar's highest grossing features based on an original concept. The trade-off, probably what sparked Stanton's interest in going back to the well, is the promise Disney will back his sophomore live-action effort. A fair trade, in the event the Mouse honors it – nothing is set in stone on said verbal agreement reportedly.

Ed Helms Going on "Vacation"

Back in February, the rumor-mill was churning Ed Helms would play the grown-up Rusty Griswold for a new Vacation sequel. He denied such claims, leaving many to sigh wondering how he would have matched up to Anthony Michael Hall, Jason Lively, Johnny Galecki and Ethan Embry. Oh the possibilities.

THR says, spoiler alert, actors lie. Helms will do his Andy Bernard routine as Clark Griswold's prodigal son embarking with his own family on a vacation. Rest assured, there will be hijinks and Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo will, somehow, be configured into this equation.

While not what strikes me as the best course of action for Helms (Surely he's had better offers), the life-cycle of a comedy star can be swift and cruel. You're hot one minute and gone the next. Helms is playing it smart, milking this for all its worth as The Hangover Part III shoots this fall for next Memorial Day release (I'd bet all the strands of hair on Zack Galifianakis' beard gets the 3D treatment) and getting paid premium bucks on the sinking-ship formerly known as The Office.