I’ve been surprised by the angst on display from internetters in regards to Peter Jackson’s planned two Hobbit films. I would have thought that if any human being on Earth had earned the benefit of the doubt when it came to Tolkein’s work, it was Jackson (and his collaborators). And yet here are people who, upon hearing only that Jackson wants to do two prequel films for The Lord of the Rings, are fretting about stretching The Hobbit out beyond belief or about Jackson not understanding the tone of the story. It’s just weird – this guy got it right already, so let’s cut him some slack until we know for sure what’s going on.
We may now actually know a little more about what’s going on. Elijah Wood spoke with MTV Movies Blog about the prequel films today, saying that he’d be happy to be involved with the second one. Why the second one? That would be a bridge movie. “I haven’t spoken to him directly about it [but] I’ve e-mailed him, and as far as I know, the two films that they’re doing, one will be ‘The Hobbit’ and another will take place between the 60 years that happened between ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings,’” he told MTV. See? Now all of you guys can relax a little bit.
Wood says that he would be happy to show up in a reprise of his Frodo role if asked; obviously Frodo wouldn’t have a lot to do in a bridge film, but he could make a nice cameo. As for what would make up the bridge film – a bunch of lore from the Silmarillion? Aragorn hunting Gollum? The tribulations of the White Council? Bilbo teaching Frodo the ways of love? – that’s locked in Jackson’s head at the moment. Although I’m sure that won’t stop some people from getting all freaked out about it.