“Guillermo是一个才华横溢的电影制作人；他是一个能把大量热情、精力和想象带入工作的故事陈述者。Guillermo是一个充满新奇点子的人，是一个充满孩子般好奇的电影魔术师。他懂得任何幻想必须以真实为基础，所有故事也都是我们自身的写照。”Jackson和Walsh说道。“我们一直非常钦佩Guillermo的作品，并且觉得他是带我们回到中土之旅最合适的导演了。我们很高兴《霍比特人》被交予这样一个值得信赖的人。”

Del Toro说，“这是一项殊荣，能够成为Jackson和Walsh以及他们杰出的团队在新西兰创造的影视制作团体中的一员我非常幸运。我想感谢Bob Shaye,Michael Lynne, Toby Emmerich和Mark Ordesky将如此重任托付给我。能对《魔戒》的传奇故事有所贡献完全是一种梦想成真。”

Emmerich评论道，“Guillermo有那种将幻想世界通过引人注目而感性的方式变成现实的能力。他是能同彼得和弗兰一起将托尔金的中土重现银幕的理想人选。”

Parent补充道，“作为《霍比特人》的国际发行人，我们完全同意彼得，弗兰以及我们在新线公司的同事们的看法，Guillermo是导演这部影片的最理想选择。全球的观众都很欣赏他那独特的电影视角，充满幻想的指导，以及他极具张力的故事陈述能力。他的想象，加上与Jackson和Walsh的合作，一定能确保《霍比特人》带给全球影迷非凡的银幕享受。”

Del Toro将搬去新西兰，和Peter Jackson以及他的Wingnut、WETA工作组共事4年。他将连续执导两部影片——除了为我们讲述《霍比特人》的故事外，还将拍摄介于《霍比特人》和《护戒使者》之间60年的故事。

OSCAR®-NOMINATED FILMMAKER GUILLERMO DEL TORO

TO DIRECT “THE HOBBIT” AND ITS SEQUEL



“Hobbit” Executive Producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh Tap “Pan’s

Labyrinth” Director To Helm Latest Installments of “The Lord of the Rings” Saga


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Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Hellboy,” “Blade 2”) will direct “The Hobbit” and its sequel, it was jointly announced today by “The Hobbit” Executive Producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, New Line Cinema’s President and COO Toby Emmerich, and Mary Parent, Chairperson, Worldwide Motion Picture Group, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM).
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“Guillermo is a filmmaker of outstanding ability; he is a genuine storyteller who brings a tremendous amount of passion, energy and imagination to his work. A true original, Guillermo is a cinematic magician who has never lost his child-like sense of wonder. He understands that the fantastic must be grounded in the real and that all stories are only ever a reflection of ourselves,” say Jackson and Walsh. “We have long admired Guillermo’s work and cannot think of a more inspired filmmaker to take the journey back to Middle-earth. We are delighted ‘The Hobbit’ is in such trustworthy hands.”
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Del Toro says, “This is a great honor, and I am indeed blessed to become a part of the filmmaking community that Peter, Fran and their extraordinary team of collaborators have created in New Zealand. I want to thank them, Bob Shaye, Michael Lynne, Toby Emmerich and Mark Ordesky for entrusting me with such an incredible project. Contributing to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ legacy is an absolute dream come true.”
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Comments Emmerich, “Guillermo has a proven ability to bring fantasy worlds to life in a compelling and emotional way. He is the ideal filmmaker to work with Peter and Fran to bring Tolkien’s beloved Middle-earth back to the screen.”
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Parent adds: “As the international distributors for ‘The Hobbit’ films, we couldn’t agree more with Peter, Fran and our partners at New Line, Guillermo is the perfect choice to direct. Audiences across the globe enjoy his unique cinematic viewpoint, imaginative direction and provocative storytelling talents. His vision, in collaboration with Peter and Fran, will ensure ‘The Hobbit’ as a very special film experience for audiences worldwide.”
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Del Toro will move to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and his Wingnut and WETA production teams. He will helm the two films back to back – telling the story of “The Hobbit,” and its sequel, which will deal with the 60-year period between “The Hobbit” and “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
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New Line is overseeing development and will manage the production. “The Hobbit” and its sequel are being co-produced and co-financed by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Brothers distributing domestically and MGM distributing internationally. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh are executive producing the films.
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The Oscar®-winning, critically acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, “The Lord of the Rings: The 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.