The Hobbit has no official green-light and no director... here are ten that may solve both problems...

On May 31, I wrote a breaking news article for Shadowlocked announcing that Guillermo del Toro had stepped down as the director of The Hobbit. Citing MGM Studio’s financial struggles and delays in receiving an official green light for the Hobbit project, del Toro decided that the frustration was not worth the red tape and was ambivalent towards the prospect of a three-year commitment stretching into possibly six years. Executive Producer and Director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy Peter Jackson immediately assured fans that production on The Hobbit would not be affected and that the search for a new director would begin immediately. Naturally, this begs the question – ‘who will Jackson and MGM now choose to helm The Hobbit?’ Regardless of who they eventually decide on, I compiled a list of directors who, for various reasons, would be intriguing picks to be the one to take us back to Middle Earth. Some are possible, some are highly unlikely, but all are discussion-inspiring choices. Here they are, in order of likelihood.

9. Christopher Nolan (The Prestige, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight)

For Jackson and MGM to acquire the talents of Christopher Nolan for The Hobbit would be a coup of epic proportions. It would also require Nolan to cease work on his wildly-successful Batman reboot, the third movie of which he and his brother, Jonathan, are currently writing. Such a move would send LOTR fanboys into convulsions of giddiness and Batman fanboys into apoplexies of rage. Nolan has already shown his deftness at compelling storytelling and character development. The only complaint may be what appears to be Nolan’s only weakness – fight sequences. The Hobbit ends with the massive Battle of the Five Armies. Would Nolan be able to properly capture such a huge event to LOTR fanatics’ satisfaction?

Odds: 1000-1. Practically nil. Nolan has publicly shown no interest in The Hobbit helmsman spot and is already fully invested in wrapping up his Batman films. To suddenly jump ship to a different franchise would be a bizarre move, especially now that Nolan has near-total authority in how he will craft his third Batman film. Directing The Hobbit would require him to change studios and be beholden to the MGM executives’ grasp on a very high-profile franchise in The Hobbit. As great as this choice would be, its likelihood is almost impossible.

8. James Cameron (Titanic, Terminator 2, Avatar)

You need a big budget director? Then James Cameron might just be the man for the job. Director of the two highest-grossing films of all time (Titanic & Avatar), Cameron is on the shortlist of great epic directors of the modern era. The battle scenes, action, and enormous scale of The Hobbit would be child’s play for the Hollywood veteran. The problem with Cameron taking up the reins, quite frankly, is his enormous success. He is one of the few directors on the planet who has outdone Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy in terms of box office receipts. This success, coupled with Cameron’s legendary ego, may not be conducive to him taking a “replacement” role, even one so feverishly anticipated as The Hobbit.

Odds: 200-1. More likely than Nolan directing, but that’s not saying much. Not only is Cameron working on a screenplay for a sequel to Avatar, he’s also working on writing and directing a segment to the upcoming Heavy Metal movie, producing a remake of Fantastic Voyage, and writing and directing an adaptation of the popular Manga series Battle Angel. Directing The Hobbit would put all those projects on hold for at least three years and, especially in the case of the Avatar sequel, would be a crushing disappointment for fans of those eagerly-awaited films. Cameron’s power is such that he can practically dictate to studios, rather than vice-versa, but 20^th Century Fox is anticipating another cash cow in the Avatar sequel and would put enormous pressure on Cameron to complete the sequel before any other projects if Cameron were to hint that he was considering jumping ship. An interesting possibility, but a very slim one.

7. Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, E.T., you name it)

Spielberg is another Hollywood heavyweight who has literally done it all – horror, science fiction, action, drama, fantasy, et al. Pick a genre and the odds are that Spielberg has not only written, produced, and directed it, but he’s done it better than nearly everyone else. Not a surprise then that Spielberg is one of the prestigious names being bandied about by LOTR fans when discussing their dream picks for del Toro’s replacement. Attaching Spielberg to The Hobbit would ratchet up the anticipation level even higher (if that’s possible). The major roadblock for signing him up, however, is much the same as it would be for James Cameron. Spielberg is so prolific and respected that he can pick and choose his projects at will, so jumping into a film that has already been designed and written by other people would not tend to mesh with his status level. When Steven Spielberg directs a movie these days, it is meticulously planned by his handpicked team, down to the tiniest detail. Directing The Hobbit would almost make him an outsider, something he has not been used to in decades.

Odds: 50-1. Spielberg’s power precludes him from having to toe the studio line, something that would be necessary if he were to toss his hat in the ring. Directing The Hobbit would put him in the rare position of directing something that he has not written, produced, designed, or crafted in any meaningful way. That being said, Spielberg and Peter Jackson have been working together on the film adaptation of The Adventures of Tintin. Might Spielberg be receptive if Jackson were to mention his dire need of a big-name director to keep pressure on MGM to green-light The Hobbit? Not likely, but a meaningful possibility.

6. Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven)

Need to film a battle scene with several thousand participants swinging swords, shooting arrows, and generally being epically warlike? Well, the production team for The Hobbit will. And Ridley Scott knows his way around an enormous battle scene like the back of his hand. His work in Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and the recent Robin Hood shows that Scott has lost none of his zeal or ability in transporting the viewer right into the heart of amazing battle sequences. But the fog of war is not Scott’s only specialty. He has also helmed successful drama pieces, including Thelma & Louise and American Gangster, and got his feet wet in the fantasy genre with cult favorite Legend in 1985.

Odds: 30-1. Scott is reportedly deep in pre-production with his planned prequel to Alien and it is unlikely that anything, even a mega-franchise such as The Hobbit, would rouse him from fleshing out his own Alien universe. He is also attached to novel adaptations of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and Joe Haldeman’s Forever War. In short, Scott looks to be a very busy man in the next several years and expecting him to set it all aside to focus on The Hobbit for a minimum of three years is a long shot.

5. Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Shrek 2, Chronicles of Narnia)

Probably the least well-known director on this list, Adamson still deserves very serious consideration thanks to his success in big budget films as well as a career that eerily reflects Peter Jackson’s in a few key points. After all, along with Neill Blomkamp and Jackson, Adamson is a fellow New Zealander. He worked as a visual effect supervisor on Batman Forever and Batman & Robin (let’s face it – if there was anything NOT entirely embarrassing about Batman & Robin, it was probably the special effects). He later went on to direct the hugely-successful Shrek and Shrek 2. When Disney put out a call for their Chronicles of Narnia novel adaptations, they pegged Adamson, who wrote, produced, and directed The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. Although the two films were released to somewhat-mixed reviews, Adamson was praised for his successful transition from animation to live action film. Not only did he have the opportunity to hone his skills at epic storytelling, many scenes were filmed at or near locations that Jackson used for Lord of the Rings. In short, Adamson knows New Zealand and, by proxy, knows Middle Earth.

Odds: 20-1. Adamson’s status as Jackson compatriot can only help him here. He has taken a somewhat-reduced role in the next Narnia movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, only acting as producer for this go-round. The fourth movie in the series, The Silver Chair, has not yet been reported to be in pre-production. In short, Adamson seems to be in a position to easily free his schedule if need be. The problem with Adamson is that the Chronicles of Narnia films have been widely branded in negative critical reviews as inferior copies of the LOTR films. The last thing that MGM would want is a director who can’t quite capture the essence of Middle Earth and has already been tagged as an also-ran. Unfairly or not, Adamson would need to overcome that stigma to earn a seat at the director’s chair.

4. Sam Raimi (Evil Dead trilogy, Spiderman trilogy)

With the stepping down of Guillermo del Toro, Sam Raimi is a choice that is sure to come up many times in the ensuing director search. One reason for that is Raimi’s expressed interest in the job. The director of the Evil Dead and Spiderman trilogies, Raimi lobbied for the original job before del Toro was selected in 2008 to direct. Now that the director’s chair is once again vacant, Raimi may once again try to clear his schedule. This instance may be more difficult, however, as Raimi and Blizzard Entertainment struck a deal in 2009 to film an adaptation of the popular Warcraft PC game.

Odds: 15-1. Raimi’s interest is not debatable, but it must be noted that he already tried and failed to lock down this position once before. Now with a fuller schedule, it is debatable whether Raimi would spend the effort required to clear the next few years off of his calendar to try for the job again. Raimi has no experience with big budget epics, but has shown a deft hand in special effects, cinematography, and humor, something that would be very important to capture the lighter mood of The Hobbit.

3. Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits, Brazil, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen)

As admittedly bizarre and incredible as choosing Gilliam would be to film a return jaunt into Middle Earth, this choice makes a lot of sense upon further examination. For one, Gilliam is no stranger to productions fraught with bad luck and strangeness (see The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus). Bringing him in now would practically make him feel at home. More importantly, Gilliam has a brilliant eye for imagery, cinematography, and journeys into strange lands. Underrated for his entire career, Gilliam was also J.K. Rowling’s first choice to take the wheel of the Harry Potter franchise after Chris Columbus’ first two abysmally pedestrian Potter films. Warner Brothers didn’t have the courage to tap Gilliam for the position and his ‘under the radar’ career continued on. Would MGM possibly consider hiring the evil genius behind Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas to film what is, essentially, a children’s movie?

Odds: 12-1. Finally we come down to the cream of the crop, the ‘final few’, if you please. Don’t count out Gilliam, who has been so close to breaking out into the worldwide mainstream. Gilliam fans aren’t just fans - they’re fanatics. And really, what fan of cinema could resist a look at Middle Earth through Gilliam-colored glasses? As far as his current projects, the infamous The Man Who Killed Don Quixote was restarted into pre-production in 2009, after a nine-year delay. To be honest, another delay of three years or so would not make much of a difference at this point. Also up for consideration is the fact that Gilliam has extensive experience with little people, who have made appearances in nearly every Gilliam film ever made. He is an ardent supporter of little people’s rights and is very nearly a legend among little actors. In a mythical world rife with hobbits and dwarves, could that experience be the key in swinging support his way? Only time will tell.

2. Neill Blomkamp (District 9)

A fascinating wild card in The Hobbit pool, Blomkamp has a widely-vocal following to replace del Toro on the basis of one feature film and powerful connections. Blomkamp’s surprise hit of 2009, District 9, garnered multiple Academy Award nominations and grossed over $200 million on a paltry (in this day and age) budget of $30 million. A critical and moviegoer smash, the success of District 9 has widened the number of projects Blomkamp can now choose from and The Hobbit is now one particularly large possibility.

Odds: 8-1, tentatively. Perhaps the hardest choice to place odds on, Neil Blomkamp is a newcomer to the big budget stage, but one thing cannot be ignored – his mentor is fellow New Zealander Peter Jackson. It was through Jackson’s clout that Blomkamp was able to push District 9 through the studio grinder and Jackson’s faith was well-rewarded. Might he now try to reward Blomkamp in kind by giving him a behemoth franchise to direct? Jackson is arguably closer to Blomkamp than anyone else on this list. On the other hand, however, Blomkamp explicitly stated in a January 2010 interview with the Los Angeles Times that he was entirely uninterested in doing big budget films because of the studio interference that generally comes with such projects, as well as the recent trend of unoriginality among blockbusters. The Hobbit’s production would undoubtedly be followed with keen interest by the suits at MGM and novel adaptations leave very little wiggle room for originality. Would Jackson’s involvement be enough for Blomkamp to overlook those details just this once?

1. Alfonso Cuaron (Y tu mama tambien, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men)

One of the early frontrunners for The Hobbit films’ replacement, and rightly so, Alfonso Cuaron is another criminally underappreciated director by mainstream moviegoers. Unlike Terry Gilliam, however, Cuaron did get a crack at the Harry Potter franchise. Looking forward to the 2-part Deathly Hallows films in late 2010 and 2011? You may have Cuaron to thank for even getting the chance to see them. After the afore-mentioned Chris Columbus-directed Sorcerer’s Stone and woefully inept Chamber of Secrets, Warner Brothers finally looked to Cuaron for the adaptation of the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The result was what is still widely considered to be the most accurate and well done Potter adaptation, a fantastic mix of fantasy, dark imagery, and flat-out fun, which pulled the series out of the doldrums and back into ‘critical darling’ status.

Odds: 6-1. My current favorite to direct The Hobbit, Cuaron has been friends with the outgoing del Toro for over 20 years. Cuaron produced del Toro’s incredible Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006 and the two are co-owners of Cha Cha Cha Films with Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. The two Mexican filmmakers are close business partners and often have roles in each other’s projects. Pegging Cuaron to continue del Toro’s work would likely cause an extremely smooth transition from the old director to new. Fans of Cuaron’s work in the Prisoner of Azkaban and 2006’s sci-fi masterpiece Children of Men know his genius of creating imaginatively lifelike worlds. If Cuaron were able to deftly add a bit more lightness and whimsy to his repertoire, he might be perfect for Middle Earth.

SUPPLEMENTAL: Peter Jackson (The Frighteners, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lovely Bones)

No conversation regarding The Hobbit’s director would be complete without mentioning the man who made our original journey to Middle Earth possible. Upon the announcement that Guillermo Del Toro was stepping down, it was Jackson who assuaged public fears of an imminent project collapse and assured fans that work would be going ahead on schedule. He also denied the possibility that he would go ahead and direct. Soon after, he not only denied the rumors that he would direct but specifically stated that he did not want to direct and was categorically uninterested in the role, reiterating that he was perfectly happy in his position as Executive Producer. But it is Jackson’s Middle Earth that millions of fanboys know and it will be interesting to see if public and studio pressure causes Jackson to reconsider.

Odds: ???. Jackson has deftly parried, on numerous occasions, the calls for him to reinsert himself into The Hobbit’s director debate. A June 1, 2010 report by New Zealand’s Dominion Post quoted Jackson as saying that he would direct only if no other suitable director could be found and if that was ‘the only way’ to complete the film. In short, Jackson would direct only as an absolute last resort. He alone knows the difficulty of bringing LOTR to life and the interminable struggles and stressors of such a position. So I am happy with my pick of Alfonso Cuaron as the frontrunner for The Hobbit. But as Tolkien said, the road goes ever on and on. And even though the possibility is remote, stranger things have happened in the weird world of film.

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