Insanity Lurks

I think they made the trilogy for love of the story and created something magical, but they're doing the Hobbit to make money, pure and simple. Bring back all the Names, even if they have no place in the story, and shoot it in 3D *shudders*. The second movie is going to be a kind of fanfiction from the look of things, and I'm already wondering who the love interest will be.

If David Tennant ends up as Thranduil it will be ridiculous casting, of course, but if they're using Hugo Weaving ten years on for Elrond, what does that tell you about how interested they are in having elven-seeming elves?

Sorry, just needed to get that off my chest.

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I was gonna say, hey! if Hugo Weaving could play Elrond AGAIN then anything goes! Love Hugo Weaving and always have. But I was appalled at the idea of him as Elrond in anybody's imagination.

David Tennant is very cool, but I picture a gorgeous, mildly androgenous blond for Thranduil. But that's me!

Edited Date: 2011-01-12 05:38 am (UTC)

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Thranduil is the Elvenking! Just the word conjures up images of a warrior, a powerful ruler, someone solid and charismatic. And drop dead gorgeous.

I can't believe how upset I am about all this. I think I still haven't gotten over hearing Hugo was coming back ---- he is a wonderful actor, brought great gravitas to the role, but you needed to close your eyes...

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I'm feeling your pain! You sound so much like me when I get wrought up over these questions that I am laughing at myself and not you at the moment!

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Oh, I'm laughing at myself too, just ---- so FRUSTRATING when you see something going horribly wrong and you can do absolutely nothing about it *g*.

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If I were filthy rich there are rights to films that I would buy!

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malinorne2003.livejournal.com

Just agreeing with everything you said, about Weaving, and particularly about Thranduil. If they're bringing in Legolas again for the money and the fangirls, then at least they should give us "fancrones" a believable Elvenking. Grrr...

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I've thought about that, I'm waiting to see an announcement for Hugo. I just don't see how this is going to work.

This feels like a cash cow operation, yes. The Hobbit is a straight up adventure story, it does not need two films, and it is not a sweeping epic. The studio executives are thinking money and I don't know what PJ is thinking. Some of both?

I'm not thrilled about the 3D, feels like jumping on a fad.

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I read that Hugo agreed in principle to come back quite some time ago. I'm waiting to see what Liv Tyler's plans are for the next year or two :|

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mdarkdreamer.livejournal.com

Well, Tennent is a royal shakespeare theatre actor so perhaps he can pull it off. He was awsome in Hamlet. Yes, Quirky, sci-fi human doctor iz all good but I see your point. Im trying to stay positive, its a hard chariter to cast I would think, its Thran after all heheeh

~Dark

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I wondered how you felt about it, particularly being a Thrandy writer yourself. It's nothing personally against the guy, I just don't think he has Elven qualities. He's very Mannish, or even he'd be good as a Wizard!

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mdarkdreamer.livejournal.com

He is also to skinny, Thran was a powerful King and warrior. If anything, he would have Glorfindels build, big and buff and prety

~Dark

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Not skinny, yes. Solid. He has always struck me as very solid.

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enismirdal.livejournal.com

This was actually my thought too - just cos I'm used to seeing him play the Doctor doesn't necessarily mean he is incapable of playing if you like, more "mature" roles. He didn't particularly come across as Doctor-like in Hamlet. (Part of me would love to see him play Thranduil with his natural accent, though!)

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mdarkdreamer.livejournal.com

(Part of me would love to see him play Thranduil with his natural accent, though!)

Oh now that would be cool! That accent speaking Elvish and angry and...yeah that would be a Guh....

I have seen him with a wig, granted brunette, when he dressed like a lady in a show he was in where he was cross-gender and he was prety but...still, he is to skinny heheheeh

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB-M_tYhLGU

~Dark

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I'm a softie for an accent and I do think it would be interesting if they played up accents between the realms a bit.

Who knows, he could be fantastic, really. Just - I'm worried casting is based more on what's current and drawing in people (riding the Doctor Who wave). I don't think they did that as much with the trilogy and it worked pretty well.

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nikkiling2.livejournal.com

I can't believe I'm gonna say this but... he's too skinny. And his eyes are too buldgy. I guess I've always pictured Thranduil as... well... Jason Isaacs-ish.
But I do like Martin Freeman as Bilbo. THAT I can see. And Richard Armitage is pretty... oooh! HE would make a nice Thanduil! Too bad he's already cast as Thorin.
I think I'm still trying to figure out why Legolas is rumored to be there. He was never in the Hobbit. Are they just trying to pull in some 'big' names to attract certain audiences?

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I love these discussions! I am wanting to ask, isn't Jason Isaacs Draco's dad? Not Thranduil! They can never please everyone. That is the advantage of using semi-unknown actors to play widely read book characters. A better chance of not the actor not bringing baggage along with them for the picky readers.

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Well, I think Jason Isaacs could bring some gravitas to the role and suits it in various aspects. He has too strong a connection to HP though (yes, he's Draco's dad). He's not going to disappear into the role any at all.

I just - don't see David Tennant as having any Elven qualities to him, nothing against the guy.

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I remember thinking before I saw PJ's LotR films that I had no idea what Legolas looked like. Wasn't even sure he was blond, although I was willing to entertain the idea since I thought of Thranduil as blond. But Orlando Bloom, who I had only seen for a matter of minutes in a small role, really defined the character for me and remains for me the best casting in the three films. I doubt if he had been a well-known actor he would have worked as well for me.

I, however, to contradict myself, was just saying to someone else earlier today, that in my opinion the casting in the Harry Potter films, despite any other problems one might have with them, has been consistently brilliant and they have used a lot of established actors and played to an audience which really knows the books.

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Actually the one that really gets me is why the heck is Frodo in there? I can see Legolas being in there with a bit of stretch. It's Mirkwood. It's total fanservice, but there's more reason for him than Frodo.

I didn't want Jason Isaacs, purely because everyone would be yelling Lucius! at the screen, but that kind of bearing and charisma - solidness, I suppose, is how I see Thranduil.

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Frodo either was not born yet or was a tiny child? I can't do the math at this time of night. It must be some weird flashback scene or something.

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Either that or a flashforward, but then again, we have no idea exactly what they are writing to make the hobbit two films.

Which to me makes no sense, because out of all Tolkien's books, the Hobbit was the most straightforward adventure, one movie book.

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Maybe somebody working on the project has fallen in love with The History of Middle-Earth series and wants to pull things out of it. God only knows! There are tons of stories and multi-versions of all of those. Why I will probably never get completely tired of Tolkien fanfiction.

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Frodo's supposed to be reading from the book at the start of the movies or something - a bit like the intro to FotR I guess. I don't see any other way they could do it, I think the Hobbit's action took place about 60 years before LotR.

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OK. I think Frodo is supposed to be about 40 in Hobbit years at the time of LotR (apparently how they justified using a 20-year-old to play him first time around--not complaining about Frodo--I bought that piece of casting completely once I had seen the first movie).

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nikkiling2.livejournal.com

I wouldn't want Jason Isaacs either, mostly because of Potter. But he's who I see. Solidness... yes. That's the word I was looking for. Someone with the bearing of an old tree that has withstood the ages, not someone who looks like they could blow away in a soft breeze. But maybe Tennant will surprise us?
...Although I still think his eyes are too buldgy.

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Tennant could make a cool Thrandy, he surely has the acting skills to pull off the complicated character that this elf is. I mean many went like wtf with Jonathan Rhys Meyers being cast as Henry the VIII, forgetting that once this King was surely eyecandy at the courts when he was young. The make up and costume departmant let him age very well and I rather have a decent actor cast than one who looks pretty but screws up the rest. :)

Just my 2 eurocents.

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I think it would probably be well-acted, and I'd rather have well-acted than pretty with no substance, I'll agree there. It depend on what he does with it and how they write the role for him.

I thought JRM was very pretty in Tudors. I think it worked, that's what we consider now and I'm sure Henry was considered prime in his time. I'd just not argue it's historically accurate. :D Besides, Charles (Henry Cavill) was the real eyecandy, particularly the later seasons. *fans face*

Just my own two cents though!

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Yeps, we'll just have to see. I have seen names of Harry Potter actors mentioned (the one who plays daddy Malfoy I believe), but I never have seen those movies and I don't have a clear idea or am set on who should play him. At this point I'd be glad that the elf will appear in the movies, you know?

As for the Tudors, the more I read - non-fictional-wise - about that period I can see what they have done with it plotwise. It might deviate here and there from some facts, but overall they got everything - especially the political powerplay - down extremely well. Even with this show, folks who have read everything from Elisabeth Weir tend to trot out her works as the truth, but there is more than her to read and find out about that age :) Whoops, how did I get on this soapbox, whoboy LOL

But with JRM, what I absolutely found done well is how he took the role of Henry, and made you loathe the character at the end and yet feel pity for that King. I mean, he acted a character that was non-attracted (and yes, Henry Cavill remained looking so so so good *yum*) for the female audience. From what I have seen from Tennant beyond Dr Who, is that he is that kind of actor that can do really something with a role and try to get as close to the book character (instead of the poor poor fate of Glorfindel being reduced to a trading card character or Imrahil who gets renamed to a different Gondorian character and gets one bloodly line, you know?).

But we'll see, I am already pleased immensely with the Bilbo casting and I still think Bruce Willis would make a fine Bard the Bowman *giggle*

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tuxedo-elf.livejournal.com

Mixed feelings... on the positive side, we know he can act and there are worse choices! On the negative, he's not how I visualise Thranduil AT ALL (see icon :P) and it is total fanservice. They want to pull the sci-fi crowd in. (Most of us are already here, damnit!)

I think Kei is right when she said this is more about money than love. I'm not at all happy at the return of Legolas and Frodo - though I wish I could say I was surprised.

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When PJ did the trilogy, he messed with parts, but you could argue he had to - Arwen was a mere slip of a mention, whoever watched it would be very confused why Aragorn didn't run off with Eowyn. But on whole, he assured people repeatedly that he was staying true to the source.

I've read the Hobbit. There is absolutely no need to make that book two novels. Yes, you need to hint at the future, perhaps, but...money, it's definitely money. It's really sad.

Leggie's fan service, and I have a harder time envisioning it, seeing as he is rather older than he was when he first played the part. I'm not sure how it's going to work? Facially he had a young, timeless lot to him. He's older and looks it. Someone said here that Frodo could be just narrating, in which case, that's a nice little touch, though.

It feels like they are picking people to make money, not picking people because of the right casting. (I hear you about the sci-fi crowd!)

Was really nice to see you here, Tux. *hugs*

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You know, I just sit here, see that Marcus Schenkenberg as your Thrandy and suddenly I have this ephinany: Josh Holloway as Thranduil! Hot Damn! That would be a very very good one *nods*

I better get myself off to bed before I end up in trouble here

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Actually, I could kind of see that!

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Now his eyes work for me. I --- rather like the look of him, yes. Elvenking? Yes, could see that *g*

Oh - Rhaps? Your Christmas card arrived. Thank you so much, sweetie. I'll be better about getting mine out next time.

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malinorne2003.livejournal.com

Not familiar at all with Tennant, but from the pics I've just been looking out... no. Not Thranduil. Not the right 'type' at all.

But, I still have to say I'm immensely relieved to hear any rumours at all about someone being cast as Thranduil. Ever since word came out that Legolas would be in The Hobbit and would lead the Five Armies etc, I've been fearing that the Elvenking might be treated like Glorfindel was in LOTR. He may still be reduced to a grumpy, irrational prison guard of sorts, but even that would be better than nothing. I realize I'm still keeping some hopeless hope that Thranduil will show up on the screen as a strong, and drop-dead gorgeous, King...

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I think it's about casting an actor who can bring the character to life and really look the part. Tennant might be a decent actor, but he does not look like the Elvenking. At all. No ways. It's like Huge Weaving for Elrond --- very good actor, but the basis for all those fics where Elrond is portrayed as kind of a middle-aged family doctor :|

Though yes, I suppose anything would be better than having the story rewritten to have Legolas leading the Five Armies.

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I do wonder why people are all so upset about 'skinny' Tenant not being able to play Thranduil. There is so much you can do costumewise to padd him up, but I do believe Tennant would be able to give a regal, steadfast and headstrong Thranduil. I honestly can see him do that, on both looks and life that part.

Oh and... I never liked Orlando Bloom as Legolas - it never quite worked for me so eh... *runs off for the fangirls* ;) I need sleep. :-*

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We don't get Dr Who here, so I'm taking people's word on his acting and going purely on appearance. Too skinny, face is too angular, eyes are wrong, doesn't have the warrior king bearing.....

I agree with Red about Orlando --- they're never going to get that same 'look' again. Such a strange idea, bringing him back. Even if the second movie has to do with the White Council, why on earth would he be involved?

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