Check out the latest image from Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey starring Martin Freeman.

The movie also stars Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, and Stephen Fry. Warner Bros. will open The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on December 14rd, 2012. Check out the trailer for The Hobbit: An Expected Journey here.

Thought I have yet to read the book itself, I am guessing that these photos are from the futuristic Seoul, Korea. You see a large ship sailing through some fearsome waves with large corporate buildings on the horizon. The other photo has a high-speed chase. And finally we have our first actual look at South Korean actress Bar Doona, that isn’t a leaked photo.
Check out the images from Tom Tykwer and Andy & Lana Wachowski’s Cloud Atlas below.

I am wondering how the Victorian ship will fit into the futuristic world in the movie. Having never read the book, it seems like the method of transportation to tell the multi-generation story. But that high-speed purist concept art will be very exciting to see.

Cloud Atlas, adapted from David Mitchell’s novel by filmmaking trio Tom Tykwer, Andy & Lana Wachowski, stars Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Susan Sarandon, Ben Whishaw and Jim Broadbent, all playing multiple roles. The movie will have six intertwining storylines that take place in different times and places but are some how related to each other. Warner Bros will release the movie sometime in 2012.

[Twitch]

5. Marissa (Cate Blanchett) Hanna
What’s scarier than the big bad wolf? How about CIA agent Marissa from Hanna. If her cold and calculated moves doesn’t put fear into your eyes, then how about her walking out of the jaws of a wolf?

4. Every Marvel Movie released this summer: Loki, Sebastian Shaw, and the Red Skull (Tom Hiddleson, Kevin Bacon, Hugo Weaving) – Thor, X-Men: First Class, Captain America: The First Avenger
Three villains sharing one spot, if they all come from Marvel Comics they do. I am ignoring the fact that X-Men is still a Fox property. But who knew Kevin Bacon could be so dastardly as Sebastian Shaw or Tom Hiddleston so charmingly wicked as Loki. Let’s not forget Hugo Weaving, who brings a sense of inspiration to world domination, especially when the Nazis and America want to bring him and H.Y.D.R.A. itself down.

3. Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) – Young Adult
In all seriousness, Mavis Gary is such a bitch in Young Adult. Charlize Theron plays a burned out drunken and immature Mavis Gary, who seems to cling to the past and refuse to change. She is in such denial that she feels like the is the only one who has changed, but everyone else in her hometown hasn’t, when its actually visa versa. Whether its trying to rekindle an old love spark with a married man or sign her ghost writing books that are on clearance.

2. Voldemort (Ralph Finnes)- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
This is a baddie so bad, that no one can speak is name. That’s right Voldermort is very close to being the villain of all villains in 2011. His pale skin, snake like nose, wicked demeanor, and wheezy voice are just some of the components that make him my favorite in 2011.

1. Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) – Drive
One of the most charismatic villains I have seen in film. Albert Brooks brings in a sense of its so much to be a villain and its profitable too. Not only is Bernie Rose an opportunist, he leaves no loose ends. If a plan goes south, he will viciously kill lackies, flunkies, and patsies that were involved in the plan. Right in front of his second command just to prove that he is the guy you don’t want to mess with.

Honorable Mentions

Lord Shen (Gary Oldman) – Kung Fu Panda 2
Jerry (Colin Farrell) Fright Night
Megatron (Hugo Weaving) Transformers Dark of the Moon

The photo (provided by Empire) has the Wachowski siblings, Tykwer, and producers surrounding various props that will be present in the movie.

If you know the book, you’ll also recognise props from the six interlinking tales. We’ve spotted the VW Beetle of crusading journo Luisa Rey (Berry), the ’70s thriller that should inject serious voltage into the film’s middle act (if you really know the book, you’ll spot that it’s drab green not rust orange).

Also on display are a pair of Chatham Island totems, a piano belonging to the composer of the ‘Letters from Zedelghem’ chapters, some dystopian gadgetry from near-future Korea, and a cart that we’re guessing gets used to carry post-apocalyptic veggies around Hawaii.

Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, and Lana Wachowski direct an adapation of David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas. Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Susan Sarandon, Ben Whishaw and Jim Broadbent, all playing multiple roles. The movie will feature six intertwining storylines set in a different times and places and will have the cast playing multiple roles at the same time. Warner Bros will be releasing the film US sometime in 2012

If you were one of the few who watched The Hobbit trailer online yesterday, congratulations, you watched about two and half minutes worth of Peter Jackson’s genius. Translating text to film is no easy task, and fans were worried once again about if The Hobbit could be brought to life, even with all the financial problems that inflicted the film. But now we got our little movie, and an unexpected journey ahead of us. And I mean that in a good way. Martin Freeman will lead our dwarfs and everyone’s favorite wizard on an adventure of epic proportions.

So rather than find five things I disliked about the trailer, I will give you five reasons why you should like it or you can kick yourself into the fiery depths of Mordor.

5. Middle Earth still looks like Middle Earth
Not much has changed between 2003’s The Return of the King and the release of this trailer. Middle Earth (or New Zealand) still looks grand, spacious, and breathtaking. Watching Bilbo Baggins in his home is like visiting an old friend. It truly feels like I haven’t visited the shire in eight years, and coming back, it feels like I can still find my way around. Of course the inclusion of Elijah Woods, Ian Holm, and Ian McKellen helps us with that transition.

4. There’s more than one dwarf! Who knew?
How would Peter Jackson be able to hone in on the look of the dwarf? Would he repeat the same process has he did with Gimli? Out of all the dwarfs present in The Hobbit, only Thorin Oakenshield looks the most heroic. Rightlfully so, he is the leader of that group, while the others are more comedic, but heroic in their own way, dwarfs will always be drawfs. Like all dwarfs, they are about food and song, they sing while eating meals. But the ominous song about their impending adventure is perhaps one of the of the most defining moments that will differentiate these dwarfs from the one John Rhys Davies played in The Lord of the Rings.

3. Howard Shore.
One name came to mind when the music started to play. Howard Shore, the man who composed the music for The Lord of the Rings, has returned to conduct the score for The Hobbit. I can’t imagine anyone else working on the music besides him. Honestly, you could just listen to the music itself and feel the storytelling within the wistful orchestra. The composition is pretty compelling and it already has me ready to pre-order the soundtrack.

2. Tolkien’s Songs
Again, music and song are the key to The Hobbit’s storytelling. When the dwarfs sing of what they will encounter during their travels, there is a chill that run downs my spine. Part of the reason why song plays an important part in The Hobbit is because the dwarfs will sing during their travels. It be a bit hard to watch a couple of traveling scenes with them just talking.

1. Well Worth the Wait
After all the production delays and the financial issues the plauged this movie, we getting The Hobbit. In a ways it was an unexpected journey. If MGM hadn’t gone through so much turmoil, we might be seeing Guillermo Del Toro direct The Hobbit. Unfortunately we aren’t, but his name is attached to the screenplay, we we are going to get Peter Jackson, who also co-wrote the screenplay, direct. Not that I didn’t want Jackson to direct, but I would of loved to see what Del Toro could bring to the film franchise.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey and Martin Freeman plays the central role of Bilbo Baggins. The ensemble cast also includes (in alphabetical order) Richard Armitage, John Bell, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Ian Holm, Peter Hambleton, Barry Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Evangeline Lilly, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O’Gorman, Christopher Lee, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Andy Serkis, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott, Jeffrey Thomas, Aidan Turner, Hugo Weaving and Elijah Wood.

Check out the first trailer for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in HD on Apple.

The film also stars Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, and Stephen Fry. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released on December 14, 2012.

Here’s the poster via (slashfilm)

Here is the official synopsis for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey:

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum.
Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

If you are unable to watch the trailer The Hobbit, you may be able to catch it tomorrow when it makes its big screen debut in front of The Adventures of Tintin.

Image via Facebook.

(L-r) JAMES NESBITT as Bofur, MARTIN FREEMAN as Bilbo Baggins (front), STEPHEN HUNTER as Bombur, GRAHAM McTAVISH as Dwalin, WILLIAM KIRCHER as Bifur and JED BROPHY as Nori in New Line Cinema’s and MGM’s fantasy adventure “THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by James Fisher.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Hobbit:

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Based on the novel by David Mitchell, the film also stars Tom Hanks, Ben Whishaw, Susan Sarandon, Jim Broadbent, Hugh Grant and Bae Doona, all of whom are expected to play multiple parts, including cross-gendered roles.

The plot of the novel itself is officially described as follows:

A reluctant voyager crossing the Pacific in 1850; a disinherited composer blagging a precarious livelihood in between-the-wars Belgium; a high-minded journalist in Governor Reagan’s California; a vanity publisher fleeing his gangland creditors; a genetically modified “dinery server” on death-row; and Zachry, a young Pacific Islander witnessing the nightfall of science and civilisation — the narrators of Cloud Atlas hear each other’s echoes down the corridor of history, and their destinies are changed in ways great and small.

The Wachowsi Brother and Tyler Tykwer adaptation of Cloud Atlas is already a very ambitious project. Six intertwining stories with Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, Ben Whishaw and Jim Broadbent playing the same characters in them, already sounds like a huge undertaking. But now the film will be adding Jim Sturgess to the cast. The Playlist was the first to confirm the casting and even got a quote from the actor.

[All the actors] play a few characters, it’s very clever what [the directors are] gonna try and do. I’m really really really excited about it,” Sturgess continued. “I think it’s going to be bonkers, it’s either going to work or it’s not. I’m really excited to see if we can pull it off, because it’s ambitious what they want to do. And it’s nice, you feel like no one’s ever done that in a film before, it’s like rep theater on a sort of giant movie scale.

Outside the fact that we know that these are multiple stories and the recent casting, there isn’t anything new add about the film itself, but that shouldn’t take away from the fact that this is quite possibly the craziest film that could ever be produced.

Cloud Atlas has just gotten one step closer to the big screen. With everything approved, the film is moving forward with starting production in the fall. There are some circumstances though. The Wachowski siblings and Tom Tykwer project will be shooting on a reduced budget.

While Speed Racer may have been one of the safest and not well received films that the Wachowski’s brought to the market, it is clear that they are going back to their extensive and ambitious creative roots. Now why is Cloud Atlas one of the most ambitious films – not only under the Wachowski and Tykwer name, but perhaps Hollywood itself? It is because it will have six intertwining stories that has the same actors playing characters in each one.

THR reports that filming will begin at Germany’s Studio Babelsberg. The mega project, which stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, Ben Whishaw and Jim Broadbent.

“Many have called the novel unfilmable, but Tom [Tykwer] and the Wachowskis have found a way to tell these stories in an amazing, linear and very cinematic way,” Arndt said. The project has seen a budget that is definitely lower than $100 – $120 million. Ardnt did confirm that the bulk of Cloud, “some 80 percent,” will be shot in Babelsberg, Berlin and the surrounding area.

The film is based on David Mitchell’s epic novel, which follows six story-lines, each set in a different place and era. The novel’s timeline and geography stretches from 19th century Australia to a post-apocalyptic Hawaii. It has also been comfirmed that Tykwer will handle Cloud Atlas’ period era plotlines while the Wachowskis handle the sci-fi settings.

So Warner Brothers has released a trailer (via Yahoo! Movies) for Happy Feet Two, the CGI sequel to 2006’s dancing-CGI-penguin hit. The film features a large voice cast of Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hank Azaria, Alecia Moore (a.k.a. Pink), Sofia Vergara, Anthony LaPaglia, Magda Szubanski, Hugo Weaving, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon. Directed by George Miller, Happy Feet Two tells the story about a young penguin who cannot dance but wishes to fly. There was an endearing quality about the first one, but I am very unsure about the necessity for a sequel. That being said, if it dancing CGI animals can work in the Chipmunks, what is to stop WB from making a sequel to its own pop culture dancing animal flick.

Happy Feet Two will hit theaters on both 2D and 3D screens in November. So hop to it or is it step to it?

The Wachowski siblings are certainly on cloud nine with the recent castings for their adaptation of David Mitchell’s novel Cloud Atlas. According to THR, Hugo Weaving, Susan Sarandon, and Jim Broadbent will be joining Tom Hanks and Halle Berry in a story that spans centuries following a 19th century American notary, a poor British musician in the 1930s, a journalist in 1970s California, a vanity press publisher in the early 21st century, a rebellious clone in the near future and a primitive Hawaiian tribesman surviving after the apocalypse. Sounds very interesting. Actor Ben Wishaw will also be joining the conclave of talented actors.

While actors have been cast to the film, there has been no word of what their roles will be. However, what is known is that each actor will play multiple roles. Multiple actors playing multiple roles should be really interesting to see, especially if Hanks can channel his skills acting in multiple roles at once from The Polar Express. Also, of course we will keep you up to on any developments for the film.

What are your thoughts?

Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, and Elijah Wood are not the only ones returning to Middle Earth. A recent blog posted by McKellen revealed that Hugo Weaving would be reprising his role as the elf lord Elrond in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit.

This is not another April Fool, just a May Fact. Before signing as Bilbo, Martin had agreed to make three 90-minute TV films in London, again playing Dr Watson to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes. No worries: he’ll be back in Middle Earth after our first hiatus, during which Peter Jackson will have spare time to edit the scenes already completed. The rest of the cast remains on duty for another few weeks, working on hobbit-less sections of the film. These involve dwarves of course but also elves, with Hugo Weaving back for a stretch as Lord Elrond.

Hugo was recently onstage as Astrov in Chekov’s Uncle Vanya for the Sydney Theatre Company, whose director, Cate Blanchett, played Yelena. Before she returns as Galadriel, they will reprise their production at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center in August. I shall miss the revival, because of my own play, Eduardo De Filippo’s The Syndicate at Chichester Festival Theatre and a short UK tour.

No need to worry about Freeman taking a leave of absence so he can play the role of Watson for three T.V. movies based on Sherlock Holmes. He will return to play Bilbo as soon as he is finished. But it does give an opportunity for director Peter Jackson to work on some of the footage that has already been shot. The blog post also mentions the additions of Sylvester McCoy playing as Radagast the Brown and Bret McKenzie playing as Lindir.

Finally Slashfilm is reporting that Saoirse Ronan will not have a role in the film.

“It’s probably not going to work out with The Hobbit unfortunately. Because I would have been working for about a year on it and there were other projects that I was very interested in, but Pete and [his producer wife] Fran have been very good about it and very understanding.”

Thoughts?