Image Credit: Mike Flokis/Getty Images Warner Bros., New Line and all the other financial players involved in The Hobbit have yet to green light the movie, yet there is already another hurdle this troubled production must jump over in its quest to begin filming. What is it this time? Actors. It seems the Screen Actors Guild is urging actors to boycott the upcoming epic production as part of an international effort being organized by New Zealand’s Actor’s Equity and its umbrella company, the Australian Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), to force the production into a contract for its actors, not just the ones covered by SAG. The unions claim they have the support of the SAG actors, which could foresee a future where Ian McKellan doesn’t reprise his role as Gandalf.
Peter Jackson, the film’s producer and expected director (though he has yet to officially sign on after Guillermo del Toro dropped out back in May) is furious with the labor groups. Jackson has pumped millions of dollars into his home country’s economy by locating his previous epic adventures such as Lord of the Rings and King Kong there – not to mention his state-of-the-art special effects studio WETA. He issued a scathing tirade to the New Zealand press calling the MEAA “an Australian bully boy” with an agenda based solely on “money and power.” Jackson threatens that the production could move to Eastern Europe if the proposed boycott is not called off. He warns that these business practices could lead to a “long, dry big-budget movie drought in this country.”
Members of New Zealand’s Actor’s Equity are supposed to meet in Auckland Tuesday. New Line, Warner Bros. Pictures and MGM issued a statement late Monday night, saying the unions’ claims are baseless and unfair to Jackson. It also elaborates on Jackson’s point that there is a legal prohibition preventing the production from engaging from collective bargaining with the MEAA. It then concludes with, “Motion picture production requires the certainty that a production can reasonably proceed without disruption…. As such, we are exploring all alternative options in order to protect our business interests.”
Between the financial woes of MGM, a rights holder and co-financier in the movie, departing directors, and now a labor dispute, it’s a wonder if we’ll ever get a closer look at Bilbo Baggins.
They should cast Nathan Kress as one of the hobbits = epic win
There’s only one hobbit in the book and Kress is way too young to play him.
LOL seriously. Bilbo is 50 years old.
I swear if the SAG f**ks this up like that whole writing strike nonsense a couple years back did to TV; I will probably kill someone. OK, I probably won’t kill someone, but I’ll be very upset.
This is ridiculous. First we have this nonsense with who the hell is going to direct this thing, and now some union decided they’re going to boycott, what will be, one of the most epic movies ever. And why is the SAG butting their noses into this? The NZ/AUS union is just a money grubbing machine without a functioning brain between its members.
I’m with Peter Jackson all the way. He moved LOTR and King Kong to NZ specifically to pump money into their economy, and what do they do? They bite the hand that fed them. I hope he moves the film to Eastern Europe just so they can see how much money their losing when the money comes pouring in.
P.S. If Ian McKellan isn’t playing Gandalf I think I might have an anurism.
Totally agree Chris P. The SAG shenanigans is BS and if Ian McKellan isn’t playing Gandalf I’ll cry. Grrrr
AGREED! I supported the actors and writers, but this is ridiculous.
The writers guild strike was the WGA not SAG…. sheesh.
@Melchiord
I was comparing the two situations, since they are similar. I realize they are two separate organizations. Learn to read……sheesh.
Does Jackson know how much money Australia gives New Zealand each year to keep it afloat? The reason OZ treats N.Z like it’s 7th state is because you basically are.
so true!
New Zealand is constantly dependent of Australia, it’s time we become just a bit dependent on them
what a pathetic thing to say u imbecile.
There was provision for New Zealand to be included as a state at the time of Confederation, but it chose not to be. Since then it has taken an increasingly independent course from Australia. But be more specific as to what you mean about Aus giving NZ money to stay afloat. You make it sound like there is govt. foreign aid propping up a banana republic. NZ is no Haiti. Money spent in NZ by Australians are normal business transactions… unless you have evidence to the contrary. Hopefully the unions will see some reason over this rather than shooting themselves in the foot (or head). Though, with Australians involved, who knows what’ll happen.
No. I don’t know how much money Australia gives New Zealand each year. Please give us those figures.
Please give us data relating to one economy giving arbitrary funds to a completely separate, independently functioning economy.
gone are the days of great movies like the once of cecil b de mills use to make, all that comes out of la, la, land hollywood these days is just plain high budgets rubbish,
That’s like saying “all cheeses are crap” because you only eat and know American cheese singles. Kraft isn’t the only maker of cheese, dude. Movies come out of thousands of places that *aren’t* Hollywood.
That’s why he said ” all that comes out of la, la, land hollywood these days”
Come on! Am I ever going to get to see Bilbo again on the big screen? I’m beginning to have doubts
Have Australia’s unions become so powerful they can dictate what goes on in New Zealand now.
The union in Australia is the major reason that Australia’s film industry has been languishing for years, they put so many restrictions on productions that it just isn’t worth the effort of filming in Australia for most producers. Protecting your members means nothing if you have scared all their work away.
Thats right. Australia owns NZ. I would like to see Jackson move this Hobbit movie to Europe. They need the money (GFC) more than we do. Better actors there too. DO IT JACKSON!!!
we just all have to remember that the b b b bird bird bird the bird is the word.
I guess they haven’t heard the word!!
Oh, come ON, guys! I want The Hobbit!
Stupid unions. Stupid everyone involved with this film. Just make the movie already!
This movie is doomed, time to move on, don’t even care anymore. The James Bond debacle still pi$$e$ me off though.
Let’s just bury the Hobbit.
Bilbo Baggins is a running sore, running from himself and society…and yet his scab will heal us all.
Get on with it already! We’ve waited long enough. NZ SAG…you suck bigtime!
I’m sure Romania will be happy to have them!
Frodo was also 50 years old. Hobbits age slower than man.
A union? That’s just ridiculous! For actors?
Gandolff is g a y.