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Sam Raimi Directing a Low Budget Horror Then Maybe Hobbit!!

by Alex Billington
December 20, 2007
Source: Variety

Spider-Man director and mega-geek Sam Raimi has chimed in with an update on his full schedule. Up first is a horror flick titled Drag Me to Hell which will take Raimi back to his Evil Dead roots. But after that, Raimi is possibly going to direct The Hobbit. Yep, you heard me right, Raimi is clearing up his schedule to take on The Hobbit. If I must take a moment to catch my fanboy breath here. First, my favorite geek director Sam Raimi is going back to direct another horror movie in the style of Evil Dead?! THEN he is going on to direct The Hobbit?! This has to be the greatest day for news ever.

Drag Me to Hell is a "morality tale about the unwitting recipient of a supernatural curse" and it will go into production early next year, probably aiming for release around the October timeframe. The script was written by Sam and his brother Ivan quite a while ago under the title The Curse, and was finished after they made Army of Darkness back in 1992. With boatloads of money under his belt, I guess Raimi has been looking to go back to his roots and direct another low-budget horror flick, and Drag Me to Hell is it. "The appeal to Sam on 'Drag Me to Hell' was returning to what he had once done and loved doing, which was entertaining a very specific group of fans and providing a roller coaster ride for them"

Ghost House co-founder Rob Tapert talks about the film:

"Sam calls it a 'spook-a-blast,' a wild ride with all the chills and spills that 'Evil Dead' delivered, without relying on the excessive violence of that film," Tapert said. "When one has done three very expensive movies, they get used to eating caviar. Sam will have to ponder what it means to come down from the mountaintop for a moment."

Then the Variety article goes on to speculate that "Raimi is expected to go right back up the mountaintop and take the helm of The Hobbit films." Raimi has previously expressed his interest in The Hobbit, but said that he wouldn't actively pursue the job unless Jackson clearly stated that he wasn't directing. And if you remember Tuesdays's news, Jackson has cleared up his issues with New Line and is producing but NOT directing. This leaves the door wide open for Raimi. And with three $800 million (worldwide) plus movies under his belt, I don't know why New Line would want to pick anyone else.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - Raimi was one of maybe two people (Guillermo del Toro being the other) that I would actually approve to direct The Hobbit. Ever since the rumors started about Jackson not returning on the films, I have been nervous as hell. I'm worried that New Line will choose some awful director that will ruin the franchise. But it looks like that's not the case! I'm crossing my fingers that all of this support and praise now will give Raimi the boost he needs to get in there and fight for the director's chair!

Join the Discussion! Sound Off: Who Should Direct The Hobbit? - Guillermo vs Raimi

Filed under Discuss, Hype, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

http://www.andreascliment.com Andreas Climent

I love what Raimi did with Spider-man 1 and 2, but to be honest I think del Toro would do a much better job with The Hobbit.
http://www.thatmoviesite.com Jeff Warner

I think you are mistaken Alex... this isn't one of the best days of news, but one of the saddest. If Sam Raimi directs The Hobbit, I will not see it... I swear. He would totally ruin it and make it all stupid like Spider-Man 3. del Toro is a way better choice and could carry it much better.
http://www.tracksounds.com Christopher

This is sad news, indeed. Although PJ didn't have the best portfolio to warrant high expectations for LOTR and did a masterful job...I certainly don't think Raimi will offer such a pleasant surprise if he does THE HOBBIT. I just barely was able to make it through Spidey 3 the other day for the first time. Terrible...simply terrible...but it might be because of the terrible writing more than the terrible direction. I don't think Raimi could live up to the standard PJ has set...but with Boyens and Walsh writing...there might be the smallest bit of hope. I don't know if I could keep myself from seeing it...I'd make my decision based on the trailers, I think.
http://www.imagenfilms.com Marty Martin - www.imagenfilms.com

Oh God no! Sam Raimi directing The Hobbit! I give up. Sorry, but I think Sam is a TERRIBLE director, and if he gets his hands on such a beloved piece of material it will end up being contrived in every way. What a horrible decision this would be for all LOR fans. Peter Jackson was a gamble and pulled it off, although I would argue the films grew worse and worse throughout the trilogy. but Sam Raimi? Alex, my compadre, say it ain't so!
http://movieguyreviews4u.blogspot.com Ryan

Yeah, I must admit Raimi isn't the guy for this.
avoidz

Are all those mince pies going to your brain, Alex This is horrible news. Sam Raimi is a terrible choice.
Andy

The Hobbit movie without Peter Jackson directing is destined for failure. To Marty Martin - you thought the LotR films got WORSE as they went on? Who is your dealer because you must be on something good!
http://www.imagenfilms.com Marty Martin - IMAGEN Films

Andy... I did think the LOTR films got worse. The films deviated further and further from the books' storylines... The overall stories in the films became dumbed down... The ending of the third film was atrocious... I mean, how many ALMOST endings can you have? It faded to black like a dozen times. And the truly worst thing was the special effects. They became worse and more inconsistent as the films went on (with the exception of Gollum). So much was rushed in the last 2 films that even Peter Jackson admits in the making of the Two Towers that some of the special effects weren't as final as they should have been. That said though, I love the trilogy and own the extended versions!
avoidz

Really, there wasn't much of a "storyline" in the LOTR books anyway; it was a fantasy-themed road movie. The movies were very well put together and highly successful, for good reason. If there were incomplete FX shots, they weren't visible. The VFX "the truly worst thing..."? Nope. They were terrific
Andy

I'm horrified that anyone can actually complain about a lack of story in the LotR films. Deviation from the book is absolutely necessary - it is a movie, not a season-long television show. If you walked into the films expecting a word-for-word movie adaption, that's your first problem. I probably sound like a fanboy by even making this post, but as someone that grew up reading the books and re-reads them every year, even I am able to isolate a movie version of an epic story from its literary counterpart. The cast, locations, and direction (not to mention Weta's amazing effects, which only got BETTER as the films went on) were spot on for a film trilogy of this magnitude. Peter Jackson will do great things with The Hobbit.
Zach Rogers

I'm actually more excited about the low-budget horror flick than him doing The Hobbit. Del Toro seems to work with drama and fantasy-styled cinema than Raimi, yet Sam can really pull out his innovations. Don't really know why he'd WANT to do The Hobbit in the first place.
dame

you guys are fucking idiots ok give the guy a shot he is brilliant who gives a fuck if its better than peter jackson they are my two favorite directors meaning i look at there whole genre of movies and own most ....the spidey movies are brilliant and great fx jus cause they aren your high dollar expectations i dont know why you cant admitt to the quality of the movies .........if it was so bad why are they one of the most high selling and the first one break box office opening weekends records of all time dont believe me check into ........i think if he puts the money into it it will be a good movie stop putting you expectations so fucking high my god you guys are so judgemental
http://www.tracksounds.com Christopher

dame, PJ has already set the bar high for THE LORD OF THE RINGS and that bar isn't getting lowered for anyone...not even PJ himself. If he directs THE HOBBIT films, our expectations might go EVEN HIGHER! Is it fair? Maybe not, but that's how it is. If I pay my $10+ to watch one of these films, or buy the movie, or even rent it, then I have a right to bring my expections in the theatre with me. If the effects suck compared to my expectations...the least I can do is post my thoughts. Same with the acting, writing, directing, scoring, etc. If it ain't up to snuff...then we should say so. If no one says anything the studios surely won't take note and perhaps not skimp. They probably won't care anyway, but NOT saying anything sure isn't going to help. High expectations is good for the industry. Back in the day, Lucas set the bar. One that really wasn't surpassed until perhaps THE MATRIX and then LOTR. Now someone has to rise up to meet PJs challenge. I think most of us here are just hoping its PJ himself. I don't think I'm alone in feeling that Raimi is not the guy to meet that challenge. It will take someone who will eat, drink, sweat, and bleed this project a la PJ, Fran Walsh and P. Boyens. How many other directors do you think will be up for that?
john

Raimi is absolutely the best at making a "good" horror film on a small budget.
Ransom

Oh to hell with you guys. He makes a lame high-budget summer flick and you commenters start spitting on him for making another high-profile movie. Should we all ignore the great jobs Raimi did on the first two Spider-Man movies? I think not. The Hobbit was a lot lighter in tone than the LotR trilogy anyway. I'm not sure if Peter Jackson can do light-hearted beyond one or two Jack Black quips in King Kong.