Guillermo Del Toro's Hobbit has yet to be filmed – and this 96% rated 2022 animated film proves it

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Peter Jackson's The Hobbit Films were a huge financial success, but despite their impact, many fans continue to wonder what the franchise would have looked like if original director Guillermo del Toro had stayed with it. After the success of the Lord of the rings In the trilogy, the intention was for del Toro to take the reins and usher in a new era for Middle Earth. However, when circumstances went against production, del Toro had to step down and audiences were left with one of the great “What if” of fantasy cinema.




Del Toro's planned participation in The Hobbit was initially received with noticeable enthusiasm. Although his films were not historically known for the same epic scale and extravagance as Jackson's, Projects like Pan's Labyrinth And The Devil's Backbone demonstrated del Toro's ability to tell fantastic storiesUnfortunately, production delays forced the Mexican-born director to abandon his plans, despite extensive pre-production and design work. But while Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy has seemingly extinguished all hope of bringing del Toro’s vision to life, a 2022 project suggests that a reconsideration The Hobbit would still be a worthwhile endeavor.



Pinocchio proves we need more Del Toro versions of classic stories

The film was a huge success with critics

Part of the concern about the original proposals for The Hobbit was how faithfully each adaptation could portray Tolkien’s story. Unlike The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit is a relatively short book. This made some critics skeptical (both before and after the release of Jackson's films) that a long trilogy was the way to go. while Jackson's approach was ultimately criticized by many for unnecessarily dragging out the storydel Toro has a lot to offer in his back catalogue that suggests his approach is closer to the original. In particular, his 2022 film Pinocchio shows how well he can adapt.

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
is available to stream on Netflix.


Based on the 19th century novel The Adventures of Pinocchio, del Toro's film received much praise upon its release. With an impressive rating of 96% in the review aggregator Rotten tomatoesThe film was praised for its bold changes to the source material, its expert use of stop-motion animation, and its dark fantasy narrative that evoked many of the darker elements of the original text. On its own, the film was considered a major success. However, it also demonstrated del Toro's ability to bring popular stories to life and infuse them with his own unique aesthetic, a trait he still uses in The Hobbit.

Peter Jackson's Hobbit films should not be an obstacle to Del Toro's interpretation

Pinocchio also had to deal with other adaptations


It is not just that Pinocchio was a successful adaptation of a popular book that proves why del Toro should return The HobbitIn fact, its existence refutes one of the main arguments against the realization of del Toro's vision – namely, that we already have a The Hobbit Adaptation in the form of Jackson's filmsDespite their financial success PinocchioThe history of proves that existing customizations do not have to be an obstacle to future versions.

Not only was Pinocchio In 1940, the novel was adapted into a Disney animated film, but dozens of different adaptations of the novel have been made in the 20th and 21st centuries. Perhaps most importantly for The Hobbit, del Toro's own version was preceded by a live-action remake by Disney in the same year. This shows that proximity does not mean that an alternative version cannot be successful. It has been 12 years since The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrived on the screens – much longer than the gap between Disney and del Toro's competition PinocchioJust because one The Hobbit Although series already exist, they do not automatically represent the final interpretation of the original.


Like Pinocchio, The Hobbit fits Del Toro's style perfectly

There is a reason why he was originally chosen as director

Although it was an animated film, not the one originally intended for del Toro’s The Hobbit Project, Pinocchio shows why the director would fit perfectly into Tolkien's world. A large part What makes del Toro successful is his willingness to embrace the darkness. This runs through his entire work, from the terrible monsters of Pan's Labyrinth to the authoritarian tendencies of del Toro villains like Michael Shannon’s Strickland in Shape of Water – The Secret of Water. It can be seen in all its glory in PinocchioThe film contains truly disturbing scenes full of death and violence.

Much of the power of Tolkien's book comes from juxtaposing the wonders of the fantasy world and places like Rivendell with the real danger posed by terrible threats…


This ability to balance dark, difficult themes in the context of a children’s story makes him the perfect choice for The HobbitMuch of the power of Tolkien's book comes from juxtaposing the wonders of the fantasy world and places like Rivendell with the real danger posed by terrible threats. like the Mirkwood spiders and the fearsome dragon SmaugThis constant interplay between light and darkness is exactly what has contributed to Pinocchio such a huge success and would translate perfectly to Tolkien's surprisingly dark Middle Earth.

Another aspect of Pinocchio that shows what del Toro would bring The Hobbit is the distinctive look of the film. As in all del Toro projects PinocchioThe characters of have a strange beauty that is both magical and slightly nightmarish. The depiction of death in the film is reminiscent of the faun from Pan's Labyrinthwhile the fearsome Leviathan seen in the film's climax is a clear indication of how del Toro could have designed a creature like Smaug. The director has proven time and again that the creation of distinctive magical creatures is one of his greatest strengths – indispensable in every Tolkien story.


We really deserve great Hobbit movies – and Del Toro could deliver them

Jackson's trilogy leaves much to be desired

While the success of del Toro Pinocchio proves that his The Hobbit could be a success, it is perhaps not the most compelling reason for a new perspective on the story. The fact is that Peter Jackson's films, despite their financial success, were a disappointment to many people. Unlike The Lord of the Ringswhich was suitable for films of extraordinary scope and scale, The Hobbit is a much more self-contained adventure. The attempt to penetrate The Hobbit with the same epic sense made the films ultimately seem bloatedwhich inevitably leads to unfavourable comparisons with The Lord of the Rings.

It's easy to see how del Toro's unique perspective could change aspects of Jackson's version, bringing new ideas to the table and potentially creating something more in line with Tolkien's intent.


It is easy for fans to be disappointed by this result. In fact, however, the situation is an opportunity. Unlike The Lord of the Ringswhich are considered by many to be cinematic touchstones, there is potential for improvement The Hobbit with an alternative take. It is easy to see how del Toro's unique perspective could change aspects of Jackson's version, bring new ideas to the table and possibly create something more in line with Tolkien's intent. As the first attempt showed, there are many legal and organizational hurdles. However, the inevitable complexity does not mean that del Toro's The Hobbit should still not happen.


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