What are John Howe, Richard Taylor and Brigitte doing in the Weta sculpting room ?

[kymma1]

Can't wait for comic-con this year!

 

[Reinhardt]

Yes i am also thinking they are working on a Smaug sculpture
for the Hobbit movie.

that would be awesome.

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

It's way too early for them to be doing any kind of collectible/statue ... so this MUST be some kind of design for the movie. A character/creature maquette of some variety.

I doubt it's Smaug, they'll want to hold back on his reveal until the movie. Well, at least it won't be his face. Perhaps it's another part of him ... a claw perhaps? Something to whet our appetites for Hobbity goodness?

Dang! ComiCon is so far away!

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

Perhaps one of the new and improved wargs?

 

[Goggles89]

maybe its eomir or faramir on a horse.

 

[LOTRFan]

Over their shoulder (our left their right) it almost looks like a dragon head.

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

Over their shoulder (our left their right) it almost looks like a dragon head.

I think that's just a triceratops. Probably an unused dino design from Kong.

 

[LOTRFan]

I think that's just a triceratops. Probably an unused dino design from Kong.

Could be, I'm just hoping for a Smaug citing at SDCC.

 

[Entropy]

Any questions?

I love Howe but hate everything about that Smaug design. I much prefer Eastern dragons to European ones. The animated Hobbit Smaug is an amazing design which will be difficult to top.

But I seriously doubt it anything as exciting as that. The really milked the release of the Gollum design. Would they really show the most anticipated Hobbit design right outta the gate?

 

[theguru1]

Personally I don't expect it will have anything to do with LOTR or the Hobbit any of that, its just way too early.

If I had to make a practical guess, does Howe illustrate a whole lot of 'fantasy' type things.
As such, I think Weta maybe starting a line or one off, statue edition of 'general' Howe drawings.

It would fit with Weta wanting to create their 'own' statues and collectibles without big movie, etc license fee's.

 

[shocktrooper_au]

Could be the Eagles as well?

 

[The Ringer]

I am going with a galloping horse.

 

[galactiboy]

I love Howe but hate everything about that Smaug design. I much prefer Eastern dragons to European ones. The animated Hobbit Smaug is an amazing design which will be difficult to top.

But I seriously doubt it anything as exciting as that. The really milked the release of the Gollum design. Would they really show the most anticipated Hobbit design right outta the gate?

While I don't hate that look... I do agree that the animated Smaug is a tough act to follow. I'd love to have a statue based on the cartoon

 

[Bucky Underbelly]

The more I look at it the more it looks like a horse. But if they unveiled a horse design for ComiCon I think everyone would cry foul! And rightly so! After all, horses don't need designing -- they kind of already exist!

There's virtually no way they'll reveal any meaningful amount of Smaug this far out. They could tease us with some teensy part of him, but they'll definitely keep the full reveal back for the movie.

So I'm definitely leaning toward a new and improved warg. That's my best guess.


I'll also be plenty peeved if this is some side project between Weta and John Howe for generic (i.e., non-Hobbit movie) statues. I could easily see them doing a line of statues from Howe's dragon designs -- sure that would be cool -- but with pre-production on The Hobbit ramped up to full speed, they ought to be occupied with nothing but the movies. Stop mucking about with side projects, you lot, and get back to work on the movie!

 

[The Ringer]

Why would the warg design need changed? I think WETA should stick to the already established look as I feel that one is perfect.

 

[gabberjawa]

The more I look at it the more it looks like a horse. But if they unveiled a horse design for ComiCon I think everyone would cry foul! And rightly so! After all, horses don't need designing -- they kind of already exist!

They usually come with riders


But I agree, having John Howe there doesn't necessarily mean it's Hobbit related, though Tim did put this in the LOTR section.

Why would the warg design need changed? I think WETA should stick to the already established look as I feel that one is perfect.

Too much overgrown guinea pig and not enough wolf.

Personally I wouldn't mind if they gave it a minor update instead of a complete revamp, what's done is done.

 

[woodsy]

Why would the warg design need changed? I think WETA should stick to the already established look as I feel that one is perfect.

The wargs were supposed to be wolf-like, not hyena-like. PJ and Weta did a fantastic job on creature development for the movies, but I thought the wargs were a real disappointment...they were nothing remotely close to Tolkien's vision.

 

[Fritz]

The wargs were supposed to be wolf-like, not hyena-like. PJ and Weta did a fantastic job on creature development for the movies, but I thought the wargs were a real disappointment...they were nothing remotely close to Tolkien's vision.

Agreed! But I still thought they were very cool!

 

[GrueSam]

I love Howe but hate everything about that Smaug design. I much prefer Eastern dragons to European ones. The animated Hobbit Smaug is an amazing design which will be difficult to top.

GDT has already said that he preferred the style of dragon that was in Dragonslayer and was aiming for something similar.

That makes me very happy as that has always been my fave dragon...

 

[galactiboy]

GDT has already said that he preferred the style of dragon that was in Dragonslayer and was aiming for something similar.

That makes me very happy as that has always been my fave dragon...

That is a very cool dragon design... and a great movie