MGM Promises More Panther, Bond, Crown, Rocky & Hobbit

by | November 15, 2006 | Comments

It looks like the cash-strapped MGM is about to seriously scale back on its productions, but they still have five strapping franchises on which they’ll bet the ranch…

From Variety: "Steve Martin recently delivered a script for the latest "Pink Panther," where his Inspector Clouseau teams up with equally bumbling detectives from other European countries to defeat a continent-wide crime wave. Shooting is expected to start in February.

The next "Thomas Crown," starring Pierce Brosnan, is scheduled for March, with a likely budget around $100 million.

Daniel Craig
will return in the sequel to "Casino Royale."

Sloan said "Rocky Balboa," which is set for release next year, will probably be the last installment in that franchise, because Sylvester Stallone‘s title character will be too old for the ring.

As for "The Hobbit," Sloan confirmed MGM was in talks with Peter Jackson to make two movies based on J.R.R. Tolkein’s "prequel" to "The Lord of the Rings."

Click here for the rest of the article, in which the legal details of a "Hobbit" movie are detailed.