3 Characters Would've Been Killed Off in LotR if Weinstein Had His Way
Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy films are such movie classics, it is hard to imagine them any differently. And yet the development of these films was not an easy one.
For Jackson, merely getting others to agree to his vision was a task not dissimilar in difficulty to destroying the One Ring. Initially, film company Miramax began production for the LotR films. However, if studio-head Harvey Weinstein had his way, the movies would have undoubtedly looked very different.
Jackson first pitched the idea for the franchise to Miramax in 1997 (who owned the rights at the time). Up until this date, the concept of producing such large-scale films was rare. The movies needed a lot of financial backing, and computer-generated effects had only just started to become affordable enough to use at such a scale.
Miramax planned to partner with Disney to jointly raise the capital. But Disney executives were nervous about the risk of the project. The solution, according to Weinstein, was to make 'necessary' cuts to Jackson's films to seem like a more attractive offer to produce. Fortunately, Jackson did not submit to the studio's demands.
According to accounts of conversations at the time, Harvey initially very much liked the original concept for the movies Jackson had pitched. But after Disney had reservations over the budget, he requested much about the project to be changed.
The first 'suggestion' was to shorten the movies to a single film of two and a half hours long. Jackson attempted to compromise with a suggestion of a single four-hour film, but this was also rejected.
The second 'recommendation' was to cut characters from the films altogether. Specifically, he suggested three of the hobbits be removed from the script completely. Although which hobbits are unknown, many fans would likely question which three would be worth losing within the story?
With either party unwilling to eventually compromise on the extent of the movies, Weinstein allegedly became forceful over his requirements for the films. Threatening to replace Jackson with other directors, including John Madden or Quentin Tarantino.
Ultimately, the project was decided to be sold with the rights to another studio, which was picked up by New Line Cinema. Miramax sold it for an estimated $12 million, including a 5% stake in the film's gross and the Weinsteins named as executive producers. The film series ended up making up to $2.991 billion in worldwide sales in total.
It is doubtful that The Lord of the Rings would have ever been the success it became under the control of Miramax and Harvey Weinstein. Peter Jackson's unique and elaborate vision for the movies created something which not only catapulted Tolkien's stories around the world but arguably changed cinema and how films are made forever.
What's more, the story of its development reflects one of the most prominent themes of the films themselves… never underestimate the importance of a hobbit.