Ridley Scott's ROBIN HOOD going 3D and more info on STAR WARS and LOTR's 3D Re-releases
With the insane success of James Cameron's Avatar everyone is looking to get into the 3D business. Avatar proved that 3D is a major accessory to film and that people will pay to see it. It has been rumored for some time now that Ridley Scott's Robin Hood would get the 3D conversion treatment, and it's true. Times Online reports that Ridley Scott has asked Universal for $8 million additional dollars to convert Robin Hood into 3D.
Then there are the 3D re-releases that we've heard so much about over the last few years. There's been talk of George Lucas converting the Star Wars films into 3D and Peter Jackson wants to convert his Lord of the Ring's films into 3D as well in the distant future.
Last year Peter Jackson said he wanted to reissue the trilogy in 3-D if Avatar persuaded enough cinemas to put in new 3-D projectors. That looks like it's going to happen. Experts say that in the next five years 3D will become the new multiplex standard. Last week technicians at Weta, the production company that had worked on the trilogy, said they had experimented with 3-D battle scenes and proclaimed them to be “gob-smacking”.
The Lord of the Rings is expected to be re-released after Jackson has finished producing the two Hobbit films over the next two years. This means that a 3-D version of The Fellowship of the Ring, could be in cinemas by Christmas 2012.
There is talk of Lucas beating him to the punch with his Star Wars films. The 3D conversion of the films have been denied a few times, but this article says that Lucas will now spend another $10 million dollars converting it over. An associate of Lucasfilm said,
George cannot leave it alone. He is salivating at the opportunity to play with it again. This time the Death Star is really going to explode all over the audience and leave them gasping.
Personally I wouldn't mind seeing these films in 3D. The only problem is, they won't look as good as Avatar due to the fact they that are being converted into 3D whereas Avatar was actually shot in 3D. Even Scott's Robin Hood which is a newer film won't be as spectacular because of it.
There's no doubt that 3D will take over Hollywood and movie theaters. It is on its way to becoming the movie going norm. David Wertheimer, director of USC’s entertainment technology centre says
It’s no longer a gimmick, but an expectation.
I don't know if thats true yet because there are still a lot of hardcore movie fans out there that are complaining about all of the 3D films and conversions that are being made. I wonder if one day all of the 3D haters will eventually embrace the technology and enjoy watching movies in 3D. The only movie I've really ever been excited about seeing in 3D was Avatar. Everything else that has been released in 3D I could really care less. I could've watched all of those other films in 2D and I would have enjoyed them just as much. I am one of those people that will need convincing on some of these 3D movies being made. But who knows, maybe one day it will become an expectation. Will there come a time where I will be ranting about a movie because it's NOT being filmed in 3D?
What do you think about the 3D film going revolution? Are you excited for the future of 3D? Do you think it will ruin film? Are you going to go out and watch Star Wars and LOTR's when they are re-released in 3D?
Update:
According to Universal Pictures Ridley Scott's Robin Hood will unfortunately not be in 3D. Oh well, thats life in the fast lane. Thats to our friends over at Film School Rejects for showing me the light.