EXCLUSIVE: Just What Did Guillermo Del Toro Accomplish Visually While He Was In Charge? We Have Got Some Answers!!

I have the first bit of printable news from one of my inside sources to help paint the picture of what has been going on over in Wellywood, NZ lately - you know, before Guillermo del Toro stepped down...

**Some minor creature SPOILERS**

This is a direct quote (emphasis is mine):

"Things have always been rolling... it was quiet for a little while a few months ago but then it ramped up again with previs pushing forward and getting some great results on animation and camera work, obviously wanting to get out as much as possible to finally sell the product and getting production into full swing.

Workshop sculpted and finished painting a few miniature characters that turned out awesome and they were later scanned in to the computer and ready to be built as a final movie CG model.

One of the bigger ones that were scanned was "Smaug" the dragon and all I can say is that it looked great... but who knows if any of this will ever see daylight again, if someone else will be directing it and thus changing the design there is always a chance for changes in designs. The 3 trolls with all their gear on the backs also looked fantastic in the workshop models. The attention to detail was stunning and later when seen in the previs, one can truly understand how great this film will be, if it ever gets done. :) I say that more in the way of "a joke", it's too good of a film to pass up on, so it will definitely be made. Might just take a little while. Some of the film set crew are still hoping for an October-November start, but who can really tell with the latest news coming to surface."

Those scanned miniatures sound outstanding! Wish I could see what has been accomplished already. What a situation - the only true hand-off that would make sense now is for Peter Jackson to pick up the reins. We'll see!! Still digging for more - stay tuned...