The Hobbit movies have suffered a cursed road to the screen marked by studio financing problems, the loss of director Guillermo del Toro and a fire at a New Zealand studio. But nothing generated so much public anger and government attention as when the actors tried to unionize and Warner Bros threatened to move the $500 million production out of New Zealand. Jonathan Handel, contributing editor to the Hollywood Reporter, breaks down the high drama and big dollars involved in the Hobbit strife. Plus, young filmmaker Lena Dunham wowed people with her little personal movie, Tiny Furniture. Now she's the hottest new thing in Hollywood with a TV deal at HBO and a movie gig with Scott Rudin. She talks about making the most of all the buzz.
Today's Banter Topics:
The King's Speech controversial R-rating
Hasbro's influence over Universal's Battleship
Tiny Furniture opens in New York in November 12, in Los Angeles on November 26,
and other cities in December