Peter Jackson is considered to be the true “King Kong” of filmmaking by fans of cinema. He is the man behind blockbusters including “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “The Hobbit” trilogy, and “King Kong.” Jackson got bitten by the movie-making bug when he was very young. He was inspired by classic movies to pursue a career in film, and at the age of 12, he took his first try at it by remaking the movie “King Kong.” When his debut album, “Bad Taste,” was released in 1987, he began to pursue a career in music. Soon after, he developed a cult following among his fans thanks to his low-budget splatter flicks. He gained a lot of popularity and admiration with “Heavenly Creatures” thanks to his innovative concepts and futuristic thinking. However, this just marked the start of a lengthy legacy! The Lord of the Rings, written by JRR Tolkien, was adapted into a movie by him, which changed history. In 2005, his boyhood goal of creating a remake of “King Kong” came true. He has worked as a producer and screenwriter in addition to being a director for his films. He has also participated in a variety of humanitarian endeavors.
Early Childhood & Life
English immigrants Joan and William Jackson gave birth to Peter Jackson. His mother worked at a factory while also being a stay-at-home mom, and his father was a wages clerk. He has a deep interest for movies and filmmaking from his early years. He started producing short films as a youngster since he was a passionate movie fan.
He was inspired as a kid by movies like “King Kong,” “Casinos,” “Goodfellas,” and “Waterloo.”
He has long wanted to create a remake of “King Kong” ever since seeing it. He did made a first try at the same utilizing a puppet when he was 12 years old. During this time, The Dwarf Patrol, a special prize-winning short film, was among his most stunning works. He used special effects for the first time in it, and they subsequently became a staple of the majority of his works. He had his official schooling at Kapiti College but left when he was sixteen to pursue his interest in movies.
Career of Peter Jackson
At a local newspaper, he worked as a photographic lithographer for the first time in his career. His tenure in the position was almost seven years. He quickly accumulated enough cash to purchase a cutting-edge camera. He used the day off from work to start filming his own movie.
What had initially been intended to be a short film evolved into the 90-minute comedic feature film Bad Taste. “Bad Taste” was presented at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival after four years and funding from the New Zealand Film Commission.
After completing his first piece, he began collaborating with well-known actors and screenwriters on film projects.
His second project, ‘Meet The Feebles,’ was released in 1989. The film, a musical comedy, is a dark satire entertainment that was first created as a television short. Additionally, it was the first movie to feature the effects duo of Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger.
In 1992, he released “Braindead,” a horror comedy that broadened his range of filmmaking. The film rose to cult status and established a precedent for splatter flicks. It made heavy use of gory makeup and special effects. With the 1994 release of the movie “Heavenly Creature,” he altered his approach, direction, and treatment. The film, which is based on actual events, was dubious up until it was released. However, it did remarkably well and became a runaway blockbuster, earning high praise from critics and ranking among the top 10 movies of the year.
After “Heavenly Creatures” achieved enormous popularity, he worked with Costa Botes to create the mockumentary “Forgotten Silver.” It was a made-for-television production that infuriated the people who learned that the show’s inspiration, Colin McKenzie, never existed. As a result of him building his name and reputation, Hollywood made him offers. His first major Hollywood production, “The Frighteners,” was out in 1996. In contrast to its predecessors, the movie didn’t impress the reviews.
As Universal Studios rejected his attempt to adapt King Kong since “Mighty Joe Young” and “Godzilla” were in the production phases, the downward trend persisted. After his proposal for the King Kong remake was knocked down, he focused on JRR Tolkien and his writings. He secured a contract with New Line Cinema, who agreed to a trilogy, following considerable misunderstanding and commotion about whether to do a trilogy, a sequel, or just one movie in the series.
In 1997, he started storyboarding the trilogy’s script. The Lord of the Rings series began filming two years later. It’s interesting to note that from 1999 to December 2000, all three of the installments were shot simultaneously.
Tolkien’s descriptions of the setting were taken into consideration while selecting the visually pleasing and geographically diverse regions.
The Fellowship of the Ring, the first installment, was widely praised both critically and commercially when it was published in 2001. Out of the thirteen Academy Award nominations, four were wins. The Two Towers, the second book in the trilogy, was published in 2002. The movie was a huge hit and received comparable praise from critics and audiences as its predecessor.
Return of the King, the series’ concluding film, was released in 2003. It surpassed the $1 billion milestone at the box office, making it the highest-grossing movie of all time. The movie won every one of its 11 nominations at the Academy Awards, making a clean sweep.
Finally, in 2005, he produced a remake of the 1933 classic movie “King Kong,” realizing his boyhood goal and the motivation behind his decision to pursue a career in film director. The movie was a great hit and quickly made the top 50 grossing movies list for the year. In addition, it received four Academy Award victories.
He created a bestseller by Alice Sebold, “The Lovely Bones,” adaption in 2009. It dwelt on murder and fantastical themes and had certain characteristics with his previous book, “Heavenly Creatures.” He was a producer on “The Adventures of Tintin,” a Steven Spielberg film. He even shared the role of director in the early days with Steven Spielberg. The movie had a great box office performance.
His participation in The Hobbit trilogy has generated debate ever since it began. He was first brought on as a writer and executive producer, but once Guillerodel Toro left both roles, he took over as director. The Hobbit series, which was originally planned as a two-movie installment, was revealed to be expanded into a trilogy in 2012. The Lord of the Rings Appendices would be used in the movie’s narrative to extend the Hobbit story.
Recognition & Achievements
He has received several important prizes and accolades for his extensive body of outstanding work to date, including three Academy Awards, three Australian Film Institute Awards, four British Academy Film Awards, and one Golden Globe Award.
He also won four Saturn Awards, three New Zealand Film and TV Awards, one Producers Guild of America Award, one Critics Choice Award, and one Director’s Guild of America Award. He was appointed a Companion of The New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002. For his remarkable work in the film industry, he was elevated later in 2010 to the rank of Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. He received New Zealand’s highest honor in 2012 when he was admitted to the Order of New Zealand.
Personal Legacy & Life
He got married to writer Fran Walsh, who is also his wife. While initially collaborating on the film screenplays, the two had their first encounter. Walsh proved to be the ideal companion for him throughout his prime, supporting him in all of his pursuits both emotionally and professionally.
Billy, who was born in 1995, and Katie, who was born in 1996, are the couple’s two happy children. In several of the films he has directed, his wife and two children have appeared on screen. He has contributed to the defense fund, saved a church in Wellington from being demolished, and many other humanitarian endeavors. He has also donated money to support stem cell research.
He has a passion for World War I aviation and is the chairman of the 14-18 Aviation Heritage Trust. He also runs The Vintage Aviator, an organization that specializes in the restoration and production of World War I and World War II fighter aircraft.
Estimated Net Worth
A filmmaker, writer, and producer with a net worth of $1.5 billion, Peter Jackson was born in New Zealand. Peter Jackson is well known for adapting “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy into a multi-award winning cinematic series. More than $6 billion has been made from the box office and DVD sales of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. With the help of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Jackson made $180 million.
Trivia
One pair of shoes and two t-shirts are thought to have been utilized by this outstanding director-producer of Lord of the Rings fame during the whole first installment of the trilogy’s filming.