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THE HOBBIT NEWS

Peter Jackson Will Return to Direct Both Parts of The Hobbit!

by Ethan Anderton
June 25, 2010

After the sad news that director Guillermo Del Toro had dropped out of the project, and a short lived rumor that Neill Blomkamp might take his spot, it looks like Lord of the Rings fans can rejoice as both Heat Vision and Deadline report that Peter Jackson is negotiating his deal to direct both installments of The Hobbit. As we write, Jackson is busy taking himself away from his other projects that were originally the reason that Jackson denied that he would end up directing the double feature. In addition, Jackson and his crew are making a big push to the financially plagued MGM to "loosen the purse strings" and get back to The Shire.

As interesting as it would've been to see a new director take the journey to Middle-Earth, it's very comforting to know that a director who has already proven his skills and passion in adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's literary masterpieces is at the helm. Apparently there have been various hints of Jackson's return to The Hobbit as Jackson, his wife/colloborator Fran Walsh, and Phillipa Boyens scheduled a trip to Los Angeles after the 4th of July to meet with the most impressive actors that the casting directors have put on tape. This move could've been tossed up to close collaboration since all three of them worked on the script with Del Toro before he departed, but now we know otherwise. Let's hope MGM's problems don't delay this production any longer. Excited?

Filed under Hobbit, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Ryan

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! MY PRECIOUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Oh sorry, ahem, I'm very happy to hear this news.
Simon

Super Excited. If anyone can do this right its Jackson!
Lew

For Frodo!
Lincoln

Don't care...
Jimmy Love

at least the only good book in that series is finally getting made, The hobbit was so much better than the long winded descriptions of land that the lord of the rings was.
Rex

Psyched! Lincoln if you don't care, don't post.
Guy

Can't go wrong with this one!
Eli

okay, i know i said in other posts that i dont care about the hobbit anymore, but this is without the best news in the industry in like, forever!!! Kudos to Jackson goin out of his way to do this and to his team for having his back. Way to go for everyone. I just hope there isnt too much hoopla behind the scenes like there was with the first three films being made. I dont expect too many people to Jackson a hard time now.
Bob

Just as it should be!
ryderup

Not a superfan of LOTR but they were cool in the cinema so looking forward to this -- and this even tops DelToro in my opinion.
BigZero

"Why do you want Peter Jackson to direct the hobbit movies?" Because It's my birthday...and WE WANTS IT.
http://movies.iconocritic.com peloquin

I bet Jackson will never work with MGM again after the bullshit they just pulled on him. Offering his project to Brett Ratner? Come on, it was all just a dirty scheme to get him to direct from the very beginning regardless of what other projects he was committed to. ...I'm happy he's back, but I'm sure he's just doing it so it doesn't get ruined by anyone else. I hope he doesn't rush through it to get back to his passion projects.
http://www.goseetalk.com Marc

And this will happily carry me into the weekend:) Thanks Ethan!
JKnaak

Fantastic news! Very excited and hope they can start pushing forward pretty quickly here. I'd like to see the movie made before I am old and gray
VOLD

Perfect news to brighten my crappy day.
Robbie

FUCK YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
http://mynameisjay.com Jay

FANTASTIC NEWS!
Mike

best. news. ever.
dac_fan

Im shreeking like a 5 year old girl right now
Mark Drennan

Talk about your highs and lows. This news, I hope it sticks, is the best possible news about this project. I am so excited for the extended versions already!
max s.

OH HELL YEAH!!!!!!! if anyboy can pull this off it's jackson
Risk

Thank God!!!!
Tomi

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Xerxex

about damn time. bring us the film we deserve.
Eli

uh, does anyone know if movieweb is undergoing maintainence? it keeps freezing then kicking me out and i have to say im getting really annoyed by it. just puttin that out there.
Dan

I hope Jackson puts his whole heart into these films, he was expressing how he didn't really want to make these films, because he'd be competing with his own success on his last Tolkien stint!
Andante

he's the only one for this job.
Me

It was ment to be Jackson from the beginning, wasn't it?
Jeeze

At least it won't be Rob "Chicago" Marshall helming.
tir na nog

Best news in cinema for a good while.
Glass

It's official, he's the next George Lucas.
Jeep Fu

YES!!!!!!!!
http://www.ikbenrick.nl Rickmeister

Lol, the next Lucas Awesome that Peter is doing it... Thats more or less the only way. But does he really wants it? Or is it because he 'has' to..
Pandora

this is better to make the whole trilogy him self! just leave Neill Blomkamp alone to make D-10! Neill, just say no to h0bbit!
Xerxex

Glass how do you mean? The Hobbit was inevitable, and Jackson is the only one who can do it properly.
filmfan111

awesome news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8=D

MY PERCIOUSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jedibilly

Great! That's Wonderful! Now can we please start filming this movie already!? We're not getting any younger!
Mark

Of course Peter Jackson is the perfect person to direct The Hobbit, but I can't help but feel sorry for the guy. He's already spent a long time in Middle-Earth and he didn't want to return. So for the fans this is awesome, but it sure sucks to be Peter Jackson.
RT

Make it happennnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
8=D

fffffffffooooooorrrrrrrrrr ffffffffffffffrrrrrrrrooooooooooooodddddddddddddddoooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!
dude...

Jackson will do a good job but lets not forget the hobbit is a different book to the rest. It's a children's book and i can't help but wonder if that will be lost in transision.
Olive

Who gives a rat's ass? The world economies are collapsing, America is stuck in a never-ending war in Afghanistan, the Gulf of Mexico is destroyed by corporate pigs, Americans are sitting back and watching with apathy as they scour the job listings, and Peter Jackson is directing The Hobbit. Awesome news! I give a rat's ass. Fuck the real world. We all need an escape from reality and Jackson knows how to bring us to Tolkien's world; just as chaotic but at least there is hope and some living beings with some courage.
The Real Doc Brown

As of Monday this is still not official........he is in negotiations with MGM. Hey Olive, please remember whose fault it is for the World to be so fucked up, and who had lifted the regulations for BP and others.
solo calrissian

It's about time! ...Although, it's like finding James Earl Jones is back on board to voice Darth Vader instead of Morgan Freeman. Don't delay the inevitable! Christopher Lee isnt getting any younger.
Nick

More unconfirmed BS...I swear, sometimes I don't know why I read this site.
Peter

I still thing 'The Hobbit' doesn't need to be split up in two parts. They just wanna make money on this.
1-7

If Jackson takes this up then he's undoubtedly the next George Lucas. A man who'll continue to milk the success of a major franchise he created but does nothing interesting outside of it (all of his non-LOTR films have been piss).
Governor

Jackson's last two indulgent messes knocked his reputation down and he's desperate for a hit. He'll return to this at his own peril.
yamaking

sorry i can't believe all the comments on here..."he's the only one who can do it properly"???? pardon ?!?! he messed up lord of the rings, now he'll do the same. in fact he has already started, just heard news that Cate Blanchett will again star as Galadriel for "the hobbit"....but Galadriel ISN'T in "the hobbit" at all !!!!! all you Peter Jackson fans, form a group, go to visit JRR Tolkien's grave and piss on it collectively, ok ?