Hobbit Update – Peter Jackson to Direct?

We said it here: Peter Jackson will direct the upcoming Hobbit films. And it looks like we were right: Jackson is reportedly in talks to direct the two films for the MGM/New Line backed project, which has been plagued by troubles over the last twelve months, including losing original director Guillermo Del Toro due to scheduling problems.

If Jackson does sign on the dotted line to direct, we think it’s a perfect outcome for both fans, the films, and the studios. Everybody wants Jackson to direct The Hobbit, and now it looks like we might just get our way.

MGM Studios, which are currently having all kinds of financial difficulty, own 50% of the rights to The Hobbit films, with New Line making up the other half. With MGM unable to raise enough cash to fund the project at the minute, negotiations are under way to somehow salvage the studio. An auction earlier this year failed to raise enough interest from other film studios to buy the legendary lion outright. At the minute, with no funding, the Hobbit films may be headed for bankruptcy court alongside the MGM-co-owned James Bond franchise, which would spell the end of the project for the foreseeable future. Whichever way this plays out, here at fernbyfilms.com, we hope like heck that things turn out okay.

Who wrote this?

Rodney Twelftree

“Some people say I like films. Those people are wrong. I *love* films.” – Me. I said this.

Rodney has been writing about films for well over two decades, appreciates a good wine, the love of his wife and kids, and the affection of his dog and cats. He has a fondness of cheesy 90’s action and classic Hollywood, hates that physical media is disappearing, and wishes somebody would make a high-budget series of The Neverending Story.

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