The Hobbit in July 2007?

[Mister Underhill]

And Jackson's schedule gets even busier:

Director Jackson signs Xbox deal
By Darren Waters
Technology editor, BBC News website, Barcelona

Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy
King Kong director Peter Jackson has agreed a deal with Microsoft to create what he describes as a "new form of interactive entertainment".

The Oscar-winning film-maker said he would be creating a series based on the Halo video game franchise, created by Bungie Studios.

"I'm getting a little bored with films," he said.

The series will appear on the Xbox 360 games console and Xbox Live, the machine's online service.

Mr Jackson, who is also producing a movie based on Halo, said: "More and more I'm looking forward to the release of games and not movies. I am more aware and excited about games.

"I do not have to keep delivering stories as movies - there are other things I can do.

"Technology is at a point where we can blend a lot of film storytelling with interactive entertainment."

He added that the series would not be for hard-core gamers.

The surprise announcement was made at the X06 event in Barcelona, at which Microsoft unveiled its line-up of games for the coming 12 months.

Xbox boss Peter Moore also unveiled a HD-DVD, high definition player, for the console, which will be released in Europe in mid November, costing 199 euros (£129).

Microsoft also unveiled a further Halo spin-off, called Halo Wars, a real time strategy game based on the popular franchise to be made by Ensemble Studios.

Mr Jackson, who also directed the Lord of the Rings trilogy, will set up an interactive arm of his firm, Wingnut, and will work with Halo creators Bungie Studios to develop the series.

He admitted his team was at the start of the process and still had to "work out how to do it".

He added: "Gaming could be a form of entertainment that you could enjoy with the emotion of film, but you could also be interactive."

He said that he had chosen the Halo universe as the first series because it was an "amazing world".

"We put the best platform in the hands of the best story-tellers," said Mr Moore.

Peter Moore stressed that this did not mean that Mr Jackson was making Halo 4 or any sequels to Bungie's current game in development.

[Child of the 7th Age]

Several articles in mid-September reported that MGM had announced it was definitely making the Hobbit sometime in the next few years and that the studio was attempting to lure PJ back as director: here. There was little mention of the earlier dispute over rights: we were all left with the impression that these problems had been settled.

Well, not it looks as if we'd better not hold our breath waiting for this to happen. An article in today's Hollywood Reporter is far less optimistic that the movie will be made anytime soon: MGM May Not be Making the Hobbit. According to the Reporter, none of the legal issues had been settled. Attorneys from MGM and New Line are still locked inside a room trying to reach agreement. Whether or not you'd like to see a hobbit movie, that won't be happening until this mess is straightened out.

[Mister Underhill]

This is excerpted from a longer article in today's Variety that's mostly about films that MGM actually is doing:

As for "The Hobbit", [MGM Chief Harry] Sloan confirmed that MGM was in talks with Peter Jackson to make two movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "prequel" to "The Lord of the Rings".

However, making the film is contingent on negotiations with New Line, which owns the right to produce "The Hobbit" (MGM owns only the right to distribute the films). And people close to Jackson say that until his ongoing lawsuit with New Line -- over monies he says are owed him from the "Lord of the Rings" franchise -- is settled, a serious conversation over "The Hobbit" cannot proceed.

Even so, Sloane remains optimistic. He said the first "Hobbit" pic would be a direct adaptation of "The Hobbit", and the second would be drawn from footnotes and source material connecting "The Hobbit" with "The Lord of the Rings".

[Tuor in Gondolin]

Sloane remains optimistic. He said the first "Hobbit" pic would be a direct adaptation of "The Hobbit", and the second would be drawn from footnotes and source material connecting "The Hobbit" with "The Lord of the Rings".

Curioser and curioser. If true, this could be a remarkably interesting
project, although I'd have certain reservations about PJ handling it.
The two movies would/should have a markedly different tone, with the second
movie perhaps a bridge in tone to LOTR. One reason I can see for such a project
is (sorry, Liv haters ) developing the Aragorn/Arwen relationship covered in the appendix.

Presumably Strider would be the chief protagonist in the second film.

[Elladan and Elrohir]

So there's the solution. You still make one Hobbit movie, and you get to bring back (almost) the entire LOTR cast in the other one. Intriguing, to say the least. I can't say I like it, yet, but I can't say I dislike it either. The important thing is that they do it, and that PJ directs it.

[Encaitare]

Letter from Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh to theonering.net...

Apparently they will not be making The Hobbit now.

[Rikae]

Those fools! I have no faith in New Line whatsoever; no doubt whoever they get will botch the job horribly.

I know some of you think PJ did just that, but I'm in the "it was much better than I expected and I don't think another director would do a better job" camp.

EDIT: If anyone else is feeling as disgusted as I am:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/a...bbitwithoutPJ/