Hey folks, Harry here... So far in all the reports in the "legitimate press" about THE HOBBIT and Peter Jackson they seem to be asking him the question, "Would you ever consider making the prequel to LORD OF THE RINGS, THE HOBBIT?" and Peter tends to answer with, sure he'd be interested, but he has to shoot KING KONG for Universal first and he wants to shoot a smaller quirkier New Zealand-y movie first, plus he feels the need to take a break from that universe before returning to it after living in it for 7 straight years. Of course he'd be using some of the original cast in that film, but the real question is... "Why has New Line Cinemas not got you signed and on the dotted line on HOBBIT, it'd make a BILLION dollars!?!?!?!"

The reason, as Peter stated at Butt-Numb-A-Thon is that for one, he's never been approached or made an offer from New Line Cinemas to direct THE HOBBIT. Ok, so that begs the question, "Are they fucking insane?"

Peter answered that by saying that New Line is very keen on wanting to do THE HOBBIT, but there are LEGAL ENTANGLEMENTS that are keeping it from happening. You see... NEW LINE has the rights to make a Movie from the book THE HOBBIT. However, UNITED ARTISTS/MGM apparently have the rights to distribute that movie. SO - why would New Line make Peter Jackson an offer to make a movie that they could not distribute. And why would MGM/UA make an offer to Jackson to distribute a movie they can not make? LIKE "SPIDER-MAN" and the rights issues that kept that in the hands of lawyers for two decades, this is the problem going on with THE HOBBIT.

So, as long as the power of the ring motivates each studio to not cooperate and work the deal out to each others' mutual satisfaction, Jackson can... "WANT" to make the film all he wants, the fact is... beauracracy could keep it from every come to fruition. So, let's hope things work out, I want to see Weta's SMAUG so bad... the burning of Lake Town... The butterflies above the trees... Riddles in the dark.... the Woodland Elves... Barrell riding! And that final war over Smaug's Gold. "I likes mine, RAAAAW!" One day, perhaps!