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So it seems Peter Jackson will produce the The Hobbit. See here.

Peter Jackson to produce `The Hobbit'

By JAKE COYLE, AP Entertainment Writer Tue Dec 18, 11:31 AM ET

NEW YORK - Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema have reached agreement to make J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit," a planned prequel to the blockbuster trilogy "The Lord of the Rings."

Jackson, who directed the "Rings" trilogy, will serve as executive producer for "The Hobbit." A director for the prequel films has yet to be named.

Relations between Jackson and New Line had soured after "Rings," despite a collective worldwide box office gross of nearly $3 billion — an enormous success. The two sides nevertheless were able to reconcile, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) splitting "The Hobbit" 50/50, spokemen for both studios said Tuesday.

"I'm very pleased that we've been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line," Jackson said in a statement. "We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth."

Two "Hobbit" films are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, similar to how the three "Lord of the Rings" films were made. Production is set to begin in 2009 with a released planned for 2010, with the sequel scheduled for a 2011 release.

New Line Cinema is owned by Time Warner. Sony and Comcast are among the owners of MGM.[/QUOTE]

So, two movies?

I admit that I've never read the book and really don't know that much about the story (other than what Bilbo told in LotR).

I heard about this being a possibility a few years back but that they were having "issues" like this article described.

I think it could be cool but to be honest, The Hobbit's narrative style was much more child-oriented than LOTR, so it isn't exactly enthralling (the narrative). The story itself is cool and fun and will be no doubt epic in scope, particularly the "Battle of the Five Armies" (will probably be produced a lot like the Battle of Pelennor Fields in Return of the King).

Personally, I would be much more excited - and I have always said this - to see a movie or series of movies based on the events of The Silmarillion. The chief complaint people have against The Silmarillion, and strong argument against a film, is that it's somewhat encyclopedic and not done in a narrative style the way LOTR and The Hobbit are.

Ah, au contraire. I give you, The Tale of the Children of Hurin, or as it should really be called, Narn i Hin Hurin.

This new publication of the original story that was part of The Silmarillion would be a great film to make. It's a single, straight-forward story that has a definitive start and end.

Besides, I'd sit through 10 hours of Silmarillion at one time

To jump back and talk about the Hobbit for a minute... I think probably for me the most exciting parts about seeing a Hobbit movie made would be all of the connections they could make back to LOTR... for instance... Most of The Hobbit takes place in the forest where Legolas is from... so we might even see him... I mean theoretically you could even cast Orlando Bloom because there's no reason to believe Legolas isn't hundreds of years old in LOTR and The Hobbit is only... 60 or 70 years before LOTR. Gimli's father, Gloin, is also in the company of the 12 dwarves that embark on the journey with Bilbo and Gandalf in The Hobbit, so no doubt there's a mention-to-be-had there. Oh plus there's Gimli's cousin, Balin, who rules Moria for awhile (dies when the orcs storm the place and the Fellowship finds records of it). Tons of hobbit-references could be made to ancestors of Merry, Pippen, Sam and Frodo, in the Shire. There's also some involvement of the Nazgul and of the Numenoreans of the North, giving rise to a possible appearance by a young Aragorn or Arathorn II (his father)... although I think his father would be dead b/c he died when Aragorn was 2 or 3 (shot through the eye w/ an arrow) and Aragorn is 87 in LOTR and I don't believe The Hobbit is that many years prior.

So, there could be lots of connections made to interest me. And naturally, Ian McKellan DAMN WELL better come back as Gandalf.

2011, huh? I'll try to hold on...

yeah no kidding, bit of a wait...

They're making a mistake by not letting him direct as well as produce.

Oh I didn't realize he was producing and not directing.

Heard it on the radio news today at work.

You guys seen the movie poster for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"? It's written by George Lucas and directed by Steven Spielberg!

Yeah, it's been posted at SCN for several weeks. Looks like an alien skull.

Yeah, I saw the movie poster at the theatres when watching I am Legend, and I was amazed when I saw it.

Also saw a full length Dark Knight trailer.

You guys seen the movie poster for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"?

The joke around work is that the title is actually "Indiana Jones and the AARP".