Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, Blade 2, Hellboy)will direct The Hobbit and its sequel. Lord of the Rings Executive Producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will act as producers and help to draft the script.
Del Toro will move to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and his WETA production teams. He will helm the two films back to back – telling the story of The Hobbit, and its sequel, which will deal with the 60-year period between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring.
New Line is overseeing development and will manage the production. The Hobbit and its sequel are being co-produced and co-financed by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Brothers distributing domestically.
The first Hobbit movie is set for a 2011 Christmas release with part 2 the following Christmas.
