Its not a very optimistic stance, but further to yesterdays news(see main story) that Guillermo Del Toro would be stepping down as director of The Hobbit, Peter Jackson had this to say to The Dominion Post...
If [directing the films is] what I have to do to protect Warner Bros’ investment, then obviously that’s one angle which I’ll explore…The other studios may not let me out of the contracts.
Jackson's manager had this to say only yesterday..
[Peter Jackson can't consider directing] at this time because he has and has had other commitments and obligations to other projects. That said, he and Fran will stop at nothing to protect this franchise and the investment made by New Line, Warners and MGM.
So it seems as if Jackson would step ion only as a last resort to save the studio's interests. I'm not sure that makes him the best man for the job! That may sound crazy considering the great job he did with the trilogy, but if he really doesn't want to do it and isn't passionate about it, I fear it would show in the finished film. Said commitments are primarily
Tintin, and then in 2011,
Tintin 2! He certainly has his work cut out for him. Jackson is confident however that the project will go ahead, he's just not sure when...
“I just don’t know now until we get a new director. The key thing is that we don’t intend to shut the project down…We don’t intend to let this affect the progress. Everybody, including the studio, wants to see things carry on as per normal. The idea is to make it as smooth a transition as we can.”
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.