J.R.R. Tolkien fans will have to wait patiently to see The Hobbit on the silver screen.
Peter Jackson, who brought us the Lord of the Rings trilogy and is producing The Hobbit, revealed that production will not begin in the summer as previously planned.
"We’re currently working on the second script which we hope to have completed by the end of this year or beginning of next. When the scripts are completed, we can begin with the exact calculation of the necessary budget. We hope to start filming in the middle of next year. However, we’ve received no green light from the studio yet," Jackson told MovieReporter.
Without a doubt, MGM’s future is riding on the project. However, the delay is unlikely to cause any problems with the film’s popularity. The first film is expected to reach theatres in 2011, with the second film due out the following year.
The first film will recount the story of Bilbo Baggins, while the second film will draw links between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
Both films are to be directed by Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth), and the director has also been involved in writing the screenplays.
In the meantime, Peter Jackson directed the film The Lovely Bones with Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon. The flick will open in theatres on January 15.