Director Peter Jackson, 49, was rushed to hospital yesterday evening (January 26) in New Zealand for acute stomach pain, reports the Hollywood Reporter.
Diagnosed with a perforated ulcer, that same night Jackson underwent surgery and doctors expect a full and quick recovery, according to a statement from his production. However, filming of The Hobbit which was to begin in New Zealand in mid-February, will be pushed back.
"Sir Peter’s surgery is not expected to impact on his directing commitment to The Hobbit beyond a slight delay to the start of filming."
This is not the first delay for The Hobbit. Earlier MGM financial problems, the departure of director Guillermo Del Toro, and then labour issues all served to delay the production repeatedly.
Del Toro is still involved in the project since he co-wrote the screenplay with Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.
The Hobbit, an adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy tale, will be shot in 3-D as a two-part film, with the first scheduled for release in December 2012, and the second to follow one year later.