Take with a major grain of salt alert.
Even though Peter Jackson already looks to be a lock to helm the adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” his protége in “District 9” breakout director Neill Blomkamp has once again been rumored to take over the reins.
Little known New Zealand site Flicks report that “local sources” have it on some sort of authority that Blomkamp already has the job and that lensing will begin as soon as next year. The latter part we could definitely believe: a January start has always been the target and with Spyglass chiefs Roger Birnbaum and Gary Barber closer than ever on a deal that will see them take over MGM, projects like ‘Hobbit’ and ‘Bond’ will likely be brought straight back into the Hollywood limelight. But Blomkamp taking over? Not likely, but the reason we do flag this up at all is that New Zealand is small (this writer is Australian and knows) and it’s easy for news like this to leak out (plus a few readers flagged it our way; we thought we’d try and provide some context).
With the recent confirmation regarding Martin Freeman’s potential casting as well, we find it hard to believe Jackson isn’t already spreading his roots in preparation to direct it. Deadline even recently noted that the adaptation has already gone as far as working out a deal to have Warner Bros. distributing the two films worldwide. An official confirmation seems imminent too with Jackson recently hinting at positive news in the near future and word that he was already meeting talent before MGM’s problems were resolved.
Furthermore, Blomkamp has already categorically denied any involvement in “The Hobbit,” unveiled a new sci-fi project as his “District 9” follow-up, and as recent as August 28, wrote on Twitter, that he was “working on a cool sci-fi project” and that it’s “not a ‘District 9’ sequel.” That project is, of course, “Elysium” — an original sci-fi idea from Blomkamp that he once described as a “sci-fi, horror, something around,” that’ll be “set on another planet… way in the future,” and will explore “many sociopolitical ideas… wrapped up inside something that is like a Hollywood action film.”
After the shockwaves Guillermo Del Toro left with his ‘Hobbit’ departure this summer, it looks like a quick reprise is definitely in the cards for the troubled ‘Lord Of The Rings’ prequel. That said, the projects now seem years behind schedule for their original Christmas 2011, 2012 releases even if Jackson probably has a few tricks up his sleeve for shooting back-to-back. Meet you in 2013?