Peter Jackson Says 'Hobbit' Delayed Until Summer

Ever since the we learned that MGM had failed to call FreeCreditReport.com for years and found itself billions of dollars in debt, I was one of the many who wondered what it could mean for The Hobbit. The Lion decided not to sell it off - or James Bond, for that matter - but it hardly matters at this point, since the MGM we know will probably only exist for another 60 days or so. A new Peter Jackson interview with the German site MovieReporter (which we found at Filmonic) reveals the kind of cautious attitude we thought the producers would have to have right now. It appears that the film may not blaze into production in just a couple months, although Jackson doesn't mention the studio's woes as a reason why.

"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."

There's almost no question that this film is the crown jewel among MGM's treasures, precisely because filming hasn't begun. Whatever company does pick up MGM will have a chance to make a big impact on the production, and it's unlikely that MGM will take another step forward on the project with the sale looming. In a way, this gives Jackson and Guillermo del Toro more time to put the pieces together, on paper and in the cast, although any backward movement on this side of the ledger could put that December 2011 release date in a more tenuous position. They should still be fine, but I don't think anyone wants a delay past this summer.