WB and MGM making push for Peter Jackson to direct Hobbit

Just yesterday word leaked out that Warner Bros. had their eye on HARRY POTTER director David Yates to take over directing THE HOBBIT after Guillermo del Toro left the production. But it seems they’re only interested in Yates if Plan A – convince Peter Jackson to return – fails.

Deadline is reporting that Warner Bros. and MGM, the two studios that are co-producing THE HOBBIT, are making a full-court press to sell Peter Jackson on directing the films himself. This shouldn’t really surprise anyone as the studios would love to be able to market these as “from the director of LORD OF THE RINGS,” but until now, a good deal of the speculation was on what new director could take the project. If WB/MGM really are serious about Jackson returning, they could make a lot of his other concerns about taking the job (i.e., his contractual obligations with other studios) disappear.

The article also confirms Yates’ interest in the gig and adds that David Dobkin (WEDDING CRASHERS) and Brett Ratner (?!) have also expressed interest in the gig. This doesn’t mean that the studio is interested in them (as Dobkin and Ratner are extremely out of the box choices), just that they are interested in the gig (as are, I’m sure, a number of Hollywood directors).