The short answer to the headline is: No, not really.
But Entertainment Weekly has put a lot of effort into speculating on the perceived relationship repairs that may be happening between LORD OF THE RINGS director Peter Jackson and studio New Line. A lengthy new article tracks the entire ugly matter, including how the filmmaker and cast got hosed out of their slice of the $3 BILLION PLUS the trilogy has generated, how the situation became toxic, and how New Line eventually began seeking a replacement director for THE HOBBIT.
But now things seem to have settled (or will, assuming the lawsuit is settled), with Jackson’s involvement deemed “indispensable” to the early Tolkein tale. Or tales, more accurately — Jackson previously stated he’d split the adventure into two films and interweave Tolkein’s random Bilbo Baggins writings which, I hope, aren’t as excruciating as the extra Arwen scenes from LOTR.
Still, don’t expect to see the little hairy-footed wanderer’s search for Smaug the Dragon’s treasure anytime soon. Jackson is busy with adapting THE LOVELY BONES and then plans to make a TINTIN movie with Steven Spielberg, and he’s also producing the WWII movie DAMBUSTERS. And considering HALO 3 has already made over $300 million, he’ll likely be called back for exec producing duty on the stalled feature film that will no doubt start up again soon.
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