If Not Peter Jackson, Who Should Direct The Hobbit?

Peter Jackson both created and defined Middle Earth in filmdom with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. No other director can make a version of The Hobbit that will be consistent with Jackson's vision and version, and any other vision would be incredibly jarring and dislocating to watch. If Jackson doesn't bring The Hobbit to the screen, I doubt that I will watch anyone else's version.

I had not heard about the split between Jackson and New Line. I totally agree with Cheryl H. on her Apr 19, 2007 comment. Jackson directing the movie is like J.R.R. Tolkien writting the books. No one could or should do it. I will not attend if Peter doesn't do it. Why bother? It wouldn't have any magic. Meredith E. 4/19/07

I will definitely watch the movie, no matter who's gonna end up directing it - nonetheless I know I will be very very critical of it; I, too, have my doubts anybody else other than Jackson has the ability to turn Tolkien's visions into 'reality'.

Whoever will take on this challenge - good luck.. ;)

Peter Jackson should never have been allowed to make the Lord of the Rings trilogy, at least not without reading it first! He butchered the story, wrote and added a bunch of non-sense which made no sense, left a lot out which was necessary to understanding the characters motivations, and created a hell not worth saving. (yes, I realize it was a long tale and some things had to be left out but if he can add things that weren't in the story to begin with, which CHANGE the meaning of the story, he could have kept what was written!) There were reasons the nine would be willing to sacrifice their lives to save middle earth, Tolkien's Middle Earth was worth saving. Jackson didn't see any of it. If he makes the Hobbitt, I won't go see it!
Whoever makes the Hobbitt, I hope it is a person with a gentle spirit.
Peter Jackson should be relegated to B horror movies. He'd be good at that!

There's a lot of posturing going on right now. I have a feeling that when all this is said and done, Jackson will be back at the helm. But, if I had to pick someone else, Christopher Nolan and Robert Rodriguez both have the ability, vision and technical ability to pull off something like The Hobbit. Whether they'd want to is another question.

Peter Jackson won so many Emmy's for "The return of the King" who else could direct the Hobbit and have a finished produce with such greatness. Peter should start up his own film company that way nobody could dictate to him on how the film should be made.

Emmys???
Emmys are awards for television productions.
He won Oscars, not emmys.

Anyway, I was very pleased with Peter Jackson's productions of the Lord of the Rings movies. Looking at his catalog of work, there is nothing in his earlier efforts to suggest that he had the abilty to create those films.
I am not going to dismiss another director as incapable of doing justice to the material of 'The Hobbit'. I will wait and see the work, then make a judgement. If Peter Jackson can rise to the occassion, why can't another director?

From what I read, the rights to 'The Hobbit' are tangled in a legal morass. It may be a long time before a move is made by anyone.

I don't see the direction or scripting of The Hobbit as a particularly challenging task. Tolkien wrote a very accessible book with a very serial story line. While there are some moments of grandiosity, in general, it's a story that doesn't call for large scale battle after battle.

I would imagine that whoever directs the movie makes it more accessible to children, in the same spirit that Hobbit was an on-ramp into the trilogy.

I believe GUILLERMO DEL TORO ( Pan's Labrynth, Blade I & II, Hellboy I & II, Mimic, The Devil's Backbone) could be good for The Hobbit AND The Children of Hurin.

If one wants to keep the continuity of Lord of the Rings trilogy, then Peter Jackson is the obvious person to direct the Hobbit. Some mentioned that Guillermo del Toro would do a good job directing the Hobbit. I agree that Guillermo is a very good director, but his work tends to be extremely dark, in feel, look and subject matter. He would not create a Hobbit that has light, but instead it will be a world of darkness, both visually and concept. If that is what you want to see, then Del Toro's Hobbit will be your type of movie. I on the other hand feel that Jackson created a special world out of Tolkien's masterpieces. Lisa L. complains that Jackson added and deleted parts to and from Tolkien's trilogy. Lisa L. you feel that Peter Jackson left out the Fellowship's reason(s) for embarking on their perilous journey. You are entitled to your opinion, but I suggest you see the movies again. The whole trilogy is about saving Middle Earth, the uppermost reason for the nine to bond together. Even though Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy is recommend reading material for teenagers, how many have actually read and truly enjoyed the books? With all the additions and deletions by Jackson, he actually made this body of work pretty much immortal and truly famous. Kids are now reading the books and enjoying them much more than prior to the release of the films. I personally hope that Jackson patches things up with New Line and ends up directing the Hobbit. It is my opinion that he is the best director for this piece.

first in regard to lisa l's comment about peter jackson he did read the books before making the film and if you only saw the films in the theather and not the directors cut you missed alot and as someone who grew up with the load of the ring and read it yearly the minor addition were made to keep the film under three hours with out adding extra characters that were only in one or two scene's. read to book a few times and see the dvd directors cut . If you have heard christopher Lee wound never have done the films if it did not due justice to the books. im not sure how old you are but you shouldn't be so rude. i myself would have loved to see Tom Bombadill.

As for you should direct I feel that new line should pay Peter Jackson the money hat they owe him and then let him Direct the Hobbitt . it was his vision that brought the loard of the ring to the screen not new line

I think Peter Jackson is the only director with the understanding of Tolkien's fantasy world. However, DEL TORO's masterpiece Pan's Labyrinth shows that he can take on the challenge, just in case Peter says "no."

First of all, Tolkien's books never will and can't be transformed into the perfect movie. The books will always be valued, and I hope people will never prefer watching a movie to reading a book. I think Peter Jackson did a fine job with the movies. His vision of the Lord of the Rings introduced and reinvigorated millions to read the trilogy. He also stuck to the main themes that the book expresses.
Now if Peter Jackson can't make the Hobbit, I hope the rights expire for New Line Cinema, so that Walden Media, along with director Andrew Adamson can produce the Hobbit. From what I've seen, they did an excellect job with The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Peter Jackson with out a doubt did a fantastic job with the trilogy, because he is a director who has read the books many times and knows much of the history of middle earth along with most of his other writers, staff, actors and he has even hired Alan Lee and John Howe. This alone shows how he is a very dedicated director staying true to the main theme in Tolkien's books.
I think if New line Cinema is going to make the movie of The Hobbit, they will accept a script from a writer who may have read the book once and hire any director (who may have no or little knowledge of the book) The Hobbit will be like Eragon which i think was a horrible movie.

I have been a fan of Tolkien's since the '70's when I first read The Hobbit, and although I felt that Peter Jackson did do credit to the books, I would not be upset to find out that someone else is directing The Hobbit. I just hope they can keep some of the original cast members, such as Ian M. & Ian H, both whom are fantastic actors. I look eagerly towards 2009 and The Hobbit!

I agree with some posters that Jackson changed the story line in ways that I don't like and in none that I do like (for example, in Jackson's The Two Towers, Faramir is portrayed as being severely tempted by the Ring while in the original, he is perhaps the only character who wasn't tempted). But I don't agree that he has seriously harmed the story. I'd like to see him make the Hobbit, but if can't, then I'd like to see Ridley Scott make it. His Hobbit might be a little dark, but the Hobbit has it's dark side as well.