Guillermo del Toro Not Directing THE HOBBIT Anymore
Guillermo del Toro has dropped out as director for the two upcoming films based on JRR Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.
Citing delays as his reason, del Toro could no longer commit to staying in New Zealand waiting to begin filming. MGM’s financial woes have led to the delay in filming. Del Toro hoped to begin filming but more delays appear to be on the horizon, prompting his decision to leave.
Guillermo del Toro is widely respected for his fantastical work and is a critically acclaimed director. He may be best known for his work on the films Pan’s Labyrinth and the Hellboy franchise. He signed on to direct the two Hobbit films in 2007 and spent the last two years working on the script and pre-production.
Long time fans of the franchise will be disappointed with the loss of del Toro on this project. Executive Producer Peter Jackson does not anticipate any issues locating a new director. Jackson will not be transitioning to director despite the fact that he directed the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
