The 'Rings' team returns to write 'The Hobbit' with Guillermo del Toro

The essential pieces of "The Hobbit" are falling into place.

The latest announcement confirms the rumor that Peter Jackson and his "Lord of the Rings" screenplay collaborators, Fran Walsh (Jackson's wife) and Phillipa Boyens, will be returning to write the new scripts with director Guillermo del Toro.

That's a lot of top-name talent huddled around the keyboard at once. Will their egos gel successfully enough to recapture the success of the "Rings" trilogy?

The new films are based on J.R.R. Tolkein's prequel to "Lord of the Rings" about Frodo's uncle Bilbo, played in the "Rings" films by Ian Holm, and his first encounter with the wizard Gandalf and his discovery of the all-powerful ring.

The book will be broken into two movies, filmed simultaneously, with the first to be released in 2011.

-- Patrick Kevin Day

Comments

[al sullivan]

I had high hopes for The Hobbit until I found out that Peter Jackson was involved again. Jackson turned The Lord of the Rings into a sword and soccery flick, violating the spirit of the book, and I fear as much for The Hobbit. I guess I'll just have to read the books again.