It's off. It's on. It's delayed. It's not. Someone says it is. Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson assure us it's not. Now, buried in a Variety article about New Line's new status comes an indication from Warners studio head Alan Horn that the company is looking at a "fourth quarter 2012" release for The Hobbit. Which is definitely not December 2011…
So what could possibly be the hold up? Well, the studio is waiting for the second script and the planned two films' June 2010 start start date and long shoot - 14 months - mean that it'll be tough to get the first movie ready in time for December.
Plus, since the film is co-financed by MGM, financial affairs are trickier because of that company's impending sale.
GDT and PJ - the ball is in your courts. Frankly, we won't believe any release schedule until you both take part in one of those crazed YouTube "save the date" videos, like so many exhibitionist engaged couples...