Del Toro in Talks To Direct 'The Hobbit'
I'm not the biggest fan of fantasy epics and, therefore, the massive orc-driven spectacle that was The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. But at the very least, I can respect that they'll well made films worthy of the attention and special editions of Risk they're given, and I've shared the hope that New Line would choose a successor worthy of Peter Jackson to make The Hobbit. Sam Raimi had been the favorite for some time, but now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it seems Guillermo del Toro is the frontrunner.
It's all still being negotiated, so don't get your Hobbit holes too wet yet, but del Toro at the helm could mean faithful prequels that you don't have to attempt to overlook when examining the series (see Star Wars prequels, obviously). Plus, there's never been a better chance for The Hobbit to have nightmarish creatures with misplaced eyes, and that's something even we fantasy cynics can get behind.
Del Toro doubles up for 'Hobbit' [Hollywood Reporter]