This Just In: Guillermo Del Toro Will NOT Wear the Ring

Guillermo Del Toro No Longer Set to Direct THE HOBBIT

(Middle Earth Mourns the Loss)

Guillermo Del Toro, the visually unique and daring director of Pans Labyrinth, a film which managed to seamlessly blend intense violence with children's fantasy, has lost “the Ring.”

Yes, that Ring.

Originally handed the reigns (under Peter Jacksons guidance) to direct two installments of The Hobbit (tentatively scheduled for release in 2012).  After two years, Del Toro has decided to remove himself from the directors chair, albeit with a tremendous amount of grace.

In a statement made to TheOneRing.net (A J.R.R. Tolkein Fan Site) he told fans:

I’ve been privileged to work in one of the greatest countries on earth with some of the best people ever in our craft and my life will be forever changed. The blessings have been plenty, but the mounting pressures of conflicting schedules have overwhelmed the time slot originally allocated for the project. Both as a co-writer and as a director, I wish the production nothing but the very best of luck and I will be first in line to see the finished product.

It would appear that the power of the ring and its subsequent commitments proved too great for Guillermo Del Toro.

Peter Jackson told TheOneRing:

The bottom line is that Guillermo just didn’t feel he could commit six years to living in New Zealand, exclusively making these films, when his original commitment was for three years.

While I would have loved to see a Hobbit film fully under the creative direction of Guillermo Del Toro, I suppose it will be enough that he has dedicated 3 years of his time working on the project, and has assured fans he will continue to develop the films adaptation as a writer.My only hope is that the films final cut carries out a devoted attempt to recreate Middle Earth under Del Toro’s creative style, if only for the eye candy.

For now, I can only wait while New Line Cinema decides who will take the reigns next to finish Bilbo’s quest to the Lonely Mountain.

He guessed as well as he could, and crawled along for a good way, till suddenly his hand met what felt like a tiny ring of cold metal lying on the floor of the tunnel. It was a turning point in his career, but he did not know it.

–J.R.R Tolkien, “The Hobbit” Chapter 5

–Mike Fierce

Technorati Tags: Movies,Entertainment,Pop Culture