Jackson And Del Toro To Write The Hobbit

LORD OF THE RINGS filmmakers PETER JACKSON and GUILLERMO DEL TORO have called off their search for a writer to pen franchise prequel THE HOBBIT - after deciding they are best suited for the task.

The Hobbit director del Toro and Jackson, who directed the first three original films, had previously launched a global search for a scribe to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien's classic to the big screen.

But after eight months, the pair has announced their plans to tackle the movie and its follow-up themselves.

Writers Frank Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who both collaborated with Jackson on the Rings trilogy, will join the filmmakers in the writers' room.

Shooting on both movies, which will take place simultaneously, is slated to start in late 2009 in New Zealand, with The Hobbit expected for release in 2011 and its sequel in 2012.