Guillermo del Toro Wants To Direct The Hobbit Films

With Peter Jackson back on with New Line executive producing The Hobbit movies, talk of who will best direct it and its sequel has been circulating. While New Line is trying to suggest Jackson may direct and write it, as our JEO noted, Jackson’s manager has voiced how unlikely that would be on account of Jackson’s preexisting obligations to The Lovely Bones and Tintin. Plus Jackson doesn’t want fans to have to wait years for him and his creative partners to get through those projects before tackling The Hobbit movies. It’s seemingly smarter and better for him to executive produce the movies.

So who may direct?

Guillermo del Toro’s name has come up as a possibility. I’d be down with this because I feel del Toro is utterly devoted to any project he helms, so that would be a huge argument in his favor. Just watch him talking on Charlie Rose with his auteur buddies, the glorious Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez. Look at his creative diary! Listen to his buddies talk about him! Listen to his expound on his philosophies! I’m a big believer in passion, but he also has painstaking craftsmanship to back that up.

Entertainment Weekly chats with del Toro about the buzz and whether or not he’d be open to directing The Hobbit films. And, indeed, he’s eager for an offer to be made.