Peter Jackson to co-write The Hobbit with Guillermo Del Toro

Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is to collaborate with Guillermo Del Toro on the script of two films based around Tolkien's The Hobbit.

He may have handed over the director's reigns for The Hobbit to Guillermo Del Toro, but it seems Peter Jackson can't quite bring himself to leave the fantasy world of JRR Tolkien alone. It was announced today that Jackson is to co-write the screenplay with Del Toro for the two films which are being adapted from the Lord of the Rings prequel.

Jackson, who directed the phenomenally successful Rings triptych, had originally been on board The Hobbit only as executive producer, with Del Toro hired to take charge of the two new films. But following an eight-month search for a suitable scribe, the pair came to the conclusion that there was no better candidate to take on the challenge than themselves. Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who worked with Jackson on the Rings series, will also be involved in the prequels.