There has been much speculation that The Hobbit is going to get a green light soon, and that Peter Jackson is going to be announced as the director. Empire recently caught up with Peter Jackson, who states that the movie hasn't been okayed for production, and that he is still waiting for The Hobbit to move forward.

About all the recent chatter that The Hobbit is going to be green lit soon, Jackson had this to say:

"We are nowhere different to any other reports or conversations. We haven't got a green light yet. We're still waiting. Things still seem to be inching closer to some sort of happy place. I keep hearing that so many times now I've stopped tuning into it. We've seen these reports before, reports saying there was going to be a green light in a couple of days - well, a week's gone by and there isn't one. You can't believe everything you read. There is only one thing you want to believe and that's when the studio announces a green light. As far as I'm aware that's not going to be today. I keep hearing positive things."

Some have speculated that Peter Jackson has lost his enthusiasm for the project. But the director says that's simply not true, though he doesn't know if he will, in fact, direct The Hobbit or The Hobbit Sequel. He stated:

"I'm certainly happy to be involved. At the moment, I'm a writer and a producer on it. We'll see. Warner Bros. have been very, very good, very loyal and very supportive and I want to do what's right for them first and foremost because I've got a responsibility to look after their investment. And it's also something I am actually excited about so we'll see what happens. I've learnt never to get that excited until something is greenlit because there is a moment when you commit emotionally to a project and you give everything, your heart and soul. At that point, once you've done that and it doesn't happen, it's the most horrible thing in the world outside of stuff do with your family. It's the worst experience ever, to have a film fall over that you've committed 100% to. I always just protect myself and don't fully commit until I know for sure that it's happening. Then it gets my 100% commitment."