Ringer spy Bernard checks in again with the very latest on Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones.” The story is spreading around various news agencies as they pick up old info and then infuse it with the latest nuggets. Today’s stuff concerns music, marketing expenses and Jackson’s leverage with major studios. All fascinating. Click to read it all

And if you haven’t read “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold I can only say that I loved this book. You can order it here.

According to Variety Peter Jackson’s spec script for THE LOVELY BONES, which he co-wrote with partners Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh, is being shopped around to studios this week. Jackson also plans to direct. (New Line won’t be receiving a copy.) The story centers on a 14-year-old girl who is raped and killed. Her spirit, however, keeps watch over her family and her killer. The script is based on the novel of the same name by Alice Sebold.

Order Alice Sebold’s amazing book ‘The Lovely Bones’ on Amazon.com today! [Order]

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Peter Jackson is eyeing his next fantasy series. The filmmaker has optioned “Temeraire,” a historical fantasy series by first-time novelist Naomi Novik, as he puts the pieces together for his career post-“King Kong.”

The “Temeraire” saga reimagines the world of the Napoleonic Wars with the addition of an air force of dragons and valiant aviators. It centres on British naval Capt. Will Laurence, who captures a French ship, where he discovers an unhatched dragon egg in the hold — a gift from the Emperor of China intended for Napoleon. When the egg hatches, he is forced to give up his naval career to become captain of the dragon he names Temeraire. [More]

The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson is to remake classic British war film The Dam Busters, he has told film industry trade paper Screen Daily. Jackson will produce the movie, with King Kong animator Christian Rivers in the director’s chair. Jackson said it would be “as authentic as possible and as close to the spirit of the original as possible”. The 1954 film told the true story of how Britain developed bouncing bombs to destroy German dams in World War II. Mel Gibson was going to direct and possibly act in it Peter Jackson Jackson says he first saw the film as a child and “really loved it”. [More]

Allen Hemberger was safely ensconced at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., teaching his first semester in the engineering department when he got the call. It was from New Zealand. There was a giant ape in the woods, and they needed his help. Hemberger hung up the phone and considered the options: stay in the Midwest teaching about visual effects or hop on a plane to the other side of the planet to work with one of the world’s foremost directors, Peter Jackson, on his epic remake of the classic thriller King Kong. “It was too sweet of an opportunity for me to pass up,” Hemberger recalls, “so I took it.” [More]