Director Peter Jackson has announced that two young local girls will star in his up-coming feature film The Lovely Bones. The movie is due to start shooting later this year, when the two Kiwi unknowns will be rubbing shoulders with an impressive list of Hollywood’s elite already cast for Jackson’s next big movie. The Lovely Bones is the story of a young girl who is murdered, then watches her family grieve from heaven. [More]

For years speculation has raged that director Peter Jackson was making a World War I movie. Then secretly, in April this year, he did. The film, Crossing the Line, features biplane dogfights, bayonet charges and 30 cast and crew. It was filmed in Jackson’s second home-town of Masterton – home to his palatial mansion and estate – and has had rave reviews at audience screenings. It’s length? Fifteen minutes. Time taken to shoot? Just a few days. [More]

Observant Compa_Mighty has now written in with more fresh Hobbit news. Word reached our ears months ago that Sam Raimi would direct “The Hobbit,” but everything seemed to be in flux. In the last 48 hours word has traveled fast that Peter Jackson and New Line were at least on speaking terms. IESB.net is reporting (no source named so tread with caution) that Jackson and Raimi may be on the project. Don’t believe everything you read but this story makes a lot of sense. It also seems that Bob Shaye may have been hinting at this yesterday when he said, “I really respect and admire Peter and would love for him to be creatively involved in some way in ‘The Hobbit.’ “ Notice he didn’t say he would “direct” the film but did say “involved in some way”. Anyway, stay tuned as more clues are uncovered.

The L.A. Times story that we reported on below is making the rounds in the world’s press. Everybody is re-writing the story using the Robert Shaye quotes from New Line to generate their own story. Most of the news is just a rehash but there is a story from New Zealand that confirms with Jackson’s camp that talks are happening. Read that little tidbit right here. Things are looking significantly better.

A keen eyed fellow that goes by Ned sent in a very interesting link from the L.A. Times about New Line and some possible fence mending with Peter Jackson. Jackson is obviously well into pre-production on his “Lovely Bones” project but after that, who knows? The story included this juicy tidbit: “Eager to move ahead with “The Hobbit,” New Line has quietly been trying to mend fences with “Rings” filmmaker Peter Jackson, who has sued the company over his share of profits from the first “Rings” films. When asked if it was true that company insiders had been in talks with Jackson’s reps, Shaye replied, “Yes, that’s a fair statement. Notwithstanding our personal quarrels, I really respect and admire Peter and would love for him to be creatively involved in some way in ‘The Hobbit.’ “ To read the whole interesting story go right here.