New Line gets set to enter Hobbitland sans Peter Jackson

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By M&C News Nov 21, 2006, 9:58 GMT

What happens when three Hollywood heavyweights get together in the same room? Nothing – no one will budge. So it is with Academy Award ® winning director Peter Jackson, New Line, owner of the rights to produce ‘The Hobbit” a prequel to Jackson produced ‘Lord of the Ring’s series and MGM who has distribution rights for the pic.Jackson and producing partner Fan Walsh have announced they will not discuss making the prequel until legal matters with New Line are settled over “improper accounting practices” of “Ring” profits.New Line has announced it will proceed into Hobbitland without Jackson at the helm. New Line exec’s Mark Ordesky, who moved the Rings trilogy through the mini-major, claims they have a limited time option on the film’s rights obtained from Saul Zaentz. And since the legal dispute with Jackson is not making any headway, the studio needs to move ahead with the project, sans the director.MGM meanwhile issued a statement from a spokesperson which said “The matter of Peter Jackson directing ‘The Hobbit’ is far from closed.”In the meantime, New Line has thrown support behind another fantasy series, “The Immortal Nicholas Flamel.”The book penned by Michael Scott was optioned by ‘Survivor,” - ‘The Apprentice’ producer Mark Burnett, who is segueing into features. He will produce “Flamel.”Burnett sees a six picture franchise blooming from the deal.Pic is set around Nicolas Flamel, an alchemist who loses a book holding many secrets that could spell the end of humanity. Flamel and friends set out on many adventures to find the book and save the world.

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