Shooting on 'Hobbit' delayed due to Peter Jackson hospitalization

By Adnan Tezer Jan 27, 2011, 20:46 GMT

Shooting on Peter Jackson's two-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" has been temporarily delayed after Jackson was hospitalized with a perforated ulcer yesterday.

According to Variety, shooting was to have begun Feb. 14 in New Zealand.

A statement from the film's publicist was released that read "Sir Peter Jackson was admitted to Wellington Hospital on Wednesday night with acute stomach pains. He subsequently underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer. Sir Peter is currently resting comfortably and his doctors expect him to make a full recovery. Sir Peter's surgery is not expected to impact on his directing commitment to 'The Hobbit' beyond a slight delay to the start of filming."

The films are being co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Bros. Pictures distributing.

Warner Bros. and MGM announced earlier in the month that Warners will handle worldwide distribution on the films, handling the international distribution and home video on the films in exchange for funding MGM's half of the production costs.

The first film opens December, 2012 and the second film opens December, 2013.

Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham are producing the films, with Phillipa Boyens serving as co-producer and Ken Kamins executive producing.

Jackson, Walsh and Cunningham produced the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

The cast includes Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, Rob Kazinsky, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, James Nesbitt, Adam Brown, Ken Stott, Sylvester McCoy, Mikael Persbrandt, Ryan Gage, Jed Brophy and William Kircher.

Andy Serkis, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett are reprising their roles from the "Lord of The Rings" trilogy.