The latest news surrounding “The Hobbit” movies, due out in December 2011 and 2012, comes recently from The Empire. The question that had been floating around the world of Tolkein fans was that the first movie would be “The Hobbit” and the second would cover the span between “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” Producer Peter Jackson and director Guillermo Del Torro clear that up:

“We’ve decided to have The Hobbit span the two movies, including the White Council and the comings and goings of Gandalf to Dol Guldur,” says Del Toro. “We decided it would be a mistake to try to cram everything into one movie,” adds Jackson. “The essential brief was to do The Hobbit, and it allows us to make The Hobbit in a little more style, if you like, of the [LOTR] trilogy.”

HT: Tim Challies