Peter Jackson et al are back to to pen The Hobbit.

The Oscar-winning team behind the Lord of the Rings screenplays will officially reunite for the Hobbit films.

Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, who successfully completed the massive job of adapting Tolkien’s epic tome for the big screen and won an Oscar for their work on The Return of the King, are set to turn their talents to the author’s more modestly-sized prequel – and a sequel which will bridge the two projects.

Variety reports that production on the Guillermo Del Toro-directed efforts is set to begin in late 2009, with release dates of 2011 and 2012 set for the films.

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The Hobbit begins filming in 2010. The two films are being made back to back.

The live chat “An Unexpected Party” was held today at Weta’s website between fans and Guillermo del Toro, director of The Hobbit and its untitled sequel, and executive producer Peter Jackson. Del Toro and Jackson fielded fans’ inquiries about the two projects, revealing a good deal about their plans for them.

“At this point in time the plan is to write [the screenplays] for the rest of this year and start early conceptual designs. 2009 will be dedicated to pre-production on both movies and 2010 will be the year we shoot both films back to back,” Jackson told fans. “Post production follows one film at a time with The Hobbit being released December 2011, and (Film Two) release Dec 2012. That is the schedule in about as much detail as we have ourselves at the moment.” Del Toro said the ratings for the two Hobbit movies would be the same as the Lord of the Rings trilogy, “an intense PG-13.”

Casting buzz claims that LOTR veterans Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), and Andy Serkis (Gollum) have all been approached to reprise their respective roles for the films. Del Toro clarified the matter by saying, “No casting has started yet … but some people have thrown their helmet into the ring.”

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Liv Tyler discusses whether or not she will reprise her role as Arwen in the upcoming Hobbit Films.

IGN caught up with actress Liv Tyler yesterday in New York City to discuss her new horror film The Strangers, but while we had her pointy Elven ear we just had to ask her about whether or not she’ll be returning to the Lord of the Rings universe as Arwen for the upcoming pair of recently announced Hobbit films.

“Somebody just said to me, ‘Has your agent called Peter Jackson yet?’” says the actress with a laugh. “And I was like, ‘Whoa. What are you talking about?’ [The reporter] was so aggressive. It’s so funny the way people think and see [these things]. Someone just told me now that [director] Guillermo del Toro was doing it and that they’re going to split it into two films, which will be The Hobbit plus some sort of a bridge to The Lord of the Rings. As far as I know, Arwen and Aragorn are not in The Hobbit, or definitely aren’t in it. But I don’t know yet.”

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Ian Mckellen returns for the Hobbit.

Director Guillermo del Toro recently revealed that Lord of the Rings star Sir Ian McKellen might return for The Hobbit, and now the actor himself has confirmed that he’ll reprise his role as the wizard Gandalf for the prequel.

“Yes, it’s true,” McKellen informed Empire Online. “I spoke to Guillermo in the very room that [Lord of the Rings director] Peter Jackson offered me the part and he confirmed that I would be reprising the role. Obviously, it’s not a part that you turn down. I loved playing Gandalf.”

The Oscar nominee also spoke about del Toro’s plans to shoot not only The Hobbit, but also a second film inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. “Well I’ve read The Hobbit so I’ve got a good idea of what the story would be,” the actor said.

McKellen continued, “But as to how it’s going to work over two films and what’s going to happen on screen, well Guillermo has not got down to working out the major details yet – I can tell you it’s going to be amazing though.”

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Can you picture The Hobbit without director Peter Jackson at the helm? Read on:

With the icy relationship between Lord of the Rings filmmaker Peter Jackson and New Line seemingly starting to thaw, reports of other directors being linked to The Hobbit seem to have subsided. However, there’s still the possibility that Jackson and New Line will not kiss and make up, and even if they do it could be that Jackson will choose to simply produce the film. If either of those scenarios play out, who might take the reins?

The other director most talked about for The Hobbit has been Spider-Man helmer Sam Raimi. Raimi, who produced the new vampire horror flick 30 Days of Night through his Ghost House Pictures production company, says he’d still love to be considered for the project if Jackson is not in the director’s chair.

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Ian Mckellan will likely reprise his role as Gandalf in the forthcoming The Hobbit.

Sir Ian McKellen is still enchanted with the wizard Gandalf and expects to reprise his Oscar-nominated role for the much anticipated The Hobbit, whether or not Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson helms it.

McKellen informed Reuters, “When Peter announced he had withdrawn from The Hobbit, he sent me an e-mail saying ‘Because I am not going to do it, it doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Of course, you must play Gandalf whether I direct or not.’”

The 68 year-old British actor added, “I am glad to read that (The Hobbit) is looking more and more likely. … I would be disappointed if they didn’t want to have the original Gandalf. I suppose if I am still functioning and working well, it is very likely I would be asked to do it and if I were, I would be very pleased to do it.”

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If the rumors surrounding the The Hobbit are to be believed, Jackson is out and Raimi is in. Read on:

After New Line and Peter Jackson’s recent and very public spat over the proposed film version of The Hobbit (the next movie in the The Lord of the Rings series), the question of who might direct said picture in place of Jackson has come up often. Spider-Man uber-director Sam Raimi’s name was rumored last fall as a possible replacement for Jackson, but there was no real indication that he was considering the job. As such, that particular whisper went away like so much Internet chatter… but now that’s all changed.

The Los Angeles Times is reporting today that Raimi has been talking to “associates, as well as his corporate masters at Sony” and telling them that he is considering taking over the directorial reigns of The Hobbit. The paper, which to say the least has slightly more journalistic integrity than your average J.R.R. Tolkien messageboard, also cites two “top-level insiders” who claim to have heard this directly from Raimi.

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