As perhaps inevitably expected, helmer Peter Jackson is in negotiations to sit in the director’s chair for the two upcoming Hobbit movies being made by New Line and MGM. Although Jackson was still heavily involved as co-writer and producer, Guillermo del Toro was to direct the films until he left under “scheduling conflicts” coming from the delayed financial status of MGM. However, since the project remains on track for release in 2011 and 2012, rumors suggest that this was a graceful way for del Toro to exit the production so that Jackson could once again shepherd the movie adaptations of JRR Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings characters. Heat Vision has more.