Photo: WireImage

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Guillermo del Toro is "in talks" to direct both Hobbit movies for New Line, meaning, presumably, that he hasn't yet signed on the dotted line but will soon be joyously spending the first movie's production budget of eleventy-one million dollars. (The actual number is even higher: $150 million.) While we remain unconvinced that a "sequel" is actually all that necessary, we don't have anything bitchy to say about Guillermo del Toro being handed the keys to the kingdom of Middle Earth. We actually think he might do an even better job than Peter Jackson.

Del Toro doubles up for 'Hobbit' [HR]
Earlier: We're Officially Excited About ‘The Hobbit,’ and Worried About the Sequel