The Hobbit, a two-part adaptation of the Tolkien novel by Guillermo del Toro, is now scheduled for release in December 2012 and December 2013. Confusion rose when IMAX mistakenly pinned the first of The Hobbit movies for 2013.

While some may be disappointed the first movie is arriving later than the originally announced 2011 release date, that served as more of a guideline since no scripts had been written or any schedules or budgets drawn up.

As far as recent progress, the script for the second movie was turned in earlier in April and the financial aspects for filming are being hashed out right now. In the wake of Peter Jackson’s blockbuster movie trilogy, expectations are high for this prologue to Lord of the Rings. It’s one of those properties not just with great appeal to the gamer demographic but to all crowds; the marketing tie-ins should be fairly robust.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter