A report in Variety yesterday suggests that director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) might step behind the camera to film Bilbo's journey to the Lonely Mountain.

Tuesday's news rippled across fandom with excitement and anticipation that director Peter Jackson would helm both proposed Hobbit films, the first of which New Line Cinema hopes to release in 2010. As the day progressed, however, statements issued by Jackson revealed that he has no intention of directing either film.

Raimi's supposed involvement in the features has yet to receive confirmation from either Jackson or New Line. As of Thursday, no word has been issued whether the films will receive treatment from a team of writers other than Fran Walsh and Phillipa Boyens, who co-wrote the majority of adapted material for The Lord of the Rings.  

According to trade reports and a press release statement Tuesday, the first film will focus solely on The Hobbit, author J.R.R. Tolkien's first foray into Middle-earth. Film two will likely bridge the 60-year gap between The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, and is expected to rely on the vast wealth of resources comprising Tolkien's literary estate.

Jackson is currently wrapping production on The Lovely Bones -- based on the bestselling novel by Alice Sebold -- set for release next March. He is then expected to jump into production of a trilogy of films devoted to Hergé's comic book creation Tintin, currently in the initial production phases in partnership with Steven Spielberg.
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