During the years of legal disputes between Peter Jackson and New Line, there was no shortage of speculation regarding which director might step into his shoes for The Hobbit -- speculation that, as it turns out, will continue at least awhile longer.

As Entertainment Weekly reports, much as fans might have hoped this week's announcement that Jackson and Fran Walsh are producing The Hobbit would be only a prelude to the news that they'd be directing it (and its planned sequel), such is not the case -- at least not according to Jackson's manager, Ken Kamins:

"Peter won't be directing because he felt the fans have waited long enough for The Hobbit. It will take the better part of every day of the next four years to write, direct and produce two Hobbit films. Given his current obligations to both The Lovely Bones and Tintin, waiting for Peter, Fran, and Phillippa to write, direct and produce The Hobbit would require the fans wait even longer."

Quite a few fans wouldn't mind the extra wait if it meant Jackson directing the Hobbit films, but alas, it looks like someone else will wind up behind the camera. So the question, again, becomes "who?" According to EW, the short list of candidates still includes Sam Raimi, Guillermo del Toro, and Alfonso Cuaron -- but, as New Line co-chair Robert Shaye tells it, no decisions have been made:

"There is obviously a small but significant number of directors who could handle two films of this magnitude, but we have no commitment to anybody. Now that Peter is an integral part of the decision-making process, we all have to see eye-to-eye on any candidate we try to enlist."

Source: Entertainment Weekly