Hmm, I smell Aragorn backstory.
The problem with a Hobbit movie is we’ve already seen most of it in LOTR. The Shire, Hobbits, Dwarves, Gandalf, trolls, magic ring, Rivendale, fighting orcs underground, Gollum, eagles, wargs, giant spiders, more elves. All would just feel like reheated left overs from LOTR. The only thing new in the Hobbit is the dragon (which would be pretty cool) and Beorn (also cool).
Also, unlike LOTR, the main characters are all basically inter-changable dwarves. It’s going to be hard to get the audience to care about, or even be able to differentiate between them.
GDT and Jackson are both great film makers, so maybe they’ll pull it off, but to me this still feels like making a movie because its such an irresistible money making opportunity (ROTK made a billion dollars!) rather then because anyone actually has a good plan to make a good film out of it. The idea of a “interlude” film just strengthens this idea.
Why isn’t Peter Jackson directing it?
All that walking in the woods he does, no wonder.
Are the Necromancer and Sauron one and the same? I’m still unclear on that point.
Also, in a general sense, how often is it (usually) from the time the director signs until the first frame of film is shot?
Yes, but that didn’t become clear until after the events of the Hobbit.
And there are no female characters in the whole book!
What, have you forgotten Lobelia and the nameless serving girl in Bree? 
You don’t know - maybe some of the dwarves are female.
I’m kind of glad it’s not PJ to be honest. I was getting weary of the schmaltz.
-FrL-
Aha! I see what happened here…
He’s busy. After New Line told him (and the world) that they’d never ever ever allow him to participate in The Hobbit in any way, shape, or form, ever in the future of the world and middle-earth, cross their hearts and hope to die, PJ took on some other projects. And he’s not willing to postpone them to direct TH but he thinks he can produce it while he’s directing his other stuff.
Crosses fingers and hopes for “Meet the Feebles II: Even Feebler”
No they won’t (alas). The Tolkien estate has total control over anything from the Silmarillion and have been very clear in their opposition to any adaptation of same. Yeah I’d love to see a new series centered around Beren and Luthien and their struggles against Sauron, but it ain’t going to happen unless Chris Tolkien and co. have a radical change of mind.
Time frame ranges between two weeks and never.
PJ is currently working on “The Lonely Bones” and is directing one of the Tintin movies.
Brian
Guillermo del Toro’s first interview about his plans for The Hobbit.
Continuity seems to be the key word.
Some specualtion on the 2nd movie from Userfriendly.
I would pay to watch that! Well, provided they gesticulate with their ands when they talk. They’re my favorites from LOTR.