Neill Blomkamp tipped to helm Hobbit films

A Lord of the Rings fan site says a "spy report" tips District 9 director and Peter Jackson protege Neill Blomkamp to take over as director of the two planned Hobbit films.

The fan site TheOneRing.net said its source reported that Blomkamp, who worked with Peter Jackson on District 9 and a failed attempt to make a Halo movie, would be replacing Guillermo Del Toro.

Del Toro last month announced that he would no longer direct the films in Wellington due to ongoing delays.

While the report was yet to be verified the fan site said the source gave other information which seemed to fit in with reports from other sources.

A spokesman for Peter Jackson's production company, Wingnut Films, refused to comment on the reports.

TheOneRing.net was the first to announce Del Toro's departure from the Hobbit movies.