Peter Jackson dropped from "Hobbit" film - letter

LOS ANGELES, Nov 21 (Reuters) Where is Frodo when you need him? Director Peter Jackson has been told he will not be hired to direct a movie based on J R R Tolkien novel ''The Hobbit,'' despite the nearly 3 billion dollar global box office success of his ''Lord of the Rings'' trilogy, according to a letter Jackson wrote to fan site TheOneRing.net.

The trilogy of movies is based on Tolkien's fantastic tale of an epic war among wizards, sorcerers, elves, villainous orcs and friendly little hobbits of whom the novel's hero, Frodo, is one. It is Frodo who eventually saves the day. ''The Hobbit'' is a fairy tale-like story that Tolkien wrote before the ''Rings'' trilogy.

In Jackson's letter, which was posted on the Web site late on Sunday, the director said last week a top executive with Los Angeles-based New Line Cinema called him to say the studio was moving ahead on ''The Hobbit'' movie without Jackson.

''This was a courtesy call to let us know that the studio was now actively looking to hire another filmmaker,'' Jackson wrote.

A spokesman for New Line declined to comment citing company policy, and a Los Angeles representative for New Zealand-based Jackson was not immediately available.

Chris Pirrotta, co-founder of TheOneRing.net, said the fan site has a long-running relationship with Jackson. Since posting the letter, he said the site has received some 100,000 visitors, far above the more normal 15,000 per day.

''They are very upset,'' Pirrotta told Reuters. ''We are seeing calls for everything from letter writing campaigns to a boycott of the studio.'' New Line and Jackson's production company, Wingnut Films, are currently embroiled in a lawsuit over income from 2001's ''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,'' which is the first film in the trilogy.

In his letter, Jackson said he and his producing partners have refused to discuss a ''Hobbit'' film until the lawsuit is settled, and he added that New Line informed him the studio had limited time to make the film so it must move on.

''Given that New Line are committed to this course of action, we felt at the very least, we owed you, the fans, a straightforward account of events as they have unfolded for us,'' Jackson wrote.

The other two films in the trilogy are 2002's ''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' and 2003's final installment, ''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,'' which earned 11 Oscars including best film and best director.

New Line is a unit of New York-based media company Time Warner Inc.

REUTERS SB VV0922