As if you didn't know, it's now official: Peter Jackson will direct The Hobbit

I have to agree with Deadline on this, but why is this a story? We've known Peter Jackson would be directing The Hobbit since last June, but anyway it's now "official" I guess. Production is set to begin in January with plans still firmly set in place for the first film to be released in December 2012, and the second half in December 2013.

We learned over the weekend that both films were set to be greenlit in the very near future, and this seems to be the final step in that direction. The only question left remaining is whether or not it'll be shot in 3D or if it will be added in post, but you can bank on it being in the format in some manner.