Jackson pleased with Kiwi govt’s new laws to save ‘Hobbit’

WELLINGTON - Sir Peter Jackson and his wife Fran Walsh are pleased by the news laws introduced by the government to shoot ‘The Hobbit’ in New Zealand, and have thanked them for the same.

In a statement, Jackson said he was grateful to the government for deciding to introduce the new legislation, which would give “everyone in the film industry certainty as to their employment status.”

“This clarification will provide much needed stability and reassurance for film workers as well as investors from within New Zealand and overseas,” Stuff.co.nz quoted him as saying in the statement.

The man behind ‘The Lord of the Rings’ also thanked Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema for their continued commitment to New Zealand, fans, and those in the industry.

“I feel enormous gratitude to the film technicians, actors and fans who came out in support of making these films in New Zealand. To the thousands of people who took the time to write and let us know they were with us - thank you. It made all the difference,” he added.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key recently announced after two days of tense negotiations with studio executives that the long-awaited Hobbit movies would be filmed in New Zealand after executives from New Line Cinema and Warner Brothers flew into New Zealand to discuss pulling the project to another location offshore. (ANI)