It doesn't get much more official than this folks. In a lengthy letter to The One Ring.Net, "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy helmer Peter Jackson confirmed will not be involved in the making of the series 'prequel' "The Hobbit".

For sometime a cloud over Jackson's involvement has been swirling due to an unresolved lawsuit between Jackson and New Line over incomes on "The Fellowship of the Ring". Until the issue was settled there wasn't expected to be any involvement on Jackson's part.

Now, producer Mark Ordesky called Jackson's manager and "told him that New Line would no longer be requiring our services on the Hobbit and the LOTR 'prequel'. This was a courtesy call to let us know that the studio was now actively looking to hire another filmmaker for both projects".

The reason for this? According to the letter "Ordesky said that New Line has a limited time option on the film rights they have obtained from Saul Zaentz, and because we won't discuss making the movies until the lawsuit is resolved, the studio is going to have to hire another director".