No one is accusing Peter Jackson of rushing through production on The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings prequel that he and Guillermo Del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) are currently scripting. The producer/director has been taking his sweet time, and for the most part it seems as if fans around the world are giving him a pass — because they know if he gets the time he needs, that he will likely do it right.

According to German site MovieReporter.net, Jackson revealed in an interview this week that The Hobbit and its planned sequel will now start filming in mid-summer 2010 instead of the previously-reported March. TheOneRing.net has the translated quote:

We’re currently working on the second script which we hope to have completed by the end of this year or beginning of next. When the scripts are completed, we can begin with the exact calculation of the necessary budget. We hope to start filming in the middle of next year. However, we’ve received no green light from the studio yet.

Of course, the problem he’s not talking about is the financial uncertainty for MGM, a company that is currently up for sale. The future of the MGM brand depends on The Hobbit, but it is likely that they will not be able to give the film the full green light until there is more money in the bank. That said, any financier who buys MGM and doesn’t green-light The Hobbit is simply a moron. These two movies are going to make big money, without a doubt.