Light shines again on Middle Earth with Warner Bros.' announcement that the 3-D film production of "The Hobbit," the two-part prequel of J.R.R. Tolkien's highly acclaimed "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, will start on February 2010 under the direction of Peter Jackson.

Jackson said that "Exploring Tolkien's Middle Earth goes way beyond a normal filmmaking experience...We're looking forward to re-entering this wondrous world with Gandalf and Bilbo."

On the importance of doing "The Hobbit" in 3-D, Jackson exclaims that "It's an all-immersive journey into a very special place of imagination, beauty and drama."

The location of the film production, however, is still in the dark as the labor issues between Jackson and several unions in New Zealand remain unresolved in spite of the New Zealand government's facilitation. Five other locations on other parts of the world are being considered by Warner Bros. for the setting of the film if the New Zealand issues are not resolved on time.