Another day, another rumor regarding the now-open chair behind the camera for THE HOBBIT.

According to /Film, director of the last four HARRY POTTER films, David Yates, is tops on MGM’s list of possible directors to helm the much-hyped, oft-troubled adaptation of the legendary novel. Unless you’ve lived under a rock the past few weeks, you should know that a few weeks ago, Guillermo del Toro left the project, but would assist alongside Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens on screenplays for the films.

Now, while this is the biggest rumor you could imagine, the outlet is reporting that the filmmaker’s name has been amongst a few industry lists of possible directors, making him seemingly the closest anyone has been to the film. Jackson himself was rumored to be jumping back aboard, but that was recently tossed aside, and while Yates is not the first name that would come to mind, he sure as hell works.

Personally, while I haven’t read any of the books, the last few Potter films have not only featured some really great direction, but the effects work on the films themselves have been rather superb. Yates definitely has the chops to handle adapting massively popular franchises, so if this is indeed getting made, you sure couldn’t ask for a better leader in my opinion.

What do you think about this?