In light of the Screen Actors Guild alert urging members not to take part in the non-union production of the seemingly cursed The Hobbit, Peter Jackson has fired back. Jackson issued an 1,800-word statement on the matter Sunday, in which he argues he is not against unions (as had been suggested), and claiming that the recent statements from the guilds are simply “a grab for power.†He closes with the threat of moving production out of New Zealand entirely: “There is a twisted logic to seeing NZ humiliated on the world stage, by losing the Hobbit to Eastern Europe. Warners would take a financial hit that would cause other studios to steer clear of New Zealand Â… Seriously, if the Hobbit goes east (Eastern Europe in fact) — look forward to a long dry big budget movie drought in this country.â€
Peter Jackson Slaps Kiwi/Oz Unions: Threatens To Move ‘Hobbit’ To Eastern Europe [Deadline]