Peter Jackson has hit back at claims that he has under paid actors on his movies claiming that he had always treated his cast and crew with 'kindness and respect.'
The Hobbit has been stalled once again as unions have accused the Oscar winner of paying low wages, there have also been suggestions that the movie shoot would be moved to Europe.
Jackson has taken over the director's chair on the movie from Guillermo De Toro but is yet to make an announcement on the cast.
Speaking to AFP the filmmaker said: "For years our company WingNut Films has hired actors on terms and conditions that are among the best and most generous in New Zealand.
"We have always treated cast and crew with kindness and respect, because it is the right thing to do, not because it is enshrined in an industry code of practice.
"It would be laughable if there weren't so much at stake. But there is nothing funny about people losing their jobs and the crippling effect that losing The Hobbit is going to have on our film industry.
"It is very naive to think that we have much say in what happens from this point on. Warners gave us the opportunity to set up the film in New Zealand and we have been unable to do that successfully."
Andy Serkis and Ian McKellan are the only actors that have been linked to the project that has hit a whole host of delays.
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