Last week, a rumor surfaced that critically acclaimed science fiction director Neill Blomkamp may be the latest director approached by MGM or Warner Bros. to lead adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein's The Hobbit. While the response to this rumor was surprisingly positive, Vulture has uncovered the unfortunate truth. Blomkamp will not direct The Hobbit, and in fact was never in the talks to do so.

However, the District 9 director will in fact be working on a new science fiction project, entitled Elysium, for Media Rights Capital for a 2011 release.