Peter Jackson: The career of the director who transformed Middle-earth

New Zealand director Peter Jackson, celebrating his 65th birthday, has evolved from making low-budget films with an 8mm camera to directing one of the most massive cinematic franchises of the 21st century. His early career was defined by black comedy films such as “Bad Taste,” “Meet the Feebles,” and “Braindead,” which established his reputation for extreme imagination.

A major breakthrough occurred with the 1994 film “Heavenly Creatures,” co-directed with Fran Walsh, which earned an Oscar nomination for original screenplay. Jackson later achieved global success with J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, released between 2001 and 2003. The trilogy received 30 Oscar nominations and won 17 awards, with “The Return of the King” alone securing 11 statues, including Best Picture.

Jackson’s work has significantly impacted New Zealand, turning Wellington into a major hub for large-scale fantasy filmmaking. His filmography also includes “The Hobbit” trilogy and documentary projects such as “They Shall Not Grow Old” and “The Beatles: Get Back.”