Peter Jackson is back on home turf and there's not an orc nor a gorilla in sight.
Jackson is instead showing off a brand spanking new film - The Lovely Bones.
He is proud of his new film, and even given the phenomenal success with his previous films, he acknowledges the challenges of delivering on literature.
"One of the things we came to realise is you can't possibly adapt a novel in a definitive way," says Jackson.
"I mean this is not the perfect adaption of The Lovely Bones. I don't know how you do that. You'd need five or six hours to include everything."
One opinion very important to Jackson, was that of The Lovely Bones' author herself, Alice Sebold.
"Alice has been terrific," says Jackson. "I don't know truthfully what she thinks of the film. I'm sure there are things that she doesn't like.
"Unlike some authors, she leaves it to us. She basically just takes the approach of, 'you're the filmmaker, it's your movie'.
"You hear horror stories about authors' responses to film but Alice is too classy and nice to do that to us."
Since the film premiered in London, there has been criticism levelled at Jackson over his decision not to dwell on the actual rape and murder of Susie, a decision he staunchly defends.
"I had no interest in filming a murder and a rape of a 14-year-old," he explains.
"I don't want to film it and I don't want to watch it. I mean I don't want to go and see a film with horrible graphic scenes in it. I literally wouldn't want to see it and I know lots of other people wouldn't either."
Vital to his movie was casting the lead role of Susie. He looked no further than Oscar-nominee Saoirse Ronan, after being captivated by an audition tape her father sent them.
“We put her audition DVD on and it was terrific," says Jackson.
"Saoirse was doing scenes from our audition script that we sent out to the agents, and she was as good as she is in the movie. The audition was absolutely terrific, and so powerful.
“We literally stopped looking, right at that point.”
The director says above all, this movie is a filmmakers take on the source material.
"It's a very personal response to this book," Jackson explains.
"Right from the outset (screenplay writers) Philippa, Fran and I were adapting and including the things that were interesting to us. It's a representation of our response to the novel."
With The Lovely Bones now released, the incredibly busy Jackson can now cast his eyes forward, and there is plenty lurking on the horizon.
Already clogging the internet are excited Lord of the Rings fans, girding their loins for The Hobbit.
Jackson's scoop: "We slipped a copy to Ian McKellen. Literally. We had someone fly over there and go to his house and hand it to him. He read the script then we shredded it – security was so tight."
Casting rumours abound – James McAvoy being touted as a young Bilbo Baggins for one, something Jackson would not confirm, but he did name-drop a few others he would like to welcome back to Middle Earth.
“Hugo Weaving, it’d be great to have him back as Elrond, for Galadriel, Cate Blanchett would probably make an appearance," says Jackson.
“The Elves are immortal so they’re good, they’ve been there for thousands of years, but everyone else the hobbits Merry, Pippin, Sam and so on, they weren’t even born when The Hobbit takes place.”
Hobbits are one thing, but what about another of Jackson's upcoming projects, The Dambusters?
"Hopefully if all goes well we'll be shooting Dambusters in 2010," he said, and also confirmed the rumour that Lancaster bomber planes have already been purchased.
As our rare encounter with Jackson wrapped, it was time for a couple of quick-fire film geek questions for the self-confessed fanboy living the movie-making dream.
What is Peter Jackson's favourite film of all time?
The original King Kong from 1933 and Buster Keaton's The General.
What is Peter Jackson's favourite Kiwi film?
Goodbye Pork Pie.
Who would play Peter Jackson in a film about his life?
Nick Frost.
Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones opens in New Zealand on Boxing Day.