Murphy to join team on 'Rings'

New Zealand film director Geoff Murphy - best known for Goodbye Pork Pie, Utu and The Quiet Earth - has joined The Lord Of The Rings project.

Murphy will be a second-unit director on Peter Jackson's $360 million trilogy, which has resumed filming in Wellington.

Publicist Claire Raskind said Murphy would direct some of the scenes for the film trilogy around the country.

"Everyone is excited he's on board and there is a lot of work to do," says publicist Claire Raskind.

Murphy has directed several Hollywood films, including Young Guns 2 and Free Jack.

Filming will continue in Wellington for the next few weeks, then return to the South Island for two months.