'Lord of the Rings' director backs long shot de-extinction plan, starring New Zealand's lost moa

Filmmaker Peter Jackson’s fascination with a large extinct New Zealand bird has led to an unusual partnership with a biotech company known for its grand and controversial plans to bring back lost species. Colossal Biosciences on Tuesday announced an effort to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the extinct South Island giant moa with $15 million in funding from Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh. Outside scientists say the idea of bringing back extinct species onto the modern landscape is likely impossible, although it may be feasible to tweak the genes of living animals to have similar physical traits.