The Hobbit

[T3l35tr1alB3inG]

Excited to see this film finally get off the ground. I have seen pics of key characters and shots of the movie being filmed. Peter Jackson seems to be directing/writing/producing. I couldn't be more please to see him take the reins. Any others out there keeping this movie on their radar??

[aberro21]

When I first heard about I thought it's definitely going to bomb but I just read that it's a prequel so it might have a chance. i just hope it's not a weak plot with weak characters.

[BENDERBOY]

Yeah the first three LOTR, are among my favourite films ever, was a bit worried at the outset of The Hobbit, when they had a new director, but thankfully we're back with Peter Jackson.

[aagold76]

I thought the Hobbit book was better than any of the 3 Rings triology books....but I heard Jackson was including Orlando Bloom as Legolas- who wasn't in the book.....hate it when they add things to a great book- I can accept dleteing things because the story is just too much to film- but adding things- FAIL!

[T3l35tr1alB3inG]

I thought the Hobbit book was better than any of the 3 Rings triology books....but I heard Jackson was including Orlando Bloom as Legolas- who wasn't in the book.....hate it when they add things to a great book- I can accept dleteing things because the story is just too much to film- but adding things- FAIL!

I totally agree. I'm not sure where they are going to fit Legolas into the movie. I have heard that Frodo will make a brief apperance in the beginning of the first Hobbit film to kinda merge the LOTR with the Hobbit. BTW, they are splitting the films into two feature films. I wonder how that is goin to work out.

Yeah LOTR trilogy has got to be in my top ten best films. Sure hope that Peter Jackson can pull the Hobbit off in spite of that added pressure.

[greyhorse]

Yes I hope he does a good job and doesnt spoil a great story - loved the Hobbit.

[Corny]

warning .. huge image:

http://www-images.theonering.org/tor...BT-DWF-007.jpg

[T3l35tr1alB3inG]

Thanks Corney! Hmmm I wonder if someone could pick out Gimli's father??? lol

[Spiff]

The first official trailer was just released in theaters this week:



my precious. . .

[BENDERBOY]

Well it certainly looks as good as LOTR, think McKellen may be in with a good chance of finally winning that Oscar.

[goldenmoth]

The trailer was superb. I love that they took the time to give all the dwarfs seperate identities. That's tough when you have a cast of 12.

It's not so much Ian McKellan's Gandalf as Blanchett's Galadriel that I think will steal the show.

[thatgirl]

Dec 2012 is so far away. And the world might end by then!

But the trailer looks great. Martin Freeman looks perfect as Bilbo Baggins.

Can't wait to see it.

[TopherGF]

That definitely looks awesome. They did such a good job capturing the essence of LOTR and judging by that trailer, it looks like they'll do just as well with this one.

I agree with thatgirl that Martin Freeman was a great choice for Bilbo. I thought Ian Holm was the perfect choice for the character and when I heard they were making The Hobbit, I wondered if they would use him again but I knew he was a little too old for the character.

[aberro21]

Dec 2012 is so far away. And the world might end by then!

But the trailer looks great. Martin Freeman looks perfect as Bilbo Baggins.

Can't wait to see it.

i was pissed when i seen the release date

[pelmmania]

i like the trailer, especially the song

and thorin, killi, and filli is handsome too ..

[palbert]

Very much looking forward to it.

[AbnormalDann]

Even with the addition of the female elf, I trust Peter Jackson to make it a great film!

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Why do I think this is gonna suck?

[Spiff]

Why do I think this is gonna suck?

Possibly because you might be a pessimistic person? The real question is, do you want it to suck?

PJ has been wanting to do this since the LOTR trilogy. I think we are in good hands with him taking this on.

[Harke the Boeotarch]

Possibly because you might be a pessimistic person? The real question is, do you want it to suck?

Not sure. I liked the LOTR trilogy because I thought turning these books into movies this was an acheivement.

Now that he has established a whole style will he keep delivering?

PJ has been wanting to do this since the LOTR trilogy. I think we are in good hands with him taking this on.

Is Del Toro still involved?

[Spiff]

Is Del Toro still involved?

He left the production in 2010. He did have input with conceptual stuff and screenplay early on. But the direction is all PJ and the bulk of the screenplay is by PJ, Fran Walsh, and Phillipa Boyens (the same team that did the LOTR trilogy). Award winning Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie and musical composer Howard Shore are also returning. So The Hobbit is on track to have the same epic quality and style as The LOTR.

The main difference this time around is the 3D. I've been following some of the production's vlogs and they are putting great care in the 3D filming. It's not likely they are going to fuck it up.

[tommy_2_0_0_0]

Even though Legolas was not in the book, I'm still excited to see Orli back in his elf ears. Has anyone seen pics of him yet? I searched online but haven't seen any yet.

[Pianist]

He left the production in 2010. He did have input with conceptual stuff and screenplay early on. But the direction is all PJ and the bulk of the screenplay is by PJ, Fran Walsh, and Phillipa Boyens (the same team that did the LOTR trilogy). Award winning Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie and musical composer Howard Shore are also returning. So The Hobbit is on track to have the same epic quality and style as The LOTR.

The main difference this time around is the 3D. I've been following some of the production's vlogs and they are putting great care in the 3D filming. It's not likely they are going to fuck it up.

It's being filmed at a higher film rate as well

[anchihiro]

Its going to be one of my most anticipated films this year along side Prometheus and The Dark Knight Rises.

[goldenmoth]

He left the production in 2010. He did have input with conceptual stuff and screenplay early on. But the direction is all PJ and the bulk of the screenplay is by PJ, Fran Walsh, and Phillipa Boyens (the same team that did the LOTR trilogy). Award winning Cinematographer Andrew Lesnie and musical composer Howard Shore are also returning. So The Hobbit is on track to have the same epic quality and style as The LOTR.

The main difference this time around is the 3D. I've been following some of the production's vlogs and they are putting great care in the 3D filming. It's not likely they are going to fuck it up.

I'm so glad Howard Shore is back. He was the dealbreaker for me when this film was being considered. I was so worried he wouldn't come back after the unpleasantness during King Kong. His "Knives in the dark" song is fantastic

[Spiff]

Rumors are saying early previews of the film are mostly negative. The 48 frames/second (vs. the usual 24) is said to be stripping away the cinematic feel of film. It is trying to fix what was never broken. People are saying it is like watching a live broadcast television show. People saying this are hardcore LotR fans too. Hopefully Jackson fixes it up and pulls off another epic. I would be crushed if this ends up sucking as much as people are saying it does. No word if they watched the preview in 3D or not.
'The Hobbit' 48FPS Footage Divides Audiences At CinemaCon

[MisterMajestic]

I saw the trailer before viewing Clash of the Titans....Hmmmmmm....I must say it looked Bland...I can only describe it as a Thanksgiving Festival of Hobbits coming of age.....The Studio needs to release a better trailer or add more clips to sell it a little better......It was good seeing clips of Gandalf the Grey, Frodo and Smeagol...

I'm there regardless...

[DocDar]

I can't wait...I love the "Misty Mountain" song the dwarves sing

[braex27]

Gorgeous Richard Armitage who plays Thorin Oakenshield is a trained stage singer and I think the lead voice in the 'Misty Mountain' song is his... So haunting.

[Spiff]

The Hobbit officially will now be a trilogy, third movie being filmed for 2014.
'The Hobbit 3': Peter Jackson Confirms Third 'Hobbit' Film Set For Summer 2014 Release

[braex27]

I am as big a huge Tolkien fan, but reading that just made me think:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - 2012
The Hobbit: There and Back Again - 2013
The Hobbit: Milking it for all it's Worth - 2014

Sad.

Does anyone really think the Hobbit story will take three (presumably three hour) films to tell?

[Spiff]

Does anyone really think the Hobbit story will take three (presumably three hour) films to tell?

No, which is why PJ is getting his extra material from the LotR Appendices.

Why is this sad? If it turns out to be as good as all the other Tolkien stuff PJ has done, then does it matter to fans if he is milking it? As long as it is enjoyable and similar in quality to the other films, that's all I care about. I guess we won't really know until 2014 either way.

[braex27]

No, which is why PJ is getting his extra material from the LotR Appendices.

Why is this sad? If it turns out to be as good as all the other Tolkien stuff PJ has done, then does it matter to fans if he is milking it? As long as it is enjoyable and similar in quality to the other films, that's all I care about. I guess we won't really know until 2014 either way.

Actually, I didn't even think all of the other Tolkien stuff that he has done was that great. With the possible exception of the extended edition of Fellowship, I found the other instalments substandard. They lacked the finesse and intricacies of the books. That and the fact that he left out The Scouring of the Shire, even in the extended edition of the third film has put me off side.

I may change my mind once I see the final product. We shall see.

[aagold76]

So- a book shorter than EACH of the 3 LOTR books gets 3 movies to itself??? How many endless slo mo scenes does Jackson have prepared for us this time (the last 20 minutes of Return of the King was a nightmare!). Who can say 'Milking the Market'?

[MisterMajestic]

I saw Cloud Atlas over the weekend and The Studio that is distributing The Hobbit released more trailer footage...My earlier concerns about the Flick being a bit cheesy and comedy-heavy were put to rest. The new footage featured many scenes with Gandalf, the Hobbits and their adventure. The footage was so good I wanted to see more. They should have packaged it better months ago instead of weeks before the release......

With the new footage it's now a Deff must see....

[pausanias_usa]

I'm not sure where they are going to fit Legolas into the movie.

The appendices, from which a lot of the extraneous material will be taken, states that Legolas was the son of the Wood-elf king, Thranduil.

While not named in the HOBBIT, Thranduil does appear: he's the elf-king in Mirkwood that puts the dwarves in his dungeon while Bilbo skulks around invisible with the ring (and eventually dumps them all into barrels to be floated to Dale). The latter scene is in the early trailers.

So Legalos had to be around Thranduil's palace somewhere during that time, as his son; I imagine he'll bump into Bilbo (literally, haha) and keep his secret or something like that. Also, the Battle of the 5 Armies will have the elves, too, presumably the wood-elves among them, so Legolas gets to fight later.

Radagast the Brown is in some of the early trailers: when Gandalf leaves the dwarves at the entrance to Mirkwood, it is to gather the White Council (Saruman and the two other secret ring-bearers, Elrond and Galadriel; Gandalf has the third elf ring) to drive out the Necromancer (who is an early form of Sauron). Gandalf met Thorin's father in the dungeons of the Necromancer while checking to see if the Necromancer was Sauron returned, which is where he gets the map at the beginning of the HOBBIT with the secret entrance. Thorin's father had a dwarf ring, but the Necromancer took it away from him before putting him in the dungeon, but apparently didn't find the map. Orcs make sloppy jailors, apparently, lol.

I suspect Jackson will bring up Thorin's father's story through Gandalf at the beginning of the HOBBIT, just like the book. That sets up the side-plot of driving the Necromancer out of Mirkwood (and into Mordor, eventually), tying all the films together, and allowing Saruman, Elrond, and Galadriel to be in the story as well.

My best guess is that Jackson will follow the pattern of the LOTR films, and have a skirmish end the first film (the Warg attack after they escape from the Goblin king?), the White Council battling the Necromancer at the end of the second film, and of course the Battle of the 5 Armies at the end of the final film.

Should be a cool magical battle between the White Council and Sauron in his Necromancer form! Radagast is a very minor figure, even in the appendices, but he talked to animals, so I suppose that's him with the furry critters in the trailers, sending a message to Gandalf that the Necromancer might be Sauron returned. There were two other wizards in the appendices, part of the five Istari with Gandalf, Saruman, and Radagast, but they weren't even named, and presumably were away down South or East on other errands.

(Can you tell I've read and reread the books since childhood? )

[likecharlie]

Actually, I didn't even think all of the other Tolkien stuff that he has done was that great. With the possible exception of the extended edition of Fellowship, I found the other instalments substandard. They lacked the finesse and intricacies of the books. That and the fact that he left out The Scouring of the Shire, even in the extended edition of the third film has put me off side.

I may change my mind once I see the final product. We shall see.

This.

I'm trying to keep an open mind but I must admit i'm a little worried, lol.

[RRUGER]

snoooze fest.

i will pass

lord of the rings was too litle action for me.

the books where way more entertaining than the movies.

i will pass on the hobbit


i rather watch avengers and spiderman at least you get some good action and not just some weirdd drama

[DigitalFudge]

What is the adventure? Didn't Frodo already destroy the Ring? Are there any elves in this?

[Harke the Boeotarch]

What is the adventure? Didn't Frodo already destroy the Ring? Are there any elves in this?

The Hobbit is a prequel, not a sequel, to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

[Spiff]

This should satisfy anyone with a dwarf fetish. A few of these actually look hot.

[MisterMajestic]

This should satisfy anyone with a dwarf fetish. A few of these actually look hot.

...LOL....A few? What you meant to type is 2...LOL...Spiff you steal my Heart....

[Dylannz]

On a not strictly related note;

In the last month or so, the post office has started stamping the mail with Middle Earth instead of New Zealand in my city.

Weird.

[alphaxxx]

25 days to go! (UK)

[rotary]

Rumors are saying early previews of the film are mostly negative. The 48 frames/second (vs. the usual 24) is said to be stripping away the cinematic feel of film. It is trying to fix what was never broken. People are saying it is like watching a live broadcast television show. People saying this are hardcore LotR fans too. Hopefully Jackson fixes it up and pulls off another epic. I would be crushed if this ends up sucking as much as people are saying it does. No word if they watched the preview in 3D or not.'The Hobbit' 48FPS Footage Divides Audiences At CinemaCon

I believe the 48fps version in only being released for High Frame Rate Imax 3D. Could be wrong. I always turn off motion interpolation on my tv, the extra frames make video look odd.

Most new flatscreens have this option, turn it on and see how you like it. I think Samsung labels it 'trumotion' in display settings.

[Misaki]

Hopefully I'll be lined up to watch this at launch like the other LOTR related movies. I generally don't take anything related to the early previews and whatnot seriously since a lot has to happen before then.

[dougmc92]

It seems VERY odd that the shortest of the 4 books gets a triology all to itself- while the other 3 books got 1 movie each....they must be adding A LOT!!! I'll wait til the reviews- if 4 star/A I'll go....not all that thrilled to pay to see homophobe Evans....

[alphaxxx]

11 days....

[pausanias_usa]

10 days. . . .!

Have a premier IMAX 3D ticket and arranged to take the next day off so I don't have to work after staying up late

[thatgirl]

That poster is hilarious.

I don't understand how Aiden Turner still manages to look hot with all that weirdness going on.

I see you, fierce dwarves. I see you.