The Hobbit (film series)

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"What news from the North, Riders of Rohan?" — Aragorn
This article is about a current event; it is subject to frequent revision as more information becomes available.
The name The Hobbit refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see The Hobbit (disambiguation).

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey[1] and The Hobbit: There and Back Again[1], known collectively as The Hobbit, are two upcoming live-action films based upon J.R.R. Tolkien's novel of the same name. They are conceived as prequels to The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy with which they will form one 'continuous journey'.[3] The film will be distributed by MGM and New Line Cinema. Peter Jackson will serve as executive producer, co-writer and director for the two films. Filming began on 21 March, 2011.[4]

Plot

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are expected to follow the plot from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. The stories presented in both films will, however, include events, locations and characters not found within the novel upon which the films are based, drawing from tales written by J.R.R. Tolkien elsewhere.

According to a Warner Bros. press release for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure:

The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.



Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
Warner Bros. Press Release[5]

Issues concerning production

Directorship

The Hobbit as a movie has been anticipated by many fans since the release of The Lord of the Rings. Even before the pre-production began there had been and are still possible issues which could delay the production of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit. In early 2005 it came to the public attention that Jackson was suing New Line Cinema.[6] This cast doubt on whether or not The Hobbit would ever be made. Jackson later told fans that, due to the dispute, he would neither direct nor produce the film.[6] In late 2007 it was confirmed that Jackson would not direct, but would be an executive producer for two Hobbit movies.[7] It was later announced that Guillermo del Toro would direct the films, and that Jackson will be an active 'executive producer' with the possibility that he would help direct some scenes if necessary.[8]

However, on 30 May 2010 it was revealed that del Toro could no longer commit himself to direct The Hobbit films, citing the continued delays in production in his reasoning. [9] Peter Jackson later announced that he would direct both films. [10]

Christopher Tolkien's lawsuit with Newline Cinema

In May 2008 it was reported that Christopher Tolkien would ask "for 'one last crusade' against the film's producers in his long-running legal battle over money owed for the Lord Of The Rings movies."[11] On June 6, 2008, it was scheduled for him to go before a Californian judge to ask to "terminate" film rights to The Hobbit. However the dispute was later settled on 8 September 2009.[12]

Industrial dispute in New Zealand

In September 2010, the production of The Hobbit films was again delayed when the International Federation of Actors issued the following order to all members of its associated unions:

Resolved, that the International Federation of Actors urges each of its affiliates to adopt instructions to their members that no member of any FIA affiliate will agree to act in the theatrical film The Hobbit until such time as the producer has entered into a collective bargaining agreement with the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance for production in New Zeal]and providing for satisfactory terms and conditions for all performers employed on the productions.
—International Federation of Actors [13]

This meant that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema considered moving the production elsewhere, possibly to eastern Europe.[14] However, following talks with the New Zealand government, Warner Bros. decided to proceed as planned to film The Hobbit in New Zealand as originally planned. The New Zealand government subsequently passed legislation to amend their labour laws to ensure that production stayed in the country.[15]

Filming

Back-to-back filming for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure and The Hobbit: There and Back Again began 21 March 2011.[4]

Technical details

3D

3D concept art by John Howe and Alan Lee.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are being filmed in 3D using RED Epic cameras. A rig designed by 3ality Technica is being used in the filming of the two films; here two cameras and a mirror are used in order to achieve an intraocular effect similar to that of a human's (the distance between the eyes). This is how the depth required for 3D film is achieved.[16]

Most of John Howe's and Alan Lee's concept art has continued to be produced in 2D. However, they have collaborated on 3D pieces using the simple red and blue 3D effect.[16]

48 frames per second

Breaking with conventional filming techniques, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are being filmed by capturing 48 frames per second. This is twice the normal 24 frames per second and is much closer to how the human eye works, which can see 60 frames per second. This makes the film look far more realistic. When describing what people thought when they saw clips of The Hobbit shown at 48 frames per second, Peter Jackson said that it's 'like the back of the cinema has had a hole cut out of it where the screen is and you're actually looking into the real world'.[16]

Additionally, the The Hobbit: An Unexpected Adventure and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are being filmed at a 5K resolution. This is substantially larger than the conventional 1080 HD resolution. The films are being filmed digitally onto 128 GB memory cards that fit into the RED Epic camera.[16]

One of the drawbacks of filming 48 frames per second at 5K resolution is that the make-up, prosphetic, prop, set, and costume departments have to work differently. For example, the make-up and prophetic departments have to redden up the faces of the actors much more than usual because otherwise their skin colour will turn up yellow on the final film. Furthermore, real hair has to be used in order to achieve an authentic look when it moves around.[16]

People involved

Confirmed cast

File:The Hobbit films - cast.jpg
'Bilbo' and the 'thirteen dwarves' (N.B. Rob Kazinsky has since been replaced by Dean O'Gorman to play Fíli).[19]
Actor Role
Richard Armitage Thorin[17]
John Bell TBA[5]
Cate Blanchett Galadriel[17]
Orlando Bloom Legolas[20]
Jed Brophy Nori[17]
Adam Brown Ori[17]
John Callen Óin[17]
Billy Connolly Dáin Ironfoot[21]
Benedict Cumberbatch Smaug[22]
Luke Evans Bard[22]
Martin Freeman Bilbo Baggins[17]
Stephen Fry The Master of Lake-town[23]
Ryan Gage Alfrid[23]
Mark Hadlow Dori[17]
Peter Hambleton Glóin[17]
Ian Holm Older Bilbo Baggins[24]
Barry Humphries Goblin King[22]
Stephen Hunter Bombur[17]
William Kircher Bifur[17]
Christopher Lee Saruman[25]
Evangeline Lilly Tauriel[22]
Sylvester McCoy Radagast the Brown[26]
Ian McKellen Gandalf[17]
Bret McKenzie Lindir[26]
Graham McTavish Dwalin[17]
Mike Mizrahi Thráin[17]
James Nesbitt Bofur[17]
Dean O'Gorman Fíli[19]
Lee Pace Thranduil[19]
Mikael Persbrandt Beorn[27]
Andy Serkis Gollum[17]
Conan Stevens Azog[23]
Ken Stott Balin[17]
Jeffrey Thomas Thrór[17]
Aidan Turner Kíli[17]
Hugo Weaving Elrond[26]
Elijah Wood Frodo Baggins[17]

Trailer

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Gallery

Pictures from the production of The Hobbit films
Gandalf in Bag End  
Peter Jackson on the set of Bag End.  
Martin Freeman and Peter Jackson on the set of Bag End.  
Peter Jackson on the set of Bag End.  
The thirteen Dwarves.  
Nori, Ori and Dori.  
Óin and Glóin.  
Fíli and Kíli.  
Bombur, Bofur and Bifur.  
Balin and Dwalin.  
Thorin.  
Bilbo Baggins with the Dwarves.  
Bilbo Baggins with Sting.  
Bifur, Dwalin, Bilbo, Bofur and Óin in Bag End.  

Production videos

See also

External links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Titles and Release Dates Announced" dated 31 May 2011, The Hobbit Blog (accessed 21 December 2011)
  2. Shawn Adler, "Guillermo Del Toro Says 'Hobbit' Script Is Coming Together 'Magically'" dated 7 October 2008, MTV (accessed 21 December 2011)
  3. Shawn Adler, "'Hobbit' Films Will Be One 'Continuous Journey,' Promises Guillermo Del Toro" dated 10 July 2008, MTV Movie Blog (accessed 21 December 2011)
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Hobbit filming finally under way" dated 21 March 2011, BBC News Online (accessed 21 December 2011)
  5. 5.0 5.1 "THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY", Warner Bros. Canada (accessed 9 February 2012)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Director sues over Rings profits
  7. Jackson to produce Hobbit movies
  8. Transcript of An Unexpected Party
  9. Guillermo Del Toro departs “The Hobbit”
  10. OSCAR WINNER PETER JACKSON TO DIRECT “THE HOBBIT” IN TWO INSTALLMENTS, accessed October 24, 2010
  11. Tolkien's son plans to stop 'The Hobbit'
  12. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118008242?refCatId=22
  13. FIA order to its members regarding the production of The Hobbit films.
  14. Peter Jackson Running Into Union Trouble on 'The Hobbit'
  15. Hobbit legislation passed in New Zealand
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Peter Jackson, "THE HOBBIT, Production Video #4" dated 4 November 2011, Facebook (accessed 10 February 2012)
  17. 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 17.12 17.13 17.14 17.15 17.16 17.17 17.18 17.19 17.20 17.21 17.22 17.23 17.24 17.25 17.26 17.27 17.28 17.29 17.30 17.31 17.32 17.33 Peter Jackson, "Production begins in New Zealand on The Hobbit" dated 20 March 2011, Facebook (accessed 21 December 2011)
  18. "Andy Serkis to serve as Second Unit Director" dated 8 April 2011, The Hobbit Blog (accessed 21 December 2011)
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 Peter Jackson, "Casting news!" dated 30 April 2011, Facebook (accessed 21 December 2011)
  20. Peter Jackson, "Ten years ago,..." dated 27 May 2011, Facebook (accessed 21 December 2011)
  21. "Billy Connolly lands dwarf role in The Hobbit" dated 9 February 2012, BBC News (accessed 9 February 2012)
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Peter Jackson, "The Hobbit Casting Update" dated 19 June 2011, Facebook (accessed 21 December 2011)
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 Peter Jackson, "Casting News for The Hobbit" dated 19 May 2011, Facebook (accessed 21 December 2011)
  24. Peter Jackson, "One comment that..." dated 22 April 2011, Facebook (accessed 21 December 2011)
  25. "Christopher Lee will star in the Hobbit prequel" dated 8 February 2011, The Telegraph (accessed 21 December 2011)
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 Ian McKellen, "2 Elves and another Wizard" dated 10 May 2011, Ian McKellen's website (accessed 21 December 2011)
  27. "Persbrandt den bäste för jobbet" dated 30 April 2011, AFTONBLADET (accessed 21 December 2011)

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