“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Crosses One Billion Dollars and Still Climbing (HERALD ON LINE)

BURBANK, CALIF. — “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” has surpassed the billion dollar milestone at the worldwide box office. The joint announcement was made today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Operating Officer, New Line Cinema; Gary Barber, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios; Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures; and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

To date, the blockbuster has earned $301.4 million domestically. With its recent release in China, where it has grossed $37.3 million in 10 days, the film has earned a staggering estimated $700 million internationally, for a global total of $1 billion to date. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” becomes only the 15th film in history to exceed one billion dollars worldwide.


In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “We could not be more proud to have reached this amazing benchmark. Together with our partners at MGM and New Line, everyone at Warner Bros. congratulates Peter Jackson and his entire cast and crew on the extraordinary success of this film.”

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/03/03/4662171/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey.html#storylink=cpy

First look at 'The Hobbit': Peter Jackson's fantasy epic is eye-popping New technology and director's skill make this 'Lord of the Rings' prequel one for the ages BY ETHAN SACKS / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.'

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- There’s only one real wizard in Middle Earth - and it’s director Peter Jackson.

The auteur from Down Under unveiled “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” - the first installment of his prequel trilogy to his “Lord of the Rings” series - in his native New Zealand Wednesday.

It was an eye-popping night, from the celebrity-filled red carpet to, more important, the action on screen.


The movie offers technological wizardry, thanks to a 48 frames-per-second format, twice the industry standard. Critics who saw a trailer earlier this year were unimpressed, but after a minute or two of adjusting, the higher resolution is eye-popping, similar to discovering HD television for the first time.


Lighter and funnier than its “Lord of the Rings” predecessors, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” remains faithful to the fantasy world last seen in the 2003 Academy Award-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

The connections abound through the two-hour-forty-minute epic, including important cameos from Andy Serkis’ Gollum and Elijah Wood’s Frodo.

The result runs rings around most special-effects driven blockbusters.

The movie opens Dec. 14 on this side of the Pacific.

esacks@nydailynews.com


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/new-hobbit-film-eye-popping-article-1.1209539#ixzz2Dd1JaokB

The Hobbit World Premiere: Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett Celebrate in New Zealand by Josh Grossberg (E!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQS-dQ81Pw
RichardArmitageNet

One premiere to rule them all and in the darkness bind them.

Middle-earth mania was in full force as an estimated 100,000 Kiwis turned out to hail Peter Jackson and stars Martin Freeman, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis and Cate Blanchett at the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Wednesday night in the New Zealand capital of Wellington.

The blockbuster, the first installment of a new trilogy that's serving as a prequel to the director's trio of Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings films, earned rave reviews from those in attendance at its first showing at the Embassy Theatre, whose entrance was decorated to look like a Hobbit house.


Excited fans—many of whom wore homemade hobbit feet, elven cloaks and wizard costumes—cheered as Jackson and company walked a massive red carpet. Along with new cast members including Richard Armitage, who plays the dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield, were veterans of the first trilogy, among them Elijah Wood, who briefly reprises his role as Frodo in The Hobbit and lavished praise on Freeman in the lead as Bilbo Baggins.

"He was brilliant, the right amount of funny," Wood told The Hollywood Reporter. "He has strange qualities but also real heart. He is the heart of the movie, and he really pulled it off."


READ MORE: http://www.eonline.com/news/366579/the-hobbit-world-premiere-peter-jackson-martin-freeman-cate-blanchett-celebrate-in-new-zealand

Video - HOBBIT ACTORS ARRIVE IN NEW ZEALAND ON HOBBIT PLANE (STUFF.CO.NZ)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDRokSo0H6Q

Five months after wrapping up filming, the cast of The Hobbit have reunited in Wellington to celebrate tomorrow's movie premiere.

Four of the 13 dwarfs and wizard Radagast, played by British actor Sylvester McCoy, made their way to the capital in Air NZ's new Hobbit styled Boing 777-300 and were met by the rest of the cast lead by director Peter Jackson.

The plane had made his maiden flight on Saturday in Auckland and has since been to Los Angeles and London.

Tourists arriving at the airport for the premiere excitedly flocked to the windows underneath the massive Middle of Middle Earth sign to catch a glimpse of Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and the rest of the Company of Dwarves.

"This plane with its 77-metre flying billboard came from Los Angeles and down from Auckland this morning,"  Air New Zealand deputy chief executive Norm Thompson said. "It's the first time this plane has arrived in Wellington, which is really fitting for the occation".

ANOTHER FILM OF THE ARRIVAL - CLICK HERE

The Hobbit: stormclouds gather over premiere amid animal care row (THE GUARDIAN)

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The film’s cast and crew have denied allegations of cruelty to animals. Photograph: Warner Bros/Planet Photos

British actor Martin Freeman is close to becoming an official mascot for New Zealand, thanks to his role in the new Hobbit film and this weekend's unveiling of a giant image of his face on the side of a Boeing jet at Auckland airport. And suddenly it looks as if the Tolkien entertainment industry might be in need of such a congenial ambassador.


Just three days before the film premieres in New Zealand's capital, Wellington, the long-awaited Peter Jackson adaptation of JRR Tolkien's first foray into Middle-earth is under attack from several quarters. Its Hollywood producers stand variously accused of cruelty to animals, suppression of the press and exploitative merchandising.

The film-makers and stars of the Lord of the Rings prequel, including Freeman, who plays Bilbo Baggins, and Elijah Wood, who makes a cameo appearance as Frodo Baggins, are working to restore goodwill. And there is a lot riding on the franchise. Air New Zealand bosses have spent a large portion of the company's £51m marketing budget for the next two years on Hobbit-themed promotions. But the painted Boeing is only the wing-tip of the effort. A special flight-safety video, featuring characters from the film, has already gained almost 10m web views since its release three weeks ago. Hobbit coins, bearing the faces of Bilbo and Gandalf, are circulating as legal tender in New Zealand, and Wellington's Waitangi Park is to be transformed into a Hobbit Artisan Market this weekend, ready for the premiere, while the three films in Jackson's earlier Lord of the Rings trilogy are shown on a big screen.

READ MORE:http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/nov/25/the-hobbit-premiere-animal-row

From a hole in the ground, comes a new TV spot for 'The Hobbit' By Anthony Pearson Oct 23, 2012, 22:54 GMT (M & C)

The first part in "The Hobbit" trilogy hits screens in under 2 months and features an epic sized cast that includes; Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Evangeline Lilly, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, Aidan Turner, John Bell, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Barry Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O'Gorman, Lee Pace, Billy Connolly, Mikael Persbrandt, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott and Jeffrey Thomas.




READ MORE: http://www.monstersandcritics.com/movies/news/article_1705639.php/From-a-hole-in-the-ground-comes-a-new-TV-spot-for-The-Hobbit

THE HOBBIT Trailer #2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruVlBv2s7yw

This looks absolutely wonderful - I love the trailer, Martin Freeman is great and Richard Armitage is epic!


Release Date: 14 December 2012
Genre: Adventure | Fantasy
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Ian McKellen, Luke Evans, Elijah Wood, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Richard Armitage, Ian Holm
Directors: Peter Jackson
Writer: J.R.R. Tolkien, Fran Walsh
Studio: Warner Bros.

Comic-Con fans journey to Middle Earth with Hobbit (THE SUNDAY TIMES)

Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Philippa Boyens, Sir Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage and Elijah Wood speak at the The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey panel 2012 Comic Con on Saturday, July 14, 2012 in San Diego, California. -- PHOTO: AP

SAN DIEGO (REUTERS) - Director Peter Jackson took loyal fans at Comic-Con on a journey back to Middle Earth on Saturday with footage of his upcoming film fantasy The Hobbit, calling the new epic 'made by fans, for fans'.

Many die-hard loyalists from Jackson's Lord Of The Rings series waited overnight at the giant pop culture showcase in San Diego to attend a panel where Jackson was joined by actors Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, script writer Philippa Boyens and surprise guest Elijah Wood.

The panel opened with a 15-minute behind-the-scenes video featuring interviews with the cast and crew as well as footage from scenes featuring explosions and fights, which the audience welcomed with deafening screams.

READ MORE: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Lifestyle/Story/STIStory_822537.html

Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman: Comic-Con crowd goes crazy for 'Hobbit' footage By DAVID GERMAIN AP Movie Writer Posted: 07/14/2012 05:00:55 PM PDT Updated: 07/14/2012 05:12:23 PM PDT (MERCURY NEWS0

SAN DIEGO—If reaction to "The Hobbit" footage at Comic-Con is any indication, Peter Jackson has another couple of blockbusters on his hands.

The crowd attending Jackson's "Hobbit" preview at the fan convention Saturday went wild over a 12-minute reel the filmmaker and his colleagues screened.

Broken into two films, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again," the 3-D epic is Jackson's prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, whose finale won 11 Academy Awards, including best picture and director.

"An Unexpected Journey" arrives in theaters Dec. 14, with "There and Back Again" following in December 2013.

The films are based on J.R.R. Tolkien's prequel novel, which chronicles how tiny hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) acquired the ring of power that causes all the ruckus in "The Lord of the Rings," Jackson's three-part adaptation of Tolkien's fantasy saga.

Along with Jackson and Freeman, "The Hobbit" panel at Comic-Con featured "Lord of the Rings" co-stars Ian McKellen, who reprises his role as the wizard Gandalf, and Andy Serkis, who is back as twisted ring-keeper Gollum. Also on hand was Richard Armitage, who plays the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield.

Jackson showed 12 minutes of footage that included a chillingly comic exchange between Bilbo and Gollum; a tender moment between McKellen's Gandalf and Cate Blanchett, reprising her role as elf queen Galadriel; and the pivotal moment when Bilbo discovers The Ring.

READ MORE: http://www.mercurynews.com/entertainment/ci_21077550/comic-con-crowd-goes-crazy-hobbit-footage

‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Comic Con Poster Revealed POSTED BY SARAH ANNE LUOMA ON JULY - 8 - 2012 (SHOCK YA)

A new poster for The Hobbit’s forthcoming installment entitled ‘An Unexpected Journey’ has been revealed for San Diego’s Comic Con. The image was released by director Peter Jackson with a message for eager fans. “We made it! Shoot day 266 and the end of principal photography on The Hobbit. Thanks to our fantastic cast and crew for getting us this far, and to all of you for your support! Next stop, the cutting room. Oh, and Comic Con!”

The panel for ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ will take place at the annual event this coming July 14th. The movie will finally open in theaters this coming December 14th with a cast line-up of Martin Freeman, Elijah Wood, Billy Connolly, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Luke Evans, and Hugo Weaving. One year later Journey’s follow up, The Hobbit: There and Back Again’, will debut on December 13, 2013. Get a closer look at the poster that shows Gandalf the Grey as he makes his way through the Hobbits’ Shire and check out the full synopsis below per IMDb.


Read more: http://www.shockya.com/news/2012/07/08/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-comic-con-poster-revealed/#ixzz2048qw1Ow

Elijah Woods discusses his work in The Hobbit (The Salt Lake Tribune)

Published on Jan 19, 2012 05:01PM

"Did my part already, yeah," Wood said. "I was there for a month. It didn't actually take that much time for the work. It was sort of half vacation and catching up with old friends and half work."

It was also a chance to return to New Zealand, where he filmed the three "Lord of the Rings" films. And returning to the home of his character, Frodo Baggins, was an emotional experience.

"It had been 11 years since I'd been to Hobbiton," Wood said. "I turned 19 in Hobbiton. That's [expletive] crazy.

"I stood on the hill looking at the hobbit holes and I was, like, 'I turned 19 here and I'm 30 now.' It was such a weird thing. And a lot of the same crew were there. That was the most bizarre. It felt like taking a step back in time almost. It was extraordinary."

Wood has heard the criticism from purist fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's books about his participation in the films. Frodo didn't appear in Tolkien's book "The Hobbit." He wasn't even born when the events in that novel took place.

But Wood wants those fans to know they shouldn't worry about his small part in the movie.

"It's lovely. And it's very appropriate," Wood said. "What they've done is clever and it's actually a nice entry into the story."

- Scott D. Pierce

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogssundanceblog/53335520-50/wood-hobbit-films-actually.html.csp

New Look at Bilbo from 'The Hobbit' as He Unsheathes 'Sting' (Ropes of Silicon)

By: Brad Brevet
Published: Saturday, January 14th 2012 at 9:54 AM

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Photo: Warner Bros.

The Los Angeles Times has a new piece on Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and with it comes the new image you see above of Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins and the sword most moviegoers became familiar with in Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Dubbed "Sting" by Bilbo after fending off giant spiders in the Mirkwood forest, he later gives the Elvish blade to Frodo (Elijah Wood) in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring as Frodo begins his journey to Mordor. As I'm sure you remember, the blade glows blue whenever orcs are around.

Along with the image there's a particularly interesting quote for folks looking forward to the first of two upcoming Hobbit features as screenwriter Philippa Boyens says:

The story is very much a children's story so deciding how to tell this was one of the first things we had to do. Who is the audience? It is very distinctly different, tonally, to Lord of the Rings until the very end and then you begin to see the world of Middle-earth opening up… but, having said that, we felt that it is the same audience [who will come to see the films] and then you start to worry because it is easy to repeat yourself. It is quite a similar journey, you're going from the Shire to a large, dangerous mountain.

Boyens brings up the exact same concerns I have and mentioned recently in my Top 40 Most Anticipated Movies of 2012 list, which is to say, "Yes, I want to see The Hobbit, but I'm not necessarily going to be all that excited until I sit down in the theater because I feel as if it is just more of the same."

Hopefully I'm proven wrong and there will at least be a few surprises when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters on December 14, 2012.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is directed by Peter Jackson. It will be released by Warner Bros. and will hit theaters on December 14, 2012.

http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/bilbo-the-hobbit-unsheathes-sting/

‘The Hobbit’: An unexpected journey on- and off-screen (LA Times)

Jan. 14, 2012 | 5:00 a.m.

Hero Complex Exclusive: Martin Freeman plays Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." (Mark Pokorny/Warner Bros.)

No major release of 2012 arrives at theaters with more baggage or battle scars than “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” a title that became a sort of epic inside joke for the cast and his crew, many of whom worked on “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy that made movie history a decade ago.

“I think fate has actually been kind to us,” director Peter Jackson said last summer, although he didn’t sound convinced by his own words. “Yes, I think fate was kind but I don’t know that we knew that along the way.”

That’s how most quests go, of course, but the journey to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth saga into a lavish two-part movie adventure was especially stormy right from the beginning. Roadblocks included an ugly legal battle with the author’s heirs, a two-year delay that came with financial meltdown of MGM, the jolting defection of director Guillermo del Toro, a nasty union dispute and a hospital stay to treat a stomach ulcer for Jackson, who shifted from co-writer and executive producer to director after del Toro’s departure in May of 2010.
There’s also been the vague but very real anxiety that comes with competing with history — can this encore effort actually escape the considerable shadow of the “Rings” trilogy, which racked up $2.9 billion in worldwide box office and saw its finale installment in 2004 become the first fantasy film to win the Oscar for best picture?

This time around, Martin Freeman (best known for costarring in BBC’s “The Office” and his work in films such as “Love Actually” and “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”) portrays Bilbo Baggins, a young Hobbit who joins a band of dwarfs on their journeys to Lonely Mountain where they hope to reclaim their treasure from Smaug, the fire-breathing dragon who has squatted for so long on his hoarded riches that his pale underbelly is encrusted with jewels and gold pieces.

Not only is Ian McKellen back in the peaked hat of Gandalf, but there are also plenty of other familiar faces from the “Rings” cast (although some make only fleeting appearances); among them are Orlando Bloom, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, Christopher Lee and even Ian Holm, who portrayed the older version of Freeman’s character when last we visited the Shire, the land of the Hobbits.

Peter Jackson talks to Martin Freeman, who plays Bilbo Baggins, on the set of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." (James Fisher / Warner Bros.)

For the uninitiated, “The Hobbit” was published in 1937 and is considered by many Tolkien scholars to be a Misty Mountain warm-up act for the darker, richer 1950s “Rings” epic, which aimed for older readers and found them by the millions across the decades. The softer tones of “The Hobbit” were an early concern for Jackson and the returning members of the “Rings” creative team, among them Philippa Boyens, a screenwriter on all three “Rings” films (and an Oscar winner for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” which closed out the trilogy in 2004).

“The story is very much a children’s story so deciding how to tell this was one of the first things we had to do,” Boyens said in a phone interview right before Christmas. “Who is the audience? It is very distinctly different, tonally, to ‘Lord of the Rings’ until the very end and then you begin to see the world of Middle-earth opening up… but, having said that, we felt that it is the same audience [who will come to see the films] and then you start to worry because it is easy to repeat yourself. It is quite a similar journey, you’re going from the Shire to a large, dangerous mountain.”

Peter Jackson on the set of "The Hobbit." (Warner Bros.)

By most reports, Warner Bros.’ two “Hobbit” films — the second of which, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” will be released in 2013 — have a combined budget in the $500-million range, so the stakes are high. The appetite of fans is certainly intense (the first trailer for the film, released Dec. 20, quickly became an Internet sensation) and when Jackson made a surprise appearance last summer at Comic-Con International in San Diego he was cheered like a returning war hero.

Backstage, he said that, after the first three Tolkien films, he never expected to be back for another tour of duty but that — like Bilbo Baggins — it’s the journey that chooses the traveler, not the other way around.

“This is the most enjoyable filmmaking experience of my career, by far, which is interesting since I came into it slightly reluctantly,” the director said in San Diego. “It’s all unexpected.”

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” opens Dec. 14.

— Geoff Boucher

http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/01/14/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-new-photo-peter-jackson-martin-freeman/

Martin Freeman: 'I want Peter Jackson to write a sex scene into 'The Hobbit'' (NME)

January 2, 2012 17:33

 

Actor is convinced Bilbo Baggins is no stranger to love…

Martin Freeman has said that he wants director Peter Jackson to write a sex scene into The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

(Karen says:  Not enough liquor in the world for these three to look good.  Back to the post)



The actor, who will play the lead role of Bilbo Baggins in the film, joked to Total Film that he wanted the character's romantic deeds to be detailed in the script.

Speaking about Baggins, he said:

I think he's had sex. I'm not sure. I'm trying to convince Peter to write that scene in...

Previously, Freeman said he didn't feel under any pressure playing the lead role in the film, stating: "It's Bilbo's journey, but I didn't write it. I'm not directing it. It's not my film, it's Peter's film."

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is released on December 14, 2012, and recently celebrated its one-year countdown to release. It co-stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Freeman's co-star on Sherlock, as well as Stephen Fry, James Nesbitt, Aidan Turner and Sylvester McCoy.

Reprising their roles from the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, meanwhile, are Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving and Elijah Wood.

http://www.nme.com/filmandtv/news/martin-freeman-i-want-peter-jackson-to-write-a-sex/256505

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Trailer Review (The Score Card Review)

Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Release Date: December 14, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 9/10

Thoughts by TSR: “Magical” isn’t a word I like to throw around, but in this case it feels entirely appropriate. I’ll admit I had my doubts whether Peter Jackson and everyone involved would be able to recapture the magic. Now that I’ve seen this hugely successful trailer, I’m thrilled that it looks like they may have succeeded.

The trailer has a lot going for it, but perhaps the most impressive thing is that it’s out a whole year before the film’s release date. I was expecting 90 seconds of voiceover with a bit of new footage sprinkled throughout, so I was taken aback when I was instead wholly returned to Middle-Earth. The dwarf makeup is a bit questionable, but other than that it’s stunning.

One of my biggest joys is seeing Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins. I was pulling for Freeman – an actor I love on “The Office” and “Sherlock” – to get the part, so it’s great to see him in the role. In addition to Freeman, the rest of the cast looks to be in top form. It’s nice to see returning cast members, while newcomers like Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield make great additions. On the other side of the camera, much of the same crew is back. Middle-Earth still feels real, the costumes are spot-on, and Howard Shore’s score once again manages to induce chills.

The stuff that reminds us of The Lord of the Rings is great, but my two favorite parts are directly from “The Hobbit.” The first is the song the dwarves sing. I wasn’t sure if the songs would make it to the film, so I’m thrilled to see one used very effectively here. The other moment is the end, teasing the “Riddles in the Dark” chapter from “The Hobbit.” Bilbo’s meeting with Gollum (once again played by mo-cap maestro Andy Serkis) is my favorite part of Tolkien’s novel, so it’s fantastic to get a brief look at that.

This first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is everything I could have hoped for and more at this stage. It shows the lighter moments, while managing to hint at the genuine danger ahead. December 2012 can’t come soon enough.



http://thescorecardreview.com/trailers/2012/01/02/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-starring-martin-freeman-and-ian-mckellen-trailer-review/26781

'The Hobbit' production diary: Gandalf and Frodo hug. I cry. (Inside Movies)

by Kate Ward

Categories: Movies, The Hobbit

 

 

One of the best things about owning all three Lord of the Rings extended director’s cut DVDs is the extras. When the DVDs were first released, I remember sitting in front of my television for hours, devouring the behind-the-scenes footage like it was a piece of lembas. (And it was just as satisfying, too!) So what a treat to be able to be able to go behind the scenes of The Hobbit before the film even hits the big screen.

In The Hobbit‘s latest video diary, director Peter Jackson takes us on location with the cast and crew, giving us a sneak peek at one of the film’s biggest stars: New Zealand. Fans of the films were in awe of the country’s scenery in the first three films, and, based on the video, we can prepare to be wowed again. That is, when we’re not feeling nostalgic — the video gives us a look into a familiar territory, Hobbiton. If you got goosebumps watching Bag End’s door open, you’re not alone. Both Jackson and Elijah Wood — reprising his role as Frodo — were more than happy to return. “It’s weird when you come back to a place you literally thought you’d never see again,” said Jackson, so entranced by the set that he even expressed a desire to move into a hobbit hole. Wood, however, appeared to be the most nostalgic, remembering how he first stepped foot in the fictional Middle-Earth village when he was 19 years old (“I’m 30 now,” he said.): “I’ll never forget that feeling of coming to Hobbiton for the first time,” Wood said in the video. You’re not alone, Frodo!

Watch the video — the best Christmas present Lord of the Rings fans could hope for — after the jump!

Get more EW: Subscribe to the magazine for only 39¢ an issue!

Follow Kate on Twitter @KateWardEW
Read more:
‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ trailer: Gandalf! Goosebumps!
‘The Hobbit’: Peter Jackson releases tech-focused video blog that’s still plenty precious
Evangeline Lilly discusses learning elvish, breastfeeding on the set of ‘The Hobbit’


http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/12/26/hobbit-production-diary-new-zealand/

The Hobbit Trailer (Yes AGAIN)

I can't stop watching this (did you see and hear RICHARD ARMITAGE) but the whole thing, with the sweet song, is wonderful!  I never read LOTR but I did read The Hobbit.  Really looking forward to this.

They're back again! Lord of the Rings favourites reunited in first trailer for Hobbit prequel (Mail OnLine)

By Mike Larkin

Last updated at 9:12 AM on 21st December 2011

The Lord of the Rings was one of the most successful film series in history.

And if the long-awaited teaser trailer of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is anything to go by, Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth should be successful both critically and commercially.

It starts with Ian Holm as the old hobbit Bilbo writing a letter to his young nephew Frodo, one of the heroes of the series.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO...

Old favourites: Some of the most important characters from The Lord of the Rings feature in the trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

He says: 'My dear Frodo, you asked me once if I had told you everything there was to know about my adventures.

'While I can honestly say I have told you the truth, I may not have told you all of it.'

It then cuts to a young Bilbo, played by The Office star Martin Freeman, who is approached by Sir Ian McKellan's Gandalf and invited on an adventure.

Old Bilbo: Ian Holm reprises his role as the aging hobbit and narrates the story in the form of a letter to Frodo

Young man: Martin Freeman's turn as Bilbo will allow him to use the comic timing he developed in The Office

Off he goes: It is not long before Bilbo will be bidding farewell to his home in the Shire

But he is rebuffed by the home loving halfling, who tells him he is too attached to the Shire to comtemplate such a journey.

He says: 'I can't just go running off into the blue, I am a Baggins of Bag-End.'

However the wise wizard has soon introduced him to his 13 new dwarf companions, with the magician's rationale being that the plucky little fellow will make an ideal burglar.

Old chums: The wise wizard Gandalf meets an old friend when the team visit the legendary citadel of Rivendell

She's looking very elfy: Cate Blanchett is one of the stars reprising their roles and appears as Galadriel

The B team: The 13 dwarves would be no match for the Fellowship of the Ring from the later story

Stunning: The New Zealand countryside brings the mythical world of Middle Earth to life

And as the group sings a sad song, there are flashes that show the adventures ahead, with brief tantalising shots of Cate Blanchett as the Elf queen Galadriel and the powerful citadel of Rivendell.

But perhaps the most exciting part is the ending, where you see the powerful One Ring that is the focus of the previous trilogy.

You also hear Gollum speaking to Bilbo, saying: 'Baggines, what is a Bagginses? Precious.'

The trailer is the latest in a drip drip feed of material showing fans what they can expect when the big budget films are finally released.

Earlier this year the first stills were releasesed of Martin Freeman as the story's hero Bilbo Baggins.

What's up here? Bilbo will get to see the Elendil's legendary shattered sword Narsil as he looks around Rivendell

Precious cameo: Bilbo will have to use all of his cunning if he wants to escape meeting Gollum alive

Powerful magician: Even Paul Daniels and David Copperfield would think twice before going on a Gandalf style adventure

First look: Here we see Martin Freeman take on the role of Bilbo Baggins

It is ramping up the anticipation ahead of the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 2012.

The film follows home-loving hobbit Bilbo, who is guided by the wizard Gandalf and a company of 13 dwarves on a dangerous adventure that sees him become an unlikely hero.

English acting legend Sir Ian McKellen is reprising the iconic role of Gandalf, and has been seen in his full wizard regalia and flowing grey beard.

Like the Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit is filmed in New Zealand under the expert eye of director Peter Jackson.

The title role of the J.R.R. Tolkien tale is played by Martin Freeman, who has previously starred in Hot Fuzz, Love Actually and the original British version of The Office.

Smokin': Sir Ian McKellan looks the part as Gandalf the Grey in the upcoming Hobbit movie

The unlikely hero is visited by Gandalf the Grey who tricks him into hosting a party for Thorin and his band of 12 dwarves, who sing of reclaiming Lonely Mountain and their treasure from the dragon, Smaug.

Bilbo is persuaded to join them on their quest as the expedition's burglar when Gandalf unveils a map showing a secret door into the mountain.

Many characters will return from Lord of the Rings including Gollum, Frodo, Elrond, Galadriel, and Legolas.

Jackson said: 'In the space of ten years, that look he [McKellen] created - the beard, the wig, the voice, the costume - has become iconic,'

'So what's weird for me on The Hobbit is that I'll be sitting on the set talking to Ian and - if I look away at the crew and look back - I don't see Ian McKellen, I see Gandalf beside me.'

Tolkien's first foray into Middle Earth has been split into two films, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again, and the cast and crew endured a mammoth 254 day shoot to recreate the thousand-plus pages.

Jackson said: 'You just get in that state of tiredness and stay there, but that's OK. The movie keeps you going.

'We're working with much of the same crew as Lord of the Rings and obviously some of the actors like Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, and Andy Serkis are back so it's like a reunion.

'Plus we've got all the new boys.'Along with Freeman, new stars include Barry Humphries, a.k.a. Dame Edna as the Goblin King, and Evangeline Lilly as beautiful elf Tauriel.



Marathon shoot: Jackson and his cast and crew will spend 254 days filming the two Hobbit films back-to-back Down Under

Lilly's ex-boyfriend Dominic Monaghan appeared in the Lord of the Rings trilogy as hobbit Merry Brandbuck.

Other photos taken on set show the newly-slimmed down Jackson posing in Bilbo's home, Bag End.

Jackson said: 'We did keep the original Bag End, but in the intervening ten years we've turned it into a guest house so people can actually live and sleep in Bag End.'

'It's up on a farm that we've got so it wasn't really possible to drag it back in the studio.'

Jackson revealed that Martin Freeman has slipped easily into the Hobbit feet of his predecessor, Ian Holm.

He said: 'He fits the ears, and he's got some very nice feet. I think he's got the biggest Hobbit feet we've got so far.'





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(Yahook TV - UK and Ireland) 2012 TV Preview

By Alan Tyers | Yahoo! TV Features – 5 hours ago

An early New Year highlight will be the second series of ‘Sherlock’ (New Year’s Day, 8.10pm, BBC1). Three stand-alone feature-length films lie in wait for the brilliantly eccentric Benedict Cumberbatch and the stolid, long-suffering Martin Freeman. Both are perfectly cast in their roles as Sherlock and Watson, and the three stories – ‘A Scandal In Belgravia’, ‘The Hounds Of Baskerville’ and ‘The Reichenbach Fall’ – get the year’s TV off to flyer.

Later in 2012, Cumberbatch stars in ‘Parade’s End’, a story about the lives and loves of the aristocracy around the time of World War I. He plays a conservative landowner who is having an illicit relationship with Rebecca Hall’s spirited suffragette; while Adelaide Clemens is his beautiful, vicious, socialite wife. Adapted from Ford Madox Ford's novels by Sir Tom Stoppard, and with a quality supporting cast on board, this looks like it could be top class.

[See also: Exclusive interview with Sir David Attenborough]

Talking of the antics of the historical elite, ‘Downton Abbey’ will return in September. In the meantime, its creator Julian Fellowes has turned his prolific pen to the enduringly fascinating story of the ‘Titanic’ in a four-part drama coming to ITV1 this Spring. Linus Roache, Celia Imrie and Toby Jones star. Fellowes promises that the action will focus not on the first-class passengers, or the poor devils in steerage, but the (as he claims) “previously untold” stories of the second class passengers. Sadly, despite our repeated letters, he has refused to include the Downton cast in the yarn; we believe that Miracle Recovery Matthew could have saved the day with some amphibious wheelchair heroics.

Staying with the historical, men of a certain age upon whom the shower scene in ‘American Werewolf In London’ left a profound and lasting effect will be delighted to know that the peerlessly lovely Jenny Agutter will be back on screens in 2012. She heads the cast of ‘Call The Midwife’ (Miranda Hart is also involved) in a period drama about, well, midwives in 1950s East London. It looks a bit like a classier version of ‘The Royal’ (if such a thing is possible).

From the same era, newsroom drama ‘The Hour’ returns for a second series, and we’re excited that Peter Capaldi is joining the cast. The series will move on to 1957 and focus on the Cold War; presumably there will not be any Malcolm Tucker-like swearing.

Talking of journalism, we’ll be keeping our eye out for ‘Hacks’, starring Claire Foy as a tabloid editor on Channel 4 early in the year. Written by ‘Drop The Dead Donkey’ creator Guy Jenkin, it sounds like a dark black comedy about the lengths newspapers will go to in their search for the story.

[See also: Christmas soaps preview]

One woman with an opinion on that is Sienna Miller, who takes time off from sticking it to the media to star in an interesting-sounding drama about Alfred Hitchcock (played by Toby Jones). La Miller plays Tippi Hedren, who was the star of ‘The Birds’, and the object of Hitch’s obsession. ‘The Girl’ is a feature-length film and will be on BBC2.

If there’s anything that TV producers like more than a detective, it’s a “reimagining” of a beloved character as a youngster. Inspector Morse is the latest to get the treatment in ‘Endeavour’ (January 2nd, 9pm, ITV1). Steven Evans plays the grumpy young sleuth in 1965, already fond of crosswords and his car, investigating the case of a missing schoolgirl that takes him to Oxford. This is a feature-length film, plans are afoot for a series.

BBC2 is also getting in on the crime act with ‘Line Of Duty’ (featuring Vicky McClure and Lenny James), a heavy-sounding exploration of a fatal shooting by police and the ensuing cover-up. Topical comparison’s to 2011’s Mark Duggan case are already being made.

Given the economic times, it’s perhaps no surprise that dramas about winning the lottery are up front in writers’ minds. The great Timothy Spall stars in ‘The Syndicate’ for BBC1, a drama about a group of supermarket workers in Leeds whose lives are changed by six little numbers, and the fallout from their windfall. The presence of Spall, and the fact that it is written by Kay Mellor (‘Band Of Gold’, ‘Fat Friends’) pretty much guarantees that this five-parter will be warm, human and bittersweet.

We don’t know too much about Australian import ‘Winners And Losers’, which is coming to ITV2, other than to say that it’s about four unpopular girls whose lives are turned upside down by a lottery win.

[See also: Strictly Come Dancing 2011 Highlights]

One of the most intriguing ideas on the horizon is ‘Eternal Law’, which comes to ITV1 in January and imagines two angels sent to earth… to work in a law firm and influence humanity for good. Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham, writers of ‘Life On Mars’, are the men behind the frankly implausible idea of lawyers being anything other than devils, but we’re looking forward to seeing how this works out.

January will also see Sky 1 dip their toes in big-budget drama with the lavish ‘Treasure Island’. A mighty cast including Eddie Izzard, Elijah Wood, Philip Glenister and Donald Sutherland tackle Robert Louis Stevenson’s great pirate yarn, and jolly good fun it is too.

In the world of comedy, we’re excited about rumours that ‘Mid-morning Matters With Alan Partridge’ might be coming to BBC2, although details are as yet unclear. Jack Whitehall is set for a BBC3 comedy about a useless teacher in ‘Bad Education’, while the delightfully quirky Zooey Deschanel comes to Channel4 in a sitcom about a girl who finds her boyfriend is cheating on her. She moves in with three blokes, and laughs ensue in ‘The New Girl’, which is on the channel in January.

Warwick Davis of ‘Life’s Too Short’ has been doing a pilot of a comedy panel game called ‘Ace Of Clubs’, and Sharon Horgan (‘Pulling’) stars in a fun-sounding BBC3 production about a woman wrongly imprisoned for murdering her boss. It’s called ‘Life Story’.

However, none of these sound like they might be as (unintentionally) funny as the surely dire reboot of ‘Dallas’ that is coming to Channel 5. And finally, great news for fans of campery: there’s a shake-up in the ‘Dancing On Ice’ panel as Gardiner and Bunton get the chop in favour of skating legend Katarina Witt… and Louie Spence!

@yahootvuk on Twitter

 http://uk.tv.yahoo.com/2012-tv-preview.html

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Empire Photo Featuring Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins (Movie Web)

Empire Magazine has unleashed their 2012 movie preview, which includes a never-before-seen image of Martin Freeman as the hero Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's prequel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, You can check it out below.


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey comes to theaters December 14th, 2012 and stars Cate Blanchett, Saoirse Ronan, Orlando Bloom, Elijah Wood, Martin Freeman, David Tennant, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee. The film is directed by Peter Jackson.

http://www.movieweb.com/news/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-empire-photo-featuring-martin-freeman-as-bilbo-baggins