Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy: Neverwhere - BBC Radio

London Below
Episode 1 of 6
Duration: 1 hour

First broadcast: Saturday 16 March 2013

Beneath the streets of London there is another London. A subterranean labyrinth of sewers and abandoned tube stations. A somewhere that is Neverwhere.

An act of kindness sees Richard Mayhew catapulted from his ordinary life into a subterranean world under the streets of London. Stopping to help an injured girl on a London street, Richard is thrust from his workaday existence into the strange world of London Below.

So begins a curious and mysterious adventure deep beneath the streets of London, a London of shadows where the tube cry of 'Mind the Gap' takes on new meaning; for the inhabitants of this murky domain are those who have fallen through the gaps in society, the dispossessed, the homeless. Here Richard meets the Earl of Earl's Court, Old Bailey and Hammersmith, faces a life-threatening ordeal at the hands of the Black Friars, comes face to face with Great Beast of London, and encounters an Angel. Called Islington.

LISTEN TO THE PREVIEW HERE

ACCESS BBC RADIO 4 HERE

New photos of Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy and the cast of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere (RADIOTIMES)

An exclusive first look at shots of the star-studded cast of the Radio 4/4 Extra fantasy drama, also featuring Natalie Dormer, David Harewood, Sophie Okonedo, Christopher Lee and Bernard Cribbins

Paul Jones
10:08 AM, 04 March 2013
London Below is slowly coming to life. With less than two weeks to go until Radio 4/4 Extra opens a portal to the magical realm in fantasy drama Neverwhere, we have a gallery of exclusive shots of the star-studded cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy and Natalie Dormer.

McAvoy is Richard Mayhew, a young businessman drawn into the subterranean world of London Below after he comes to the aid of a girl named Door, played by Dormer. In a place where famous landmarks take on a life of their own, Benedict Cumberbatch is the Angel Islington, an actual angel who watches over the city beneath the city.

VISIT THE BBC NEVERWHERE SITE HERE

READ MORE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-03-04/new-photos-of-benedict-cumberbatch-james-mcavoy-and-the-cast-of-neil-gaimans-neverwhere

Benedict Cumberbatch to play angel in star-studded Neil Gaiman fantasy Neverwhere (RADIOTIMES)

The Sherlock star is among a who’s who of cult character actors in the Radio 4 production about the magical world of London Below

Paul Jones

11:42 AM, 29 November 2012

A who's who of sci-fi and fantasy actors is lining up for a new radio version of Neil Gaiman's fantasy Neverwhere.

James McAvoy, star of the X-Men movies, heads up the cast, along with Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch and Natalie Dormer, formerly of BBC3’s supernatural drama The Fades and currently filming Game of Thrones.

Homeland’s David Harewood and his fellow Doctor Who alumni Sophie Okonedo and Brenard Cribbins are joined by Anthony Head, star of Merlin and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as Saruman (and Dracula) himself, Sir Christopher Lee.

Neverwhere is the tale of businessman Richard Mayhew (McAvoy) whose life is turned upside-down when he comes to the aid of a young woman named Door (Dormer). In helping Door, Richard ceases to exist in his own world – London Above – and is transported to the magical parallel universe that lurks beneath it – London Below, where the capital's landmarks take on new significance.

READ MORE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-11-29/benedict-cumberbatch-to-play-angel-in-star-studded-neil-gaiman-fantasy-neverwhere

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.

Sherlock, Mycroft relationship will remain a mystery, says Mark Gatiss Published Tuesday, May 15 2012, 1:38am EDT | By Kate Goodacre (DIGITAL SPY)

Sherlock actor and writer Mark Gatiss has said that he wants elements of the turbulent relationship between Sherlock Holmes and his brother Mycroft to remain a mystery.

Gatiss - who plays Mycroft in the BBC's adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective stories - explained that cuts were made to 'A Study in Pink', as it was felt that the original version gave away too much about the brothers' dynamic.

Speaking during a web chat organized by Sherlock's American broadcaster PBS, Gatiss said: "[It's] far better to leave things in everyone's imaginations. It's nice to give little hints here and there but never a full answer. Why are the Holmes brothers the way they are? What are their parents like? Maybe we'll see one day. 

"We actually cut a bit from 'Pink' which gave a bit too much away about the obvious frisson of animosity that exists between them. It's not there in the original stories. It comes entirely from Billy Wilder and Izzy Diamond's brilliant 'Private Life of Sherlock Holmes' and Christopher Lee's cold, disdainful Mycroft. if you haven't seen it - do!"

READ MORE:  http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/s129/sherlock/news/a381656/sherlock-mycroft-relationship-will-remain-a-mystery-says-mark-gatiss.html

Hobbit Footage Review & MASSIVE SPOILERS: Full Coverage & Analysis! April 27th, 2012 by Quickbeam (THE ONE RING)

DID WE SAY MASSIVE SPOILERS?! Yes, we did, so before reading further know that everything revealed to me will be revealed to you! Tuesday’s unspooling of 10 minutes of THE HOBBIT at CinemaCon took the place quite by surprise and should be considered a special moment in the history of cinema — where the first public audience witnessed a new future for movies, so brace yourself. I will interpret everything I saw and how it matches up with Tolkien’s universe … there are SO MANY cool and revealing things we can now expect in the first film alone! Let’s explore the veracity of Peter Jackson’s adaptation with hasty vigor. There is also the matter of the 48 frames-per-second format and the blogosphere’s mixed reaction to the look of the new technology, so read on …


READ MORE:  http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/04/27/55378-hobbit-footage-review-massive-spoilers-full-coverage-analysis/

The magnificent Billy Connolly is joining the cast of the Hobbit. It might be easier to name who isn't in this cast. (Voxy.co.NZ)

Billy Connolly is joining the cast of Peter Jackson's highly anticipated film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic "The Hobbit." The announcement was made today by Jackson, who directed all three "The Lord of the Rings" films and is currently in production on "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" and "The Hobbit: There and Back Again," with the films shooting back-to-back in New Zealand.

In the films, Connolly ("The Last Samurai," "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events") will play Dain Ironfoot, a great dwarf warrior and cousin of Thorin Oakenshield. Peter Jackson welcomed the news of Connolly to Middle-earth: "We could not think of a more fitting actor to play Dain Ironfoot, the staunchest and toughest of Dwarves, than Billy Connelly, the Big Yin himself. With Billy stepping into this role, the cast of "The Hobbit" is now complete. We can't wait to see him on the Battlefield!"

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, the character he played in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and Martin Freeman plays the central role of Bilbo Baggins. Also reprising their roles from "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy are: Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; Ian Holm as the elder Bilbo; Christopher Lee as Saruman; Hugo Weaving as Elrond; Elijah Wood as Frodo; Orlando Bloom as Legolas; and Andy Serkis as Gollum. The ensemble cast also includes (in alphabetical order) Richard Armitage, John Bell, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Barry Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Evangeline Lilly, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O'Gorman, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott, Jeffrey Thomas, and Aidan Turner.



Read further:  http://www.voxy.co.nz/entertainment/billy-connolly-joins-hobbit-cast/5/114375

Christopher Lee's Saruman Is 'Good And Noble' In 'The Hobbit' (MTV Movies Blog)

Posted 7 hrs ago by Jeremy Gordon in News

In a video message to his fans, Christopher Lee sounds as he ever does.

"We are coming to the end of 2011," he intones in his trademark baritone. "I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, a happy Christmas, and the family's gathered together." Proceeding from there, he begins to talk about the state of the world, and how the state of things are in bad shape. It's heavy talk coming from the long-time actor, but with his 90th birthday approaching, it would be weirder if he didn't have thoughts of mortality on his mind.

Lee spends much of the video discussing "The Hobbit," the two-part prequel to "Lord of the Rings" that sees the actor returning to the role of Saruman the White.

According to Lee, he's finished filming his scenes for both movies, scenes he hopes to live long enough to see again. That may sound macabre, but at his age, Lee says he takes smaller roles that don't require as much time on set.

"What is extremely important is that in these two films, which of course are long before 'Lord of the Rings,'" he says. "Saruman, who I play again, is indeed still Saruman the White, but he is a good and noble man, and the head of the Council of Wizards, as he always was." When "The Hobbit" drops, it'll be a joy to see Lee on screen, as it always is.

Lee also spoke about his other movie projects, such as "Hugo," "The Wicker Tree," and "The Hobbit." After lauding Martin Scorsese's directorial skills with "Hugo," he stresses that "Wicker Tree" is not a sequel to "The Wicker Man" -- it's more of a spiritual successor. Lee was the villain in the original "Wicker Man" -- not the Nic Cage remake, unfortunately -- but his role in the new film, listed as "Old Man," would seem less involved.



Tell us what you think of Lee's "Hobbit" update in the comments and on Twitter!

Tags christopher lee, Hugo, lord of the rings, The Wicker Tree, the-hobbit

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2012/01/04/christopher-lee-the-hobbit/

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

Peter Jackson Promises ‘The Hobbit’ Will Be ‘More Playful’ Than ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy (Film School Rejects)

 

Movie News By Cole Abaius on December 29, 2011


Audiences expecting more of the brand of large maturity found in The Lord of the Rings trilogy might be surprised when they check out The Hobbit. Especially people who’ve never read the books. Same director. Same world. Different style.

Talking to Total Film, director Peter Jackson had a lot to say about his journey back to Middle-earth. He’s been kind enough to update fans through production video diaries, but here, he explains that his forthcoming flick will be “more playful” than the previous ones featuring Frodo and his merry band.

“The Hobbit is very much a children’s book and The Lord of the Rings is something else; it’s not really aimed at children at all. I realized the characters of the dwarves are the difference. Their energy and disdain of anything politically correct brings a new kind of spirit to it. And that’s why I thought, ‘Okay, this could be fun!,”‘ said Jackson.

Not to be a pessimist, but this is Jackson thinking it would be fun after thinking he didn’t want to do it. Still, it will be invigorating to see such a talented director capture the scope of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s book and funnel it with a children’s film sensibility. There’s still room for pessimism, but this project has potential to be phenomenal in a totally different way than what the LOTR faithful are used to. That alone is worth the price of admission and the curiosity. Plus, it’s Jackson and Hobbits. What could go wrong?


http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/peter-jackson-promises-the-hobbit-will-be-more-playful-than-the-lord-of-the-rings-trilogy.php

2011 BAFTA AWARDS (Hey U Guys.co.uk)

December 31, 2011 By Jon Lyus  

 

It has been an excellent year for British film, with the big screen playing host to some intriguing debuts from new directors and writers as well as giving some of the country’s finest new actors a chance to shine.

Just over a year since the disbanding of the UK Film Council it is gratifying that the foundation remains for new talent to find its way to an eager public and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts are a key component in the encouragement, nurturing and celebration of this talent.

Though best known for their awards the range of work BAFTA does encompasses all levels of Film, Television and Video Game production and with these industries growing, and arguably with technological advancements making it easier to get started, the next year looks to be better than ever.
If you’ve not already done so do check out the excellent online resource from BAFTA, the BAFTA Guru site, for some excellent video interviews with directors, screenwriters and actors as well as a huge amount of handy information about the work they do and how you can get involved.

If you find yourself staring at a list of resolutions this time tomorrow and top of the list is to get that screenplay finished, or really, actually, for real this time, get that film project off the ground make the Guru site a port of call.

Here’s a short video of the work BAFTA did in 2011 and, providing the Mayans and Roland Emmerich are wrong, 2012 should be a fine year for British cinema. Happy New Year all.

IFRAME Embed for Youtube

Filed Under: News, Trailers & ClipsTagged With: 2011, BAFTA, bafta guru

 

http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/12/31/video-bafta-in-2011/

Christopher Lee Discusses THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (Comic Book Move)

The Lord of the Rings star discusses his role as Saruman in the two upcoming movies from director Peter Jackson, commenting on the amount of filming, which characters don't return and more.

Josh Wilding - 12/30/2011

Collider has come across the following "Christmas Message" from the actor in which he discusses his role in The Hobbit movies and Tim Burton's Dark Shadows as well as much more. Below the video is a breakdown of what Lee talks about so you can skip ahead to the most interesting bits if you choose to.




http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/JoshWildingNewsAndReviews/news/?a=52049

Hobbit’ Movie News: New Images & Trailer Goes Online December 20th

• December 20, 2011 1:57 am
• George Cando

‘The Hobbit‘ movie is a year away, but you can catch the first trailer online December 20 or at ‘The Adventures Of Tintin‘ movie. Below are some new images from the Peter Jackson epic.

Another great thing about Christmas is that all of the big 2012 movies are hitting us with amazing trailers, and Peter Jackson is making sure that his ‘Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ jumps into the mix. Warner Bros put out word that the trailer for the highly anticipated epic will be showing before Jackson’s other film ‘The Adventures Of Tintin‘, on December 21, but we’ve already heard that the trailer will actually be ‘leaked’ online December 20th. I’d be a little surprised since what gave a nice boost in ticket sales to ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol‘ was ‘The Dark Knight‘ prologue that came right before it. If Warner Bros leaks the trailer, that’ll take some of that push on ‘Tintin’ so we’ll see which way they go on this one.

This is the skinny that’s been reported on the satellite feed trailer. The 15-minute satellite feed for “The Hobbit” trailer will stream on Dec. 20 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, then again Dec. 21 at 9 a.m. ET/PT. We’ll obviously keep you updated on this as we have on everything Hobbit related. I’m so looking forward to seeing this trailer since Jackson is one to make amazing use of cutting edge technology, and this movie will benefit from it.

I’m thinking that maybe Warner Bros isn’t feeling that so many Hobbit fans will be so willing to pay to see the trailer before a movie they don’t want to see so they’re playing it on the safe side which wouldn’t be the first time for them. Here’s a new shot of Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins below.

The two Hobbit movies will star a stash of the actors from Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy: Ian McKellan, Andy Serkis, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett and Christopher Lee. Martin Freeman will play the title role of Bilbo Baggins, and the new cast includes Richard Armitage and Graham McTavish.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will have its theatrical release Dec. 14, 2012. “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” will be released Dec. 13, 2013.



Hobbit Movie Production Diary #4 – Best Movies Ever

Source: Peter Jackson Collection Blu-Ray

Hobbit Movie Teaser Trailer – Best Movies Ever

The Hobbit Teaser Trailer Release Info by Peter Jackson Collection Blu-Ray

‘Hobbit’ Movie News: New Images & Trailer Goes Online December 20th – Best Movies Ever News

http://bestmoviesevernews.com/4-hobbit-movie-news-images-trailer-goes-online-december-20-268/

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

Richard Armitage, Luke Evans || 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'

What to expect with 'An Unexpected Journey' the first Hobbit movie.

via The Hobbit Movie

As we near the year out mark of the most anticipated movie of 2012, The Hobbit, here is some information to keep you salivating. The studios released an in depth synopsis of exactly what the first Hobbit installment, An Unexpected Journey, will be about. There has been a lot of confusion about just how the book will be integrated into the two movies and how Lord of the Rings characters fit into that as well. Here is the information :

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of two films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The second film will be The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

Both films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

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.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, the character he played in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins. Also reprising their roles from The Lord of the Rings movies are: Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; Ian Holm as the elder Bilbo; Christopher Lee as Saruman; Hugo Weaving as Elrond; Elijah Wood as Frodo; Orlando Bloom as Legolas; and Andy Serkis as Gollum.

The ensemble cast also includes (in alphabetical order) Richard Armitage, John Bell, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Barry Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Evangeline Lilly, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O’Gorman, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott, Jeffrey Thomas, and Aidan Turner.

The screenplays for both The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson. Jackson is also producing the films, together with Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Ken Kamins, Toby Emmerich and Zane Weiner, with Boyens serving as co-producer.

Under Jackson’s direction, both movies are being shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming is taking place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

Among the creative behind-the-scenes team returning to Jackson’s crew are director of photography Andrew Lesnie, production designer Dan Hennah, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, composer Howard Shore and make-up and hair designer Peter King. The costumes are designed by Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor. The score is being composed by Howard Shore.

Taylor is also overseeing the design and production of weaponry, armour and prosthetics which are once again being made by the award winning Weta Workshop. Weta Digital take on the visual effects for both films, led by the film’s visual effects supervisor, Joe Letteri. Post production will take place at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are productions of New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing, being handled by MGM.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released beginning December 14, 2012. The second film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, is slated for release the following year, beginning December 13, 2013.

Preview: 365 days until 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey':CINE VIEW

Labels:Previews,Ross Jones-Morris

Dust off your staff and get ready to Smaug yourself silly as the year-long countdown begins to 14 December 2012, the date that heralds the return of Peter Jackson and his unique vision (now in 3D) of J.R.R. Tokien's Middle Earth with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2011). In just 365 days the first part of Jackson's eagerly awaited two-parter will be surfing into cinema near you riding high on the biggest wave of hype since The Dark Knight Rises, Prometheus, Django Unchained, The Avengers...let’s just say that 2012 is going to be a big year on the film front.

Nine years have passed since Sauron was defeated and the Fellowship of the Ring got on a bed with Elijah Wood's Frodo and laughed themselves silly, but that hasn't stopped every major cast member reprising their role where required. The two Hobbit films will see the welcome return of Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Sir Christopher Lee as Saruman, Wood as Frodo, Ian Holm as the elderly Bilbo, Orlando Bloom as Legolas, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel and, of course, the brilliant Andy Serkis as the schizophrenic mocap creation Gollum (and also credited as Second Unit Director).

With this cavalcade of familiar faces and a tight directorial/script-writing team - as well as trusted cinematographers (the film will be shot in both 3D and 48 fps), art directors, special effects teams, props teams and illustrators - one could be forgiven for thinking that the nine years between this and the Lord of the Rings films have flown by. However, whilst everyone is older and more experienced, the question remains; has Peter Jackson ceased to be great filmmaker? His immediate follow up to the epic trilogy was the similarly sprawling and ambitious King Kong (2005), but there was also the entirely unlovely The Lovely Bones (2010), a tonal mess that missed its target so completely that, had he seen it, Legolas would have vomited up his lembas bread with disgust.

However, with the extensive continuity of almost everyone involved with the Lord of the Rings series on board this new project (including the actual book itself) it seems therefore pertinent to categorise the two-part adaptation of The Hobbit as an official and canon prequel to the series Jackson started in 2001. Think of it as Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), just without all of the bitter memories and crushing disappointment.

This time round we are following the story of Bilbo in his younger years (played by British actor Martin Freeman). One day he is unexpectedly visited by Gandalf the Grey, a liaison which leads Bilbo into joining a company of 13 dwarves lead by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) with the sole aim of reclaiming the lost dwarven treasure of Erebor from the malicious dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) who dwells in the Lonely Mountains. This inevitably leads them on an epic adventure during which they travel through treacherous lands swarming with goblins and orcs, deadly wargs and giant spiders, shapeshifters and sorcerers that will ultimately lead to Baggins' meeting with Gollum himself and the finding of the One Ring - how much of this will concern the plot of the first film is still unclear.

'The Scouring of the Shire'; five words that make many a Tolkien completest tear apart their anorak with inconsolable rage. Jackson's decision to leave it out of his adaptation of The Return of the King (2003) was indeed a controversial one, but nevertheless done so with the medium of film in mind. No one should expect The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to be a page-for-page adaptation of Tolkien's much-loved book, and neither should it be. It's always hard to create a completely satisfying film from a literary source without either compromising on literary purity or cinematic punch, even harder when you are splitting a book in two. Here's to hoping that the final edit strikes a happy balance.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey therefore faces an expectant, yet ultimately tough crowd. As the excitement builds and builds over the next year the more it will have to live up to. This Christmas may (hopefully) see the release of the first trailer and will surely mark the foundations for a year of anticipation.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is due for release in UK cinemas on 14 December, 2012. See below for #4 of Jackson's production diaries from the set of the film.

Ross Jones-Morris

http://www.cine-vue.com/2011/12/preview-365-days-until-hobbit.html

Most Awaited Book-to-Movie Adaptations THE HOBBIT

Most Awaited Book-to-Movie Adaptations

BySiliconIndia, Friday, 28 October 2011, 05:15 Hrs

Bangalore: Books have been a key stone of human communication, pipeline of education, and books today serve as an important source for splendid movies. Books read today are movies of tomorrow.

The union of books and movies was never that stronger, before movies like "Harry Potter", "Twilight" and "The Lords of the Rings" hit the theatres. Keeping this in mind, we decided to give you a sneak peek through all the much awaited book-to-movie adaptations. These coolest books will soon get a life as they turn into major motion pictures.

The Hobbit

Prequel to "The Lords of the Rings" trilogy and an adaptation of the 1937 novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit" is much awaited by all Hollywood pundits as they all have thousand speculations in their minds regarding how director Peter Jackson will pull it off. Jackson returns as a director again with this epic fantasy film and he also serves as producer and co-writer.

Martin Freeman will star as Bilbo Baggins and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. Several actors from The Lord of the Rings film trilogy will reprise their roles, including Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood, and Orlando Bloom. Fans have to wait a while asthe movie is being divided into two parts, begun production has just begun in New Zealand and will be hitting theaters almost after two years. The movie will probably be released on 19th December 2012 worldwide.