Movies

The Hobbit : Now a Trilogy

By Andy Frisk
July 30, 2012 - 18:58

Breaking news from Middle Earth: Peter Jackson has confirmed that he will now be adapting Tolkien's The Hobbit on screen over the course of three films instead of two. With enough footage shot, and enough promise of blockbusting revenue, Jackson's return to Middle Earth will now be a trilogy that will mirror his original Lord of The Rings film adaptation.

Honestly, I'm pretty stoked about this. The whole fear of the films being a travesty that detracts from the greatness of the originals, like the Star Wars prequels are, isn't nearly as much a concern here since Jackson is A) a good filmmaker and director and B) many of the same A-List actors will be appearing in these LOTR prequels.

As Jackson related in a Facebook post, his adaptation of The Hobbit was a tale that grew in the telling:

It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie – and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life.  All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.’

We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance.  The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.

So, without further ado and on behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.

It has been an unexpected journey indeed, and in the words of Professor Tolkien himself, ”a tale that grew in the telling.”

Cheers,

Peter J

The film will now reportedly cover not just an expanded retelling of The Hobbit, but some 125 pages of story included in the original appendix to the Lord of The Rings books. So sit back Middle Earth fans, fire up some pipeweed, and let the countdown truly begin to the return of Middle Earth on the big screen!

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12