The Hobbit (film series)
The Hobbit | |
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Directed by | Peter Jackson |
Screenplay by |
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Based on | The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien |
Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Andrew Lesnie |
Edited by | Jabez Olssen |
Music by | Howard Shore |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 474 minutes (Theatrical edition) 532 minutes (Extended edition) |
Countries | New Zealand United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $700–745 million[1][2][3][4] |
Box office | $2.938 billion |
The Hobbit is a series of three epic high fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson. The films are subtitled An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and The Battle of the Five Armies (2014).[5] The films are based on the 1937 novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, with large portions of the trilogy inspired by the appendices to The Return of the King, which expand on the story told in The Hobbit, as well as new material and characters written especially for the films. Together they act as a prequel to Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
The screenplays were written by
The films feature an
The first film in the trilogy premiered at the
Development
First stages of development
Jackson and Walsh originally expressed interest in filming The Hobbit in 1995, then envisaging it as part one of a trilogy (parts two and three would have been based on The Lord of the Rings).[10] Frustration arose when Jackson's producer, Harvey Weinstein, discovered that Saul Zaentz had production rights to The Hobbit, but that distribution rights still belonged to United Artists (which had kept those rights, believing that filmmakers would prefer to adapt The Hobbit rather than The Lord of the Rings).[11] The United Artists studio and its parent company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer were for sale in the mid-1990s, but Weinstein's attempts to buy the movie rights from the studio were unsuccessful. Weinstein asked Jackson to press on with adapting The Lord of the Rings.[12] Ultimately, The Lord of the Rings was produced by New Line Cinema, not the Weinsteins, and their rights to film The Hobbit were set to expire in 2010.[13] In September 2006, the new ownership and management of MGM expressed interest in teaming up with New Line and Jackson to make The Hobbit.[14]
In March 2005, Jackson launched a lawsuit against New Line, claiming he had lost revenue from merchandising, video, and computer games releases associated with The Fellowship of the Ring.[15] He did not seek a specific settlement, but requested an audit to see whether New Line had withheld money owed him.[13] Although Jackson wanted it settled before he would make the film,[13] he felt the lawsuit was minor and that New Line would still let him make The Hobbit.[16] New Line co-founder Robert Shaye was annoyed with the lawsuit and said in January 2007 that Jackson would never again direct a film for New Line, accusing him of being greedy.[17] MGM boss Harry Sloan halted development, as he wanted Jackson to be involved.[18] By August, after a string of flops, Shaye tried to repair his relationship with the director. He said, "I really respect and admire Peter and would love for him to be creatively involved in some way in The Hobbit."[19] The following month, New Line was fined $125,000 for failing to provide requested accounting documents.[13]
On 16 December 2007, New Line and MGM announced that Jackson would be executive producer of The Hobbit and its sequel. The two studios would co-finance the film and the latter studio (via
In February 2008, the
Development with del Toro
Despite the legal suits, development proceeded and in April 2008,
By November 2008, del Toro had said that he, Jackson, Walsh and Boyens would realize something new about the story every week and the script was continually changing.
Jackson revealed in late November 2009 that he anticipated that the script for The Hobbit would not be finished until the beginning of 2010, delaying the start of production until the middle of that summer (several months later than previously anticipated).[37] The announcement created doubts about whether the film would make its previously announced release dates of December 2011 and December 2012.[37] Jackson reiterated that no casting decisions had been made.[37] On 22 January 2010, Alan Horn said the first film would likely not be released until the fourth quarter of 2012.[38]
Del Toro's interpretation
The first film will stand on its own and the second will be a transition and fusion with Peter's world. I plan to change and expand the visuals from Peter's and I know the world can be portrayed in a different way. Different is better for the first one. For the second, I have the responsibility of finding a slow progression and mimicking the style of Peter.
— Guillermo del Toro, on tonal consistency with Jackson's trilogy[39]
Del Toro and Jackson had a positive working relationship, in which they compromised on disagreements for the benefit of the film.[23] Del Toro believed he would be able to shoot the film himself,[40] although Jackson noted he had similar hopes for filming all of his trilogy and offered to help as second unit director. Del Toro planned on shooting the film in the trilogy's 2.35:1 aspect ratio, rather than his signature 1.85:1 ratio.[23] He hoped to collaborate again with cinematographer Guillermo Navarro.[36]
Del Toro shares Jackson's passion for scale models and background paintings,[41] though he wanted to increase the use of animatronics; "We really want to take the state-of-the-art animatronics and take a leap ten years into the future with the technology we will develop for the creatures in the movie. We have every intention to do for animatronics and special effects what the other films did for virtual reality."[28] Spectral Motion (Hellboy, Fantastic Four) was among those del Toro wanted to work with again.[36] Some characters would have been created by mixing computer-generated imagery with animatronics and some would have been created solely with animatronics or animation. Gollum would be entirely digital again; as del Toro noted, "if it ain't broke, why fix it?"[41]
Del Toro said that he interpreted The Hobbit as being set in a "world that is slightly more golden at the beginning, a very innocent environment", and that the film would need to "[take] you from a time of more purity to a darker reality throughout the film, but [in a manner] in the spirit of the book".
Del Toro met concept artists
Del Toro also wanted the animals to speak so that Smaug's speech would not be incongruous, though he explained portraying the talking animals would be more about showing that other characters can understand them.[42] Smaug would not have a "snub Simian [mouth] in order to achieve a dubious lip-synch".[23] Del Toro stated that Smaug would be the first character design begun and the last to be approved.[31]
Del Toro and Jackson considered the sudden introduction of Bard the Bowman and Bilbo's unconsciousness during the Battle of the Five Armies to be "less cinematic moments" reminiscent of the novel's greater "fairy tale world" than The Lord of the Rings, and they would change them to make The Hobbit feel more like the trilogy. However, del Toro did say he considered some of these moments iconic and would require the "fairy tale logic [to] work as is".[34]
Several actors were considered by del Toro for roles in the film. He wrote the part of
In December 2012, Philippa Boyens expressed regret that del Toro's version of the film remained unmade. She revealed that it would have had a different script and visual elements, and would more closely have resembled a fairy tale.[55] Boyens stated that the most significant script change was to Bilbo's characterisation: "It shifted and changed into someone who, rather than being slightly younger and more innocent in the world, once had a sense of longing for adventure and has lost it and become fussy and fusty."[56]
Del Toro's departure
In 2010, del Toro left the project because of ongoing delays. On 28 May he explained at a press conference that owing to MGM's financial troubles the Hobbit project had then not been officially
However, this incident received negative reaction from many Hobbit fans, who were angry at MGM for delaying the project. They also tried willing the studio to sell their rights to Warner Bros. On 27 July, del Toro responded to these angry fans, saying that "it wasn't just MGM. These are very complicated movies, economically and politically."[62]
On 25 June 2010, Jackson was reported to be in negotiations to direct the two-part film.
Jackson had said that del Toro's sudden exit created problems as he felt he had a very little preparation time remaining before shooting had to begin, with unfinished scripts and without
Jackson also said, "I spent most of The Hobbit feeling like I was not on top of it. Even from a script point of view, Fran [Walsh], Philippa [Boyens] and I hadn't got the entire scripts written to our satisfaction, so that was a very high pressure situation".[70][71][72] However, Jackson goes on to explain in the DVD/Blu-ray featurettes the various ways in which he and his crew overcame the obstacles encountered during filming. They found ways of making things work, even in a "very high pressure situation" in which he and his crew found themselves, especially the shooting of the Battle of the Five Armies which was shifted from 2012 to 2013 to be properly planned and shot.[73][74][75]
Industrial dispute in New Zealand
In May 2010, New Zealand Actors Equity (NZAE) received from the film's producers a sample of the contracts it was offering to actors' agents.[76] NZAE rejected the contracts as not conforming to its voluntary standard, in particular as regarded residuals.[76] NZAE's parent, the Australia-based Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, contacted the International Federation of Actors, which on 24 September 2010, issued a Do Not Work order, advising members of its affiliates (including the Screen Actors Guild) that "The producers ... have refused to engage performers on union-negotiated agreements."[77] This would subject actors who work on the film to possible expulsion from the union.[78] In response, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema considered taking the production elsewhere, with Jackson mentioning the possibility of filming in Eastern Europe.[78][76]
Partly out of fear for the
Some have subsequently called the price (further financial subsidies and specific laws made for the producers' benefit) that New Zealand had to pay to retain the movie 'extortionate'. It was also argued that the discussion had occurred in a climate of 'hyperbole and hysteria'.[86]
In February 2013, emails and documents released under orders of the Ombudsman showed that the union representing actors had already reached an agreement with Warner two days before 20 October protest,[87][88] but Warner refused to confirm the deal publicly. One union representative said those on the march were 'patsies' that had been fooled into thinking the production would be taken offshore.[89] Further emails released showed Government ministers knew a deal had been reached a week before the protest, despite claiming negotiations were still happening.[90]
From two to three films
The project had been envisaged as two parts as early as 2006, but the proposed contents of the parts changed during development.
After his hiring in 2008, del Toro confirmed the sequel would be about "trying to reconcile the facts of the first movie with a slightly different point of view. You would be able to see events that were not witnessed in the first."[45] He also noted the story must be drawn from only what is mentioned in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as they do not have the rights to The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales.[93] Del Toro also added (before writing began) that if they could not find a coherent story for the second film, they would just film The Hobbit, stating "The Hobbit is better contained in a single film and kept brisk and fluid with no artificial 'break point'."[94] By November 2008, he acknowledged that the book was more detailed and eventful than people may remember.[95] He decided to abandon the "bridge film" concept, feeling that it would be better for the two parts to contain only material from The Hobbit:
when you lay out the cards for the story beats contained within the book (before even considering any appendix material) the work is enormous and encompasses more than one film. That's why we are thinking of the two instalments as parts of a single narrative. That's why I keep putting down the use of a "bridge" film (posited initially). I think the concept as such is not relevant any more. I believe that the narrative and characters are rich enough to fit in two films.[96]
Del Toro said that he was faced with two possible places to split the story,[33] including Smaug's defeat. He noted the second film would need to end by leading directly into The Fellowship of the Ring.[97] In June 2009, del Toro revealed he had decided where to divide the story based on comments from fans about signifying a change in Bilbo's relationship with the Dwarves.[98] The second film's story would also have depended on how many actors could have reprised their roles.[23]
Although The Hobbit was originally made as a two-part film, on 30 July 2012, Jackson confirmed plans for a third film, turning his adaptation of The Hobbit into a trilogy.[99][100] According to Jackson, the third film would make extensive use of the appendices that Tolkien wrote to expand the story of Middle-earth (published in the back of The Return of the King). While the third film, which as its title indicates, depicts the Battle of the Five Armies, largely made use of footage originally shot for the first and second films, it required additional filming as well.[101] The second film was retitled The Desolation of Smaug and the third film was titled There and Back Again in August 2012.[102] On 24 April 2014, the third film was renamed The Battle of the Five Armies. On the title change, Jackson said, "There and Back Again felt like the right name for the second of a two film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo's arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film. But with three movies, it suddenly felt misplaced—after all, Bilbo has already arrived "there" in the Desolation of Smaug".[103] Shaun Gunner, the chairman of The Tolkien Society, supported the decision: "'The Battle of the Five Armies' much better captures the focus of the film but also more accurately channels the essence of the story."[104]
Cast
The following is a list of cast members who voiced or portrayed characters appearing in The Hobbit films.
Casting
Martin Freeman was cast in early October 2010 in the role of Bilbo Baggins. He had earlier turned the role down because of scheduling conflicts with the BBC television series Sherlock.[106] On his casting, Peter Jackson was quoted as saying, "Despite the various rumours and speculation surrounding this role, there has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us. There are a few times in your career when you come across an actor who you know was born to play a role, but that was the case as soon as I met Martin Freeman. He is intelligent, funny, surprising and brave—exactly like Bilbo and I feel incredibly proud to be able to announce that he is our Hobbit."[107]
Several other actors including
Elijah Wood joined the cast by January 2011 to reprise his role of Frodo Baggins. As Frodo had not been born during the events of The Hobbit, his inclusion indicated that parts of the story would take place shortly before or during the events of The Lord of the Rings. According to TheOneRing.net, "As readers of 'The Hobbit' know, the tale of 'The Downfall of The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit or There and Back Again,' are contained in the fictional 'Red Book of Westmarch.' In Peter Jackson's LOTR films, the book is shown on screen and written in by Bilbo and Frodo and handed off to Samwise Gamgee .... The fictional book and either the telling from it or the reading of it, will establish Frodo in the film experiencing Bilbo's story. Viewers are to learn the tale of 'The Hobbit' as a familiar Frodo gets the tale as well."[120]
Ian Holm was added to the cast in April as old Bilbo Baggins.[131] During the early stages of pre-production, former director Guillermo del Toro indicated that he was interested in having Holm reprise the role of Bilbo, but acknowledged that he might be too old to take on such a physically demanding role. On his potential casting, del Toro stated, "[Holm] certainly is the paragon we aspire to. He will be involved in some manner, I'm sure."[45] He indicated that he was open to the possibility of Holm narrating the films.[43][128] On 3 March 2011, Holm revealed that he had been in talks with the producers about reprising the role, but that he had not heard back from them yet.[132]
In the early stages of production, the role of Thranduil had been linked to actor Doug Jones but on 29 April 2011, Jackson reported on Facebook that the role had gone to Lee Pace. On his casting, Jackson said, "Casting these Tolkien stories is very difficult, especially the Elven characters and Lee has always been our first choice for Thranduil. He's going to be great. We loved his performance in a movie called The Fall a few years ago and have been hoping to work with him since. When we were first discussing who would be right for Thranduil, Lee came into mind almost immediately."[133][134]
Orlando Bloom was cast to reprise his role as Legolas by the end of May.[139] Bloom revealed on 25 April 2011 that he had been in contact with Jackson, who had given him a copy of the screenplay and said that there was a high probability that he would return. He was quoted as saying, "I'm going to bet on it .... But I can't really talk too much about it because it's still sort of in the ether. But I would love to go back to work with Peter Jackson. It would be an honour."[140]
Several actors, including Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman, Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel, Barry Humphries as the Great Goblin, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug and the Necromancer, were cast in June 2011.[141] Cumberbatch portrayed both of his roles through motion capture, as did Humphries for his character.[142] The casting of Cumberbatch was prematurely revealed by his Sherlock co-star Martin Freeman during the BAFTA Television Awards in May 2011. Speculations of his undisclosed role were further fuelled when Ian McKellen wrote on his blog that Philippa Boyens showed him Cumberbatch's screen test, stating that it was "electrifying, vocally and facially".[143] Peter Jackson finally revealed on his Facebook page that Cumberbatch was set to play Smaug. Following this, it was also confirmed that he would be portraying The Necromancer as well.[144]
John Bell plays Bain,[147][148] Manu Bennett plays Azog,[149] Craig Hall plays Galion,[150] Ben Mitchell plays Narzug,[150] John Rawls plays Yazneg,[151] Stephen Ure plays Fimbul and Grinnah, Kiran Shah plays a goblin scribe,[152] and Stephen Colbert was cast in an undisclosed cameo.[153] Conan Stevens was to play Bolg,[154] but he eventually played a Gundabad Orc, also known as Keeper of Dungeons.
Filming
Principal photography began on 21 March 2011 in Wellington, New Zealand. Filming took place at Wellington Stone Street Studios, the town of Matamata and at other undisclosed locations around New Zealand.[155]
The costumes for each of the Dwarves included six wigs and eight beards, which were worn by the actors, stunt doubles, and stand-ins.[156]
During July 2011, scenes from The Hobbit were filmed at Pinewood Studios, England. Sets were constructed on the F and N&P Stages for the shoot.[157] Jackson recorded a video blog from the set, which featured Christopher Lee in full makeup and costume as Saruman.[157][158] All the scenes with Christopher Lee as Saruman were shot in that studio, as he was unable to travel to New Zealand.[159] The Saruman scenes actually in New Zealand were shot with a body double. The scenes with Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins were similarly shot in Pinewood Studios; Martin Freeman doubles as old Bilbo Baggins in one scene.[160]
The second block of shooting in New Zealand began at the end of August and was completed in December 2011.[161]
Principal photography ended on 6 July 2012, after 266 days of filming.[162]
During May 2013, additional filming for the second and third films began in New Zealand and lasted for 10 weeks.[163]
Filming locations
Fictional location |
Specific location in New Zealand |
General area in New Zealand |
---|---|---|
Forest River | Aratiatia Spillway | Taupō[164] |
Laketown | Braemar Station | Tekapo[165] |
Laketown stand-in | Canaan Downs | Tākaka[166] |
Trollshaws |
Denize Bluffs | Mangaotaki[167] |
Vales of Anduin |
Earnslaw Burn | Mount Aspiring National Park[168] |
Anduin Valley | Eweburn Station | Te Anau[169] |
Carrock |
David's Knoll | Fiordland[170] |
Carrock stand-in | Greenstone Track | Greenstone[171] |
Gollum's cave (visually1) | Harwoods Hole | Tākaka[172] |
Hobbiton |
Matamata | Waikato[173] |
Shores of Laketown |
Miramar Peninsula | Wellington[174][175] |
Beorn's house surroundings | Ohuto Station | Ohakune[176] |
Beorn's house | Paradise | Otago[177] |
Forest River | Pelorus River | Marlborough[178]
|
Misty Mountains |
The Remarkables | Otago[179] |
Dale Hills | Rock and Pillar Range | Otago[179] |
Dale Hills | Speargrass Flat | Otago[179] |
Rhudaur | Strath Taieri | Middlemarch[180] |
Long Valley | Treble Cone Ski Resort | Wānaka[181] |
Long Valley | Turoa Ski Area | Mount Ruapehu[176] |
Lonely Mountain | Wanaka-Mt Aspiring Rd | Wānaka[181] |
Technology
The films were filmed in 3D using
In April 2011, Jackson revealed through his Facebook page that he would film The Hobbit at 48 fps (frames per second) instead of the normal 24 fps.[184]
Additionally, the films were filmed at a 5K resolution, native to the Red Epic cameras, which provides a more detailed picture than the conventional 4K resolution. The films were recorded digitally onto 128 GB solid-state drives that fit into the Red Epic camera.[183]
Pressure to stop using live animals
In a bid to pressure director Peter Jackson to stop using live animals in future films and use instead 100% CGI-inserted animals, animal rights group
Post-production
Music
The music of The Hobbit film series was composed, produced and (in the case of the first film) orchestrated and conducted by Howard Shore, who scored all three The Lord of the Rings films. Recording sessions for the first film began on 20 August 2012, at Abbey Road Studios.[187] The second and third films were recorded in New Zealand.[188]
Unlike with the Lord of the Rings, which only received an expanded release after 2005, each Hobbit soundtrack was released in a two-CD, two-hour release. The music features 64-70 new leitmotives, about 40 leitmotives returning from The Lord of the Rings, and a variety of non-orchestral instruments, including bagpipes, didgeridoos and a whole Gamelan orchestra (used in the scenes with Bilbo and Smaug).[189]
The score for An Unexpected Journey was primarily played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra (as it was for The Lord of the Rings), London Voices and Tiffin' Boys choir, although Jackson and Shore chose the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (which participated in scoring a large section of the Fellowship of the Ring) to score The Desolation of Smaug and The Battle of the Five Armies. Additional musicians, including two gamelan orchestras, and the London Voices and Tiffin' boys choir, augmented the orchestra. Musicians Neil Finn and Ed Sheeran contributed to the score, as did some of the actors, including Richard Armitage and the cast of Dwarves, James Nesbitt, and Barry Humphries (in the extended edition).[190] Clara Sanabras[191] and Grace Davidson[192] sang the soprano parts.
Visual effects
As with
After Jackson's decision to use High-Frame-Rate (48 frames per second) in high-definition for An Unexpected Journey was met with a mixed reception, he decided to make adjustments by altering the visuals of the following two films in the trilogy. During post-production for The Desolation of Smaug, Jackson commented, "When I did the colour timing this year, the colour grading, I spent a lot of time experimenting with ways we could soften the image and make it look a bit more filmic. Not more like 35 mm film necessarily, but just to take the HD quality away from it, which I think I did reasonably successfully". He also stated, "I was experimenting all the time and trying different things. It's to do with diffusing the image a little but, using what's called a Pro-Mist; it's the saturation of the color. Scene by scene I'd make decisions and choices as to which way to go, so it wasn't really one magic button to press."[198][199]
Release
Theatrical
The world premiere for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey took place on 28 November 2012 in Wellington, New Zealand,[200] with the film's wide release in New Zealand on 12 December.[201] 100,000 people lined the red carpet on Wellington's Courtenay Place for the premiere.[202] The entire event was also broadcast live on TV3 (New Zealand), and streamed over the Internet.[203] Tickets to the film's midnight screenings in New Zealand sold out within minutes of going on sale, prompting director Peter Jackson to say that the fans who missed out "may get something special" which could include getting to see the film "possibly even a minute or two before anyone else".[204] The film was released on 13 December 2012 in the United Kingdom[205] and 14 December 2012 for some other parts of the world.[102] It has a runtime of 169 minutes (2 hours and 49 minutes).[206] The film has grossed over $1 billion at the box office, surpassing both The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers nominally.[207]
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug premiered on 2 December 2013 in Los Angeles, and was released internationally from 11 December 2013.[208] It has grossed over $959 million in the box office worldwide. Like the previous instalment, it surpassed both The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers in nominal box office performance.[207]
The final film The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies premiered on 11 December 2014 in London, and was released internationally from 12 December 2014. The release for the third film was originally set for an 18 July 2014 release, but was pushed back when X-Men: Days of Future Past, was announced to be released on the same date, as direct competition to the third instalment.[209] It has grossed over $962 million worldwide at the box office, and as the previous two films, it surpassed both The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.[207]
Home media
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was released on
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was released on DVD, 3D Blu-ray and Blu-ray on 7 April 2014 in the United Kingdom and on 8 April 2014 in the United States.[212] An Extended Edition containing 25 minutes of additional footage and original music[213] was released on 3 November 2014 in the UK, and on 4 November 2014 in the US.[214]
The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies was released on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on 23 March 2015 in the United Kingdom and on 24 March in the United States.[215][216][217] An Extended Edition of the film containing 20 minutes of additional footage and original music was released on 17 November 2015 in the United States and on 23 November in the United Kingdom.[218][219][220]
The Hobbit trilogy was released in Ultra HD Blu-ray on 30 November 2020 in the United Kingdom and on 1 December 2020 in the United States, including both the theatrical and the extended editions of the films.[221]
Film | Theatrical edition length | Extended edition length |
---|---|---|
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | 169 mins (2 hr, 49 min) | 182 mins (3 hr, 2 min) |
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | 161 mins (2 hr, 41 min) | 186 mins (3 hr, 6 min) |
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | 144 mins (2 hr, 24 min) | 164 mins (2 hr, 44 min) |
Total runtime | 474 minutes (7 hr, 54 min) | 532 minutes (8 hr, 52 min) |
Reception
Box office performance
Film | Release date | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Budget | Reference | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USA & Canada | Other countries | Worldwide | |||||
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | 14 December 2012 | $303,030,651 | $714,000,000 | $1,017,030,651 | 47 | $200,000,000 | [207][222][223] |
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | 13 December 2013 | $258,387,334 | $700,640,658 | $959,027,992 | 56 | $250,000,000 | [207][224][225] |
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | 17 December 2014 | $255,138,261 | $707,063,077 | $962,201,338 | 54 | $250,000,000 | [207][226][227] |
Total | $816,556,246 | $2,121,703,735 | $2,938,259,981 | - | $700,000,000 | [1][2][3][4] |
Critical and public response
Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore[228] |
---|---|---|---|
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | 64% (306 reviews)[229] | 58 (40 reviews)[230] | A |
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | 75% (252 reviews)[231] | 66 (44 reviews)[232] | A– |
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | 59% (266 reviews)[233] | 59 (46 reviews)[234] | A– |
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2023) |
The Hobbit trilogy has received a mixed reception.
Accolades
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has won the "Technical Achievement" award by the
Academy Awards
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey — Nominations: 3 + Scientific and Technical Award[250]
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug — Nominations: 3
- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Nominations: 1
Category | |||
---|---|---|---|
85th Academy Awards | 86th Academy Awards | 87th Academy Awards | |
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey | The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug | The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies | |
Best Makeup and Hairstyling | Nominated | ||
Best Production Design | Nominated | ||
Best Sound Editing
|
Nominated | Nominated | |
Best Sound Mixing
|
Nominated | ||
Best Visual Effects | Nominated | Nominated |
Analysis
The films were shown in some cinemas at
Scholars reflected on Jackson's transformation of Tolkien's children's book to an "epic prequel". Frank Riga and colleagues noted in
Other scholars were less accepting; Marek Oziewicz, writing in
Derivative works
Toys
On 6 October 2011, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and U.S. toy company The Bridge Direct announced their partnership on worldwide master toy rights for The Hobbit films.[260] The toy line will include action figures, playsets and role-play accessories like swords and battle axes representing the characters and weapons in the films.[261][262]
The first wave of toy products hit store shelves in October 2012, ahead of the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. U.S. retailers that carry the toy line include
On 16 December 2011, Warner Bros. and Lego announced the development of figures and play sets based on the upcoming adaptations of The Hobbit as well as The Lord of the Rings. The launch of the Lego The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was released to coincide with the release of the film adaptation's first part in December 2012.[264]
Video games
Following the expiration in 2008 of
In 2008 British video game developer
In October 2011, Warner Bros. confirmed that a Hobbit video game would be released in 2012, before the first film's release.[268] However, the studio did not confirm whether or not the game would be a tie-in with the film.[269]
Warner Brothers developed two free-to-play online strategy games in collaboration with
The full list of mobile and browser games developed to coincide with the films' theatrical releases includes:- The Hobbit: Dwarf Combat Training (2012)[273][274]
- The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth (2012)[270][271]
- The Hobbit: Armies of The Third Age (2013)[272]
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – A Journey through Middle-earth (2013)[275]
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Barrel Escape (2013)[276]
- The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Spiders of Mirkwood (2013)[276]
- The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies – Orc Attack (2014)[277]
- The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies – Fight for Middle-earth (2014)[278]
Monolith Productions developed Guardians of Middle-earth,[279] which was released on 4 December 2012 for PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network, and 5 December 2012 for Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. Guardians of Middle-earth delivers a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game set in Middle-earth and crafted specifically for the console systems. Gamers can play in teams of up to 10 players in strategic five versus five competitive multiplayer battle arenas in the epic setting of Middle-earth. Players can develop and master more than 20 guardians, including Gandalf, Sauron, Gollum and many more, forming memorable and unlikely alliances with and against friends. Gamers can connect via an in-game voice communication system, as well as access a comprehensive online stat and leader board system where they can track friends' victories and defeats. The game featured tie-ins to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey film, released in 2012.
On 25 November, Warner Brothers confirmed
Another video game which was developed by
Notes
- ^ Although the scene in Gollum's cave was shot in a studio in New Zealand, Harwoods Hole was used for the background shots.
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Bibliography
- ISBN 0-00-717558-2.
External links
- Official website
- The Hobbit (official studio blog)