The Hobbit: Return to Middle-earth

Return to Middle-earth as Peter Jackson brings us the first film in his new trilogy.

Jackson’s previous film adaptations of the J.R.R. Tolkien novel The Lord of the Rings proved to be a massive success. The film franchise was not only a hit with moviegoers, but The Lord of the Rings series was also nominated for 30 Academy Awards, taking home 17 of the precious golden statues.

This time, Jackson is tackling Tolkien’s children’s book The Hobbit, a prequel of sorts to The Lord of the Rings. Released in 1937, The Hobbit tells the story of home-loving Bilbo Baggins as he embarks on a quest to take a share of the dragon Smaug’s treasure.

Don’t be surprised if you recognize a familiar face or two when the epic fantasy film hits the big screen this holiday season. Several cast members from The Lord of the Rings franchise were happy to reprise their roles. Sir Ian McKellen and Christopher Lee return as the wise Gandalf the Grey and Saruman the White, while Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom and Andy Serkis will play Frodo, Legolas and the unsettling Gollum once again.

While plans to start the production of the film started back in 2006, Peter Jackson was apprehensive to direct, feeling it would lead to an unfair comparison to his previous work. Mexican director Guillermo del Toro was attached to the project and worked to develop his vision of the story for two years before revealing to a Tolkien-based website that he would no longer be directing the project.

“In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming The Hobbit, I am faced with the hardest decision of my life,” del Toro wrote. “After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien’s Middle-earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures.”

In late 2010, Peter Jackson was confirmed as the director, an announcement that had both Jackson and fans excited about the prospects of the new franchise.

“Exploring Tolkien’s Middle-earth goes way beyond a normal filmmaking experience,” Jackson said during the official announcement of his new role. “It’s an all-immersive journey into a very special place of imagination, beauty and drama.”

With Jackson at the helm, the project began moving forward in great strides. Sherlock’s Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch were soon confirmed as the actors playing the hero Bilbo Baggins and the villainous Necromancer.

But Jackson is bringing more than just some fresh faces to the table this time. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will also be the first movie to be filmed at 48 frames per second, twice the regular frequency that most movies use. It’s a technological innovation that could change the entire film industry.

“Looking at 24 frames every second may seem ok – and we’ve all seen thousands of films like this over the last 90 years—but there is often quite a lot of blur in each frame, during fast movements, and if the camera is moving around quickly, the image can judder or ‘strobe,’”Jackson explained on his Facebook page. “Shooting and projecting at 48 fps does a lot to get rid of these issues. It looks much more lifelike, and it is much easier to watch, especially in 3-D.”

With The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hitting theatres December 14, and the sequels – The Desolation of Smaug and There and Back Again – expected to be released in 2013 and 2014 respectively, it looks like it’s time once again to get comfortable in the Shire. Tolkien and Jackson’s amazing world is here to stay.
~Rodrigo Cokting