The Hobbit
The Hobbit is a series of three epic fantasy adventure films directed, co-written and produced by Peter Jackson and based on J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Hobbit (1937). The films are, by subtitle, An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Desolation of Smaug (2013), and There and Back Again (2014). The Lord of the Rings is originally a sequel to the novel, thus the series acts as a prequel to Jackson's film trilogy.Several actors will reprise their roles from The Lord of the Rings, including Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Ian Holm, Hugo Weaving, and actors whose characters did not appear in the novel such as Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Elijah Wood, and Orlando Bloom. Also returning for the production, among others, were co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, illustrators John Howe and Alan Lee, art director Dan Hennah, and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie. As with the original trilogy, props will generally be crafted by Weta Workshop and visual effects managed by Weta Digital. Additionally, composer Howard Shore, who scored The Lord of the Rings, will return to score the film series.The most significant new involvement in the series is the participation of Guillermo del Toro, originally chosen to direct the films, as co-writer.
Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, the three films follow the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), hired by the wizard Gandalf (McKellen), to accompany 13 dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch).
The first film in the series premiered at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington, New Zealand on 28 November 2012. Around 100,000 people were expected to line the red carpet on Courtenay Place, and the entire event was to be broadcast live on TV in New Zealand, as well as streaming over the Internet.