It’s official: There will be three. Much hype and speculation has surrounded the idea of making The Hobbit into a trilogy of films, and now Reel Movie Nation is happy to clear things up for you. Which is important, because the names have gotten a little bit jumbled.
Originally the first film was to be called An Unexpected Journey, the second was There and Back Again, and the third was just a pipe dream of director Peter Jackson’s. Then Warner Bros. gave him the go-ahead to stretch it out to three films. Now the first film is An Unexpected Journey, the second film has been retitled The Desolation of Smaug, and the last film is There and Back Again. The release dates are as follows:
An Unexpected Journey: December 14, 2012
The Desolation of Smaug: December 13, 2013
There and Back Again: July 18, 2014
It seems out of place that the date of the final movie isn’t in December like the others, but Jackson said he didn’t want fans to have to wait too long for the conclusion. Which works for me, because I’m super-impatient about things like that. Also, having to wait a span of three years to finish what was based off of one book seems a little ridiculous. I understand it’s a big project and stands as one last “huzzah!” to Middle Earth, but let’s not draw it out forever.
Is there enough information in The Hobbit to fill three movies? Well, probably not just in The Hobbit, but J.R.R. Tolkien included a lengthy appendix of Middle Earth lore at the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. As well as Bilbo’s journey with the dwarves, we’ll be able to peek in on Gandalf and see what it was he was getting up to — namely drama with the Necromancer. We’ll also be hearing plenty more about the Ring and its story. Considering that Jackson’s been working closely with halflings, elves, wizards, and the like for over a decade now, I’m sure he has a lot about them to share.
Jackson says he wants The Hobbit to be a companion to, rather than a prequel for, LOTR, so don’t expect too many plot point bridges between the two projects. However, we will be seeing some returning characters including Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), Frodo (Elijah Wood), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Saruman the White (Christopher Lee), and Elrond (Hugo Weaving).
If you want more Hobbit news, you can check out Michele’s run-down here and a photo spread here.
What do you think of the new movie title and release date for The Hobbit trilogy? Comment below!
