Three Hobbit Films Confirmed by Peter Jackson

Wed Aug 01, 2012 8:38 pm

My feeling is that once they decided to do two films, they already had abandoned the idea of adapting The Hobbit and had transitioned into doing something different. I think one film would have been best, but once they decided to expand the story beyond the confines of the story told in the book, The Hobbit, that there is a good chance that three films could be better than two films, because that will give the filmmakers a chance to allow the story to breath. Rather than compressing as much bang bang battle scenes and bad comedy in as possible, Jackson and friend might have more of an opportunity to develop characters, and plot and such. I am tentatively on board with this decision.

Of course, it might just be an excuse to fit in even more bang bang battle scenes and bad comedy.

Post by **halplm** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:21 pm

Four LOTR movies would have been a nightmare... three was bad enough!

I was willing to accept The Hobbit being made. When Del Toro was in the mix I was tentatively optimistic that it would at least be well put together films.

When that fell apart, I gave up all hope of a good adaptation, and was resigned to hoping it just wasn't horribly bad.

I love Martin Freeman and the new technology for the filming is an exciting step in film in general, so I was resigned to sit through it and try not to throw up.

Now I'm not so sure. Granted, I know PJ has real problems putting together a coherent story over three films, but if he is going to have any chance of that, then there will have to be a great deal more of the necromancer storyline to fill up the space, and while this ties in with LOTR, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with The Hobbit.

I don't see ANY way it can be incorporated into The Hobbit in a good way. What I can see happening is Bilbo's story losing any impact whatsoever. The main characters will be Thorin and Gandalf. What I consider to be The central value of The Hobbit as part of Tolkien's world is that the small can impact the turn of events among the mighty. This message was completely lost in LOTR, and it's even more important in The Hobbit, and there will be none of it.

I don't know if I can sit through more of the same.

Post by **yovargas** » Wed Aug 01, 2012 9:35 pm

halplm wrote:The main characters will be Thorin and Gandalf. What I consider to be The central value of The Hobbit as part of Tolkien's world is that the small can impact the turn of events among the mighty. This message was completely lost in LOTR, and it's even more important in The Hobbit, and there will be none of it.

There are many, many complaints that can be made of PJ's LOTR but I think tat's the first time I've heard that one.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 3:01 pm

A long article posted yesterday at TORn examines PJ's statements about three films and concludes that the real reason for the three-film split was to make shorter films less painfully. Instead of cramming 2.5 films' worth of material into two films, they are shooting an extra half a film and making three.

I strongly suspect that even if this is the plan, the final films will still be longer than the studio is hoping. PJ can't help himself.

The article brings up issues that hadn't occurred to me—movie tie-in merchandise that might relate to characters and events that are no longer in film 1, for example, that's probably already being manufactured. That certainly makes a fair argument for not changing the title of the first film, so at least that much is correct.

But . . . re-editing film 1 in 90 days? Restructuring the whole thing to end in a different place?

I'm not holding my breath for those post-production videos PJ promised us.

Post by **yovargas** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 3:09 pm

Primula Baggins wrote:Restructuring the whole thing to end in a different place?

Yeah, that one kinda

's me too. But I could see how maybe #1 was always gonna be relatively short and the issue was that the 2nd half was getting too long and had to be split (plausible since the story gets much more complicated post-Mirkwood even without the side story stuff).

Post by **Dave_LF** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 3:31 pm

If one were of a speculative bent, one could purchase heaps of AUJ merchandise in the hopes that they do change the title and it all turns into rare collector's items.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 3:39 pm

Yes, like the REVENGE OF THE JEDI merchandise that made it into the pipeline.

Fri Aug 03, 2012 3:51 pm

I think one of the potentially best results of expanding to three films is the possibility of splitting off BOFA from the death of Smaug. Cinematically, I think it makes a heck of lot more sense to have Smaug's death be the climax of the second film, and then BOFA (and all the politics involved) be the focus of film three. The titles that TORN reports that New Line has registered bear that out. I am pretty sure that the second film will be called "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" and the third will be called "The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies".

And as I just wrote over at TORN, there is no way that this all came about in the best few weeks. For them to have negotiated the necessary additional contracts will all of the actors involved, and the necessary agreements between the various studios had to have taken many months. Based on that, I think the first film will still end with the barrels, and will likely be little effected by the change to 3 films. They knew this was likely for a long time.

Post by **yovargas** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 4:08 pm

Voronwë the Faithful wrote:I think one of the potentially best results of expanding to three films is the possibility of splitting off BOFA from the death of Smaug. Cinematically, I think it makes a heck of lot more sense to have Smaug's death be the climax of the second film, and then BOFA (and all the politics involved) be the focus of film three.

That's a pretty good idea. You should tell it to PJ just in case.

Post by **Dave_LF** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 4:22 pm

I expect you are right about two of those things, Voronwë (this being in the works for a long time and the new endpoint for film 2). The main point of uncertainty for me is whether they've changed the endpoint for film 1 or not; I could go either way on that.

Fri Aug 03, 2012 5:52 pm

Yeah. On the one hand, it seems to me that if this has been in the works for a while as I suspect, then they knew it was a strong possibility when they put out the promotional material that strongly suggested the barrels as the ending point of the first film. On the other hand, if I am right that Smaug's death will be the climax of the second film, that doesn't seem to leave a heck of lot for the second film (unless a large part of it will be taken up with the Dol Guldur plotline).

Interesting days indeed!

Post by **axordil** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 6:11 pm

Voronwë the Faithful wrote:Yeah. On the one hand, it seems to me that if this has been in the works for a while as I suspect, then they knew it was a strong possibility when they put out the promotional material that strongly suggested the barrels as the ending point of the first film. On the other hand, if I am right that Smaug's death will be the climax of the second film, that doesn't seem to leave a heck of lot for the second film (unless a large part of it will be taken up with the Dol Guldur plotline).

Interesting days indeed!

Well, barrels to Smaug in the book has no Gandalf at all, for exactly that reason.

Post by **kzer_za** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:45 pm

Well, we'll have Laketown and its characters introduced at the beginning of movie 2 (assuming the barrels ending for movie 1). Bard in particular is sure to get a lot more attention than in the book. Then the dwarves make their way to the mountain and spend some exploring it. If they're developing the dwarves well, they'll probably have some character moments at the mountain. And there will probably be some fallout in Mirkwood over the escape. If they don't rush those things, I can see them taking 40 minutes or even more (without Dol Guldur). PJ and co. certainly have absolutely no excuse to rush anything with three movies.

And that's before Smaug makes his first appearance. Actually, I get the feeling his first appearance will be with an early flashback.

Post by **axordil** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:06 pm

kzer_za wrote:Well, we'll have Laketown and its characters introduced at the beginning of movie 2 (assuming the barrels ending for movie 1). Bard in particular is sure to get a lot more attention than in the book. Then the dwarves make their way to the mountain and spend some exploring it. If they're developing the dwarves well, they'll probably have some character moments at the mountain. And there will probably be some fallout in Mirkwood over the escape. If they don't rush those things, I can see them taking 40 minutes or even more (without Dol Guldur). PJ and co. certainly have absolutely no excuse to rush anything with three movies.

And that's before Smaug makes his first appearance. Actually, I get the feeling his first appearance will be with an early flashback.

Given that they build Dale intact? Yep.

Post by **Alatar** » Sat Aug 04, 2012 6:06 pm

A very, very indepth look at the possibilities for the three movies from a guest writer on TORN:

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/08 ... t-trilogy/

Its long, but well worth the read.

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:38 pm

Along with 16 new stills from The Hobbit, there is a new scroll released by WB, showing the likely new ending for Film 1!!!

http://pdl.warnerbros.com/wbmovies/theh ... scroll.jpg

From TORn

Warner Bros. has also opened the floodgates of new images and smacked viewers in the head with the ending of the first film, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”

It duplicates the promotional scroll released right before Comic-Con when there where still two films. That confirmed the original break and this one, the new ending of the first film...

Post by **sauronsfinger** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:48 pm

Given the pure excellence of the LOTR films and the same people are doing these, I have total faith that these will be excellent as well.

The assumed ending based on the scroll is fine with me. December cannot arrive fast enough.

I would like to hear from Alatar who also was a collector of toys and stuff from the LOTR films. I really am disappointed with the toy figures we have been teased with so far. The smaller ones are too much like the Star Wars figures and look cheap but cost twice what the LOTR line did.

I was hoping we would get all new Armies of Middle Earth scale figures but it looks like that is not to be. That comes as a blow to me since one of my hobbies is building detailed and intricate diorama's of the scenes.

I sure hope this changes.

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:56 pm

Of course, the new ending for Film 1 now being so early in the story makes my suggestion of Smaug not dying until Film 3 far more likely...

ETA: I do think it would be better to end film 1 at the edge of Mirkwood, just after Beorn's. To me, when Gandalf leaves the Company at the edge of Mirkwood always seemed like a natural transition point in the story, that would give a similar feel to how PJ ended FotR... Plus, we wont have to wait another year to experience Persbrandt's Beorn!

Post by **Alatar** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 5:00 pm

SF, I only ever really collected the companion books and the WETA environments. I like what Games Workshop have done with their miniatures line, but I find it a bit expensive for collecting. I have no problem dropping a couple of hundred dollars on a nice big WETA environment, but €50 for a plastic Balrog 4" high is excessive to me.

Post by **Elentári** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:15 pm

sauronsfinger wrote:...one of my hobbies is building detailed and intricate diorama's of the scenes.

And mighty fine they are too! I hope to see that Helm's Deep of yours finished one of these days!

ETA: This article about The Bridge Direct who have been awarded the worldwide master toy and game licensing rights for The Hobbit may be of interest, SF:

...the head of The Bridge Direct, Inc. is Jay Foreman. Jay Foreman was formerly the President of Play Along Toys, the same company that created the Armies of Middle Earth figures.

Could be worth contacting TBD and askng them directly...