Our first filming destination was Matamata, where eleven years ago Gandalf the Grey made his entrance into The Fellowship of the Ring, greeting Ian Holm’s Bilbo on the doorstep of Bag End. The site has since been sign-posted as “Hobbiton”, where tourists in search of Middle-earth could ponder the paltry remnants of our filming, a couple of round green doors propped against the hillside. That meant that the village had to be re-built and the gardens re-plotted for The Hobbit.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
New Update from Ian McKellen's Hobbit Blog
Sir Ian McKellen has posted a new entry on his occasional blog from The Hobbit as he writes about his experiences both on set and off. In his latest entry he writes about his experiences as he moved about New Zealand, filming in the rain (because "3D cameras couldn't register the rain), and some of his experiences along the way such as stopping at Stafford and returning to Bag's End. The complete delightful entry can be found here.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Hobbit Trailer with Tintin
Andy Serkis previously confirmed that the teaser trailer for the two Hobbit films will come this Christmas. In an interview to promote Happy Feet Two, Elijah Wood told Digital Spy, "I have not seen it. I have spoken to people about the trailer; I have a sense of what's going to be in it. I think it's going to be in front of Tintin when it's released in the States." TinTin is set for release in the States on December 21st. This isn't exactly a surprise considering Peter Jackson is executive producer of the film along with Steven Spielberg and has made an effort to promote the film. Chances are the teaser gets its online release a few days before then. (via TOR)
Monday, November 28, 2011
AICN's The Hobbit Set Report Part 5

Highlights:
AICN's The Hobbit Set Report Part 4

Highlights:
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Elijah Wood Talks 3D, The Hobbit, and Bloopers

“I think it would be cool to see. There’s talk of releasing a dimensionalised trilogy eventually. I’m okay with doing post-process 3D, as long as someone takes the time. What I’m upset about is when a movie doesn’t have the budget and the time to devote to it and they’re not fine-tuning the detail of that, because it can look really bad and cheap. But I know that they wouldn’t dimensionalise it unless it was a super meticulous process.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Aragorn Not in The Hobbit

Movies.com: Has Peter Jackson asked you to return to Middle Earth in the Hobbit movie in any capacity?The character was alive at the time of The Hobbit but was not actually in the novel but then again neither were Elijah Wood, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Orlando Bloom, and Hugo Weaving. While it is possible Peter Jackson is leaving this as a surprise, more than likely he just doesn't want to deal with Viggo Mortenson. The actor has a bit of a repuation for being a touch difficult on set and often led the charge in many of the legal suits that plagued the trilogy once it became a huge success. (via TOR)
Mortensen: At one point, the producers asked if I would do it and I said sure if Aragorn is supposed to be in the bridge story because he's not in The Hobbit. I would rather do it than see someone else do it, but I've never been asked and they're shooting the movie. I'm not in it unless it there is some last-minute plan they have, but I thought I would have heard of it by now. Orlando Bloom and Cate Blanchett shot something, but they're elves and don't change as rapidly. As you know, Aragorn is half elf and also lives a couple hundred years or more and he could be in a bridge, but I have to assume it isn't going to happen. That was an important period in my life and I will always be grateful that the trilogy was so successful and gave me a lot of new opportunities. I never would have gotten A History of Violence, no matter how much David wanted me, had it not been for my newfound notoriety.
Benedict On "Physicalizing" Smaug The Dragon
Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch discusses the rather unusual role he as for The Hobbit films with Collider in the video below. Not only will he voice Smaug the Dragon, one of the main villains of the films, but he will also provideg the physical performance for the creature. Typically the facial recordings might be used in recreating the performance but apparently that will extend to the full body of the creature to. Should be interesting to see how that works.
Bret McKenzie Discusses Returning to Middle-Earth

"It was in Wellington so I could pretty much walk to work. It’s still a small part — I did a couple of days earlier this year — but it was great to get my pointy ears back on. It’s in 3D, so the ears will be extra pointy. You’ll be able to touch the ears."
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Elijah Wood with Sting on Colbert Report
Tuesday Elijah Wood appeared on The Colbert Report to promote Happy Feet 2 coming out this Friday. While there he very briefly spoke about The Hobbit films and took a moment to cross swords with Colbert, both of them using their Sting prop swords from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Stephen Colbert is a huge fan of the films, often referencing them on his show. The result being given the sword by Peter Jackson and was able to visit the set and learn things he isn't allowed to talk about but wants to. As for Wood, he reported he has just returned from filming at New Zealand and may back down later.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Hobbit Teaser Trailer This Christmas?

With all this anticipation for The Hobbit, surely a teaser trailer should be dropping soon. After all, it was about one year ahead of Fellowship that we got that first teaser, and it was a doozy. IGN recently got to chat with Gollum himself, actor/motion-capture performer Andy Serkis, and we asked him that very question. His response? "There will be a trailer fairly soon, actually. Around Christmas time, I believe."
Monday, November 14, 2011
AICN's The Hobbit Set Report Part 3

Highlights:
Sunday, November 13, 2011
McKellen is "Soldiering On"
Sir Ian McKellen has updated his occasional blog from the set of The Hobbit movies. His latest addition has a brief look back at the start of his career on stage just after college as he waits to films action scenes as Gandalf. Below is the Gandalf segment, the full post can be found here.
Musings during a long wait today, which has been a respite from a lot of fighting in Middle-earth. In The Hobbit, Gandalf is part old duffer but more he's a soldier. Peter Jackson, who likes to see the old guys fighting it out, reminded me the other day that Gandalf is a commander, a general. Having slain the Great Goblin I was being a bit too indulgent with the dwarves who meanwhile had mislaid Bilbo in the goblin tunnels. I've played enough soldiers to see that PJ was right and in the next take I was very stern.
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
McKellen Turned Down Gandalf

"At the time I was about to play Magneto in the X-Men film in Toronto. I was already committed to that ... and it meant I couldn't get to New Zealand in time. So I had to tell Peter I could no longer do Gandalf.I guess this experience gave Sir Peter Jackson the experience he needed for The Hobbit's own scheduling conflict. Martin Freeman was going to be forced to turn down the role of young Bilbo due to a schedule conflict with the filming of season 2 of Sherlock. However, Peter Jackson simply worked around that conflict.
It was that exact night that McKellen dined out at a London restaurant next to New Line Cinema executive Bob Shaye. He said, 'I hear you're going to be in our movie.' And I said, 'Oh, not anymore.' And he said, 'What's the problem?' And I explained. "He just said, 'Leave that to me'," said McKellen.
"That was the best thing he ever did for me, because they worked out they could do without me for the first three months ... that is what I remember of the beginning of it - how I very nearly didn't play Gandalf!"
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Hobbiton Set Photos

Lord of the Rings to Stream on Netflix
Good news for subscribers of Netflix in UK and Ireland as the company has signed a deal with MGM to give them the rights to streaming rights to The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the two The Hobbit films. The rights include a lot of movies from MGM's huge movie libary. Click here for the press release, not sure when the older movies will become available. New movies will become available in streaming within a year after release.
Monday, November 07, 2011
AICN's The Hobbit Set Report Part 2

Highlights:
- Hobbit feet "technology" has changed since LOTR. It is now a silicone skin that goes up to the knee. Imagine a tight fitting boot of sorts.
- Quint's scene was at the bridge and mill marketplace in front of The Green Dragon (Hobbit watering hole). He was trained to "walk" a rooster for that his character would purchase from one of the stalls.
- Also trained by Terry Notary (Rocket in Rise of the Planet of the Apes) on how Hobbits walk ("lead with their knees and always happy, looking around"). To prevent the silicone foot from jiggling the walking step was heel-edge-toe.
- His rooster scene was changed to selling fish to young Bilbo so unless it gets cut in editing, there is a strong possibility he might be on screen for a few seconds.
- The scene takes place after Bilbo refuses Gandalf's invitation to go with the Dwarves to recover their treasure.
- Peter Jackson, when asked by Martin Freeman what Quint's character name would be, consulted The Hobbit Name Generator website which named him Fredegar Chubb. Freeman then incorporated the name in various takes.
- Since Hobbits are jolly folks, Peter Jackson encourages actors and extras to tell each other jokes and gossip to help them have the proper mood for when a take started.
My jealousy to hate for Quint continues...
Friday, November 04, 2011
The Hobbit Production Video #4
It took over three months but the fourth production video (or diary take your pick) has been posted on Director Peter Jackson's Facebook page. The wait is worth it as this video focuses on using 3D for filming with lots of looks at the sets and the many actors in full character makeup so a nice look at the new Bilbo, the Dwarves, Gandalf (with sword) and more. It’s also cool to see the highly detailed sets, costumes and makeup. The attention to detail is extraordinary. One part of the video focused on the creation of the film's concept art (while blurring out the dozens of images on the walls). Also showed how the artists created 3D art, literally drawing images twice but one colored red, the other blue so can combine to create a 3D image for the classic 3D glasses of old.
Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Smaug is a large dragon that guards a huge Dwarf treasure trove that Bilbo Baggins and his band Dwarves are hoping to reclaim. Based on what he is saying it seems he will be doing more than providing the voice. He will also go the Gollum route of acting the part of a dragon. I imagine the goal will be not so much to capture the movements of a gigantic lizard but to get the subtle facial movements as the lines are acted.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Video Part 4
Warner Bros has posted their final video to promote the Lord of the Rings: War of the North that is in stores now. The first three videos can be found here, here and here. The video continues the theme of using the game actor, makers and attractive entertainment talent to talk about the franchise and why the game is worth getting.
Luke Evans Heading to New Zealand

Have you been practicing your archery skills?
Yes, I was trained for three weeks in New Zealand with a stunt coordinator, learning my new weapon. I've gone from swords in 'Musketeers' and a bow -- a long bow at that -- for 'The Hobbit,' so it's been a really interesting education, because there's very different ways of using a bow and arrow, so I've learned lots of them to make it look realistic.
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Video Part 3
Warner Bros has posted their third video to promote The Lord of the Rings: War of the North that is in stores now. The first two videos can be found here and here. The video continues the theme of using the game actor, makers and attractive entertainment talent to talk about the franchise and why the game is worth getting.
AICN's The Hobbit Set Report Part 1

The first report, which is just his first day on set, comes from Hobbiton. He reports from the first day the newly restored set started filming for the first time in 10 years. It begins with Frodo Baggins. Below is highlights (spoiler warning). The full report is worth reading, as includes a lot of little details and introduces you to some of the crew of the film. That can be found here.
Highlights:
- First scene shot is Frodo (Elijah Wood) getting the mail at Bag End. Later filmed placing a "No Admittance Except on Party Business", which is likely when the party of held for Bilbo Baggins in the opening of Fellowship.
- Ian Holm will reprise his role but through the magic of editing as his scenes where shot in London with Martin Freeman standing in on the Hobbiton set.
- The scene is Frodo wondering if Gandalf will show up with Bilbo saying he will to show off his "whiz-poppers."
- I guess this or something after leads old Bilbo to reminisce about when he was waiting on Gandalf as things transition to 60 years earlier as young Bilbo is smoking as Gandalf arrives to kick off his first adventure.
- Production intrusions went from the livestock not cooperating (runaway cow), to paparazzi showing up in loud plains and copters to takes pictures, ruining shots.
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