SDCC 2012: The Hobbit Panel with Movie Footage

Saturday was a big day for the San Diego Comic-Con as lots of movie panels were held including the panel for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey where 12 and half minutes of The Hobbit footage were shown. The footage has not been posted online but Peter Jackson indicated that at least some of it would be used in an upcoming production video. The info below is culled from Heat Vision, Collider and The One Ring.

Footage Description
- Shot of the Shire as voice over of Gandalf saying "Far to the east lies..."
- Gandalf, Bilbo and dwarves at Bag End discussing goal of recovering their treasure from the dragon Smaug with Thorin saying "Rumors have begun to spread,” he says, “The dragon Smaug has not been seen in many years… Perhaps the vast wealth of our people lies unprotected … perhaps it is time to take back Erebor!"
- Discussion of a plan with need of a burglar to steal a map from Smaug that will help with taking Erebor. Something Bilbo agrees with not realizing that is his purpose in the adventure.
- Amusing scenes of a reading of a contract with Bilbo (about treasure ownership), with the dwarves telling him that being burned to ash by Smaug would be painless causing Bilbo to faint.
- Look at Laketown with large pontoons navigating through canals.
- Gandalf running in narrow passages at Dol Guldur (Sauron's Mirkwood Forest fortress) before Thrain (deranged father of Thorin Oakenshield) attacks him.
- Montage that shows Rivendell, Saruman (Christopher Lee), and Master of Laketown (Stephen Fry)
- Gandalf getting ready to fight armed with his sword and staff.
- Portion of riddle scene between Bilbo and Gollum, who as more detail with slightly more youthful appearance compared to Lord of the Rings trilogy.
- Galadriel (Cate Blanchette) and Gandalf talking about why he involved Bilbo, with Gandalf replying "Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small things everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? That’s because I am afraid and it gives me courage."
- Scene of the two holding hands in a way that shows reassurance and deep friendship, as Galadriel says in elvish "Do not be afraid, Mithrandir, you are not alone. If you ever need aid, I will come."
- Bilbo finding the Ring.
- Gandalf commenting how Bilbo has changed with Bilbo saying he "found courage" while fingering the Ring in his pocket.
- Montage of Radagast the Brown (Sylvester McCoy) as he cuddles his bunnies and later riding his sled as it’s pulled by bunnies, large trolls, Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) wearing brown elfish costume fighting goblins as Legolas (Orlando Bloom) joins the fight.
- Legolas comes face to face with the dwarves and aims his arrow at them.
- Reel ends with Gandalf standing on a hillside as he slams his staff into the ground to a blast of sunlight.

The Panel
- On panel: Director Peter Jackson, Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Elijah Wood (Frodo), Philippa Boyens (co-writer), Martin Freeman (Bilbo), Andy Serkis (Gollum) and Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield)
- Opened with production video with messages from cast and crew to fans. Peter gets on stage and the Hobbit reel is shown. After that the Q&A portion started.
- Galadriel added in part because the character was the most powerful being in Middle-Earth during events of The Hobbit.
- Boyens said that despite being seen by die hard Tolkien fans, added female elf Tauriel because the story was a little too male heavy. "We created her to bring that feminine energy. We believe it's completely within the spirit of Tolkien."
- Freeman didn't complain about the hobbit feet because new the dwarf prosthetics were worse.
- Jackson on doing The Silmarillion: Unlikely, especially since owned by Tolkien estate "and I don't think the Tolkien estate likes these movies at all."
[Estate happy to reap financial awards for movies but been very clear they didn't like that they are not 100% faithful adaptations of the books. Be thankful. The books, while hugely imaginative, can be very tedious to read through with entire sections that served no purpose to the specific story of the book even if later it added to the Middle-Earth tapestry.]
- Freeman on taking on such a beloved character: "You're not thinking about this. You'd go mad if you did..."
- Jackson doesn't film for an extended edition release of movie, just says it’s a result of the editing.
- Serkis supposed to play Gollum for two weeks but month before start, Fran Walsh asked him to spend next year and half in New Zealand to direct 2nd unit.
- Gollum and Bilbo first scenes filmed, took about two weeks so be like a play to allow them to play off of each other.