The Hobbit Mixed for Dolby Atmos Sound Technology

Dolby and Peter Jackson have issued a press release (below) announcing that select theaters will have the sound of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey mixed in Dolby Atmos technology. The official list has not been released. As for why it matters, beats me as I am not an audiophile but I assume the latest in sound tech can't be a bad thing, assuming your local theater supports it (most don't yet). Press release:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to Feature Dolby Atmos Mix
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) and Park Road Post Production today announced that director Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), will be mixed in Dolby® Atmos™ to deliver a more natural, realistic soundtrack that moves sound around and above audiences, helping to transport them into the world of Middle-earth.

"I strive to make movies that allow the audience to participate in the events onscreen, rather than just watch them unfold. Wonderful technology is now available to support this goal: high frame rates, 3D, and now the stunning Dolby Atmos system," said Peter Jackson, co-writer, director, and producer of The Hobbit trilogy. "Dolby has always been at the cutting edge of providing cinema audiences with the ultimate sound experience, and they have now surpassed themselves. Dolby Atmos provides the completely immersive sound experience that filmmakers like myself have long dreamed about."

Academy Award®-winning trio Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, and Michael Semanick (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King) will be creating the Dolby Atmos mix at Park Road Post Production. Dolby Atmos is a new audio platform that revolutionizes the experience of sound in entertainment. It allows sound designers and mixers a new level of creative control and ensures that cinema audiences will experience the full impact of their mix regardless of theatre configuration.

"It's an inspiring time in cinema, with Peter Jackson taking moviemaking to new frontiers with Dolby's next-generation audio solutions," said Doug Darrow, Senior Vice President, Cinema, Dolby Laboratories. "When The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theatres equipped with these Dolby technologies, audiences will be transported into the journey with the lifelike realism the creative team envisioned."