Exactly One Year to The Hobbit Brings Official Synopsis

In exactly one year from today, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released to theaters everywhere. As a small way to mark the occasion, MGM has issued a press release that provides a plot summary and mentions the various cast and crew returning from The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Of interest is the emphasis put on the meeting between Bilbo Baggins and Gollum that leads to the discovery of the One Ring. In the book, the meeting and finding of the ring only covered about a chapter in the novel and was treated as just a step of the overall adventure. The ring itself was just a useful tool for Bilbo, with no mention or even hints of its greater purpose (likely because the Tolkien had not thought of it at the time). It seems the movie may give it greater weight and time.

Cumberbatch on Playing Smaugh and More

Benedict Cumberbatch is having a hell of a year. After the premiere of Sherlock at the beginning of the year, he suddenly became a much sought after actor. The result is he in critically acclaimed movie Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and soon Steven Spielberg's War Horse. Season 2 of Sherlock will premiere on New Year's Day and he will start the new year filming the role that will potentially take him to a new level of stardom with Smaug The Dragon for the two Hobbit films.

In the video from Collider, he talks about his recent roles and at the 3:45 point he talks about the Smaug role. He mentions how he is physicalizing the role (aka much like how Andy Serkis did Gollum) and how he is exercising to prep for the role. Spoiler wise not a whole lot of info but continues to make me intrigued on how a human is going to be "acting" the role of a dragon. In the past it was just facial expressions but apparently Peter Jackson plans on moving this to the next level.

A Hobbit House for a Tolkien Collection

A J.R.R. Tolkien fan took his collection to the next logical (if expensive) step by building his own Hobbit House to contain his huge J.R.R. Tolkien collection. In a report from CNN Money, the home owner Vince Donovan talks about his Tolkien collection along with the research and work done in building the home along with some of the touches that was included to create a beautiful home that any Hobbit fan would probably love to have. The full video report can be found below. (via Consumerist)