HobbitDwarf posterIt has just been announced via press release that the third movie in the Hobbit trilogy, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” has been moved to a December 17, 2014 release date. Originally planned as a summer film, the move now mirrors the release of the three Peter Jackson directed Hobbit films with his also-directed “Lord of the Rings,” film trilogy. The second movie, “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug,” is scheduled for a Dec. 13 release this year.

The shift makes the release consistent with the pre-holiday releases of the previous films pitting it in competition with two family friendly films, one a spinoff of “Despicable Me,” and the other from Pixar’s Brad Bird titled “Tomorrowland,” although those films will come two days later. It also moves the film away from competition of an X-Men film, “X-Men: Days Of Future Past.”

The bulk of all three films has already been shot with planned “pick ups” set for May which are expected to last for several weeks or even months. The first film, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” has grossed nearly $1 billion world wide at the box office and $300 million in the U.S. The three movies are based on the book “The Hobbit,” by J.R.R. Tolkien, released 75 years ago.

The official press release follows:

“THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN” TO BE RELEASED DECEMBER 17, 2014

Burbank CA, February 28, 2013 — “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” the final film in Peter Jackson’s trilogy adaptation of the timeless classic The Hobbit, will now be released on December 17, 2014. The joint announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The film moves from its previous summer slot, and now follows the holiday release pattern of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” which went on to become a billion-dollar global blockbuster, as well as the three films in the blockbuster “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. The second film in “The Hobbit” Trilogy, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” is next to be released, on December 13, 2013. All three films in the Trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM).

Stated Fellman, “We’re excited to complete the Trilogy the same way we started it, as a holiday treat for moviegoers everywhere.”

Added Kwan Vandenberg, “Our holiday release of the first film set a successful precedent for this wonderful Trilogy, and we’re delighted to bring it to a conclusion in the same release window.”

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” the final film in an epic Trilogy adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar ®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

Jackson directed “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” from a screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson. Jackson is also producing the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.

All three films in “The Hobbit” Trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution being handled by MGM.

Ralph Bakshi, creator of the 1978 animated version of The Lord of the Rings, is using Kickstarter to raise funds for his latest film — Last Days of Coney Island. With 58 hours to go (at time of writing), the film is less than $4,000 short of its $165,000 target.

Bakshi describes it as an animated cop, mafia, horror movie set in the 1960s in Coney Island, with political overtones both realistic and outrageous. Actor Matthew Modine, himself a longtime Bakshi fan, has been cast in the film’s lead role.

In my films I have always discussed America: who we are, what we are, for better and worse, and the ridiculous. I’m here on Kickstarter asking for your support for my newest project, Last Days of Coney Island.

It takes place in a 1960s Coney Island populated with crooked cops, broken hearts, jaded strippers, and singers.

The stories take place on and around Coney’s garish, freaky midways and in it’s dark alleyways. They discuss America: Kennedy’s assassination, the mafia, Bobby Dylan, Vietnam, Dick Tracy, Miss America, and more.

[Donate via Kickstarter]

Ringer Amadine tells us that Billy Boyd’s alt-rock outfit Beecake are playing a fundraiser in support of the Scottish Association for Mental Health in Glasgow at the Art School on Saturday April 20, 2013.

If you’e in the vicinity, get along and support a worthy cause and catch some great music too!

[Event page] | [Ticket sales]

dweeb-company-bwAnnouncing the *last day* on a special fan-driven fundraiser for the upcoming comedy  THE THROBBIT, being created by Tim Richardson and produced by Kiran Shah (delightful actor and scale double for all the hobbits in LOTR, among many other great fantasy roles like NARNIA)! The guys who brought the funny with DORK OF THE RINGS are ready to spoof “The Hobbit” in grand style — here’s your chance to support their remarkable parody.  Starting pledges at $5 are affordable and easy! You can help make THE THROBBIT happen full-tilt!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA – Award-winning independent film company Richardson Productions has 1 day remaining for the online fundraising campaign for our 12th feature-length film entitled “The Throbbit,” a parody of the wildly popular HOBBIT franchise. We also produced “The Dork of the Rings,” which screened worldwide at film festivals and fantasy conventions.

Please consider being a sponsor starting at just $5, every little bit helps and this is the final push. You can see all our amazing level rewards and details at http://rpstudios.net/thethrobbit/throbstarter/

You can pay there by credit card, or mail me a check.money order: Richardson Productions 26065 Kirkland Dr. Edwardsburg, MI 49112. Just e-mail me the amount if you pay by check/money order so I can include your sponsorship in the tally before the end of the campaign.

The production, which has an all-volunteer cast and crew, is offering levels starting at $5.00 which will help with the costs of making the film: sets, costumes, puppets, make-up, on-set meals, marketing, and more. In exchange for contributions, backers receive signed DVDs and posters, digital downloads movies and music, credits in the film, and pieces of memorabilia. KiranWe have launched our “Throbstarter” (like Kickstarter) campaign on our website at www.thethrobbit.com and hope to reach $3,500 or more by March 1, 2013. Filming takes place this summer and the finished film will be released in 2015.

We are also pleased to announce that London based film actor Kiran Shah has once again joined our cast and signed on as an Associate Producer. Kiran recently acted in “The Hobbit”, “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Lord of The Rings.” Other films include “Legend,” “Titanic,” “Return of the Jedi” and more. He starred as Dumpy the Houseschmuck in our recent film “Harvey Putter and the Ridiculous Premise.”

For questions contact us at thethrobbit@gmail.com and visit our website at www.thethrobbit.com

EXCLUSIVE The Hobbit_ An Unexpected Journey Blu-ray + DVD Combo and Panoramic Poster Set | HobbitShop.com -- The Official Online Store of The Hobbit Films and The Lord of the Rings Film TrilogyA few exciting things are happening over at WBShop.com and we thought we’d share. First up, you can snag 20% off select Hobbit items until 3/6/13. So its a perfect opportunity to build your collections with things like t-shirts, iPhone cases, mugs, replicas and more! [20% Off] However, the more exciting announcement is their ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Combo Set. This exclusive to WBShop.com set comes with the Blu-ray + DVD + Ultra Violet set of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and a stunning 8″ x 40″ panoramic poster. Not bad for a mere $34.99 and includes free ground shipping! What are you waiting for? Place your pre-order today! [Pre-Order Combo Set]

Inn across the water Bilbo Baggins’ lush green shire could have the life sucked out of it after Waikato’s undeclared drought restricted Hobbiton’s water supply.

It’s the region’s driest summer in five years and, with no rain in sight, Matamata best known tourist attraction may become three hectares of parched grass and stressed plants.

Losing the green image threatens to damage Hobbiton’s international image and could cost thousands of dollars to fix, manager Russell Alexander said yesterday.

The film set, that featured in both The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, has enjoyed an unprecedented summer of business.

[Read More]