The studios behind the film (Warner Bros., New Line, MGM) issued a press release to make the announcement.

Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution said in the release, “We could not be more proud to have reached this amazing benchmark. Together with our partners at MGM and New Line, everyone at Warner Bros. congratulates Peter Jackson and his entire cast and crew on the extraordinary success of this film.”

Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures said, “From Berlin to Beijing, it is so gratifying to see how the release of ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ has been such an event with audiences around the world. We know that moviegoers everywhere are already excited about the next film, as are we.”

The 14th film to do so pass the $1 billion mark was 2012′s “Skyfall,” a James Bond film. Ironically, the two films were the highest profile casualties of studio MGM’s debt crisis. The financial trouble of the studio, which has distribution rights to the Hobbit films and is home of the James Bond franchise, pushed both movies back. “The Dark Knight Rises,” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” were also released in 2012 and are in the select box office club as well. “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” is another one of the films.

TheOneRing.net wrote on January 4 that the reports of the film’s financial disappointment were premature and wrong.

Next to the U.S., the top markets are Germany with $90 million, the U.K. with $84.3 million, France at $44.9 million, Australia’s $44.3 million and Russia’s $43.8 million. China with $37.3 million in 10 day has a chance to move past several of those films.

The next film in the series, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” is scheduled for release Dec. 13 and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” has recently been moved to Dec. 17, 2014. TheOneRing will have grass roots line party events for both films around the globe and hopefully Oscar night parties in Los Angeles for both as well.

Earlier this month the Ombudsman ordered the Government to release documents about the deal it struck for the movies. Warner Bros’ New Line unit warned that the ruling jeopardised future film-making in New Zealand.

In a statement Jackson today said he welcomed the release of the documents, which he hoped would end “unfounded conspiracy theories” that a Hollywood studio had been dictating terms to a sovereign government.

[Read More] | [View the documents]

The New Zealand Ombudsman has ordered the Government to release documents about the deal it struck to ensure the Hobbit movies were made in the country.

The Government secured the three movies by changing employment laws and beefing up the tax rebate sweetener for the productions, resulting in an additional $25 million in incentives for Warner Bros.

Unions fought the law changes and the Labour Party accused the government of chequebook legislation.

Read More

Burbank, CA, February 5, 2013

The screenplay for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson also produced 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.

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Present a WingNut Films Production, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” All three films in “The Hobbit” Trilogy, also including “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” and the final film, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” 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.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was released on December 14, 2012, with the second film, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” releasing December 13, 2013, and the third film, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” slated for July 18, 2014.

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack and DVD Special Edition contain the following special features:

• Start of Production
• Location Scouting
• Filming in 3D
• Post-production Overview
• Wellington World Premiere

BASICS

PRODUCT                                                                             SRP

Blu-ray Combo Pack                                                                $35.99
Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack                                                          $44.95
2-Disc Amaray Special Edition (WS)                                        $28.98

EST Release Date:  March 12^th, 2013

Standard Street Date: March 19^th, 2013

DVD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Parisian French

BD Languages: English, Latin Spanish,

DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French

BD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish

Running Time: 169 minutes

Rating: Rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images

DLBY/SURR   DLBY/DGTL   [CC]

About Warner Home Video

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and distribution of film and television content globally.  The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content.  In addition, MGM has investments in domestic and international television channels, including MGM-branded channels. For more information, visit www.mgm.com

A fake DVD cover for Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey?

A cover for the DVD and Blu-ray version of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” has been making the rounds on the internet. The design, as you can see, features Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins as the most prominent figure with Gandalf and Thorin Oakenshield close behind. The other dwarves sneak into the image but not prominently.

It is possible this image was leaked from the studios involved but it seems unlikely and this image isn’t a powerful “buy me” image from the movie. No word from any official channels has surfaced to say this is or isn’t fake so we advise not accepting it as the gospel truth at this point.

If any excellent photoshopping readers out there want to produce some imagined blu-ray covers it would be fun to run a collection of them here, so if you have a submission send them over to Spymaster@TheOneRing.net.

Dates for the initial offering are reported as March 19 with an Extended Edition in October but nothing official has been announced. The film will still be available in some theaters at that point. Date posted by retailers like Amazon are not reliable and have included books that haven’t been written yet previously. When official dates are released, you will find them reported here.

I will be dismissed as a website-contributing fanboy of course. I couldn’t possibly have a love for fantasy literature and Tolkien and an appreciation for the fantastic in cinema and still be objective. So decide for yourself if my viewpoint is skewed, but I think I am being objective, I am certainly not the only writer around who has his bare bias showing. It seems clear that some writers were rooting for and proclaiming failure prematurely.

None of this would matter except that bad buzz around a film does affect the film’s earnings. Bad reviews (more on that later) and then bad performance likely convinces casual viewers to stay away. These aren’t presented as opinions but as news with expert analysis.

Don’t believe me about the doom and gloom? I have some samples below:

Weekend Report: ‘Hobbit’ Plummets, Holds Off Slew of Newcomers
“Even though it did hold on to the top spot, though, The Hobbit’s performance was underwhelming. The Peter Jackson-directed Lord of the Rings prequel plummeted 57 percent to an estimated $36.7 million for a new total of $149.9 million.”

From: The Numbers.com
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey didn’t hold on as well as predicted falling 56% according to studio estimates to $36.94 million over the weekend for a total of $150.10 million after two. It should get to $250 million in the end, which is a solid number given the film’s production budget. However, it’s not a monster number, and many thought it would be a monster hit. Explaining why this happened will take some time, but the weaker than expected reviews is a good place to start. Another possible reason is just too much hype.”

Another possible explanation is that you, Mr. Writer, were wrong.

The story sounds pretty reasonable, right? Except it isn’t and the sites where they originated, should know better. Folks on message boards were following his lead though, dubbing the film “The Flobbit” or “The Floppit” due to its perceived and inaccurate failures.

Remember those midnight screenings in mid-December that gave The Hobbit the largest ever December opening? That was never going to be duplicated the following weekend. But numbers are numbers right? Well yes, but numbers in perspective are even better numbers.

So Hobbit dropped 56% on the weekend. A plummet? Not when compared to the other top movies of the year. The Avengers dropped 50% and became the biggest blockbuster ever, The Dark Knight Rises dropped 61% (amidst a horrible shooting) The Hunger Games 61%, Skyfall 53% and the last Twilight film 69%. Those are currently the biggest films of 2012 financially. While “plummet” might be dictionary accurate, it is just exactly what could have been expected, especially in the busiest shopping weekend of the year. And for the record, to fully disclose, I liked all of those films save one, so I am not rooting against films financially. So yes, all the box office websites and film news reports should know better but mostly reported that it was disaster for The Hobbit. False.

There is another factor, just as important at work here. It was pre-Christmas weekend and movies perform much differently during that season. Films that open on the holiday work differently than films that open on traditional Fridays. Movie-business wisdom suggests, with a term called “multiples” that a film might make two or three times its opening weekend for the life of the movie. Christmas movies are “guaranteed” to make four times their opening and can hope for five or six times that number. The weekend before a Christmas-Eve Monday was way down at the box office for obvious reasons: People were busy getting ready for the holiday. Grocery stores and malls were packed, megaplexes suffered. Again, box office tracking websites should know better.

Here are some other samples including the first one from the guy who gets on CNN and lots of other places to be the “box office expert” talking head and advertises that widely. Again, I expect experts to know better and he was defending its numbers, call the box office “tough” a little prematurely.

‘The Hobbit’ and Its Tough Box Office Journey
“Despite a record-breaking opening, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey experienced a significant 57% drop off in its second week, bringing in an estimated $36.7 million, with an $8,952 per screen average. This brings The Hobbit’s ten-day gross to $149.9 million, tracking about 8% behind The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’s ten-day gross.”

Box office update: ‘The Hobbit’ plummets to $10.2M on Friday
“Sure, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey set a December record last weekend when it opened with $84.5 million, but after eight days in theaters, it’s now clear that the Lord of the Rings prequel is running well behind the final LOTR film, The Return of the King, which earned $377.8 in 2003 — without 3D and IMAX surcharges.

“The Hobbit dropped by a huge 73 percent from its first Friday to $10.2 million yesterday, which puts it on pace for a $33 million weekend . . . but The Hobbit is falling much faster, and it will need to hold up remarkably well over the holiday to have a shot at $300 million domestically.”

After 21 days in release the film will sit at $250+ million domestically with two thirds of its audience being from non-U.S. outlets with $514 million, bringing the total to comfortably over $760 million in three weeks.

Disaster averted, $300 million in sight.

After the second weekend and its reports of plummeting, the film finished in third place on Christmas to two movies with Christmas openings: Les Miserables and Django Unchained. More disaster reported. The Hobbit was again “fading fast” and destined to not only wind up a disappointment, but would it force the studios to force Jackson to make shorter films?

Ho-hum. By the weekend, The Hobbit was back on top winning its third weekend in a row while those two films came down off their debut highs. In full disclosure, I liked both of those films a lot too which brings us to another problem.

The reporting of box office totals comes full of Movie X vs. Movie Y drama but is rather ridiculous. Skyfall just passed the $1 billion mark, the 14th film ever to do so worldwide, but it didn’t “win” a chain of incredible weekends. It was an entertaining film with beautiful cinematography that people (including Hobbit viewers) liked and told friends about. I know the competition aspect of movie vs. movie is just too hard to pass up, but it doesn’t work and isn’t fair but it is effective at creating false drama and gets considerable clicks. I don’t attend one movie and see it as a victory over another film I didn’t see. Make all good movies, we will see them all.

While I am complaining, writers also should stop calling The Hobbit part of the LOTR series because it isn’t, and as the Tough Hobbit Journey story above wisely pointed out, it should be thought of as its own series. The Hobbit is also not a prequel, invented after-the-fact, to make more story or explain anything. It stands on its own and did so before there was a LOTR and was written first. Preaching to the choir here, I know.

Here are some examples:
“However, The Hobbit did suffer the biggest second weekend drop (57%) of any movie based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth series.” - IGN

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey once again dominated the overseas box office this weekend, though its noticeable drop suggests it doesn’t have any chance of it matching Return of the King in the long run.

“The Hobbit’s overseas total reached $288.5 million, and worldwide is now at $438.6 million. While it will hold well through the end of the year, it does now seem certain that the movie will fall well short of $1 billion worldwide.”  - BoxOfficeMojo

So really? It isn’t Return of the King? Rather than report The Hobbit is making serious bank, despite your dire predictions,  and it performed well though the holidays, the story is its failure to make $1 billion? And, if that were the point, with “only” $250 million to go to reach that number, when is it no longer “well short” and are we sure that will not happen? It is destined to have much less staying power than, say, Skyfall? Whatever the right and wrong of it all, I think the $600 million invested by movie studios in a product that has a three-year-yield window, would be pretty happy with a $750+ million earned in 21 days.

Next week we will be treated to tales and headlines of how the latest Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie “slays the competition” at the box office, unless it doesn’t finish first and then we can read how it was slain by other films, perhaps including The Hobbit.

The third film will be a test of Thorin’s Oakenshield’s character.

None of this really matters for those who simply like the movie. Once the film is on safe financial footing, and the studio is happy to let Jackson do his thing twice more, who cares? Well I do for one. Accuracy is always important. Not shorthanded, easy reporting, but actual accuracy. That comes from my background as a journalist and as a film aficionado. From the same place comes my belief that word choices, like “plummeted” do matter. If you use that in a headline (and writers of stories often do not write headlines) make sure it really means that and it is accurate and isn’t just there to grab extra clicks.

TheOneRing.net and I don’t make any extra money from The Hobbit since we make none at all to begin with. I really hope all good films always find an audience and empower filmmakers to tell stories. (Speaking of movie goers, another topic for another day is my belief that critics are completely, wildly out of touch with film audiences but nobody needs to hear that rant – or let me know if you do.) But permit me one final point, that is directed very squarely at Warner Bros., MGM and New Line and the production company behind The Hobbit.

Dear studios and Team Jackson:
Please do the following if you want to make more money and at the same time  want to throw fans a bone:
Send, to be added to digital copies of your digital movie, a teaser trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. People want to watch your movie again and again but reward them for repeat viewings with some idea of what is in store next December. Tack it on after the credits so folks can enjoy the film, sit through the credits and then thrill with the promise of things to come. You managed it almost a decade ago with the LOTR films, so no excuses. If you have a will, you can do it again and it would win a lot of hearts and minds.

TORn Editor’s note: Box Office Mojo is reporting that worldwide gross has passed $700 million. I’m not sure the numbers really matter at this point except to accountants, but that’s a lot chocolate chip cookies.

The film had the biggest opening of any of the Lord of the Rings movies with an $84 million weekend and it is well on its way to matching the grosses of the first three films which earned an average $900 million each globally.

That could eventually help The Lord Of The Rings become the second highest grossing franchise of all time behind Harry Potter.

[Read More]

To date, the blockbuster has earned an estimated $179.7 million in the USA. In addition, on the heels of its record-breaking release in Australia — the biggest Boxing Day opening of all time — the film has grossed an estimated $344 million internationally. The global total is $523.7 million, and steadily climbing.

Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. President of Domestic Distribution, said: “We are extremely gratified by the response of moviegoers who love the film and, in many cases, are taking this terrifically entertaining ‘Journey’ to Middle-earth more than once. We anticipate that positive word of mouth and repeat viewings will continue to result in strong returns well into the New Year.”

Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. said: “These fantastic box office numbers demonstrate that the film’s playability has no borders. Peter Jackson has created a truly global event with a film that thrills audiences in any language. Warner Bros. joins our partners at MGM and New Line in congratulating him, his cast and crew, and everyone involved in this film on this milestone.”

All three films in The Hobbit trilogy, including The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and the final film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, 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.

The unexpected journey begins this December.

“All is on time and the release has NEVER been at risk of delay.”

There you have it: from the horse’s mouth.

New Zealand Post’s spokesman for stamps and coins Simon Allison says:

We’re the only country in the world with the rights to produce these highly collectable coins, featuring iconic characters from what is sure to become a classic series of films. 

The items announced today are appropriate mementoes of the film, and fit in with the mythology of Middle-earth – New Zealand. We’re committed to honouring the legacy of Sir Peter’s films, by creating stamps and coins of the highest quality.

Hit the break for hi-res pictures of the stamps and coins, and the world exclusive press release for the same, courtesy of our friend Emma over at New Zealand Post.

WORLD EXCLUSIVE

Ian McKellen - The Hobbit Trilogy’s Gandalf – sings praises of world exclusive coins celebrating the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Award-winning actor Ian McKellen has officially given his seal of approval to stamps and coins being produced by New Zealand Post to celebrate the eagerly anticipated movie The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM).

New Zealand Post is collaborating with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Warner Bros. Pictures, and the filmmakers to produce official stamps and legal tender commemorative coins for all three films.

New Zealand Post has today unveiled its designs for the world’s only legal tender coins linked to the first movie in Sir Peter Jackson’s trilogy of films based on The Hobbit, and for a set of stamps based on the movie.

Ian McKellen – who reprises his role as Gandalf in the new film after having embodied the character in Jackson’s Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings Trilogy – says the coins and stamps capture the essence of his iconic character.

“To put Gandalf on these splendiferous coins is a wizard idea,” Ian said from London, England this week.

Ian McKellen is also impressed by the specially designed stamps, noting: “The pointy hat, the beard and the illuminated staff – the $1.90 NZ stamp is pure Gandalf.”

Exclusive arrangement

“We’re the only country in the world with the rights to produce these highly collectable coins, featuring iconic characters from what is sure to become a classic series of films,” New Zealand Post’s spokesman for stamps and coins Simon Allison said today.

The coins – which are legal tender – will go on sale from 1 November 2012, alongside a set of six stamps celebrating the film.

“The items announced today are appropriate mementoes of the film, and fit in with the mythology of Middle-earth – New Zealand.”

“We’re committed to honouring the legacy of Sir Peter’s films, by creating stamps and coins of the highest quality,” Simon Allison says.

For more information about these exciting collectables visit:www.nzpost.co.nz/thehobbit

Selected products will be available from 1 November at PostShops, REAL Aotearoa stores, and online at www.nzpost.co.nz/thehobbit or by phoning 0800 782 677.

Note: New Zealand Post is authorised by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand as the only official issuer of legal tender New Zealand commemorative coins.

About The Hobbit Trilogy

A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is the first of three films from filmmaker Peter Jackson, the Academy Award-winning director of “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, who shot the films concurrently on locations across New Zealand.  The screenplay for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro.  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.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and the second and third films of the trilogy are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, 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.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be released on 14 December 2012, with the second film, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” releasing 13 December 2013, and the third film, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” slated for 18 July 2014.  www.thehobbit.co.nz

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.  All rights reserved.  THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc.

Most interesting from the release is the phrase: “The new trailer is set to debut on broadcast and online media on September 19, 2012, then roll out in theaters around the world throughout the day.” So the obvious news is that the trailer will be broadcast, but where? Where online? And what films will it roll out with in theaters? There are several films scheduled for release on the 21st, including “Dredd,” “House at the End of the Street,” and Warner Bros., own, “Trouble with the Curve,” but none on the 19th. This probably means theaters have the trailers today with instructions to add them to existing films starting Wednesday. If that is true, each theater will have the option, so those wishing to watch the trailer on the big screen should call local movie houses.

TORn will update with any specifics but for now, here is the full press release:

WARNER BROS. PICTURES, NEW LINE CINEMA AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER PICTURES TO CELEBRATE TOLKIEN WEEK WITH WORLDWIDE TRAILER DEBUT FOR “THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY”

Trailer Debut Leads Up to 75th Anniversary of Publication of The Hobbit and Worldwide Hobbit

Day, Marking the Birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins

Burbank, CA, September 17, 2012—Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema and Metro-

Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) are joining the worldwide celebration of Tolkien Week with the debut of the

highly anticipated theatrical trailer for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” on September 19, 2012.

The first in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R.

Tolkien, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is directed by Oscar® winner Peter Jackson, who

previously brought to the screen the blockbuster “The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. The week-long

Tolkien Week celebration encompasses the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit novel

and the worldwide celebration of Hobbit Day.

The American Tolkien Society first proclaimed Hobbit Day and Tolkien Week in 1978,

though Hobbit Day celebrations existed prior to its official recognition. Tolkien fans the world over

celebrate by having parties and feasts emulating Hobbit celebrations as described in the books.

The new trailer is set to debut on broadcast and online media on September 19, 2012, then roll

out in theaters around the world throughout the day. The first satellite feed will be coordinated

worldwide at 14:00 Greenwich Time; the second satellite feed at 17:00 Greenwich Time. Satellite

coordinates are TBA.

The celebration will continue on Friday, September 21, with activities related to the 75th

anniversary of the book’s publication, which occurred on that same day in 1937.

On Saturday, September 22, fans around the world will recognize Hobbit Day—marking the

birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, the Hobbits who are the unlikely heroes of The Hobbit and The

Lord of the Rings, respectively—with Hobbit Day parties and celebrations. Bilbo and Frodo were

both said to be born on the same day of different years, Bilbo in the year 2890 and Frodo in the year of

2968 in the Third Age (1290 and 1368, respectively, in Shire-reckoning, the Hobbits’ own calendar).

Throughout early September, the Facebook page for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will

roll out a series of features and ideas to create a fun, communal experience leading up to Tolkien

Week, including “How to Throw a Hobbit Party” instructions, a “Fan of the Week” contest, and a

special app on which fans will be able to share and collect recipes inspired by Middle-earth.

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: An

Unexpected Journey,” the first of a trilogy of films 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.”

The screenplay for “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is by Fran Walsh & Philippa

Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro. 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.

Under Jackson’s direction, “The Hobbit” Trilogy has been shot in 3D 48 frames-per-second

and will be released in High Frame Rate (HFR) 3D, other 3D formats, IMAX and 2D. Under

Jackson’s direction, “The Hobbit” Trilogy has been shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest

camera and stereo technology. Production has taken place at Jackson’s own facilities in Miramar,

Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” and the second and third films of the trilogy—“The

Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again”—are productions of

New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, with New Line managing production. Warner

Bros. Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well

as all international television licensing being handled by MGM.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be released worldwide beginning December 14,

2012, with “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” the second film, releasing beginning December

13, 2013, and “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” the third film, slated for release on July 18, 2014.

www.thehobbit.com