Just this week with the arrival of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles, Creatures & Characters , fans got a sneak peek at an upcoming statue for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The character that was shown was Gollum, fully enraged at something down in his cave. Tonight, fans get to order this statue – and it’s a great companion, as you can see in the pictures, to the Bilbo statue previously released. Gollum comes in at $249 and will be shipping sometime in May/June. There is no announced edition size with this statue.
In the new publication The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles, Creatures & Characters, near the back of the book, it appears that Weta has pictures of products that you can order, and even some upcoming items. The one product catching the eyes of those who have received the book is what appears to be a statue of Gollum, from the ‘Riddles in the Dark’ sequence. This is the first 1:6th statue of Gollum, and it already looks to be a great representation of him ready to attack Bilbo as he leaves the cave. No word on price or availability, but as soon as we know, you will as well!
Today, Weta Workshop released the latest art print in their Middle-earth themed art print line. The print, which fans can order right now. captures a scene from The White Council when Galadriel and Gandalf talk about choosing Bilbo. This beautiful print was created by Paul Tobin, who was one of the core creators on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The print comes in at $50, is in-stock and will ship shortly after purchase. Don’t miss out – buy your Dawn Council at Rivendell Art Print today!
The final of the six statues that Weta Workshop had displayed at Comic-Con 2012 has arrived to many of our collections. If you recall the six statues at Comic-Con to start the The Hobbit statue line were; Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo Baggins, Balin, Dwalin, Thorin Oakenshiled, and of course Bombur. Bombur is also the first statue in the line to have an edition size set from the start.
Bombur is the brother of Bofur and is also the cousin to Bifur who are both members of the party whose goal is to reclaim The Lonely Mountain from the Dragon Smaug. Bombur is a rather large Dwarf and as the traveling party makes their journey this will present challenges. However, we will also see that you can’t judge a book by its cover with Bombur.
PACKAGING
The overall graphic layout for Bombur’s box stays the same as we’ve seen with previous entries in the line. Per the format we’ve come to know the front of the box gives you a great shot of Bombur, graphic work for the title of the movie, and of course the Weta logo. The sides of the box for Bombur also present a familiar format with different looks at the statue. While the other side of the box presents some of the various products you can get for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey line of collectibles. The back of the box contains a great story on Bombur as well as information regarding details of the character and statue. The Styrofoam on the inside is typical with what we’ve come used to getting with these statues.
SCULPTING
Greg Tozer is at it again but this time he had some help from fellow sculptor Scott Spencer with their combined efforts making a great statue. Bombur is another case of the statue looking spot on to the actor and the character we saw on screen. One of the things I think that might have been a challenge for sculpting Bombur was the long U shaped beard making sure it looked like real hair, and it was done really well in coming out looking just like that.
The outfit is probably the simplest of all the Dwarves so far but it done equally as good as those Dwarves. Unlike the previous Dwarves Bombur’s outfit is cloth based with only his boots being leather. The job making the outfit look like cloth was done successfully. So much so that Bombur looks very much like a pauper, which is fitting considering the Dwarves of Erebor situation following Smaug’s attack. Bombur was the cook of the group and as we saw in the movie really had no weapons with the exception of his cooking gear. So for this statue you get Bombur running away from what I imagine is the Goblins of Goblin Town with his giant ladle. There is a sequence where you see him running holding this so that is where I draw my inspiration from as to the sequence of events for this piece.
A fun note for anyone who wonders how poses are created or who might help create them. If you post or lurk on the forum The Shadow and Flame you know the username WetaBloke. Well, he was the inspiration in being asked to run the parking lot of the Weta Cave and then turned into the satue we have in our collections.
PAINT
Bombur continues the streak of very well painted statues from Weta Workshop. The skin tones use the proper paint mixture to not only make the statue look like a shrunken Dwarf. Making the outfit look like worn cloth must have been a challenge for the paint department but it was a challenge they met to the high standards we have as collectors. Bombur very much comes out looking like someone who has the proper skin tone you saw on screen and the worn outfit of someone who has lived a hard life since leaving Erebor. The ladle that Bombur carries looks fantastic as well and very much matches the prop on screen.
Overall
Bombur retails for $249, which is in line with most of the statues so far in the line. I will say that while I’m not a giant fan of the character I love the statue and find it to be another hit for Weta. He looks great and helps create a really great looking Hobbit display. I want to add that with every release in this line Weta is just continuing to show how great they with these statues.
SPECIFICATIONS
Bombur is the first limited edition statue of the line (minus the Comic-Con Exclusive Thorin). His edition size is just 1000 pieces and for now he is in-stock ready for purchase.
Dimensions:
9.3″ x 9.1″ x 5.9″ (H x W x D)
23.5 cm x 23 cm x 15 cm
Are you like us? Bouncing with joy to receive your copy of ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ on Blu-Ray or DVD? Okay, maybe you aren’t physically bouncing, but the release here in the US has made this boring Tuesday in March a lot more exciting!
To help capture that excitement, we’ve just opened up a special Flickr gallery just for this purpose. The only rules for the gallery are that you, your family, your pet or something Middle-earth-esque is featured in the photo WITH a copy of ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ on Blu-Ray or DVD. Well, and of course keep it family friendly 😛 Follow the break to see folks who have already submitted their photos and join in – as and when the home entertainment release of An Unexpected Journey reaches your corner of the world! [Flickr Gallery] Continue reading “Share your ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Blu-Ray and DVD Photos!”
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a re-post that we thought might be helpful to consumers today, the street date of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” for home use. We also have a series of excellent interviews about the film and Blu-ray further down our page. Don’t miss them!
Consumers will have a lot of choices when it comes to which version of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” they decide to have at home. There will definitely be an extended edition in time for the holidays confirmed by a press release from Warner Bros., but the choices are greater than just to get the theatrical version or the extended version.
Those in the U.S. can buy the film March 19, but with a variety of versions, all of which we will detail here. Besides the several formats it will be available in, there are exclusive editions at Target, Best Buy and Wal-Mart. But have no fear busy potential consumer, we will make everything clear below, detailing all the versions, the available covers and the in-store exclusives. Interestingly, many theaters are still showing the film which crossed the $1 billion earnings mark over the weekend.
When the “Lord of the Rings,” films were hitting the home video market, many users were also making the late jump from VHS to DVD and those films, for many, were the incentive needed to jump to a new format. This is true now with DVD and Blu-ray although there seems to be much less push from the industry to make that happen, perhaps because of the growing all digital download market. Amazon has versions of all these films and we have the choices below linked if you wish to pre-order there. Doing so earns us a commission so support your friendly not-for-profit website if you are going to buy online. Prices range all over the place, but Amazon seems to be very competitive. Below are all the versions available supplied to us by the studio along with the official box art. Way down we provide the non-U.S. release dates as well as a link to a useful message board page with further information. Unfortunately for some, “Return of the King,” was the last Middle-earth movie to be released on VHS!
2-disc DVD edition of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”
Still watching films old school style? Then the 2-disc special edition DVD is probably for you. It comes with both a DVD of the film and an Ultraviolet copy, which is useful for using the computer on laptops or down the road when it seems likely we will never deal with discs at all. The official information is as follows:
2-disc Blu-ray edition of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
For those who enjoy the superior picture of Blu-ray, and have invested in a player, the combo pack for that format might be the way to go. But, those who will eventually watch Blu-rays, this version also comes with a DVD copy of the film. Personally, I wouldn’t touch the old format, even for the nostalgia of having all the Middle-earth movies lined up together in one packaging line, but including the DVD here makes it a non-choice. WB’s Blu-ray releases are region free, meaning they will play world-wide and aren’t specially coded for regional players. Eventually we will download and watch all movies and rarely bother with discs but for now this is the best format available and I still like to hold a product and packaging in my hands.
3D Blu-ray combo pack of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
If you are really forward thinking or an early adopter of technology the 3D version of the film will also be available now on Blu-ray as well. You need a 3D television to actually use this version but what do you know, it also comes with a regular Blu-ray copy, a DVD copy and an Ultraviolet copy while the bonus material is the same. This is the one Peter Jackson wants you to buy, or at least watch, to see his personal version of the film. 3D TVs will be more and more affordable and more common. For me the best thing about this version is the fantastic lenticular Gandalf cover. Fortunately there aren’t individual lenticular editions with Thorin, Bilbo, Bombur and the rest of the company on them. 3D Blu-ray™ Combo Pack
o 3D Blu-ray copy of the film
o Blu-ray copy of the film
o DVD copy of the film
o Ultraviolet copy of the film
o Bonus content includes 10 production videos
But the choices are not over. Three big box retailers also have ways to tempt you to buy from their outlet and each definitely has its appeal. Collectors, start giving plasma now because some will want all three. Each version is for the Blu-ray combo pack, which means if you are buying the 3D Blu-ray combo pack, where you buy can be determined solely by price.
The Best Buy exclusive version of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Best Buy’s exclusive comes with a documentary titled: “A Hobbit’s Tale Part 1: The Journey Begins,” and a flip lenticular with Bilbo and Gollum. No word on who produced this documentary but I have a completely unconfirmed, baseless guess (that I believe to be true) that it comes from the same folks who produced the video blogs, which means they will be excellent. Please don’t base any purchase on my hunches, and you may not blame me or anybody else if that is wrong. TheOneRing will post a review of that content when available. The Best Buy cover is also interesting.
Best Buy – Blu-ray™ Combo Pack with Exclusive Documentary A Hobbit’s Tale Part 1: The Journey Begins and Flip Lenticular
o Blu-ray copy of the film
o DVD copy of the film
o Ultraviolet copy of the film
o Bonus content includes 10 production videos, as well as exclusive bonus documentary A Hobbit’s Tale Part 1: The Journey Begins
o Includes exclusive Bilbo/Gollum flip lenticular packaging
Target’s exclusive is LEGO-centric and while I am not a “LEGO guy” and didn’t play with them as a child, these sets have won me over completely and the included Bilbo Baggins minifigure is pretty sweet booty. Those figure characters are absurdly cute but it also contains the exclusive featureete: “LEGO The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” Target probably hopes to sell Hobbit LEGO sets as well as the Blu-ray and for some this will be another no-hesitation choice. It also features unique art that I haven’t seen anywhere else.
Target – Blu-ray™ Combo Pack with Exclusive LEGO® Bilbo Minifigure and behind-the-scenes LEGO Featurette
o Blu-ray copy of the film
o DVD copy of the film
o Ultraviolet copy of the film
o Bonus content includes 10 production videos, as well as exclusive bonus behind-the-scenes featurette LEGO THE HOBBIT: An Unexpected Journey
o Includes exclusive LEGO Bilbo Baggins Minifigure
The Wal-Mart exclusive version of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Finally, Wal-Mart weighs in with a third tempting exclusive edition that contains four bonus featurettes (titles below) and a 64-page book, “The World of Hobbits.” Unlike a LEGO figure, it is impossible to know the quality of the book and extra extras until seeing them but just a stab in the dark (a dark, underground cave) but they are probably quite good and may (MAY!) be from the behind-the-scenes team. Wal-Mart is offering a real incentive for those hungry for more information about this film. Fans of Thorin Oakenshield will appreciate him on the cover and again, like the Target edition, the art here is unique as far as I know. From the art provided it looks as if the book is the size of the Blu-ray packaging.
Wal-Mart – Blu-ray™ Book Combo Pack with 64-Page The World of Hobbits Book and Exclusive Digital Featurettes
o Blu-ray copy of the film
o DVD copy of the film
o Ultraviolet copy of the film
o Bonus content includes 10 production videos, as well as 4 exclusive bonus featurettes entitled The Journey Back to Middle-earth, Bilbo and The Riddle Game, Gandalf and the White Council, and Thorin and the “Song of the Lonely Mountain” accessible digitally through Vudu
o Includes 64-page The World of Hobbits book within the Blu-ray packaging
The WBshop.com exclusive comes with a panoramic poster that features combat ready dwarves. Pretty cool! Canadians can get it in French with the same cover as Best Buy, except, you know, in French.
Thanks to message board user TheHutt, we also have a fair bit of information about foreign editions of The Hobbit. I was going to copy it all here, but he has done such a good job presenting it all, that I suggest you simply click here. Again, collectors, beware, because there are some pretty cool versions listed, like the UK’s Amazon-exclusive Steelbook edition with a lenticular Bilbo / Gollum. Yes, I want it and it would be precious to me.
Some foreign dates are as follows:
UK – April 8
Germany – April 19
Russia – April 11
France – April 19
Italy – April 9
Czech Republic – April 19
The 1977 animated version of The Hobbit by Rankin and Bass.
All these choices certainly are nice for the consumer unless there are completests out there who feel like they need to own them all. (But I confess to wanting some of the non-U.S. versions too!) Also, some will accuse the studio of “double dipping” by having a theatrical edition and later, an extended edition with extra content. We disagree with that notion because Warner Bros. has been upfront about the eventual release of both. A true double dip, and the feeling of being ripped off, doesn’t stem from having more than one choice but from a consumer thinking she has purchased the definitive version only to find out later there is another even more definitive version. (Yes Star Wars, we are looking at you but you have plenty of company.) In this case, we have plenty of advance knowledge of our choices. Further, there will be very likely be a rich supply of quality extras on the extended editions from Pellerin Media, the group that defined what DVD extras should be with the LOTR EEs. That extra content, hopefully wide and deep, will add value to that later release. Does the studio want to maximize its earnings? Of course, but they are being transparent with consumers. Those wishing only to buy one version will have Netflix or Redbox or neighbors or friends to watch it with in the meantime.
Finally, some will question using the video blogs from Peter Jackson’s Facebook page as extra materials. TheOneRing doesn’t have an official position about it, but as I said and wrote to anybody who would listen as they were released, they are better quality features than most DVD extras anyway. And, chasing them down on Facebook or YouTube is a lot less satisfying for me than watching them in my man cave will be. And, I just think they are that good. I look forward to having them presented on a disc in an organized fashion where I can, if I want, watch them consecutively and really get a good feeling for the shooting of the film.
Just this week with the arrival of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles, Creatures & Characters , fans got a sneak peek at an upcoming statue for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The character that was shown was Gollum, fully enraged at something down in his cave. Tonight, fans get to order this statue – and it’s a great companion, as you can see in the pictures, to the Bilbo statue previously released. Gollum comes in at $249 and will be shipping sometime in May/June. There is no announced edition size with this statue.
