The LA Times snared a few moments with Peter Jackson to talk about his plans for Hobbitcon. The newest big surprise is that Jackson is sticking firmly to 2D and 24fps for the Hall H presentation at 2.30pm on Saturday.

He told the LA Times that: “I decided to screen the Hobbit reel at Comic-Con in 2-D and 24 frames per second, so the focus stays firmly with the content and not the technical stuff. If people want 3-D and 48fps, that choice will be there for them in December.”

He says it’s more about “protecting the downside” and anticipation means that positive press will have little impact on the audience waiting to see The Hobbit.

Quick analysis: He describes it as a “reel”. That doesn’t sound like a trailer to me. And that meshes with Elijah Wood’s comments as well. Thanks to Ringer Daniel for the heads-up!

[Article] | [>TORn at SDCC!]

Comic-Con 2012 kicks off on Thursday and is expected to attract more than 125,000 people. Elijah Wood, reprising his Frodo Baggins for The Hobbit, will be back there this year — a decade after he accompanied director Peter Jackson to promote Fellowship of the Ring.

Wood told Reuters: “The scale of The Hobbit is larger, the anticipation is potentially greater, everything feels a little bit bigger. For so long, people didn’t think there would be a film, so the fact that there is finally, people have been anticipating this for a long time.”

Reuters says the studio will finally show extended film clips [my emphasis] at Comic-Con. Jackson is expected to turn out to meet fans and answer questions. Thanks to Ringer Elpidha for the heads-up on the article.

[More]

In December last year, I declared the first trailer a study in character.

Introducing and differentiating thirteen different dwarves to a wider audience most likely unfamiliar with the Hobbit and its ultra-beardy cast was critical for Peter Jackson. So Jackson used an entire trailer for the task.

But, because that trailer was so light on plot, we’ve been wondering ever since what degree of fidelity the story will possess and exactly how it might unfold.

The EW storybook addresses this at a single stroke. EW isn’t calling it a storybook, but that’s what Jackson has created. A gorgeously illustrated storybook that guides us through the key points of The Hobbit.

Read on for a spoiler-filled scene-by-scene review of The Hobbit — storytime with Peter Jackson! Continue reading “Storytime with Peter Jackson reassures and puzzles!”

Peter Jackson just revealed a gorgeous new Hobbit poster on his facebook page which will be available to fans at Comic-Con. Check it out (at right) and, as always, check US out next week for all the latest and greatest Hobbit/Comic-Con news. You won’t want to miss our exclusive coverage!

Peter Jackson posted the following message on his facebook page a little while ago: “We made it! Shoot day 266 and the end of principal photography on The Hobbit. Thanks to our fantastic cast and crew for getting us this far, and to all of you for your support! Next stop, the cutting room. Oh, and Comic Con! Cheers, Peter J.”

As if our fingernails weren’t already bitten to the quick, now we start the long wait until the editing, soundtrack, etc. come together and the lights go down in theaters on December 14. Luckily, as PJ said, we have Comic-Con to look forward to, as well as new trailers and previews (please!), more production diaries (please! please!), the big premier in Wellington and all the publicity leading up to it. Be sure and stay tuned here at TORn for all the latest!

There is just one week until Comic Con 2012 starts with Preview Night on Wednesday, July 11. But aside from the TORn panel and WB’s panel for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, you may be wondering what else there is for a Hobbit fan to do. The Official SDCC website has put up schedules for panels, autograph sessions, films and portfolio reviews (aspiring artists, please take note). So here is your handy, dandy TORn guide to all things Hobbit and Lord of the Rings related at comic con this year (after the break)

Continue reading “SDCC is coming, what’s a Hobbit to do at comic con 2012?”