Bilbo in The Hobbit: The Desolation of SmaugAs some of you may have noticed – something rather unexpected happened today.
While reviews for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug were expected to
begin getting published this coming Sunday – the embargo was lifted early and we began getting reviews today! TORN staffers, who have been lucky enough to see the film already, will be reviewing the film soon enough. First up will be our own Quickbeam, who is currently finalizing his thoughts. In the meantime, however, we thought we’d post a couple of the early reviews for your reading pleasure. Continue reading “First ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ reviews released as embargo lifts”

forest_river_aerialIt’s
undoubtedly the dream of many a Tolkien fan to set foot in Hobbiton – or, really, any of the countless other locales you will find in The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films.
Many have, in fact, traveled to the beautiful country of New Zealand to do just that. However, not all of us have had the opportunity (or means) to travel and see Middle-earth for ourselves. To illustrate just what awaits us across the globe, NewZealand.com has just the solution. Continue reading “‘Take a Flight’ through the filming locations of Middle-earth”

Google Plus Hangout Earlier today, Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage and Evangeline Lilly participated in a Google+ Hangout – answering questions from fans and debuting a new clip from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (which
you can view here). The Hobbit Movies has written up a rough transcript
of the hangout (they describe the quotes more as “summaries”, than exact quotes). Continue reading “Rough transcript of Google+ Hangout with Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage & Evangeline Lilly”

Barrels out of Bond Earlier today a brand-new clip from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug premiered during a Google+ hangout with Peter Jackson, Evangeline Lilly and Richard Armitage.

It featured a glimpse of a very memorable moment from the book, as Bilbo helps the dwarves escape from the Mirkwood Elves. The clip has now popped up on YouTube in high definition, and we’ve posted it for you here. Enjoy! Continue reading “New clip from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – “Into the Barrels!””

Peter Jackson Production Diary Premiere coverage, clips, and Q&As not enough for you? Well, you’re in luck. Peter Jackson has updated his Facebook page with the latest Production Diary — picking up from where the last one left off, with pick-up shoots and post production. This time around, we get a great look at Smaug’s lair (look out for a new teasing shot of the great dragon himself!) and Lake-town (including Stephen Fry’s The Master). Continue reading “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug premiere week continues with Production Diary #13!”