Filming has officially begun on Peter Jackson's much anticipated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein's The Hobbit. Jackson has re-assembled his troops in New Zealand and along with a host of new additions, he is once again setting out to bring Tolkein's elaborate fantasy world to the big screen.
Looking at the above on-set photo, the first thing that comes to mind is that Martin Freeman appears to be as perfectly suited to the role of Bilbo as we first imagined. A promising start!
Everything seems to have been cleared up now regarding release dates and cast members, but just in case anybody has missed anything here's a snippet from the movie's official blog:
" The first film, titled “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” will be released on December 14, 2012. The second film, titled “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” is slated for release the following year, on December 13, 2013....
Under Jackson’s direction, both movies are being shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming is taking place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.
Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, the character he played in THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, and Martin Freeman, who just won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the BBC series “Sherlock,” takes on the central role of Bilbo Baggins. Also reprising their roles from THE LORD OF THE RINGS movies are: Cate Blanchett as Galadriel; Orlando Bloom as Legolas; Ian Holm as the elder Bilbo; Christopher Lee as Saruman; Hugo Weaving as Elrond; Elijah Wood as Frodo; and Andy Serkis as Gollum. "
Source: The Hobbit Blog
There's also a link on the blog to a video posted by Peter Jackson marking the start of production. You can check that out here: Peter Jackson Production Video .
I've got high hopes for The Hobbit, as I'm sure a lot of us do, mainly thanks to the sterling work Jackson did on LOTR. If he sticks to a similar style and tone, as one would imagine he will, then he can't really go far wrong. Had The Hobbit been rushed out straight after Return of the King wrapped, it might have run the risk of appearing stale and simply more of the same. However, the 9 year gap that will have passed by the time the first Hobbit movie is released has merely whetted LOTR fans' appetites more. The original trilogy were brilliant escapist movies that appealed to an incredibly broad audience and there's no reason why The Hobbit cannot do the same.
Everyone seems ready for another adventure in middle earth.....even if Legolas has to be there again for some inexplicable reason.
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