The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Elijah Wood Talks TRON: UPRISING, Returning to Middle Earth for THE HOBBIT, and Season 2 of WILFRED

by Christina Radish    Posted: May 16th, 2012 at 1:11 am

The animated series TRON: Uprising, debuting with a special preview on the Disney Channel on May 18^th before premiering on its regular night on Disney XD on June 7^th, takes place after the 1982 feature film and before the events in TRON: Legacy. Produced in CG animation with a 2D aesthetic, the series follows the heroic journey of a new character named Beck (voiced by Elijah Wood), a young program who becomes the unlikely leader of a revolution inside the computer world of The Grid.  You can watch the first episode here.

At the press day for this highly anticipated new show, actor Elijah Wood talked about how excited he was to be a part of this show, what he thinks of his animated self, how much fun he has doing voice-over work, determining the voice for the character, and what Charlie Bean was like, as a director.  He also talked about the strange fan encounters he’s had, his experience at Comic-Con, collecting action figures, what he looks for in a role these days, what attracted him to Grand Piano, returning to New Zealand for The Hobbit, and what fans can expect from Season 2 of his FX comedy series, Wilfred.  Check out what he had to say after the jump:

Luke Evans Talks THE HOBBIT and What It’s Like to Shoot at 48 Frames Per Second on the RED EPIC

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: April 18th, 2012 at 7:42 pm

With director James McTeigue‘s (V for Vendetta, Ninja Assassin) The Raven opening April 27, earlier today I got to speak with Luke Evans by phone since he’s busy shooting Peter Jackson‘s The Hobbit movies in New Zealand.  If you’re not familiar with The Raven, the story takes place in 1840s Baltimore where a series of grisly murders appear to have been inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe (played by John Cusack).  Poe and a detective (Evans) must team up to find the killer before he takes out the woman Poe loves (Alice Eve).  The film also stars Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Brendan Gleeson.   For more on the film, here’s the trailer and 40 images.

While I’ll have the full interview with Evans online next week, I wanted to share what he said about The Hobbit today.  As most of you know, Jackson is shooting the films digitally on the RED EPIC in 3D and he’s pushing the boundaries of cinema forward by filming 48fps (frames per second) instead of the normal 24fps.  What that means is, you’ll see very little motion blur when the camera moves or during the action scenes.  I’ve seen 48fps and 60fps first hand and it’s like you’re looking through a window without any glass.  It’s incredible.  For more on 48fps, here’s Jackson’s recent video blog.  Anyway, Evans talks about his reaction to this new way of filming and what it means to be involved in the films.  Hit the jump for more.

New Production Video for THE HOBBIT Highlights On Location Shooting and Andy Serkis as Second Unit Director

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 1st, 2012 at 12:07 pm

As the holiday break has come to an end, director Peter Jackson has unveiled yet another production video taking us behind the scenes of The Hobbit. We’ve already been given an in-depth look at the 3D filming process, and during the last production video Jackson showed us what goes into the film’s expansive location shooting. This latest blog is essentially a “Part 2” to the on location video, as Jackson shows us more of the breathtaking locations used to bring Middle Earth to life. This video also gives us a great look into Andy Serkis’ work as second unit director. He shows us how he beams the scenes the he’s shot over to Jackson and his camp in order to keep Jackson up to date on all aspects of the shoot.

Hit the jump to check out the video. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens in 3D on December 14th, followed by The Hobbit: There and Back Again in 3D on December 13th, 2013.

THE HOBBIT to Star Billy Connolly as Dwarven Warrior

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: February 8th, 2012 at 4:57 pm

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s universe there is a vast array of characters available for actors to portray. Some, like Evangeline Lilly’s elf, Tauriel, are created specifically for The Hobbit, while some actors, like Benedict Cumberbatch (War Horse), lend their performance and voice to a mythological creature. Then there is Billy Connolly (Boondock Saints) who gets to play one of the most fearsome and storied dwarves in all of Tolkien’s tomes. The Scottish actor will play Dain Ironfoot, cousin to Thorin Oakenshield (played by Richard Armitage) and a power-player in dwarven royalty. Having brought Connolly on as Ironfoot, director Peter Jackson commented on how this latest addition has completed the cast. Hit the jump to see what he had to say.

Evangeline Lilly Reveals Character Details Regarding THE HOBBIT; Says She Appears in the Second Film More Than the First

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 25th, 2012 at 10:15 am

To say Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit is an ambitious undertaking is a bit of an understatement. What began as a fairly straightforward one-film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s classic novel quickly morphed into a sprawling epic told across two feature films. We know that this isn’t necessarily a page-to-screen feature film version of the novel, as Jackson is bringing back many characters from The Lord of the Rings that don’t appear in The Hobbit. Included in this ginormous ensemble is a brand new character created for the film named Tauriel. Lost star Evangeline Lilly plays the character, and she recently spoke quite a bit about what to expect from Turiel, how much she appears in the adaptation, which of the two films she figures into the most, and how long she’s had to be onset. Hit the jump to see what she had to say.

New Image from THE HOBBIT; Peter Jackson and Co-Writer Philippa Boyens Talk About the Production

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: January 14th, 2012 at 11:35 am

A new image from The Hobbit has surfaced online today.  It is especially heroic, depicting Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins covered in dirt, wielding a sword Sting, a determined growl on his face.  [Update: Commenter Deepak pointed out that Freeman's hand is around Sting, "the blade that glows blue when Orcs are close."  My Hobbit knowledge doesn't run that deep, but it sounds noteworthy.]  In case you needed any, this is more evidence to me that Freeman is an inspired choice for the part.

Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, and Stephen Fry also star.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens on December 14, 2012 followed by The Hobbit: There and Back Again on December 13, 2013.  Hit the jump for the full image in high resolution, plus quotes from director Peter Jackson and co-writer Philippa Boyens on the story and production.

Bret McKenzie Talks THE MUPPETS, THE HOBBIT, FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS, and More

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 6th, 2012 at 9:10 am

I was excited when I heard a new Muppets movie was in the works.  I became more excited when I heard it would be a musical.  And then I became ecstatic when I learned that Bret McKenzie would be the film’s music supervisor.  My elation came from being a huge Flight of the Conchords fan.  McKenzie is one-half of the folk-music-comedy duo (the other half being Jemaine Clement), and through their albums and HBO series, they’ve shown they can easily play with any music genre.

Earlier this week, I got to speak with McKenzie over the phone and we discussed his process on creating the songs for The Muppets, his musical and comic inspirations the possibility of a song from the movie being nominated for an Oscar, his work on The Hobbit, his future musical endeavors, a ukulele orchestra, and more.  Hit the jump to check out the interview.

New Images from PROMETHEUS, BRAVE, and THE HOBBIT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 5th, 2012 at 5:44 pm

Hot on the heels of the first image from The Bourne Legacy, we’ve got new images from Ridley Scott’s sci-fi pic Prometheus, the next James Bond entry Skyfall, Pixar’s upcoming fairy tale Brave, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. While nothing’s too groundbreaking, we do get our first official look at Daniel Craig in Skyfall (Correction: the image is actually from Casino Royale, so we’re still lacking an official image of Craig in Skyfall), and you can’t really get enough of Martin Freeman as Bilbo in The Hobbit. The Twilight image seems familiar so I’m not entirely sure it’s new , but I figured Twilight fans wouldn’t mind another gander if they’ve seen it before (Correction: it’s from Breaking Dawn: Part 1, but I still included it because, you know, Bella and Edward).

Hit the jump to check out the images.

Christopher Lee Talks THE HOBBIT, HUGO and DARK SHADOWS

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: December 29th, 2011 at 4:34 pm

In a Christmas address by the incomparable Christopher Lee, the actor remarked on his completed works of 2011 (including a tongue-in-cheek clarification of his role in The Wicker Tree). More notably, Lee also touched on his role in Hugo and his working relationship with director Martin Scorsese, his own personal vitality (Lee will turn 90 in 2012) and his work in Dark Shadows with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. Oh and you might have been wondering about his reprisal of the role of Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit movies. Not to worry as Lee goes into some detail about his involvement and it’s safe to say the actor’s work has been completed on both films. Hit the jump to check out the video.

Top 10 Trailers of 2011

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 26th, 2011 at 8:45 pm

A trailer usually has less than two minutes and thirty seconds to dazzle the viewer and put a movie on his or her radar.  The Internet allows studios to go beyond this theater-mandated time limit and not only run a longer trailer, but also ones that have been approved only for the emotionally mature online community.  But no matter the runtime or how many times a character can swear, the trailer still has to grab your attention.  They can sell us on a premise we didn’t know we wanted, and can find a way to make us even more excited for a movie we were already itching to see.

Hit the jump to check out my picks for Top 10 Trailers of 2011.

TOP 5: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, STAR TREK Sequel, Brad Bird Interview, Another Crazy Week in Trailers

by Jason Barr    Posted: December 24th, 2011 at 1:07 pm

I’m writing to you this afternoon in the late stages of a full-on nostalgia buzz. The reason? Last night, I had the pleasure of taking in a performance of the Beauty and the Beast musical at St. Louis’ beautiful The Fabulous Fox theatre. Thanks to Belle’s “Little Town”, “Something There”, and the Academy Award-winning title track, I’m still giddy and in complete tune with my five-year old self nearly 24 hours after the fact. Now, if I could just get my hands on that old Proton Pack I used to lug around at all times, my return trip to the ’90s would be complete…

…In this week’s “Top 5″ you’ll find a collection of items from The Dark Knight Rises, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo interviews with David Fincher, Rooney Mara, and Daniel Craig, tidbits of news from J.J. Abrams‘ Star Trek sequel, director Brad Bird talking about Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, The Incredibles sequel and more, and a recap of what has been yet another crazy week in trailers (Hint: there’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Prometheus, and Wrath of the Titans). Hit the jump for a brief recap and link to each.

Collider’s 15 Most Anticipated Blockbusters of 2012

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 24th, 2011 at 8:37 am

As 2011 comes to a close, it’s time to look forward to the movies set to open in 2012. While many are busy compiling their Top 10 lists from 2011, we thought it’d be a good time to run down the list of our 15 most anticipated blockbusters of the coming year. Will The Avengers deliver as the culmination of four years worth of Marvel movies? Just how much of a prequel to Alien is Prometheus? Will The Dark Knight Rises be the greatest movie ever made in the history of movies and awesomeness? There are a lot of unknowns, and we’ve learned that sometimes the best behind-the-scenes talent can still make a stinker (Cowboys & Aliens), but we’re hoping for more than a few pleasant surprises (a la X-Men: First Class) to appease us in 2012. Hit the jump to check out our list.

New Production Video for THE HOBBIT Takes Us Behind-the-Scenes of Location Shooting

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 23rd, 2011 at 12:25 pm

Director Peter Jackson continues to give fans an incredibly insightful peek into the production on his two-part The Hobbit adaptation with yet another production video. While the last behind-the-scenes look focused on the 3D aspect of shooting (it’s a must-see and I highly suggest you check it out), the latest video gives us a look into the logistics of location shooting. Jackson and Co. are currently towards the end of a seven-week location shoot schedule, which will provide the director with plenty of gorgeous New Zealand vistas that he’ll transform into Middle Earth.

We get a look into the ridiculously herculean task of moving the entire production unit around the country of New Zealand, and we also get to see quite a bit of shooting. In addition to watching Jackson work, we get a peek at Andy Serkis who’s directing second-unit on the pics, and we get to see Elijah Wood return to Hobbiton. Hit the jump to check out the latest production video. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrives December 14th, 2012, while The Hobbit: There and Back Again will hit theaters on December 13, 2013.

First Trailer and Poster for THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 20th, 2011 at 6:51 pm

Finally, the first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has been released. Peter Jackson returns to direct the adventure of young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) who sets out on an adventure with a company of dwarves. This trailer really is like a warm embrace from an old friend. While most trailers this far out from release show very little in the way of footage, Jackson shows off a great deal. Freeman looks excellent as Bilbo, the dwarves are fantastic (they sing!), and the tag brought a big smile to my face. While a year is a very long time to wait, this snippet is a swell look into the wonder to come.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer. The film also stars Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, and Stephen Fry.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released on December 14, 2012.

New Image from THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY; Trailer Goes Online Tonight at 7pm PST

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 20th, 2011 at 8:21 am

Warner Bros. has released a new image from Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  The film is the first part of Jackson’s adaptation of J.J.R. Tolkien’s prequel to The Lord of the Rings (the second part, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, will be released in December 2013).  As you can see, Bilbo Bagging (Martin Freeman) and his company of dwarfs are ready to go out and have an adventure with his trusty walking stick in tow.

Hit the jump to check out the full image.  The first trailer for the film will drop tonight at 7pm PST and we’ll be sure to bring it to you when it does.  The movie also stars Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom, Andy Serkis, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, and Stephen Fry.  The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be released on December 14, 2012.

Copyright ©2005 - 2012. All Rights Reserved. California web design