If you’ve been following our coverage of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey for the past two years, then you’re well-aware that Peter Jackson has been putting in overtime on the first installment in his Lord of the Rings prequel trilogy. On average, Jackson and co. have released a new 10-13 minute production/set video every two months since he (unexpectedly) revealed the original featurette teasing the return trip to Middle-earth (and causing countless fantasy/Tolkien lovers to geekgasm around the ‘Net).
Today, we have one final video to cap off the buildup to An Unexpected Journey‘s theatrical release. However, it arrives with a promise from Jackson that more are on the way, once additional photography/post-production begins agains next year for the second and third Hobbit movies, The Desolation of Smaug and There and Back Again (you can click on those links for the first images from each film).
This new clip includes behind the scenes footage from the final stretch for post-production on An Unexpected Journey (which really went down to the wire), as well as material documenting the film’s massive premiere down in Wellington. It’s not as insightful or informative as past production videos – but, then again, after more than eighteen months and ninety minutes of material, we figure it’s worth watching the final installment to properly complete the journey of waiting for Jackson’s film to reach theaters.
Peter Jackson and Ian McKellen working on ‘The Hobbit’
We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: counting down to An Unexpected Journey‘s arrival has been lots of fun from the sidelines; not to mention, watching these featurettes makes it all the easier to appreciate the immense effort and time input. No doubt, The Hobbit is a money-generating monster – and complaints that a trilogy is a cash grab are never going to go away in full – but it’s also an obvious labor of love for the hundreds of people behind it (and devoted fans alike).
For more Hobbit coverage here at Screen Rant, check out:
- 10 Things You Need to Know Before Seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review
- High Frame-Rate 3D in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – Good or Bad?
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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is now playing in theaters (2D, 3D, IMAX 3D and 48 FPS) around the U.S.
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I am so happy he’s been releasing these videos. It has made the wait easier and harder at the same time.
Not much time for me between work and watching it tonight, so perhaps I’ll check this out on my phone just before the show starts in the theatre
watched the movie. not like what i hope for. a bit disappointment for me.
I love these videos. A great substitute for the lack of special features on DVDs. I wish more movies would do this.
I never thought that little hobbit girl would turn out sooo HOTT, i’d like to show her how magical her middle earth can be
What ?