Hobbits might be satisfied with only two breakfasts, but they require three movies to adequately tell their story. It has been confirmed by Peter Jackson himself that the team behind The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again will be putting together a third episode of the story. Production will begin anew on The Hobbit Part III; footage that has already been shot is expected to be incorporated into the film, which is aiming for an unspecified release date in Summer 2014.
As Jackson explained on his Facebook page, he feels that there is just so much more of Bilbo Baggins’ story yet to tell:”We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life. All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.’
We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance.”But how will fans react to this? Does it seem like a money grab, or simply an attempt for Jackson to extend his stay in Middle Earth? (Be honest: would you want to leave?) For the third movie, Jackson is meant to be expanding upon material from J. R. R. Tolkien’s notes written in conjunction with the novel. As such, this third Hobbit movie should be the most “generously interpreted” film from Jackson yet. In other words: the biggest risk with Tolkien fans.
Jackson concludes his Facebook post by declaring, “On behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three,” indicating that everyone involved is on board. But will audiences be?
[Photo Credit: Warner Bros]
More:
First Trailer for ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ Unveiled
‘The Hobbit’ and Movies that Took a Really, Really, Really Long Time to Make
