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THE HOBBIT NEWS

Third 'The Hobbit' Movie to Arrive July 2014, Final Titles Confirmed

by Alex Billington
September 1, 2012
Source: ComingSoon

It's about time we begin this three-year cinematic adventure. As everyone knows, Peter Jackson and Warner Bros revealed that they would indeed be turning The Hobbit into a trilogy of three movies, with one every year starting this December until 2014. At first we didn't know any other info besides that it was happening, now Warner Bros has officially announced the third movie, confirming a title and 2014 release date. Not to confuse anyone, but the third movie is getting the second movie's original title - There and Back Again (which is the perfect title for this wonderful story to end on). But when exactly will that be hitting theaters?

Our adventure will begin with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arriving in theaters on December 14th, 2012; next up will be The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the second movie, arriving on December 13th, 2013; finally, this epic trilogy will come to its conclusion on July 18th, 2014 with The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Boy, does Warner Bros really love that late July "Batman" release slot. But why switch from the December pattern to July? WB's President of International Distribution explains: "Opening in the summer will maximize playability for what promises to be an event film for fans the world over." Indeed, but even Return of the King opened in December sticking with its three year pattern. Oh well.

"We wanted to have a shorter gap between the second and third films of The Hobbit Trilogy," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution for WB. Was anyone even complaining? "Opening in July affords us not only the perfect summer tentpole, but fans will have less time to wait for the finale of this epic adventure." These statements don't match up when they already have two scheduled for December, but nonetheless, I'm excited to see these movies whenever they're released. As we know, all three Hobbit movies will be released in EVERY film format that currently exists (sans 70mm): 2D, 3D, IMAX, 48FPS and 24FPS.

Filed under Hobbit, Hype, Movie News

From around the web:

http://mithunonthe.net/ Mithun Divakaran

"We wanted to have a shorter gap between the second and third film" In other words, "Actually we just forced Peter Jackson to split the second film in two so we could make more money"
- superfan
  
  true. its all about the big mamoo these days...
- Aaron Burns
  
  No... Peter Jackson wanted to make it a trilogy.
HarryFiddleSticks

Typo in the article title. 2013 should be 2014
- http://www.firstshowing.net/ Alex Billington
  
  Whoops! You're right, totally let that one slip. Fixed - thanks!
rocky728

I think they're just punking Fox's X-Men out of that July slot. The reasons given are bs, all the films have benefited from the 1 year gap which allows them to run as long as possible then has enough time so there's no franchise fatigue.
- http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
  
  But it's different nowadays. You had Thor and Captain America, two entries in the same franchise, open around 2.5 months apart, and then The Avengers opened just a little over 9 months after that. I think the last two Harry Potter films were around 8 months apart. It builds a sense of momentum that can really pay off.
  - Akirakorn
    
    True on Potter, althought that was after a painful delay. Thor, Cap, and Avengers don't count. They were rushing to get their back story (and sub-franchises) out prior to Avengers. No way in hell they'd delay they big ensemble film a year out just to give them breathing room.
    - http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
      
      Painful delay of less than a year and a half between the 6th and 7th films? I'd say releasing the 'culmination' of a story, whether it's The Avengers or Harry Potter 8 or Pirates of the Caribbean 3 or The Hobbit 3 as soon after the previous film as possible is the more 'in style' thing to do for blockbusters. Strike while the iron is hot.
rick

So they're not shooting another movie or adding even more onto the story, it's more of a 'instead of two, three hour movies' we'll have 'three, two hour movies'. Right? Big cash grab, plain and simple and I'm a sucker, I'll pay for all three
- Akirakorn
  
  Knowing Peter Jackson, it's three, three hour movies. Just not three four hour movies like LotR.
dandassow

"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" will be debuting on Friday, December 13, 2013. I wonder whether Peter Jackson chose Friday the 13th intentionally or that this is simply an interesting co-incidence.
- http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
  
  I'd vote for coincidence. I'd vote for it opening on Friday December 20th. The 'pre-Christmas weekend' sort of worked amazingly for Titanic and Avatar...but whichever.
- http://www.firstshowing.net/ Alex Billington
  
  12-13-13. I guess that's better than 12-13-14? Also, they always release films on Fridays, just happens to be the 13th.
  - Akirakorn
    
    But we'll all see it during the "midnight opening"... 8:20pm Wednesday night
Akirakorn

First: To Suggest a 6-movie marathon, in chronological order. So the sane folks can nap after The Hobbit and wake up around The Battle at Helm's Deep.
Stavi

Each movie will have an hour long ending this time...
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Scarborough/1591375380 Mike Scarborough

It's so they can have the Blu Ray box set for sale by Christmas 2014.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Brian-Sleider/1847907840 Brian Sleider

3 Massive books = 3 movies, 1 smallish book = 3 movies......dafuq? Milk it more IMO. Will see them all but am displeased at this obvious cash grab. I feel there will be a lot of added scenes that were not in the book but that jackson thinks will make it a "better experience". Much like the all seeing Eye that was Sauron.
http://twitter.com/brookfedrick Brook

I love the Hobbit it was a great book...and peter jackson is an awesome director curious how he's going to do The hobbit