28 November 2012, Singapore – If I am only allowed to watch one last movie before 2013 arrives, it would be The Hobbit. This prequel to Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings series and will star Ian McKellen, reprising his role as Gandalf, Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield, and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug. Several other actors will reprise their roles from The Lord of the Rings, including Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Ian Holm, Elijah Wood, and Orlando Bloom.
Returning for the production are a significant part of the production crew: among others, co-writers Fran Walsh andPhilippa Boyens, illustrators John Howe and Alan Lee, art director Dan Hennah, and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie. As with the original trilogy, props will generally be crafted by Weta Workshop and visual effects managed by Weta Digital. Additionally, composer Howard Shore, who wrote the score for The Lord of the Rings, has confirmed his involvement in the first two parts of the film project. The most significant new involvement in the trilogy is the participation of Guillermo del Toro, originally chosen to direct the films, as co-writer.
You can catch the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey live from New Zealand. Warner Bros. is offering a live stream of the red carpet arrivals, plus a special performance by Neil Finn. More more details here
But before we join The Hobbit on their epic journey, lets look at 10 cool facts about The Hobbit!
1) Bilbo Baggins was about 51½ years old at the time of The Hobbit
2) Hobbits called themselves “kuduk” in their own language
3) Elrond was thousands of years old at the time of The Hobbit
4) Gollum is actually a hobbit of the Stoor variety, which lived east of the shire along the banks of the great river Anduin. He is the only hobbit to ever have become evil as far as we know.
5) “Beorn” is an Old English word which means “warrior”. It also originally meant “bear”
6) The idea of an enchanted river which makes drinkers of it fall asleep might have been borrowed from old Celtic legends, particularly that of Saint Brendan
7) Erebor, as a kingdom of the dwarves, was 200 years old before Smaug destroyed it and the human town of Dale
8) Esgaroth was a city of human beings, rare in that part of Middle-Earth
9) “Attercop” is from Old English and means “poison-head”
10) “Tomnoddy” means a stupid or foolish person
I am making myself a hobbit outfit, and I will wear it to my nearest cinema to catch The Hobbit. Challenge accepted.