37 'The Hobbit' Facts: Watch This Film Directed By Peter Jackson

'The Hobbit' is one of the best trilogy films.

The movie revolves around hobbits, who are fictional characters invented by J.R.R. Tolkien. In 2012, Peter Jackson directed and produced 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,' the first part of 'The Hobbit' trilogy.

It is a prequel to the 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy. The total budget for the movie was $180 million.

Following 'Avatar' and the 'Lord Of The Rings,' 'The Hobbit' is the third highest-grossing movie in New Zealand. This movie won a number of awards, like the Empire Award for Best Sci-Fi or Fantasy in 2013, NME Award for Best Film, and the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in a Live Action Production.

Continue reading to know more about this interesting movie.

Actors And Characters In 'The Hobbit'

Bilbo Baggins is the title character in 'The Hobbit.' The key characters are Gandalf, Thorin Oakenshield, and Smaug. The secondary characters in 'The Hobbit' include Balin, Kili, Legolas, Tauriel, Bard, Beorn, and Dwalin.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, which is a small, human-like creature. Bilbo lives in the Shire, a peaceful area of Middle-Earth. When Gandalf arrives and recruits him for a quest, Bilbo initially refuses but decides to go when he learns that the dwarves are going to reclaim their lost kingdom.

This character was played by Martin Freeman, known for his roles in the British television series 'The Office' and 'Sherlock.' Before Peter Jackson cast Martin Freeman, Shia Labeouf, Daniel Radcliffe, and Tobey Maguire were all considered for the role of Bilbo. Peter Jackson convinced all the other cast members that Martin Freeman would be better suited as Bilbo Baggins.

Gandalf is a wizard who helps the dwarves on their quest to reclaim their kingdom. Gandalf is a mentor and wisdom figure to Bilbo.

Ian Mc Kellen, an English actor, best known for his role as Magneto in the 'X-Men' films, did an excellent job portraying Gandalf. Ian McKellen was 74 years old when he starred in 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.'

Thorin Oakenshield leads the 13 dwarves on a quest to reclaim their kingdom. He is the heir to the throne of Erebor. He is a skilled warrior and swordsman and is fiercely protective of his people.

Richard Armitage played Thorin Oakenshield. He is a British actor who has appeared in films such as 'Captain America: The First Avenger' and 'The Bourne Legacy.'

Smaug is the dragon who attacks the city of Dale and takes over the Lonely Mountain in the movie. Smaug captures the dwarf kingdom from Thorin's kin.

Benedict Cumberbatch voiced and performed the motion capture for Smaug. He was also the voice of the Necromancer, Sauron's evil spirit form, in the film.

Balin is the eldest of the 13 dwarves recruited by Gandalf to reclaim their kingdom. He is also the right hand of Thorin.

Balin was played by Ken Stott. He is a Scottish actor who has appeared in films such as 'The Bank Job' and 'The Railway Man.' He also starred in the BBC series 'Line Of Duty.'

Kili is also one of the 13 dwarves who goes on a quest with Bilbo Baggins. Since Thorin does not have children, his sister's children, Kili and Fili, are considered Thorin's heirs. Kili falls in love with Tauriel, one of the elves.

Aidan Turner played Kili in all the three 'Hobbit' movies. Aidan Turner is known for his work on the BBC series 'Poldark.'

Orlando Bloom portrayed Legolas in the 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy and reprised his role for 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.' Bloom was cast due to his experience with horse riding and archery.

He also had to learn Elvish for the films. According to Orlando Bloom, his character is on a personal journey to find out what happened to his father. He also wants revenge on the orcs for killing him.

Tauriel is one of the few elves in the movie. She is the captain of the border guard of Mirkwood. Tauriel is not present in the original novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Peter Jackson and his team created her role to add more female characters to the story. Some fans have criticized Tauriel for being unnecessary, while others appreciate her as a strong female character. Actress Evangeline Lilly played Tauriel.

Bard does not carry much significance in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. However, this character was given a new sense of significance in the movie. Bard is a skilled archer who helps defend Laketown from the dragon Smaug. He also offers shelter to Bilbo and the dwarves when fleeing the Orc army.

Bard was played by Luke Evans, a Welsh actor and singer. Evans is known for his roles in 'Dracula Untold' and 'Fast And Furious 6'.

Gollum is a creature who lives in the Misty Mountains. He is described as being slimy and creepy. In the book, Gollum is not a creature but rather an evil spirit that has taken over the body of a Hobbit named Smeagol. Andy Serkis played Gollum in the movie.

He also provided the voice and motion-capture performance for the character. Andy Serkis is a British actor, director, and producer. He has starred in several films, including the 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy and 'King Kong.'

Frodo Baggins (portrayed by Elijah Wood) is a supporting character. He is Bilbo's cousin and heir apparent to the Shire.

Behind The Scene Facts Of 'The Hobbit'

Movies aren't always what they appear to be. There's a lot of hard work, effort, and camera magic involved. Behind the scenes, there are also some hilarious situations. Not everyone gets to see it. Here are a few of the most interesting behind-the-scenes facts from 'The Hobbit.'

In this behind-the-scenes look, Peter Jackson talks about the challenges and joys of bringing 'The Hobbit' to the big screen.

Many of the amazing special-effects shots for the setting Peter Jackson constructed in the original 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy, which was published in 2D, were done with miniatures, but such camera trickery proved more challenging for a 3D picture.

Instead, the visual effects team had to design cities digitally, and they struggled with framing shots.

For example, in the opening sequences of the 'Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring,' the majority of the smaller Frodo's scale beside the much taller Gandalf was created simply by having Elijah Wood (Frodo) stand further back from Ian McKellen (Gandalf).

Would you believe it if we told you that more than half of the movie was not well planned? Nobody would. Peter Jackson, in an interview, admitted that he didn't know what he was doing half the time.

This was mainly due to the change in directors. Initially, Guillermo del Toro was the director, and Peter was only co-directing the movies. Unfortunately, Guillermo del Toro had to step down due to financial issues. Peter admitted that this resulted in him making more than half of the movies in an unprepared state.

The actors portraying the ragtag group of dwarves were the first to arrive on set, and they came before the rest of the cast.

A dwarf boot camp was the set for these actors that involved archery, sword fighting, and exercising together. According to Richard Armitage, the actor who played Thorin, the training was quite like training for a military operation.

The actors were also given the opportunity to practice and build on their parts and chemistry. To fully immerse themselves in their characters and cement their connections as dwarfs, the actors also dined together.

Many animals were used in the film. Unfortunately, a few animals died after the release of the first part. This mishap occurred off-site in New Zealand.

The area where the animals were kept had sinkholes and other death traps. Though the animal wranglers tried their best to keep the animals safe, it was impossible to save all of them.

Audience Reception

The film received positive reviews. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 74% with 278 reviews and an average rating of 6.83/11. The site's critical consensus praises the spectacular visuals and the action-packed sequences in 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' as it offered unexpected thrills and a welcome return to Middle-Earth.

Some aspects of the film did receive mixed reviews. The 48 frames per second in 'The Hobbit' was given mixed reviews.

'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' was, in fact, the first film to be released in 48 frames per second. This higher frame rate caused some audience members to experience headaches and dizziness.

Jackson said that he believes this is due to the fact that the audience is not used to seeing such a high frame rate.

Did You Know...

'The Hobbit' novel was published by George Allen and Unwin.

J.R.R Tolkein also mentions these hobbits in his other books like 'Lord Of The Rings,' 'The Silmarillion', and 'Unfinished Tales.'

In an interview, Benedict Cumberbatch mentioned that in order to provide the voice-over for Smaug, he had to do a lot of research. His prep routine involved constantly visiting the London Zoo and observing Komodo dragons and other lizards to study the movements of reptiles.

Though Lily, the actress who played Tauriel, was excited about the role, she did not actually like Tauriel's love story. The actress only agreed to play the part on the condition that she would not be pulled into another embarrassing love triangle.

After a year, she returned to the set to find modifications to the screenplay, which had Tauriel caught up in a love triangle with Kili and Legolas.

FAQs

What are three interesting facts about the novel 'The Hobbit'?

The novel was written by J.R.R. Tolkien and was published on September 21, 1937. The book has been translated into over 60 languages. More than 100 million copies have been sold worldwide. This novel is said to be one of the most popular 20th-century children's books.

Why is 'The Hobbit' a banned book?

'The Hobbit' by J.R.R Tolkien is banned in a number of states, including California, Texas, and Florida. However, it is not banned in all states. People went to the extent of burning this book in Alamogordo, New Mexico.

One of the reasons for 'The Hobbit' being banned is its depiction of violence. Some parents feel that the film glamorizes violence and could potentially have a negative influence on their children. Another reason for the ban is that some believe it promotes satanic themes, which go against certain religious beliefs.

What is unique about hobbits?

Hobbits are a fictional race in the Middle-Earth universe created by J.R.R. Tolkien.

They are a diminutive, humanoid species that inhabit the world of Middle-Earth. Hobbits are described to be about half the height of humans, having typical human features but with furry feet and pointed ears. What makes hobbits unique is their love for food and their choice to live a simple and peaceful lifestyle.

What are the five characteristics of a hobbit?

According to Tolkien, hobbits are only 2-4 ft (0.6–1.2 m) tall. They are generally shy. Hobbits have leather soles, and their feet are covered with brown, curly hair. They can live up to 100 years.

What is 'The Hobbit' about?

'The Hobbit' is a novel by J.R.R. Tolkien that was first published in 1937.

The story follows Bilbo Baggins, who is recruited by Gandalf to join a group of 13 dwarves on a quest to reclaim their kingdom from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they encounter trolls, goblins, and other dangerous creatures. At the end of the story, Bilbo returns home to his peaceful life in Hobbiton.

When does 'The Hobbit' take place?

The events of 'The Hobbit' take place in the year 2941 of the Third Age, about 60 years before those of the 'Lord Of The Rings.'

How long did 'The Hobbit' take to write?

Around the middle of 1930, Tolkien began working on the original tale. He was able to transmit a draft version to his friend, the famous C.S. Lewis, by January 1933.

Has this film and book won any awards?

'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,' a film by Peter Jackson, won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Drama, and five other awards. It was also nominated for six other awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture.

The novel by Tolkien won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1966 and Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 1987. It was also nominated for a Nebula Award, World Fantasy Award, and Mythopoeic Awards.