An unexpected journey

Smaug” and “There and Back Again”, due for theatrical release in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
The three films together will act as prequels to Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” film trilogy. Tolkein wrote “The Hobbit”, a fairly short book, first and the much-longer “Lord of the Rings” trilogy started as a sequel after readers wrote and asked what happened next.

The story is set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, and portions of the film are adapted from the appendices to Tolkien’s “The Return of the King” novel.

“An Unexpected Journey” tells the tale of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who is convinced by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to accompany 13 dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on a quest across Middle-earth to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug the dragon.

The film premièred in New Zealand on November 28 2012 and was released internationally from December 12 2012. The film’s screenplay was written by Peter Jackson, his longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens (who also co-wrote “The Lord of the Rings”), and Guillermo del Toro, who was originally chosen to direct the film before leaving the project in 2010.

“The Hobbit” has grossed over US$956 million at the box office, surpassing both “The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Two Towers” nominally, while grossing less than both films after adjusting for inflation.

The film has been nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design and Best Make-up and Hairstyling. The film has also been nominated for three Bafta Awards.
On his 111th birthday, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins decides to write down the full story of the adventure he had 60 years earlier, for the benefit of his nephew Frodo.

Long before Bilbo’s involvement, the Dwarf Thrór becomes King of the Lonely Mountain and brings an era of prosperity to his kin until the arrival of Smaug the Dragon. Smaug destroys the nearby town of Dale before driving the Dwarves out of the mountain and taking their hoard of gold. Thrór’s grandson Thorin sees King Thranduil and his Wood-elves on a nearby hillside and is dismayed when they take their leave rather than aid his people, resulting in Thorin’s everlasting hatred of Elves.

In the Shire, young Bilbo is tricked by the wizard Gandalf the Grey into hosting a party for Thorin and his company of Dwarves: Balin, Dwalin, Fíli, Kíli, Dori, Nori, Ori, Óin, Glóin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur. Gandalf’s aim is to recruit Bilbo as the Dwarves’ “burglar” to help them steal their treasure back from Smaug.

Bilbo reluctantly joins the company on their journey to the Lonely Mountain. Travelling onward, the company gets captured by Trolls. Bilbo stalls them from eating the company until dawn, when Gandalf exposes the Trolls to sunlight, turning them to stone.

They search the Trolls’ cave and find treasure and Elven blades. Thorin and Gandalf each take an Elf-made blade — Orcrist and Glamdring, respectively — with the latter finding an Elven shortsword, which he gives to Bilbo.

The company encounters Radagast the Brown, a wizard who lives in Greenwood. He tells them of an encounter at Dol Guldur with a Necromancer who has been corrupting the forest with dark magic. The company is chased by Orcs on Wargs, with Radagast covering their escape. Gandalf leads the company through a stone passage to Rivendell as the Wargs and Orcs are slain by Elven riders led by Lord Elrond.

Elrond reads Thorin’s map and discloses that the Lonely Mountain has a secret door which will be visible only on Durin’s Day. Gandalf talks with the White Council consisting of Elrond, Galadriel and Saruman the White. He tells them about his involvement with the Dwarves, presenting a Morgul-blade Radagast obtained from Dol Guldur as a sign that the Necromancer is linked to the Witch-king of Angmar and may attempt to use Smaug. Saruman is skeptical, not believing the Necromancer to be a true threat.

Without Gandalf, the company journeys into the Misty Mountains, where they find themselves amid a colossal battle between Stone Giants. They take refuge in a cave and are captured by Goblins, who take them to their leader, the Great Goblin.

Bilbo becomes separated from the Dwarves and falls into a cave where he encounters Gollum, who accidentally drops a mysterious ring while killing a stray Goblin to eat. Pocketing the ring, Bilbo finds himself confronted by Gollum.

They play a riddle game, wagering that Bilbo will be shown the way out if he wins and eaten by Gollum if he loses. Bilbo eventually wins by asking Gollum what he has in his pocket. Realising that he lost the ring, Gollum suspects that Bilbo possesses it and attacks the hobbit.

Bilbo discovers that the ring grants him invisibility and evades a furious Gollum, following him to an exit. Bilbo considers killing Gollum, but spares him out of pity and escapes.

Meanwhile, the Great Goblin reveals to the Dwarves that Azog, an Orc war-chief who beheaded Thrór and lost his forearm to Thorin in battle outside the Dwarven kingdom of Moria, has placed a bounty on Thorin’s head. Gandalf arrives and saves the Dwarves from the Goblins, killing the Great Goblin during their escape. Bilbo rejoins the group, keeping the ring he found secret. Ambushed by Azog and his hunting party, the company take refuge in trees.
Thorin charges Azog, but is defeated and knocked to the ground. — Wikipedia.