Cameras roll in Middle-earth for 'The Hobbit'
21 Mar 2011
New Zealand has stepped back into the role of Middle-earth and the realm of mythical creatures as filming finally gets underway on The Hobbit - one of the biggest Kiwi movies ever to be made.
Cameras began rolling at Sir Peter Jackson’s Stone Street Studios in Wellington today (21.3.11) and in other secret locations around the country, after what has been a challenging path for the famous director and his next epic movie venture.
Finally the famous actors who’ll play hobbits, elves, dwarfs, dragons and wizards are back on set for the first of the two Hobbit movies, which are expected to pump about NZ$1.5 billion into the New Zealand economy.
Star spotting
For months, Tolkien fans have been excitedly spotting stars like Sir Ian "Gandalf" McKellen, Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins) and James Nesbitt around Wellington.
Freeman has reportedly been seen taking time away from the office for a spot of bowling at local alley, The Lanes, while Sir Ian McKellen has been spotted supporting local thespians at Downstage Theatre.
James Nesbitt has confirmed he dressed as a chicken for last month’s NZI Sevens rugby tournament in Wellington, and all three supported the recent ‘Fill the Basin’ charity cricket match to raise money for the Christchurch earthquake fund.
The focus is currently on Stone Street Studios and the Oscar-winning companies of the Weta Group - all based in Miramar, an inner city suburb close to Wellington Airport.
Strictly secret
There is strict secrecy surrounding filming of The Hobbit and it is unknown which scenes will be shot first and which cast members will be involved - but a spokeswoman for the production unit said everyone was "very excited" to get started.
On day one of filming Sir Peter Jackson revealed a sneak peek inside the new Bag End, the home of hobbit lead, Bilbo Baggins.
A photo of the award-winning director stepping through the front door of Baggins' fictional home in The Shire was the only photograph issued by Warner Brothers in the filming announcement.
Bag End
The location of Bag End was not revealed, but it is understood to be not part of the original ‘Hobbiton’ near Matamata, created for The Lord of the Rings movies.
Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours, which continues to bring thousands of fans to the Matatmata farming district in the Waikato region, has said it remains open due to a change in filming dates - an indication that production crews are not at the Waikato shire as yet.
Hobbit casting
There have been several casting announcements since Martin Freeman was confirmed as the lead in October last year.
Most recent news from Warner Bros name Kiwi actors Jeffrey Thomas (of Hercules:The Legendary Journeys and television series like Shortland Street) and Mike Mizrahi (of Inside Out productions designers of Tourism New Zealand’s giant rugby ball) for the roles of dwarf kings Thror and Thrain.
Andy Serkis, Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom have all been confirmed to reprise their Lord of the Rings roles as Gollum, Galadriel and Legolas.
Elijah Wood, who played Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings, has been confirmed to play a part in The Hobbit, despite his character not appearing in JRR Tolkien's book, which is set 60 years before the Rings trilogy.
Tale of the treasure
The Hobbit tells the tale of Bilbo's quest to snatch the treasure guarded by Smaug the dragon and reclaim the dwarven kingdom of Erebor.
The screenplays for the two films have been written by Jackson, partner Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro, who pulled out of directing the movies last year.
Titles for the two films are thought to be ‘An Unexpected Journey’ and ‘There and Back Again’.
The films will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology.
Ken Stott, who will play Balin in The Hobbit, has described the credentials of the Wellington film-makers involved in films as "second to none" and says the facilities in New Zealand’s capital are the "envy of the rest of the world".
The two films are planned for release in late 2012 and 2013 respectively.
More information
New Zealand - the perfect Middle-earth
Hobbiton - a slice of Middle-earth
Set-jetting around New Zealand
NZ film-maker: Sir Peter Jackson
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