The Making of “The Hobbit” Movie Has Begun!

There and Back Again…

After what has seemed like decades, but what has only been years, the makers of The Hobbit movie have finally begun filming. There were actors’ union disagreements; there was the loss of the director Guillermo del Toro; there was even a fire in the workshop. But despite all signs that the fates were against us, we may actually get to see the first part of The Hobbit by Christmas 2012! Part Two is set to premiere the following year. Now with Peter Jackson as director (*sigh of relief*) and a set cast, the excitement is already building up. Martin Freeman (of BBC’s “The Office” fame) will be playing the young Bilbo Baggins on his quest to the Lonely Mountain, and Richard Armitage (from the lovely mini-series “North & South”) is set to be Thorin Oakenshield. Many familiar faces from The Lord of the Rings are also in the cast, including Ian McKellan, Andy Serkis, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, and Elijah Wood. Filming is taking place in New Zealand once again, and some of the sets from The Lord of the Rings will also be used. The Hobbit is (like everything else, these days) being filmed in 3-D, so Middle-earth will feel more real than ever. Peter Jackson recently posted the first official behind-the-scenes on-set vlog on his Facebook page, which you can view here. Be sure to also check out the official movie blog here for updates.