WARNER UNVEILS FOOTAGE OF “THE HOBBIT” SHOT WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY
BURBANK, CA, April 24, 2012 — Warner Bros. Pictures screened
approximately 10 minutes of never-before-seen footage from New Line Cinema and
MGM’s upcoming epic “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” which showcased the
filmmaking innovation of 48 frames-per-second (fps), doubling the typical frame
rate of 24 fps. The footage was part of the studio’s presentation at CinemaCon,
the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO).
The film, slated for worldwide release beginning December
14, 2012, is the first major motion picture to be made using this state-of-the
art high-frame-rate technology.
The footage was introduced via a taped greeting from
director Peter Jackson, who gave a bit of history as to how 24 fps became the
industry standard and why today’s technology allows for higher frame rates. He
also explained that 48 fps is actually closer to the way the human eye views the
world. Jackson offered, “As a filmmaker, I always want to create a strong sense
of reality, to allow the audience to lose themselves in whatever the cinematic
story is that I’m presenting. Shooting and projecting at 48 fps gives you the
illusion that a hole has been cut in the wall of the cinema, and you’re
watching the story unfold with a heightened sense of reality. It’s terrific for
3D; I’ve looked at the 48 fps dailies for ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’
in 3D for over a year now, and with the reduction in strobing and flicker, it
is a much more gentle experience on your eyes. 48 fps is not just limited to
3D. A film shot in 48 fps looks fantastic when projected in 2D, and converts
well to 24 fps as well.”
Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President, Domestic
Distribution, stated, “24 fps has been the standard in our industry for the
last 80 years, so this is an exciting breakthrough. It’s no surprise that Peter
Jackson, with his commitment to innovation, is the first director to utilize 48
fps on a grand scale. It’s equally gratifying to me to see the exhibition
community embrace this advancement.”
Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, Warner Bros. Pictures President,
International Distribution, added, “We’re thrilled to be arm-in-arm with Peter
Jackson and the exhibition community in exploring the possibilities of
high-frame-rate filmmaking. The powerful combination of enduring storytelling
and spectacular visuals will offer an exciting new movie-going experience to
audiences around the world.”
From Academy Award®-winning
filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first of
two films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by
J.R.R. Tolkien. The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo
Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest. Approached out of the blue by the wizard
Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led
by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield.
Ian McKellen returns as
Gandalf the Grey and Martin Freeman stars in the central role of Bilbo Baggins.
The ensemble cast also includes (in alphabetical order) Richard Armitage, John
Bell, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Luke
Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Ian Holm, Peter Hambleton, Barry
Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Evangeline Lilly, Sylvester McCoy,
Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O’Gorman,
Christopher Lee, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Andy Serkis, Conan Stevens, Ken
Stott, Jeffrey Thomas, Aidan Turner, Hugo Weaving and Elijah Wood.
“The Hobbit: An
Unexpected Journey” is directed by Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Fran
Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Jackson. Jackson is also
producing the film, together with Fran Walsh and Carolynne Cunningham. The
executive producers are Alan Horn, Ken Kamins, Toby Emmerich and Zane Weiner,
with Boyens serving as co-producer.
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected
Journey” is a production of New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing
production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution,
with select international territories, as well as all international television
licensing being handled by MGM. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be
released beginning December 14, 2012, and the second film, “The Hobbit: There
and Back Again,” beginning December 13, 2013. Both films will be released in 3D
and 2D in select theatres and IMAX.
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