Director Peter
Jackson took loyal
fans at Comic-Con on a journey back to Middle Earth on Saturday with footage of his upcoming film fantasy “The Hobbit,” calling the new epic “made by fans, for fans.”
Many die-hard loyalists from Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” series waited overnight at the giant pop culture showcase in San Diego to attend a panel where Jackson was joined by actors Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, script writer Philippa Boyens and surprise guest Elijah Wood.
The panel opened with a 15-minute behind-the-scenes video featuring interviews with the cast and crew as well as footage from scenes featuring explosions and fights, which the audience welcomed with deafening screams.
McKellen, who plays wizard Gandalf, earned a standing ovation as he came on stage for the panel.
Another 12-minute clip showed scenes from the film, including how hobbit Bilbo Baggins joined 13 dwarves on a quest to rescue a lost dwarf kingdom from the clutches of evil dragon Smaug, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, and Bilbo’s life-changing meeting with Serkis’ Gollum, whose “precious” ring was the subject of the “Rings” trilogy.
“Rings” characters Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) and Legolas (Orlando Bloom) also return, and the clips introduced a new female character, Tauriel played by Evangeline Lilly, who was not part of the books, but Boyens assured fans she stayed true to Tolkien’s characters.
Wood, who shot to fame as Frodo Baggins in the “Rings” trilogy had yet to see any footage of the film and joined the audience in their enthusiasm. The trilogy – “The Fellowship of the Ring,” “The Two Towers” and “Return of the King” – earned $2.9 billion at the worldwide box office and won 17 Academy awards.
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is the first of a two-part prequel adapted by director Jackson from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” the prelude to his epic fantasy trilogy “Lord Of The Rings.” The film is due in theaters on December 14.
The story begins with hobbit Bilbo Baggins, who embarks on a quest through the treacherous Middle Earth, forming relationships with characters like Gandalf, warrior Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage) and Gollum. (Reuters)
