The production of Peter Jackson’s adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit has not been without its fair share of changes, the most prominent being the expansion of the two-film series into a full-blown trilogy. Initially met with confusion and scepticism by fans and critics alike, the restructuring of the films has allowed Jackson to flesh out Tolkien’s story in a mostly satisfying way. The original plan was to have two films with the subtitles An Unexpected Journey and There and Back Again (the latter being part of Tolkien’s full title for the novel). When the films became a trilogy, the film-makers created the subtitle The Desolation of Smaug for the middle film. Both films in the series so far have been met with mixed reactions; many viewers have felt that the story has been stretched out beyond what was necessary, while most viewers are happy to spend as much time as possible in Middle Earth.
With eight months until the release of the third and final film in Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, the director has announced via his Facebook page that the third film is not longer subtitled There and Back Again. He has decided to name the film:
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
The new title refers to the epic five-way battle that occurs near the end of Tolkien’s novel, in which multiple races fight over the ownership of Erebor and the countless treasures within. The battle is sure to make up the bulk of the third film, and the title is therefore appropriate. Jackson also states that There and Back Again will likely be appropriately used as the overall title for the complete trilogy box set once all three films are released on Blu-ray and DVD.
We can expect our first look at The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in the form of a trailer within the next few months. Read Jackson’s entire Facebook post here.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be released in Australian cinemas on Boxing Day. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was recently released on Blu-ray and DVD and is also available for digital download on iTunes.
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