1743690_10152048295894821_2137093463_n The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug delivered Warner Bros. its largest-ever three-day box office takings in China as the film finally debuted there over the weekend.

Some media outlets speculate that the sudden popularity of The Hobbit in China is due to intense air pollution driving the populace indoors as the government advised people to limit outdoor activities. Others suggest that it’s because Chinese just really like dragons. Continue reading “Box office numbers show the Middle Kingdom loves Middle-earth”

DofS box set2Read about it here at TORn before this information is available anywhere else! Thanks to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, we can now bring you all the official information about when you will be able to take home The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.  These are the release dates worldwide:

Continue reading “EXCLUSIVE – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Home Video release”

The-Hobbit-GollumThat mischievous little sneaker known as Gollum (or Smeagol, depending on his mood) has another notch in his belt (er, loincloth). Even 10+ years after making a splash in Hollywood, he just can’t stop picking up awards.

Yesterday, the 41st Annual Annie Awards were held. The Annies celebrate achievement in film and television animation. The award for ‘Character Animation in a Live Action Production’ was given to Jeff Capogreco, Jedrzej Wojtowicz, Kevin Estey, Alessandro Bonora and Gino Acevedo for their work on Gollum in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Continue reading “‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ wins Annie Award”

fotr steelbook Warner Home Video is set to release the Blu-ray extended edition of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in steelbook format for the first time in the UK.

The region-free five-disc blu-ray steelbook will hit the market on March 24. Pre-order here.

From the press release:

One of the most magical, intensely spectacular epic adventures in motion picture history comes alive when this extended edition explodes onto Blu-ray Disc with unsurpassed high definition picture and sound. Now fans can see and hear the extended version of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring at home the way it was meant to be seen. Based on the length of the extended edition feature film and in order to present the film in the highest possible picture quality, the film is presented on two Blu-ray Discs. Continue reading “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring coming soon in five-disc blu-ray steelbook format”

SoundWorks1SoundWorks Collection recently took a trip to Wellington, New Zealand to speak with the wizards at Park Road Post Studios about their work on The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. From these interviews comes a 10-minute video (which we’ve embedded below) detailing the tremendous process of constructing the sound design of the second film in Peter Jackson’s epic adaptation.

This profile comes on the heels of the Oscar nominations the film
received in both sound categories – Sound Editing and Sound Mixing (in addition to Visual Effects). The Academy Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 2.

Interviews in this video include re-recording mixers Michael Hedges, Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, and Gary Summers, as well as composer Howard Shore and producer/co-screenwriter Philippa Boyens. Continue reading “SoundWorks Collection profiles ‘The Desolation of Smaug’”