New Zealand Returns as Home of Middle-earth

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans of Middle-earth had their first taste of the stunning New Zealand scenery that will be featured in the upcoming film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey today, with the first trailer previewing the December 2012 theatrical release.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111221/LA26429)

The soaring mountains, lakes, rivers and plains that first caught the attention of the movie-going public in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring will form the backdrop to the latest Middle-earth epic, once again directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson.

More than 150 different locations throughout New Zealand were used to film The Lord of the Rings trilogy, from the rolling hills of Matamata standing in for the Shire to the volcanic region of Mt Ruapehu, which was transformed into the fiery Mt Doom.

There are many film-inspired activities and attractions for fans to visit while experiencing New Zealand's dramatic scenery, one of the most popular being the Hobbiton Movie Set & Farm Tours.

A working sheep and cattle farm, Hobbiton formed the set for some of the scenes in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  The two-hour guided tour is a must-do on any New Zealand vacation.

New Zealand's mix of extraordinary geography, sense of adventure, Maori culture, and cosmopolitan cities all offer a hugely diverse range of unique experiences within the magical landscape of the film's Middle-earth.

ABOUT THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
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.  The second film will be The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

Both films are set in Middle-earth 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. 

The screenplays for both The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson.  Jackson is also producing the films, 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. 

Under Jackson's direction, both movies are being shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology.  Filming is taking place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand. 

Among the creative behind-the-scenes team returning to Jackson's crew are director of photography Andrew Lesnie, production designer Dan Hennah, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, composer Howard Shore and make-up and hair designer Peter King.  The costumes are designed by Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor.  The score is being composed by Howard Shore.

Taylor is also overseeing the design and production of weaponry, armour and prosthetics which are once again being made by the award winning Weta Workshop.  Weta Digital take on the visual effects for both films, led by the film's visual effects supervisor, Joe Letteri.   Post production will take place at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again are productions 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.  The second film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, is slated for release the following year, beginning December 13, 2013.

For information about New Zealand's extensive vacation options, log onto the 100% Pure New Zealand website at www.NewZealand.com.

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SOURCE Tourism New Zealand