Just yesterday we heard from Peter Jackson himself regarding the possible runtime of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first film in his trilogy based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Today, thanks to Comic Book Movie via Empire Magazine, we have more info from the man himself regarding certain details about the films, including where we will be seeing certain characters and events.
The first tidbit is regarding Smaug (Voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch), the evil dragon that has taken over the Dwarves’ home. Jackson reveals that we will indeed be seeing him in the first film, making a “fleeting appearance” in the prologue, and that he’ll “remain as liquid tongued as the book’s memorable villain (he is a character not a monster).”
The next bit of info regards the Mirkwood spider scenes, which Jackson says have been moved to film two, adding that “the creepy arachnids will speak, but only as a ‘psychic communication’, which only Bilbo can hear.”
That makes sense when you think about it. Having three films to work with would allow you to move a scene that takes place in the middle of the book into film two. Back when it was just two films, I imagined this was going to be the climax of the first film, but now it will be interesting to see where it is placed in The Desolation of Smaug.
Finally, we’ve learned that scenes involving the Necromancer (also to be played by Cumberbatch) will be in the second film. Sylvester McCoy, who plays Radagst, mentioned a scene “where the wizards are together, battling not each other but some other evil.” Fans of the novel will recall that the Necromancer doesn’t actually appear in it, which will make it rather interesting to see how Jackson and his crew incorporate him into the story.
Be sure to check back for the latest news on The Hobbit as we get closer and closer to the release of the first part of the trilogy.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrives in theaters on December 14th.
