The Hobbit becomes a trilogy

Earlier yesterday it was revealed that the upcoming adaptation of the acclaimed book The Hobbit would become a trilogy, instead of the part 1 and part 2 split that it was originally announced as.

The news broke via Facebook through the official account of the trilogies director Peter Jackson, where he issued the following:

It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie – and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life. All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.’

We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance. The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.

So, without further ado and on behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.

It has been an unexpected journey indeed, and in the words of Professor Tolkien himself, “a tale that grew in the telling.”

Cheers,

Peter J

With the announcement came speculation on what the other two films would be named. Quickly domain names were discovered that could help narrow down the options.

desolationofsmaug.com
riddlesindark.com
thedesolationofsmaug.com
thehobbitdesolationofsmaug.com
thehobbitriddlesindark.com
thehobbitthedesolationofsmaug.com
thehobbittheriddlesinthedark.com
theriddlesinthedark.com

So currently thanks to domain registers show the possibilities of The Desolation Of Smaug and Riddles In The Dark. But now TheOneRing.net has revealed they have the possibility of a 3rd name, The Battle Of The Five Armies.

While it is unclear why 3 possible names have been registered for two movies, it leads many to speculate on which of these 3 will become the official title of the 2 remaining films.

The first movie in this new trilogy The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, opens this year on December 14th 2012.