Peter Jackson And Martin Freeman Talk THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

Director Peter Jackson comments on the protagonist of his highly anticipated Hobbit trilogy, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), and what we can expect from the character. Meanwhile, Freeman reveals how daunting it is to be starring in three Hobbit films instead of two.

By PaulRom - Nov 25, 2012 10:11 AM EST

Filed Under: Fantasy

The latest issue of Total Film features a set visit to Peter Jackson's highly anticipated Lord Of The Rings prequel The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which hits theaters next month and is the first installment of another Middle-earth trilogy. In the issue, the magazine speaks with Jackson and cast members such as Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis and Ian McKellen. The magazine also published some excerpts online from their interviews with Jackson and Freeman.

"He really wants to be left alone, to put his feet up in front of a fire," says Jackson when asked about The Hobbit protagonist Bilbo Baggins (Freeman). "And then suddenly he’s dragged off on an adventure. So there’s a lot of comedic opportunities. But you want to feel the truth of those moments. You don’t want them to be played just for laughs. When he’s holding the sword and faced with a troll, you want the sense of danger, and Martin’s brilliant at juggling the tone, that ability to have one foot in the dramatic world and one in the comedic world."

Back when The Hobbit was originally intended to be released as two films instead of three, Freeman said that he didn't feel a lot of pressure playing the hero of such a highly anticipated film series. Now, with plans for a trilogy now underway, does he feel different? Not exactly. "It’s not really daunting," he said. "It is unexpected compared to where we were, but it’s the same thing of telling the story and doing your bit, whether it’s one or two or three films. There’s just, you know, more of it! But there are so many of us involved, it doesn’t really hang on anyone’s shoulders."

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is set to hit theaters December 14th; The Desolation Of Smaug will arrive December 13th, 2013; There And Back Again is scheduled to be released July 18th, 2014.

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18 Comments

Funsize - 11/25/2012, 11:03 AM

Im going for the previews

Tony93 - 11/25/2012, 11:21 AM

As am I^^

ComfortablyNumb - 11/25/2012, 11:24 AM

Ready!!!

GLprime2814 - 11/25/2012, 11:28 AM

So ready

Pox - 11/25/2012, 11:33 AM

Odd that the third movie is going to be coming out in Summer when the previous 5 movies have all been late Autumn

616 - 11/25/2012, 11:44 AM

Excited for another trilogy, it is slightly confusing that Peter isn't going for the amount of accuracy he went for with the LOTR trilogy and is now inserting characters that weren't in the book. Still excited. The previews will be a big draw too of course. Im sure these flicks will kick a little ass.

GLprime2814 - 11/25/2012, 11:45 AM

@Pox Maybe because in that year there's to much competition coming out?

batfan175 - 11/25/2012, 12:11 PM

@KarlKingNerd: Lurtz wasn't in the books, nor Sharkû, nor were the elves at helms Deep but he made it work.

datNAMEtho - 11/25/2012, 12:44 PM

My body is ready!

Facade - 11/25/2012, 1:11 PM

Only a fool would pay $10+ to see a movie just for the previews when it'll be free across the net within a matter of days!

Might I suggest paying $5 for a mini display port to connect your computer to your TV?

I am going for the MOVIE ;D

FOOM - 11/25/2012, 1:23 PM

I'm a self confessed Hippity Hobbity Tolkienesque hater but I gotta admit this looks pretty damned good. If its as good as the previews make it out to be I could just be converted.

Maximus101 - 11/25/2012, 3:51 PM

I'm not going to lie, the only reason I'm going to see this is because I want to see the 9 minute prologue of star trek lol

FilmsFan - 11/25/2012, 3:57 PM

Just saw LoTR trilogy in 3 days, a few days ago!!

Still the Theme, Music, Action, Epicness, Dialogue & Gandalf, Aaragorn & Gollum etc are ringing in my head!
Such a unbelievable amazing Trilogy!
Return of the King.... OMG!!

Hopefully HOBBIT is as quality of a Trilogy as LoTR!

yourdaddy - 11/25/2012, 4:50 PM

[frick] off with you idiots shelling out what will probably total to north of 20 dollars for just previews. all of which, except the star trek preview, will be out online days later.

i'm going for the MOVIE.

Yogath - 11/25/2012, 7:33 PM

Peter isn't going for the amount of accuracy he went for with the LOTR trilogy

>accuracy
>Jackson

pick one

holeymonkey - 11/25/2012, 8:27 PM

The reason he's inserting new characters is simple. LOTR was 3 books, into 3 movies. the Hobbit is 200 pgs (give or take), being made into 3 movies.

pepe - 11/26/2012, 9:25 AM

Martin Freeman was so good in The dark knight rises...

Peter Jackson And Martin Freeman Talk THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

Director Peter Jackson comments on the protagonist of his highly anticipated Hobbit trilogy, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), and what we can expect from the character. Meanwhile, Freeman reveals how daunting it is to be starring in three Hobbit films instead of two.

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