# "The Hobbit" has started filming **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475 "2011-03-21T15:07:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/1 "2011-03-21T15:07:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Wellington, NZ, March 21, 2011—Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on “The Hobbit,” filmmaker Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s widely read masterpiece… The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand. [link](http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150168211921558) Yay! ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/2 "2011-03-21T15:20:53Z")
I’m kinda meh on the idea of a Hobbit movie, but I’m glad they’ve finally started filming so that they can finish filming and Martin Freeman can go back to making more Sherlock Holmes episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/3 "2011-03-21T15:46:01Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I’m kinda meh on the idea of a Hobbit movie, but I’m glad they’ve finally started filming so that they can finish filming and Martin Freeman can go back to making more Sherlock Holmes episodes. At least he _looks_ like a hobbit. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/4 "2011-03-21T17:06:06Z")
Finally! Damn shame about the 3D nonsense. I’m so happy they are filming - Ian McKellen is not getting any younger. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/5 "2011-03-21T17:50:58Z")
3D? Booooooooooooooooooooo!!! I’ll be glad when the fad dies off the second time around. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/6 "2011-03-21T17:51:19Z")
Glad to hear it. And boy, would I love to have even 1% of opening weekend box office receipts for that film… ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/7 "2011-03-21T18:21:21Z")
I’m really looking forward to it, but the problem is that when I look forward to a movie in advance (Which is not very often) it usually turns out to be incredibly disappointing.f ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/8 "2011-03-21T18:31:42Z")
“…Shapeshifters and Sorcerers” and 3D - sigh I will not hate this until I see it. I will not hate this until I see it. I will not hate this until I see it. Ok fine, I will _try_ not to hate this before I see it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/9 "2011-03-21T18:42:20Z")
I’m looking forward to it but also expect to be disappointed so at least my expectations are not crazy high like they were for the “Fellowship of the Ring”. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/10 "2011-03-21T19:14:57Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Finally! > > Damn shame about the 3D nonsense. I’m so happy they are filming - Ian McKellen is not getting any younger. Are you shitting me? Scratch that one off my theater-going list. ---
**Author:** ![Walmarticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Walmarticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walmarticus)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/11 "2011-03-21T19:22:15Z")
Aw fuck! The trilogy was the very definition of epic, with only two dimensions. It packed about five extra dimensions of awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/12 "2011-03-21T19:24:08Z")
Awesome! I can’t wait! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/13 "2011-03-21T19:24:43Z")
For some reason I cannot help but wish that John Candy was alive to do a “3d house of Hobbits” parody along the lines of this old SCTV classic; [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87WgmGHz9U4) Imagine Frodo or Gollum moving the ring toward the camera and back along with that music effect. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/14 "2011-03-21T19:39:39Z")
> [@Grey](#): > > “…Shapeshifters and Sorcerers” and 3D - sigh The Hobbit has both a shapeshifter and a sorcerer. Whats the sigh for? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/15 "2011-03-21T21:00:16Z")
I think The Hobbit could work quite nicely in 3D if it is carefully thought out. Avatar had that kind of thought put into it. (So did the recent grindhouse schlock Drive Angry.) But most movies don’t benefit from it. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/16 "2011-03-21T21:18:37Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > The Hobbit has both a shapeshifter and a sorcerer. Whats the sigh for? Because the last thing I want is for the focus of this movie to be on anyone other than Bilbo. I understand marketing is going to be for those who have no idea what “The Hobbit” is about. I understand they’ll focus on special effects and likely throw in crap like the White Council assault on the Necromancer but I don’t like it. That and I’m trying to figure out how the use of 3D is going to work with the cool perspective forcing the LotR used. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/17 "2011-03-21T21:20:11Z")
Most 3D movies are available in 2D as well. And it’s the 2D version that I’ll be watching. Don’t need that 3D distraction! ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/18 "2011-03-21T21:31:53Z")
> [@Grey](#): > > Because the last thing I want is for the focus of this movie to be on anyone other than Bilbo. I understand marketing is going to be for those who have no idea what “The Hobbit” is about. I understand they’ll focus on special effects and likely throw in crap like the White Council assault on the Necromancer but I don’t like it. But even if you don’t add anything except what was directly in the book, you have to include the shapeshifter and the sorceror, no? It’s not like Gandalf and Beorn are minor characters that should be cut out… ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/19 "2011-03-21T21:44:07Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Damn shame about the 3D nonsense. > [@Chefguy](#): > > Are you shitting me? Scratch that one off my theater-going list. 😕 I could see why someone might personally want not to see the 3D version of a movie, but not why someone would boycott the 2D version just because a 3D version also exists. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475/20 "2011-03-21T21:55:00Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > 😕 I could see why someone might personally want not to see the 3D version of a movie, but not why someone would boycott the 2D version just because a 3D version also exists. 😕 Maybe if they keep repeating “gimmick” over and over again, someone will eventually believe them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-hobbit-has-started-filming/575475.md?page=2)