Warner unveils footage of “THE HOBBIT” shot with new technology

BURBANK, CA, April 24, 2012 — Warner Bros. Pictures screened approximately 10 minutes of never-before-seen footage from New Line Cinema and MGM’s upcoming epic “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” which showcased the filmmaking innovation of 48 frames-per-second (fps), doubling the typical frame rate of 24 fps. The footage was part of the studio’s presentation at CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO).

The film, slated for worldwide release beginning December 14, 2012, is the first major motion picture to be made using this state-of-the art high-frame-rate technology.

The footage was introduced via a taped greeting from director Peter Jackson, who gave a bit of history as to how 24 fps became the industry standard and why today’s technology allows for higher frame rates. He also explained that 48 fps is actually closer to the way the human eye views the world. Jackson offered, “As a filmmaker, I always want to create a strong sense of reality, to allow the audience to lose themselves in whatever the cinematic story is that I’m presenting. Shooting and projecting at 48 fps gives you the illusion that a hole has been cut in the wall of the cinema, and you’re watching the story unfold with a heightened sense of reality. It’s terrific for 3D; I’ve looked at the 48 fps dailies for ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ in 3D for over a year now, and with the reduction in strobing and flicker, it is a much more gentle experience on your eyes. 48 fps is not just limited to 3D. A film shot in 48 fps looks fantastic when projected in 2D, and converts well to 24 fps as well.”

Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President, Domestic Distribution, stated, “24 fps has been the standard in our industry for the last 80 years, so this is an exciting breakthrough. It’s no surprise that Peter Jackson, with his commitment to innovation, is the first director to utilize 48 fps on a grand scale. It’s equally gratifying to me to see the exhibition community embrace this advancement.”

Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, Warner Bros. Pictures President, International Distribution, added, “We’re thrilled to be arm-in-arm with Peter Jackson and the exhibition community in exploring the possibilities of high-frame-rate filmmaking. The powerful combination of enduring storytelling and spectacular visuals will offer an exciting new movie-going experience to audiences around the world.”

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, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey and Martin Freeman stars in the central role of Bilbo Baggins. The ensemble cast also includes (in alphabetical order) Richard Armitage, John Bell, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Ian Holm, Peter Hambleton, Barry Humphries, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Evangeline Lilly, Sylvester McCoy, Bret McKenzie, Graham McTavish, Mike Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O’Gorman, Christopher Lee, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Andy Serkis, Conan Stevens, Ken Stott, Jeffrey Thomas, Aidan Turner, Hugo Weaving and Elijah Wood.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is directed by Peter Jackson from a screenplay by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Jackson. Jackson is also producing the film, 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.

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is a production 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, and the second film, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” beginning December 13, 2013. Both films will be released in 3D and 2D in select theatres and IMAX.

“DARK KNIGHT RISES,” “THE HOBBIT” lead Warner's 2012 line-up

Twenty twelve is shaping up to be another banner year for Warner Bros. whose upcoming line-up consists of the formidable tent-pole releases (“The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Hobbit”), blockbuster sequels (“Wrath of the Titans,” “Sherlock Holmes 2”), potential franchise-starters (“Jack and the Giant Killer,” “Dark Shadows”) and prestige titles (“Gravity,” “J. Edgar”). With all these surefire bets, what's not to like?

The Dark Knight Rises. The epic conclusion to Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. Christian Bale again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Marion Cotillard, as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes the first of two films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug.

Wrath of the Titans. A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus (Sam Worthington) —the demigod son of Zeus (Liam Neeson)—is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. But Perseus cannot ignore his true calling when Hades (Ralph Fiennes) makes a deal with Kronos to capture Zeus.

Jack, the Giant Killer. An ancient war is reignited when a young farmhand (Nicholas Hoult) unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. “X-Men's” Bryan Singer directs.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has always been the smartest man in the room…until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large—Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris)—and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may give him an advantage over the renowned detective.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. In this follow-up to the 2008 worldwide hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” the new 3D family adventure begins when young Sean (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. Unable to stop him from going, Sean’s new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest.

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze who's still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter. He is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy from the devil. At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy - and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

Dark Shadows. Director Tim Burton brings the cult classic series to the big screen in a film featuring an all-star cast, led by Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter.

Rock of Ages. The film adaptation of the smash hit Broadway musical tells the story of small town girl Sherrie and city boy Drew, who meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. Their rock ‘n’ roll romance is told through the heart-pounding hits of Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake, and more. Tom Cruise leads the powerhouse cast.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, this drama starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock tells the story of one young boy’s journey from heartbreaking loss to the healing power of self-discovery, set against the backdrop of the tragic events of September 11.

J. Edgar. During his lifetime, J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) would rise to be the most powerful man in America. As head of the FBI for nearly 50 years, he would stop at nothing to protect his country. The Clint Eastwood film explores the personal and public life and relationships of a man who could distort the truth as easily as he upheld it during a life devoted to his own idea of justice, often swayed by the darker side of power.

The Apparition. When frightening events start to occur in their home, young couple Kelly (Ashley Greene) and Ben (Sebastian Stan) discover they are being haunted by a presence. Their last hope is an expert in the supernatural (Tom Felton), but even with his help they may already be too late to save themselves from this terrifying force...

The Lucky One. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive—a photograph he found of a woman he doesn’t even know. Learning her name is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door. Despite her initial mistrust, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm.

Gangster Squad. A colorful retelling of events surrounding the LAPD’s efforts to take back their nascent city from one of the most dangerous mafia bosses of all time. The film stars Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling as the LAPD’s Sgt. John O’Mara and Jerry Wooters; Sean Penn as real-life mobster Mickey Cohen and Emma Stone as Grace Faraday, Cohen’s moll and the object of Wooters’ attention.

Rivals. Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis play rival politicians in a small congressional district in South Carolina.

Argo. Based on true events, the film chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis—the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. Ben Affleck stars and directs.

Burt Wonderstone. Steve Carell and Jim Carrey star in this comedy that deals with rival stage magician teams in Las Vegas. The titular Wonderstone, is one half of a two-man group who has to rediscover his love of magic after the loss of his partner.

Prisoners. A desperate father (Michael Fassbender) turns vigilante and abducts the man he suspects is behind the disappearance of his eight year old daughter and her best friend, after cops fail to find the little girls.

Gravity. A 3D space film about the leader of a team posted at a remote space station. While he (George Clooney) and a female colleague (Sandra Bullock) are traveling outside the space station, the other team members are decimated by debris from an exploded satellite.