Tag Archives: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Peter Jackson enlists former Hobbit Billy Boyd to perform franchise swan song

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I’ve got the strangest feeling in the pit of my stomach; there’s pure excitement and there’s undeniable sadness lingering as we approach the release of Peter Jackson’s final film in the Hobbit trilogy. Not only will The Battle of the Five Armies close the book on The Hobbit movies, but it also serves as the last chapter in Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s tale of Middle-earth. So how does one properly say goodbye to characters and settings you’ve grown to know and cherish across 13 years and 6 movies? The director enlisted actor and musician Billy Boyd–who played Hobbit Pippin in the Lord of the Rings trilogy–to perform the Five Armies swan song. “The Last Goodbye,” written by Boyd, Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens, will play when the credits roll at the end of the last Hobbit movie and will surely leave fans with a feeling of closure. “We came all this way, and now comes the day, we bid you farewell,” sings Boyd on the soft, charming tune.

“We had to get the song just right, to send the audience out of the movie theater in the most perfect way we could,” Boyd tells Entertainment Weekly. “I think we discovered very quickly this wasn’t just a song to end The Battle of the Five Armies—it was a song to say goodbye to Middle-earth.” He added, “…being asked to go back to that, to work in that wonderful fantasy world again and to be singing the song that says goodbye to Middle-earth for everyone involved and the fans who took this beautiful journey with us is truly a great, great honor.”

Though “The Last Goodbye” doesn’t carry the same oomph as Ed Sheeran’s closing song used in The Desolation of Smaug, it serves its purpose with flying colors as it aims to peacefully put the stories of Middle-earth to rest. Watch Pippin Boyd perform his song in the video embedded above; it’s set against scenes across Hobbit and LOTR films, so embrace yourself for pangs of nostalgia and bring the hankies.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies releases December 17. Download “The Last Goodbye” at iTunes.

Movie trailer round-up: ‘The Hobbit’, ‘Sin City 2’ & ‘Hot Tub Time Machine 2’

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Peter Jackson’s final movie in the Hobbit trilogy is The Battle of the Five Armies and it’s promising to be the most emotionally intense installment yet. Here’s the latest synopsis and the first teaser trailer rests above.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. 

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. 

As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies hits theatres December 17. Eye a fancy new poster below.

Jump after the break to view more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘The Hobbit’, ‘Sin City 2’ & ‘Hot Tub Time Machine 2’ →

Peter Jackson’s ‘Hobbit’ threequel gets a new title

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There And Back Again is no more. In a Facebook post director Peter Jackson announced that the third and final movie in The Hobbit trilogy will now be named The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The change makes sense, according to Jackson.

Our journey to make The Hobbit Trilogy has been in some ways like Bilbo’s own, with hidden paths revealing their secrets to us as we’ve gone along. “There and Back Again” felt like the right name for the second of a two film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo’s arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film. But with three movies, it suddenly felt misplaced—after all, Bilbo has already arrived “there” in the “Desolation of Smaug”…And so: “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” it is.

The old title may not completely bite the dust, however. “As Professor Tolkien intended, “There and Back Again” encompasses Bilbo’s entire adventure, so don’t be surprised if you see it used on a future box-set of all three movies.”

And speaking of home releases, Jackson says he and his team are tirelessly working on the Extended Cut of The Desolation of Smaug coming later this year which includes 25 minutes of new scenes all scored with original music by composer Howard Shore.

Read Jackson’s post in full after the break, and look forward to The Battle of Five Armies set for release into theatres on December 17, 2014.

Continue reading Peter Jackson’s ‘Hobbit’ threequel gets a new title →