After a bad experience at
CinemaCon and deciding to show footage only at 24fps at
Comic-Con, it’s recently been confirmed that
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will only be hitting limited theatres at 48fps.
Partly that’s due to the fact that very few locations will be set up to project the higher frame rate in time for the December 2012 release of the film. It’s also likely a reaction to the negative reactions to the original screening of footage, aimed at letting audience word of mouth build for the new format.
Peter Jackson shot
The Hobbit at 48 fps to create a smoother image, something which he claims makes 3D viewing easier for the audience and will help to draw them into the world of Middle Earth like never before. The first audiences instead insisted that the motion was distracting, while the vivid detail made the props and special effects stand out.
It has been reported that more recent test screenings have been far more successful, with post production work focussing on addressing some of these important concerns but it’s likely that few enough people will get the chance to experience this alternative version of the film.
It’s likely that
Jackson and
Warner Bros will use
An Unexpected Journey as something of a test case for the sequel,
There and Back Again, which is due in cinemas in December 2013. Expect a more comprehensive 48fps roll out for that film. And
Jackson has also recently confirmed that a third film is also in the offing. With the reams of footage shot back to back for the first two titles, the writer/director has decided that there’s enough story here to make
The Hobbit another epic trilogy. He’s heading back to the studio for additional photography to get that ready in time for a Summer 2014 release.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is in cinemas from the 14th of December. More info as we get it.