The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
First installment of The Hobbit trilogy, prequel to Lord of the Rings.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a 2012 epic fantasy film directed by Peter Jackson, with a screenplay co-written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Jackson, and Guillermo del Toro. It adapts J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel *The Hobbit* and is the first part of a trilogy that precedes Jackson’s *The Lord of the Rings* films (2001–2003). The story takes place in Middle-earth sixty years before the events of *The Lord of the Rings*, with some material drawn from the appendices of Tolkien’s *The Return of the King*. It follows Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who is persuaded by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to join thirteen Dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on a mission to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. The cast also includes Ken Stott, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, James Nesbitt, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, Sylvester McCoy, Barry Humphries, and Manu Bennett.
The film premiered in Wellington on 28 November 2012, then opened in New Zealand on 12 December and in the United States on 14 December, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It arrived nearly nine years after *The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King*. Critics gave mixed reviews, but it earned $1.017 billion worldwide, ranking as the fourth highest-grossing film of 2012. At the 85th Academy Awards, it received nominations for Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Visual Effects. Two sequels, *The Desolation of Smaug* (2013) and *The Battle of the Five Armies* (2014), followed.
**Plot** Before his 111th birthday, the hobbit Bilbo Baggins writes about his adventure for his nephew, Frodo. Years earlier, Dwarf king Thrór led his people to prosperity under the Lonely Mountain until the dragon Smaug arrived, destroying Dale, driving the Dwarves out, and seizing their gold. Thrór’s grandson, Thorin Oakenshield, sought help from Elf king Thranduil but was refused, fostering his hatred of Elves.
In the Shire, 51-year-old Bilbo is tricked by Gandalf into hosting a dinner for Thorin and his company of Dwarves: Balin, Dwalin, Fíli, Kíli, Dori, Nori, Ori, Óin, Glóin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur. Gandalf wants Bilbo as the company’s “burglar” to help them enter the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo initially hesitates but changes his mind after the Dwarves leave without him the next day, racing to join them. They are captured by th
- release_year
- 2012
- director
- Peter Jackson
- based_on
- The Hobbit (1937) by J. R. R. Tolkien
- box_office
- $1.017 billion
- academy_award_nominations
- 3
- runtime
- Not specified in article
- genre
- Epic fantasy
Lore & Background
The story is set in Middle-earth sixty years before the main events of The Lord of the Rings and portions of the film are adapted from the appendices to Tolkien's The Return of the King. It follows Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who is convinced by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) to accompany thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug. The ensemble cast includes Ken Stott, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, James Nesbitt, Elijah Wood, and Andy Serkis, with Sylvester McCoy, Barry Humphries, and Manu Bennett.
Reader's Guide
The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $1.017 billion at the box office, making it the fourth highest-grossing film of 2012. At the 85th Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Visual Effects. Its development was marked by delays, including the departure of original director Guillermo del Toro in May 2010, after which Peter Jackson took over directing. Principal photography began on 21 March 2011 in New Zealand and ended on 6 July 2012. The film's legacy includes launching The Hobbit trilogy, with sequels The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and The Battle of the Five Armies (2014).
Did You Know?
- The film premiered in Wellington on 28 November 2012, almost nine years after the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
- Bilbo Baggins is portrayed by Martin Freeman in the main story, while Ian Holm appears as the older Bilbo in the prologue.
- The film includes cameos by director Peter Jackson and editor Jabez Olssen as Erebor Dwarf refugees.
- The character Radagast appears in the film but was dropped from the film version of The Lord of the Rings, merely being mentioned in passing.
More in part-1
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record