I did. Women seem to like Kili... of course...

Well, these movies need another Aragorn (though I assumed that'd be Bard).

Bard will definately be the one....though my early vote, at least on real life photos is Thranduil.....Lee Pace is sooo yummy.

Kili doesn't do it for me, sorry

I suppose...

Though, i'd say Kili's babyface is more akin to Legolas. I assume Thorin will be Hobbit's Aragorn. From what we could glimpse from the EW/Empire pictures, he won't wear a lot if any face prosthetics either.

Legolas has more of a squarer jaw (hotness) and slightly bulkier build on top. Kili just looks slim all around. Me no like

I'm all for this, leave the Production alone.....

---

Hobbit photos in Miramar park banned

Security company patrols Miramar park
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/ne ... rk-banned/

People taking pictures of Hobbits from a hilltop park above Peter Jackson's studios in Miramar risk having the images deleted and being charged with trespassing.

This is the potential outcome for anyone using cameras on Wexford Hill, a Wellington Airport-owned property that overlooks the Stone St studios, where The Hobbit is being made.

The land, which has panoramic views of the eastern suburbs, looks like a park. It is mowed, unfenced and has seats on the summit.

Until recently, an old Ministry of Transport sign (still visible) warned people not to drive vehicles there.

Six large notices have now been erected telling members of the public that although they are welcome on to the land for "usual recreation purposes", they are not allowed to take photos of any property or people at the Stone St studios below.

The notices are signed by Recon security company, which works for The Hobbit production company 3foot7.

When approached for comment, The Hobbit publicist Melissa Booth said everyone at the studios was on a two-month break, including the producers. She recommended contacting the security company.

A Recon spokesman said the company worked directly for 3foot7, which had an agreement with Wellington International Airport.

He said if its security officers find people taking pictures they will be asked to delete the images and, in the worst case, the officer would issue a trespass notice.

Balin and Dwalin Revealed



Much better than the last 5 releases.

Well, they are more like classic dwarfs. They do look great. I'm really falling for Dwalin's hammer of mass destruction.

These huge openings by HP7-2 has me worried slightly that The Hobbit will not be able to take it down next year. It certainly won't match Potter in the opening stakes (even in native regions like Scandinavia), it will need to rely on stronger legs to take down Potter.

I don't know, for some reason i worry about The Hobbit. The buzz on forums i've been to don't appear that strong for it and i'm not sure if audiences are really ready to go back to Middle Earth

Wait for the trailer, if they hit it out of the park, hype will grow. Heck, not even i am that crazy about it yet, the book is not one of my favorites.

As for Harry Potter, screw him!

Well i think Potter's opening records especially in the wester speaking countries will be around for some time, i don't see anything remotely capable of taking it down until possible Avatar 2.

The dragon in HP7-2 was quite well done, and one of the excellent scenes from the movie. He would have to be one of the better ones in recent years, much better than Horntail in HP4 or Saphira in Eragon.

Now, perhaps the most well known dragon in still to come. Smaug. I wonder if they're going to make him more serpentine or traditional european dragon. I think Tolkien describes a more serpentine look so would think that they would run that way....though they better stay clear of fell beasts like in LOTR.

The picture of Draigoch from the upcoming Rise of Isengard expansion loods pretty good though. Something similar could work. Smaug is obviously going to be BIG and RED, though i'm sure they won't portray a totally red one.....perhaps something more brooding with black mixed in.

Smaug could well be another digital achievement and it definately gives Weta Digital lots to play with. They set the benchmark with Gollum, then King Kong....can they do it again with another creature?

Here's Tolkien's own original drawing of Smaug...

Thorin:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=79893

I like the look.

Yeah, not at all how i envisioned him (in the book he's the oldest of the bunch). I understand their reasons, you gotta have a handsome bad-ass leading man, an old fully bearded geezer doesn't cut it. As long as he's well acted i will see over his looks (again, he looks cool just not "dwarvish").

As for Smaug, personally, i prefer the stronger build, lizard like, western dragons to the slender, long, serpentine like, eastern variety. It'll also be interesting to see how they make him speak, through his mouth or telepathically.

Any idea where the split will occur in the book?

It's been so long since i read the book, i can't say. Somewhere in the middle.

It's only a 320 page children's book - - it should have been a single movie, not needlessly stretched out for the double BO cash-in (though perhaps we should just be grateful they didn't completely bloat it out into a trilogy).

I think they're incorporating other elements from outside the book...there were rumors that the second film would be a bridge between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings...

If it means more time in Middle Earth I'm fine with it, after LOTR I have absolute faith in PJ.

That has long since been scrapped. But you're right in that they'll expand on things only mentioned in passing or not at all, like White Council's dealings with the Necromancer.

What I am wondering, though...if there's no bridge...then how exactly does Elijah Wood as Frodo figure in this film?

He and Ian Holm will serve as bookends, they'll appear at the beginning and end of each film most likely. Old Bilbo might recount Frodo of his adventures or Frodo will read Bilbo's book (the one you see in FOTR/ROTK), which will then lead into the movies proper.

*lol* Someone did a Thorin Klingon mod:

I don't know what to think now that all the dwarves are released. I think they've done a good job all up but there are a few obvious ones which make you scratch your head.

Thorin definately looks very dark, i need to see the full body shot.

Smaug i hope will not be too traditional Western but with more slender limbs and not as serpentine as fell beasts.

That strangely are the parts i'm most interested in....LOL, it's not a major feature of the books (in fact i think they barely mention it at all) but like Christopher lee said in LOTR....these are things which "need to be seen".