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 Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment? 
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Post Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment?
Since the LOTR films adjusted to 450-500m in 2012, why did Hobbit barely crack 300m? I understand why 2 and 3 would've declined from the first film as it was meh, but the first film should've rid high off the nostalgia wave to a 100m opening no?


Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:41 am
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Post Re: Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment
It's mainly splitting it into 3 movies, the material wasn't really as exciting on paper in the first one, although imo it's an underrated movie. I think if it was 2 parts and the first one ended with Smaug escaping it would have been bigger.

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Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:49 am
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Post Re: Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment
The opening was fine for December. It's legs were meh. The Hobbit movies had no stakes after LOTR and most people know Hobbit as kids books rather than a fan fiction. Plus the split hurt it big time. Yes it was disappointing in the end but more so it's legs which were because of depressed WOM.


Thu Sep 09, 2021 9:51 am
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Post Re: Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment
Obviously it was still a successful film that was widely seen and made a lot of money for a lot of people, but yes. It should've been bigger.

They messed up by announcing a trilogy instead of two films. They had nothing exciting to market the first one with other than "see Gollum again!!" because all the cool scenes happen in #2 and #3. The prospect of a children's story stretched out to a big trilogy already felt exhausting before the first film had even come out. I am a massive LOTR fan and I didn't even see the first one in theatres. I can imagine I was not the only one. Basically, it comes down to the fact that watching the first Hobbit felt like a big commitment to having to watch the entire trilogy with little immediate payoff since nothing cool happens in the first one.

I will say that the first part of the film is really good and felt like classic LOTR, I don't think anyone but PJ would've been able to capture the right atmosphere and mood. He gets Middle Earth like no one else. When the Hobbit films are good (Radagast, Mirkwood scenes, everything with Smaug) they are REALLY good and probably the best anyone could've adapted it, but there is so much bloat throughout the whole three films that it becomes unwatchable.

I honestly think they should do a reverse Extended Edition and instead release a Director's Cut that reduces the footage down to two 3hr films like originally intended. I feel like that could be a big hit for HBO Max as well. The performances and production design are all fantastic, the footage is all there, they just need to re-edit it.

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Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:36 pm
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Post Re: Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment
I saw all three originals in theaters but have yet to see any of the prequels. Felt like a cash grab and a bit desperate. Also franchises and moviegoing felt much different from the early 00's and they felt dated a bit without bringing anything that new to the table to rush to see them.


Sat Sep 11, 2021 1:49 am
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Post Re: Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment
Agree with the idea that a two part Director’s Cut would work great on HBO Max. There is so much obvious extraneous material in the trilogy and it didn’t feel like the labor of love that LOTR was for Jackson. Like someone said, it was a cash grab.

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Sat Sep 11, 2021 11:33 am
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Post Re: Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment
Yes, I'd felt at that time that $1B WW would be the floor for the project.

I guess at least it ended up hitting that mark with China's help.


Sat Sep 11, 2021 2:24 pm
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Post Re: Was the Hobbit an Unexpected Journey a BO disappointment
It was the best of the three and considering it was very much void of any excitement I think it did well. It’s numbers are very reflective of good will from the previous trilogy, so in context I think it did the best it could have done. The 2nd and third on the other hand were complete cash grabs ala mockingjay 1. But from a quality standpoint the entire trilogy was unnecessary.

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Sat Sep 11, 2021 5:07 pm
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