The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Cate Blanchett as: Galadriel

Directed by: Peter Jackson
Selected Cast: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis, Ken Stott, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, James Nesbitt, Elijah Wood, Sylvester McCoy, Barry Humphries, and Manu Bennett
Written by: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro (Based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien)
Release Year: 2011
Genre: Action / Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG-13

IMDb | Photos | Videos | Official Site

Bilbo Baggins lives a simple life with his fellow hobbits in the shire, until the wizard Gandalf arrives and convinces him to join a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim the kingdom of Erebor. The journey takes Bilbo on a path through treacherous lands swarming with orcs, goblins and other dangers, not the least of which is an encounter with Gollum and a simple gold ring that is tied to the fate of Middle Earth in ways Bilbo cannot even fathom.

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Behind the scenes
Related Videos

The second video is a playlist of the appendices from the DVD, just click on the playlist icon on the upper right to see the other videos in it.

Quotes from Cate Blanchett

  • “There is no bloat on the set of The Hobbit; no unnecessary 17-member entourages. Peter has an enormous crew, but everyone is working, and you really feel like you’re on the set of an independent film because he’s got the same hunger that a young, independent filmmaker has. And he carries that into every minute, even though he’s working across three stages, shooting three different films at once.” (Dujour, 2014)
  • On working with her returning co-stars: “Hugo Weaving and I know really well as we’ve worked on stage a lot and made another film together. So that doesn’t feel like a reunion. If anything, our relationship has got much closer since Lord of the the Rings. But what was extraordinary for me was getting to work with Ian McKellen. I only briefly worked with him in Lord of the Rings and in my very small part in The Hobbit it was mainly with him. He’s a wonderful man and one of the world’s most extraordinary actors. I honestly think he’s one of the best of all time.”
  • “I think it was just getting to spend some time in close proximity to Ian McKellen. I’m smitten. If only he were straight.”

Quotes from Others

  • Peter Jackson on perhaps working again in The Hobbit films
    — “Cate [Blanchett] is one of my favorite actors to work with and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her reprise the role she so beautifully brought to life in the earlier films.”
  • Ian McKellen on his favourite scene in the film:
    —“The scene with Galadriel in Rivendell. A chance to get to know Cate Blanchett and gaze into that beautiful face all day long.”

Trivia & Facts

  • Filmed in New Zealand.
  • Cate Blanchett was not placed on a swivel platform in order to create the delicate turn of her entrance. She just rotated her body without any help from a prop.
  • The film grossed $1.017 billion at the box office despite mixed reviews from critics.
  • The film premiered in New Zealand on 28 November 2012.
  • Around 100,000 people lined the red carpet on Courtenay Place for the film’s premiere, and the entire event was broadcast live on TV in New Zealand, and the streamed on the internet.
  • Cate Blanchett filmed her scenes for The Hobbit trilogy for ten days only.

Press conference and world premiere in New Zealand, 28 November 2012