The Hobbit movies discussion

[Cammo]

The namechange is official:

The final installment in The Hobbit trilogy is changing its name, with The Hobbit: There and Back Again becoming The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Source: PJ's official FB-page:

Our journey to make The Hobbit Trilogy has been in some ways like Bilbo's own, with hidden paths revealing their secrets to us as we've gone along. “There and Back Again” felt like the right name for the second of a two film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo’s arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film. But with three movies, it suddenly felt misplaced—after all, Bilbo has already arrived “there” in the "Desolation of Smaug".

When we did the premiere trip late last year, I had a quiet conversation with the studio about the idea of revisiting the title. We decided to keep an open mind until a cut of the film was ready to look at. We reached that point last week, and after viewing the movie, we all agreed there is now one title that feels completely appropriate.

And so: "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" it is.

As Professor Tolkien intended, “There and Back Again” encompasses Bilbo’s entire adventure, so don’t be surprised if you see it used on a future box-set of all three movies.

Before then however, we have a film to finish, and much to share with you. It’s been a nice quiet time for us—Jabez and I happily editing away in a dark cave in Wellington—but those halcyon days are quickly coming to an end. It will soon be time to step into the light. Expect to see and hear much about The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in the coming months.

And there’s also The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Cut, which we’re in the process of finishing, with over 25 mins of new scenes, all scored with original music composed by Howard Shore.

It’ll be a fun year!

[Ultron]

It doesn't have the same conclusive tone that "There and Back Again" had. "The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies" just has too many "The's"

[Clone OPatra]

One thing's for sure: the movie's going to be a freaking three hour fight scene. Yay.........

[Ultron]

One thing's for sure: the movie's going to be a freaking three hour fight scene. Yay.........

Pretty much....I just hope they don't bring Sauron to life and somehow put him in the battle like the rumors suggested. That'll make people so angry! (Including me! )

[Floundie]

What?????? I have to say I wasn't expecting that. And I am not convinced. There and Back Again is the perfect title for the end of the series, and it isn't even out of context. They are 'There' and they are going 'Back again'. THERE IS NOTHING CONFUSING ABOUT IT.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is in no ways a better title IMHO. At least get rid of the unnecessary second 'the'. But there, that's how I feel about it.

25 min for DOS EE is pretty good though.

[The Legonater]

I was under the impression it was confirmed that final title would be 'Battle of the Five Armies'? I'll grant either of those titles are better, that's just what I had heard.

I, personally, am not surprised. Thought I still agree it's not the best name.

[Kintobor]

I'm not to thrilled with the change, honestly. There and Back Again really felt like it summed up the entire journey. Bilbo's technically still "there", and he still has to go back again. The Battle of the Five Armies sounds so... uninspired.

[Fives]

I'm not too thrilled with this change, but I feel like the BO5A is gonna be a huge deal. I expect at least 40 minutes of the film to focus around the battle. I also feel like The Hobbit trilogy, compared to LOTR, is lighter on the big battles. Sure, we saw some of the Battle of Azanulbizar in AUJ, but DOS basically only had small action scenes centred around the heroes. I'm hoping that the BO5A makes up for this lack of big battles, and thus justifies the title change.

[CMP]

I'm not to thrilled with the change, honestly. There and Back Again really felt like it summed up the entire journey. Bilbo's technically still "there", and he still has to go back again. The Battle of the Five Armies sounds so... uninspired.

Pretty much my thoughts.

We all knew this is easily going to be the most action-packed film, but the title just sounds kind of lame.

[Leo604]

The thing I don't like about the title is that it has no other meaning; TABA represented both the travel to Erebor and then the return to the Shire, and Bilbo's personal journey as he goes from naive Hobbit to hardened adventurer.

[The_Chosen_1]

I'm not a fan of this change at all. To me, it simply focuses much too heavily on a single part of the film (however large part may be).

[Palathadric]

I'm not to thrilled with the change, honestly. There and Back Again really felt like it summed up the entire journey. Bilbo's technically still "there", and he still has to go back again. The Battle of the Five Armies sounds so... uninspired.

Totally. The name just sounds dumb.

Anyway, I can totally get inspiration from this. We start the movie with the Laketowners fleeing Smaug's wrath and running to the mountain where they demand entrance for protection from the dwarves. The Dwarves refused. The other dwarves, left in Laketown, side with the humans to fight the party in the mountain and rescue humanity. Then the wargs and their riders show up so everyone screams and starts fighting them until the elves come and cause more confusion then ever. Orcs are next and by now everyone is fighting everyone. Beorn comes as a man because he's forgotten how to do the whole bear thing, but its Galadriel, Elrond, and Saruman who win the day (for the short term) for the goodies. Then Smaug comes and kills everyone apart from Thorin, Fili, Kili, and Tauriel because they are so important to the movie. THE END!

Epilogue: Since Thranduil is also dead Tauriel becomes king of the elves and makes Fili her queen and Fili becomes the father of the wood elves. Kili and Thorin made appearances in the Lord of the Rings disguised as Gloin and Gimli.

What a cool movie.

...Yeah, this title doesn't do anything for me.

[Darth Punk]

They don't want you think its the end. Because in the timeline The Lord of the Rings is next. I'm sure we will see foreshadowing during Bo5a to TLoR and is the perfect time to promote the trilogy once again. And knowing Warner Bros. we will eventually see collector editions of both trilogies packaged together.

At the end of The Return of the King Frodo adds his addition of the TLoR to Bilbos's TABA and I could easily see in the end Jackson and Warner Bros. wanting to do the same with the movies.

[Clone OPatra]

The title "There and Back Again" doesn't imply the end. It's just a nicer, loftier title. "Battle of the Five Armies" honestly sounds like a spinoff title, like they made a nice series of movies, and then decided to make another one about a battle. All of the rest of the titles are pleasantly vague while this one is just a smack in the face. Boom. Battle.

[Darth Punk]

In this context is does since it's the title of Bilbos's book encompassing the entire hobbit book. His journey to the mountain and back to the shire. I'm not a big fan of the battle title either, but there really isn't anything else left in the book to tell except for the journey home.

So unless Jackson makes up a great deal more material the last movie was obviously going to be mainly about the battle.

Thought I would add that if the title doesn't imply an end then is should be able to be used as the title for the first movie. But it doesn't work because it seems as though it's just a single movie and not a trilogy. A journey and an ending. The last movie has an ending, but only for awhile. Thus the pivot and continuation on to TLoR, linking the trilogies together. The battle of the five armies actually is an added movie, expanding the scope of the Hobbit from more of an epilogue to a trilogy that has equal weight to TLoR(cinematically I wouldn't agree, TLoR is far superior). Thus the need to have a better flow and not have it seem the story ends with the third hobbit movie.

All that being said i do like the title there and back again and as someone mentioned we will probably see it again as an overall title. I could imagine a box set including both trilogy with the first half being called there and back again and the second called TLoR. In that contest it makes perfect sense and the ending of the return of the king ties it all together nicely.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Darth Punk

[Faefrost]

Jackson said he has not abandoned the "There and back again" name entirely. That will be the name for the full 3 movie extended edition release. Which sort of makes sense. TABA is the name of the full story.

[Floundie]

Can someone help me? I'm remember seeing a big banner of Thorin wearing BOFA armor in (I recall) Thranduil's kingdom. And for the life of me I cannot find it. I wonder if anyone knows what I'm talking about?

[InvincibleEagle]

I disagree with the name change for the exact reasons previously stated, but it is very smart from a marketing standpoint. Battle of Five Armies is a very epic sounding subtitle, perhaps the most epic movie title in history, so I can see it attracting a lot of people who were previously uninterested in the Hobbit and even Lord of the Rings. "Oh, there's a really big battle in this one? That should be cool. What do you want for dinner afterwards?"

[kevkipo]

I think the new name is a bit confusing

When you're talking about BO5A people wont know if you mean the movie or the exact battle itself

[Floundie]

For those who have not read the book and do not wish to be spoiled, or want to go into the film not knowing about any changes to the plot, (in the unlikely event this turns out to be true) turn away now.

Here is what I believe is the root article. (of nightmares) http://www.ecumenica...ve-armies-24895 According to this story, Thorin will remain alive at the end of film 3. Which would be ABSOLUTELY DISGRACEFUL. There have been some recent petitions by 'fans' to Peter to remove his death from the film. But I would NEVER expect such a massive storyline tweak to become reality.

What's next, Smaug in the BOFA?

shudder.

Edited May 25, 2014 by Floundie

[CMP]

There is no way he would warp the canon THAT much.

[Masked Builder]

Okay wow. I think someone was bored. I'm not sure what I would do if this happens.

He did almost have Sauron fight Aragorn at the end of RotK, he took that out thankfully.

[Master_Data]

What's next, Smaug in the BOFA?

shudder.

That is actually exactly what I expect; I just hope they don't do it. Maybe they will combine the BOFA with Smaug's raid on Laketown?

[Palathadric]

What's next, Smaug in the BOFA?

shudder.

I think we should follow Batman's rule of thumb.

"Uh, guys, we're going to have Smaug in the Battle of Five Armies?"

"Yeah, but it's gonna look really cool."

[Faefrost]

Oh gods I hope we don't have Smaug at the Battle. PJ was actually very very good at mostly maintaining the cause and effect elements of the stories in LotR. Which is why I remain dismayed at what he has done in the Hobbit. Case in point by having the Dwarves fight Smaug he destroyed Smaug's reason for attacking and burning Laketown. Traditionally he does that because Bilbo calls himself the "barrel rider", and Smaug can't figure out quite who or what he is. He assumes he is linked to Lake Town and goes off to seek revenge. But if he has Dwarves running around his mountain, it's pretty clear what the problem is. So why fly off to burn Laketown?

And by the same token, the BoFA takes place because of the unguarded hoard. Everybody wants a piece. If the dragon isn't dead yet, then the battle ain't happening.

I'm not buying the Thorin not dying rumors. That's just too big a change. Plus PJ has gotten his best dramatic results from character deaths. Boromir's. Gandalf's. Theoden's. Heck he stuck a contrived one into Two Towers with Haldor. If anything I think he is going to go the other way and wipe out more than expected. I would not be surprised to see more than the expected Dwarf deaths. (Heck Rankin Bass already did that once.) Plus you can guess that there are 2 heroic characters not from the book that will not survive.