Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially announced both the 3-disc standard Blu-ray and 5-disc 3D Combo Pack releases of director Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Extended Edition. Both versions of the 186-minute Extended Cut arrive on Blu-ray on November 4th.
The new Extended Cut includes 25 minutes of additional film footage that extends individual scenes, making this the must-see, definitive version for fans. Both versions of the Extended Edition include more than nine hours of new bonus features that also enrich the experience of the Trilogy as fans gear up for the December 17th theatrical release of the third and final film, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.
One of the Extended Cut's new scenes can be found embedded below. In it, Bilbo and the Dwarves stumble across a broken bridge while in the forests of Mirkwood.
Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield. The international ensemble cast is led by Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt and Orlando Bloom as Legolas. The film also stars Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Aidan Turner, Dean O'Gorman, Graham McTavish, Adam Brown, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Manu Bennett and Lawrence Makoare.
Synopsis: The Desolation of Smaug continues the adventure of Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (McKellan) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Armitage), on an epic quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Having survived the beginning of their unexpected journey, the Company travels East, encountering along the way skin-changer Beorn and a swarm of giant spiders in the treacherous forest of Mirkwood. After escaping capture by the dangerous Wood-elves, the Dwarves journey to Lake-town, and finally to the Lonely Mountain itself, where they must face the greatest danger of all–a creature more terrifying than any other; one which will test not only the depth of their courage but the limits of their friendship and the wisdom of the journey itself: the dragon Smaug (Cumberbatch).
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Extended Edition is presented in 1080p with DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround. Special features available on both the 2D and 3D releases of the Extended Edition include:
-Audio Commentary with Director/writer/producer Peter Jackson and writer/co-producer Philippa Boyens
-New Zealand: Home of Middle-Earth, Part 2 - Travel with Jackson and his team across the stunning locations of New Zealand, transformed by the filmmakers into Middle-Earth.
-The Appendices Part 9 & 10: The next two installments in Jackson's sprawling "Appendices" production documentary showcase an immersive multi-part history of the filming of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, covering preproduction in the various departments of the film in the months leading up to the start of principal photography, training, the work done on set and in the world of its digital effects.
-More details to come...
Quote:
Inside Information...
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!
I'm not a fan of these movies, but I see this as a scam. So if you are a die hard fan and must have both the theatrical and extended cut, then you must buy both version separately. Why not offer both the theatrical and extended cuts on the same release for those who wants to own both cuts?
A given. I'll continue to wait out the EEs of these films.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cortiz
I'm not a fan of these movies, but I see this as a scam. So if you are a die hard fan and must have both the theatrical and extended cut, then you must buy both version separately. Why not offer both the theatrical and extended cuts on the same release for those who wants to own both cuts?
It isn't a scam. Scams usually involve some sort of trickery. No one has to buy both, and diehards can choose to invest an extra $20, or so, if they want to. It isn't breaking anyone's bank.
Last edited by Mandalorian; 04-24-2014 at 05:09 PM.
a given. I'll continue to wait out the ees of these films.
It isn't a scam. Scams usually involve some sort of trickery. No one has to buy both, and diehards can choose to invest an extra $20, or so, if they want to. It isn't breaking anyone's bank.
A given. I'll continue to wait out the EEs of these films.
It isn't a scam. Scams usually involve some sort of trickery. No one has to buy both, and diehards can choose to invest an extra $20, or so, if they want to. It isn't breaking anyone's bank.
I agree. I don't need both cuts (even though the theatrical cut may have different edited scenes from the EE). To me, the EE is sufficient enough and the definitive cut.
I understand if we are talking about Wong Kar Wai's The Grandmaster (which has entirely different scene additions and removals in each of its three cuts), but I don't think the EEs have removed any scenes from the theatrical cut.
I'm not a fan of these movies, but I see this as a scam. So if you are a die hard fan and must have both the theatrical and extended cut, then you must buy both version separately. Why not offer both the theatrical and extended cuts on the same release for those who wants to own both cuts?
How is this a scam?everyone knows the theatricals gets released first followed by the extended.
The day comes when I'll be watching The Lord of the Rings: Extended Edition and the Hobbit Trilogy: Extended Edition all in one go!
I think I need two days.
Most likely! Not to mention all the appendices, commentaries, etc! These sets contain so much, and they're so low priced, that calling them a scam is a disservice. For 24.99 (what I paid for hobbit 1 EE) I could never call it a scam. Some of the best sets on the market!
I'm not a fan of these movies, but I see this as a scam. So if you are a die hard fan and must have both the theatrical and extended cut, then you must buy both version separately. Why not offer both the theatrical and extended cuts on the same release for those who wants to own both cuts?
It might not be a scam, but it's definitely more of a business enterprise than an artistic endeavor. The book should have been ONE 2½ hour movie. Instead we got a padded and convoluted story stretched over 3 films. It should be Bilbo's story, but it's not. Instead of one movie ticket, they can sell you three. Instead of one Blu-ray disc they can sell you 6 plus the theatrical set and the extended set.
Cool! With 25 more minutes, hopefully we can finally see the paths of Mirkwood come to life! The "where's that trail again?" bit in the theatrical cut reeks of a displaced sequence, and it seemed like they got through the entire forest in an afternoon.
Or, it could be 25 more minutes of Legolas sucker punching orcs. :P
And people have been crying "scam!" since the extended release of Fellowship in 2002. Give it a rest.
I'm not a fan of these movies, but I see this as a scam. So if you are a die hard fan and must have both the theatrical and extended cut, then you must buy both version separately. Why not offer both the theatrical and extended cuts on the same release for those who wants to own both cuts?
Not everyone wants to own both cuts. That's the reason I'm waiting on the EE.
Nice. Honestly, more excited for the making-of documentaries more than the new footage.
I'm jazzed about both. The EE extras are superb, they always have been, but I'm very excited about seeing what they've done to the film. Jackson has a habit of putting stuff back in which informs the next movie, so hopefully we'll get to see more of Dale and whatnot.
Cool! With @5 more minutes, hopefully we can finally see the paths of Mirkwood come to life! The "where's that trail again?" bit in the theatrical cut reeks of a displaced sequence, and it seemed like they got through the entire forest in an afternoon.
Or, it could be 25 more minutes of Legolas sucker punching orcs. :P
And people have been crying "scam!" since the extended release of Fellowship in 2002. Give it a rest.
Pretty sure there's gonna be more Beorn, and the celebration in Esgaroth that was clearly excised (when the Master of Lake-Town promises to support the Dwarves the night before they take off for Erebor). Wouldn't be surprised to see more of the Woodland Realm and possibly more of Mirkwood.
I'd REALLY like to see more of Gandalf and Radagast, as that material felt severely truncated in the middle stretch of the theatrical. I think they kept exactly what they needed, but just for curiosity's sake, I'd love to see more.
All countries
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
China
Colombia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Estonia
Denmark
Finland
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
India
Latvia
Lithuania
Malaysia
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition - November 4, 2014
Linear Mode
