Feature Film
The Hobbit Trilogy
2012–2014
Filmed In
Waikato · Canterbury · Otago
Towns & Areas
Matamata (Hobbiton) · Mangaotaki Valley, near Piopio · Twizel · Earnslaw Burn, near Glenorchy
The Story
Return to Middle-earth for the prequel that started it all. Based on Tolkien's 1937 novel, this trilogy chronicles Bilbo Baggins' unexpected journey with a company of dwarves to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug.
The Stars
Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, and Richard Armitage. This ensemble returned the production to a scale that expanded well beyond the original trilogy's footprint.
Behind the Lens
Sir Peter Jackson returned to the director's chair. Jackson returned to Middle-earth after initially stepping back from directing duties, eventually taking on all three films himself.
Why NZ?
With Wētā Workshop already based in Wellington and the permanent Hobbiton set waiting in the Waikato, returning to New Zealand was a no-brainer. The production expanded into the dramatic alpine cliffs of Twizel and the surreal rock formations of Mangaotaki Valley. The expanded geographic footprint reflected how much bigger in scale The Hobbit trilogy became compared to the original Lord of the Rings films.
On Set
Richard Armitage has said he genuinely believed he was about to be fired and sent home during early rehearsals for Thorin. Behind the scenes, a bitter union pay dispute nearly moved the entire trilogy offshore before New Zealand's government stepped in — and partway through, Jackson underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer without the production stopping.
Legacy
Adapted from Tolkien's 1937 children's novel, the trilogy expanded a single short book into three feature films, drawing on additional Tolkien appendices and notes to fill out the story.
Full in depth information, stories, anecdotes and fascinating facts of every movie in the regional guides.
Get The Full Guide
Secure Your Founding Member Access All 10 Region Guides, All 45 Movies