Animated and cartoon titles used to often be classic Disney and Saturday morning staples, or raunchy adult counterpoints. Though there was some common ground, it was sparse (and dependent on a kid’s guardian’s perspective--this list included). Today, a lot has changed–the once semi-no man’s land has ballooned to offer plenty of palatable watches for all ages. Below you’ll find cartoon pioneers, today's hits, and some stellar hidden gems outside of typical Disney titles, because that could be a whole separate list! Without further ado, let's get surfing through some great picks.

Peanuts

Charlie Brown and co. are another one of those enduring and endearing cartoons that continue to win generations' hearts. While most of us only consider watching any Peanuts fodder during the holidays, there’s plenty more to choose from, including the 2015 film The Peanuts Movie. And let’s face it, we’re all holding on hope that one day Charlie won’t be tricked by Lucy.

Batman: The Animated Series

Plenty of classic comic book characters could’ve filled out this list with some ease, but Batman naturally won top spot to rep the DC list. The 1992 series was a true highlight for Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, even though it only ran for four seasons. And though there were plenty of BAM!’s and POW!’s to go around, minimal footage of foes being hurt was shown.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Like DC, Marvel’s top comic goes to Spider-Man. And though there are endless iterations, the 2018 film following Miles Morales’ experience getting bitten is an exciting refresh. Regardless of whether you’re a newcomer or a vet of the Peter Parker world, it’s nice to see a new angle on him.

Scooby-Doo

Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Fred and Daphne, aka “Mystery Incorporated,” have been a sustaining staple since their 1969 introduction. The gang has a huge, comedic, family-friendly franchise that spans multiple shows and movies, and continues to win audiences time and again through their humorously balanced sleuthing skills. Those meddling kids and their dog nailed simple storylines with smart but accessible jokes.

Tom And Jerry

As more or less the OG ‘cat and mouse’ duo, Tom and Jerry are Hollywood royalty. With roots tracing back to the 1940s, their frenemy relationship entertained countless kids, who then, in turn, shared it with theirs. Whether it’s a nostalgia watch or some regular weekday fodder, these two still make the cut.

The Smurfs

Another great vintage cartoon, which has been introduced through a series of blockbuster franchises, is The Smurfs. The comic turned show turned movie is a nostalgia fun fun-filled ride that continues to appeal to old and new fans alike. Although I’m sure, for some stans, Rihanna’s first new song in quite some time being included in the Smurf’s new trailer doesn’t hurt things.

Robin Hood

From a historical standpoint, Robin Hood may be the oldest and, without a doubt, the most recognizable name on the list. With roots tracing back to the 1300s, the Prince of Thieves continues to be a world everyone can enjoy, especially the animated Disney version.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Brothers Mario and Luigi have long been a staple for generations of gamers. Sweetly animated and endlessly fun, they’ve gone on to create quite a world beyond saving Princess Peach from Bowser. This 2023 blockbuster pays homage to the sibling plumbers’ legacy.

Shrek

Boy, does this ogre have layers. When Shrek arrived on the scene in 2001, it was bursting at the seams with bathroom humor created a lot of discourse. Behind it though, was a compelling reimagine of classic fairy tale tropes that left many wanting more. Even though he’s rough around the edges to some onscreen and off, his character arc is genuine and magnetic. Those makings cemented the fictional world and the big green guy himself to sustain in pop culture.

SpongeBob SquarePants

From the jump, everyone’s favorite animated sea sponge has been ready to win the hearts of his audience, both young and old. And to his luck, many continue to adore him and his silly, silly friends of Bikini Bottom long after we grew out of kids' TV. A prime example of how SpongeBob influences a much wider audience is that Nosferatu’s director, Robert Eggers, cited the Nickelodeon icon's influence for the 2024 remake.

The Yogi Bear Show

Like the other vintage pulls on the list, Yogi Bear has lived on and been introduced to new generations of viewers over the decades. The picnic basket-loving bear and his pal Boo-Boo’s antics are simple and routine, yet they continue to steal the hearts of their viewers.

Arthur

As one of the best animated shows ever, Arthur, his family and pals showcased a lot of social, emotional and mental topics in inclusive ways. PBS paired that with realistic familial and friend relationship dynamics (D.W. fan here), which galvanized Marc Brown’s fictional aardvark in an honest way for the masses.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Since its premiere, the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a fan favorite. Many regard this as one of the ultimate cartoons, noting that it again has a perfect blend of adventure, humor and heart. It’s not your typical easy animated series, but prepare for a great ride.

Bluey

Disney really hit it out of the park with their blue dog show (no offense to Blue of Blue’s Clues). While clearly marketed, made and designed for kiddos, the themes and honest reflections of familial relationships hook plenty of those who have aged out of tuning into the Mouse Ears channel.

Power Puff Girls

I don’t think you can get much better with sugar, spice and everything nice when it comes to a stellar kids’ cartoon. The lab-created superhero sisters of Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles were a thrill from their unmistakable theme song to defeating Mojo Jojo (or any other foe) before the credits rolled. I’m not the only one who believes it’s a show from the ‘00s that still holds up watching as an adult.

How to Train Your Dragon

As one of DreamWorks' best animated movies, How to Train Your Dragon really hits all the right notes of adventure, humor and heart, perfect for a universal audience. Hiccup and his sweet but brave dragon, Toothless, continue to draw crowds 15 years later. And the live-action remake, coming out later this month, is expected to do the same.

The Lego Movie

This kid's favorite toy-turned-movie is the perfect homage to illuminating all there is to create with the plastic blocks. Pair that with some comedy giants a la Will Ferrell, and you’ve got a blockbuster anyone from age 5 to 95 can enjoy.

Ponyo (many other Studio Ghibli films)

Hayo Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli offer a whole collection of exhilarating animated movies, though not all may be suitable for everyone. Ponyo, though, is essentially a Ghibli counterpoint to The Little Mermaid (although it’s not a musical). Although Ponyo, the magical fish girl, doesn’t have sea-faring friends who accompany her after she comes ashore.

Recess

For some, Recess was a paramount Saturday Morning classic during the late 90s-00s. As the title implies, the show centered around every elementary school-aged kid’s favorite part of the day and the goings-on during that quick 20-minute block. T.J. and his friends are funny yet kind, making it a perfect watch for anyone with a nostalgic bone that needs to be itched or can directly identify with the gang.

Wallace & Gromit franchise

The British claymation duo is another visual world that has found its place in pop culture. Now, with seven titles to their name, the dog and owner pairing continue to find new ground (their 7th was made in partnership with Netflix). While the duo seems straightforward, there’s plenty to take away from each installment.

Phineas And Ferb

Another Disney Channel hit for the masses is Phineas and Ferb. It’s aimed roughly at an age group who’ve graduated from Bluey-esque television but still need pretty straightforward content. What makes the jump into watchable territory for all the silly stepbrothers is the smart writing and goofy jokes, and possibly having a platypus as a family pet.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox, the movie, based on the short children's book and directed by Wes Anderson, is just as magical as the Roald Dahl classic. The retelling has a perfect kid-friendly stop animation aesthetic blended with an A-list cast including George Clooney and Meryl Streep.

The Little Prince

Another excellent book adapted into a movie (a couple of times over). This French classic has been collecting fans of all ages since 1943 worldwide, and the 2015 flick continues to carry on that torch. The simple and sweet story reminds us all that it’s the connections we make that matter most while exploring fantastical worlds.

Over The Garden Wall

As one of the great under-the-radar animated shows out there, 2014’s Over the Garden Wall has earned quite a fan base. Brothers Wirt and Greg accidentally find themselves in a captivating, somewhat spooky, and at times adventurous world after jumping over a mysterious wall. From start to end, it’s a simple but compelling tale of the bros finding their way home.

The Hobbit

While the Lord of the Rings trilogy may be the most well-known J.R.R. Tolkien movies based on modern literature, it’s not the only one. For the purposes of this list, we’ll stick to the subject at hand and highlight the 1977 animated version of The Hobbit. While it does depict some violence via battles, it’s a classic gem that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Gravity Falls

Gravity Falls came to Disney long after many of us had moved on, but it hasn’t stopped its popularity among adult audiences. The Pines twins visit their uncle in the Pacific Northwest for the summer, only to unlock a longstanding mystery. It’s a perfect blend of silly-sweet kid humor braided with PG Twin Peaks vibes (be warned, for some kids, there is one dark moment on the Mouse Ears show near the end). You may come for the mystery but you’ll stay for Mabel, Dipper, Grunkle Stan and Soos.

Adventure Time

What starts as a candy-colored quest quickly unfolds into an emotional, often existential journey. With layered characters, sharp humor, and simple but profound themes, it’s a show that’ll appeal to all. There’s something in the Land of Ooo that'll speak to any viewer, exactly why Adventure Time endures.

Klaus

We all knew at least one Christmas movie had to make the list, for good measure. Compared to some of the classics, Klaus could’ve easily gotten lost in the shuffle for many. The Netflix original is a story following a down-on-his-luck postman who befriended a toymaker and set up a deal to help one another.

The Secret Of The Kells

The Secret of Kells is a visual and emotional Irish treasure, first premiering in 2009. Its stunningly hand-drawn animation, paired perfectly with mythic storytelling, holds kid and adult viewers equally. Cellach and Brendan’s story is filled with creativity, fear, and hope as aggressive Vikings near and a revered illuminator comes to town.

Wolfwalkers

Like The Secret of the Kells, Wolfwalkers is another animated Irish folk-like tale that comes to life. While there are a bit of dark tones throughout the film, including hunting wolves, the fairy-tale-like story that follows Robyn as she meets Mebh is true magic.

The Iron Giant

Don’t be fooled by the animation style or color palette for young ones, The Iron Giant is an epic adventure for all to enjoy. The cast is stacked (Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, Christopher McDonald, Harry Connick Jr) and the gentle sincerity of the giant will have you head over heels. Just be warned, it is a tear-jerker!

The Secret of NIMH

Another vintage gem presented as a children's story with a more complex storyline. The Brisby family experiences some strife as conflict arises in the surrounding area, and they must seek help from an unlikely friend. Admittedly, I haven’t watched this, but it’s now on my list!

It's hard to believe, but Middle-earth fans are about to be treated to another visit to the world created by Tolkien and brought to the big screen by Peter Jackson by way of a new Lord of the Rings film. Even more astonishing is that this movie will be a prequel focusing on Gollum, with Andy Serkis reprising his role and directing the film. While Sméagol is undoubtedly one of the best characters in LOTR, many fans, myself included, are curious about which of the former actors from the other movies will appear in the upcoming project. Here’s what the Planet of the Apes alum says for now.

In February 2023, Warner Bros. announced that more Lord of the Rings movies would be coming through WB’s New Line Cinema. So far, we have the animated fantasy prequel film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim, set to release in December. Additionally, a new movie focusing on Gollum, the original ring bearer, is in the works. Andy Serkis shared some insights with Deadline about the potential return of previous franchise stars to Middle-earth. He said:

If you’ve watched The J.R.R. Tolkien movies in order, you know they provided glimpses into Gollum's tragic past. Initially a Stoorish hobbit named Sméagol, his life took a dark turn when he discovered the One Ring with his cousin and best friend, Déagol. Overcome by the Ring's power, Sméagol murdered Déagol to possess it. The Ring's corrupting influence twisted his mind and body, transforming him into Gollum. Consumed by obsession and paranoia, he spent centuries hiding in the shadows, fiercely guarding his "precious." So it's exciting to think about all the stories this new movie can explore.

The Venom: Let There Be Carnage director’s statement is tantalizingly vague, leaving fans in a swirl of speculation. The prospect of seeing familiar faces from the beloved trilogies return to Middle-earth is undeniably thrilling. The potential for cameos or substantial roles from iconic characters like Gandalf, Legolas, or even Aragorn is exciting and possible. However, since Bilbo meets Gollum for the first time in The Hobbit trilogy and Frodo and the fellowship encounter him in the LOTR trilogy, their appearance in a prequel seems less likely, purely based on continuity. 

Serkis and Jackson have shared their enthusiasm for returning to Middle-earth with this new story, but plot details remain scarce. Fans might wonder if it will draw inspiration from the 2009 fan film The Hunt for Gollum. That film depicted Gandalf sending Aragorn to capture Gollum to prevent him from revealing the One Ring's location to Sauron. Regardless of its direction, the new film promises to offer audiences a deeper understanding of one of LOTR’s most beloved characters.

This Gollum project is just one of several upcoming Rings projects. War of the Rohirrim is set to release on the 2024 movie schedule this December, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 will be available to stream with an Amazon subscription starting August 29. Another film by Peter Jackson is planned to be released following Gollum, though the details are currently under wraps. 

So, if original cast members don’t appear in this prequel, plenty of upcoming LOTR projects might feature familiar faces.

Ah, sequels. They’re pretty much the lifeblood of the film industry. Whether it’s one sequel, or several (as seen with some horror franchises), a sequential film is always a possibility as long as enough people watched the first movie.    

But, when it comes to sequels, there are none that are more heavily lauded than the trilogy. Yes, the power of three is very real when you consider beloved trilogies like Episodes 4-6 of Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings movies, and the Captain America trilogy (which, for my money, is even better than The Dark Knight trilogy).

All of these aforementioned film series rank as some of the best of the best, and people were clamoring for their Part 3’s. However, with every great trilogy, there’s a sea of mediocre ones that nobody asked for. That said, some of these trilogies aren’t that bad, despite their reputations. Here are just a few of them.  

The Hobbit Trilogy  

When ranking the Lord of the Rings films, I think most people would agree that The Hobbit movies, which consisted of 2012’s An Unexpected Journey, 2013’s The Desolation of Smaug, and 2014’s The Battle of the Five Armies, were quite a step down from the original trilogy. Not only that, but the novel, The Hobbit, is not even that long, so it could have conceivably been told in just one movie; two movies at max.   

So, why then did we get three movies when most fans would have been content with just one? Well, because of money, of course. Duh. However, that doesn’t mean that The Hobbit trilogy is a complete failure, because there’s a lot of good will that went into this trilogy, even if it didn’t feel entirely necessary.  

For instance, even though Peter Jackson himself acknowledges that The Hobbit movies could have been better, you can still tell there’s a lot of love in these films. We got more backstory to Sauron, and there are elements that tangentially tie The Hobbit to the Lord of the Rings, like Orlando Bloom’s Legolas returning to the franchise.    

Sure, one might argue that Legolas didn’t even belong in The Hobbit, but for fans of the original trilogy who just wanted more Lord of the Rings, they certainly got it with The Hobbit trilogy. And then some.  

The Hangover Trilogy 

When it comes to R-rated comedies, there may not be one better than 2009’s The Hangover. You really just had to be there, as the misadventures of Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug (as well as others from The Hangover cast), just seemed to be the perfect blend of gags and debauchery at the time.   

Honestly, the film stands fine on its own. But, because of its seismic success, we got 2011’s The Hangover Part II, and 2013’s, The Hangover Part III. In Part II, we actually had our continuation in Thailand, with Stu getting married this time around, and Part III sees the Wolfpack coming back together again, but this time, to help out Alan. 

A lot of people will tell you that the films got less and less funny with each subsequent movie, and I agree. Part II feels like a retread of the original, and Part III is actually even less funny than II, and a lot more action-y. 

That said, the cast from the first movie is so strong that it’s actually interesting to follow Ken Jeong’s Leslie Chow, or Stu’s ex-wife Jade, played by Heather Graham, throughout these movies. And, the third film actually ties in quite well with the first, so they don’t just feel like separate stories, but rather, cohesive, which is definitely worth something. 

The Charlie’s Angels Trilogy 

I didn’t grow up with the TV show, Charlie’s Angels. In fact, just like with the Mission: Impossible movies, my introduction to Charlie’s Angels was actually through the films. So, like many people, I had no attachment to Jaclyn Smith, Farrah Fawcet, or Kate Jackson. Because my angels were Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, and Drew Barrymore from the 2000 movie. That film, directed by McG, was successful.    

So successful, that we got 2003’s Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, which, despite its title, didn’t feel as fun as the first movie. So, when 2019’s reboot, directed by Elizabeth Banks came along, nobody seemed all that interested. 

But, let me tell you. The 2019 Charlie’s Angels movie might be my favorite of the three, and it all comes down to the chemistry amongst its cast, which includes Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska. 

This movie was a lot more fun than the first two, and actually enhances them by being a part of, rather than completely ignoring, the previous movies and TV show. In that way, it makes it all feel like a universe, just like James Bond, which was awesome.  

The Darkman Trilogy 

1990’s Darkman is definitely one of Sam Raimi’s best movies, and it was certainly a precursor to what he would go to do with actual comic book flicks, like his Spider-Man movies (another good, but flawed trilogy), and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Also, it has Liam Neeson in it, and it’s one of his best movies as well.    

So, why in the hell would they make sequels if the original is as good as it is? Well, because believe it or not, the original did much better on VHS than it did in theaters, so it got two direct-to-video sequels in 1995’s Darkman II: The Return of Durant, and 1996’s Darkman III: Die Darkman Die.   

The first sequel, The Return of Durant, is actually the less interesting of the two. We get a new actor as Darkman in Arnold Vosloo, but since Darkman can mold his skin, it actually works out quite fine that there’s a different face underneath those bandages now. Larry Drake returns as the villain from the first movie, and it’s all pretty by-the-books action scenes. 

The third movie, though, actually feels more comic-booky, with a more out-there plot, and better action. Sure, it’s not as good as the first movie, but even half as good is good enough for me. 

The Unbreakable Trilogy  

I consider 2000’s Unbreakable to be M. Night Shyamalan’s best movie, and it works so well on its own. But, lo and behold, when we got that shocking reveal in 2016’s Split, I think I’m not alone when I said, “Well, I didn’t see THAT coming.” And then, we got 2019’s Glass, which tied them all together.   

Now, upon first viewing Glass, I hated it. I mean REALLY hated it. I thought the big twist devalued everything that made Unbreakable cool, as an organization that tracks down superheroes is just so comic-booky. 

But then, it hit me. In an era of comic book movies reigning supreme at the box office (at the time), Glass’ interesting take on what it means to be a superhero in a world that would most likely shun them, is a fascinating one to say the very least. 

So, while I don’t necessarily hate Glass anymore, I definitely appreciate it more for what it means in the wider scope of Shyamalan’s trilogy.  

The Honey, I Shrunk The Kids Trilogy 

I once posed the question of which was the best Honey, I Shrunk the Kids movie, and the 1989 original came out on top. But, that's not to discredit 1992's Honey, I Blew Up the Baby, and 1997's Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves.

In fact, going from small, to big, to small was an interesting choice for a trilogy, and the adults shrinking themselves rather than the kids in the third movie was a smart choice. In the end, I like them all. 

The French Connection Trilogy  

Lastly, I want to talk about a trilogy that most people might not even know exists, which is The French Connection. The 1971 movie won Best Picture, and didn’t really seem like it needed a follow-up, but it got one in 1975’s French Connection II, directed by John Frankenheimer this time rather than William Friedkin. 

The sequel actually finds Popeye Doyle in France this time, following Alain Charnier from the first movie, so it feels like a worthy sequel, and the action and police work is engaging enough. But, what I really want to talk about is the 1986 television film, Popeye Doyle, which sees a pre-Married…With Children Ed O’Neill in Gene Hackman’s role. 

The TV film brings it back to New York, and O’Neill is actually convincing in the part, as he takes on a new case involving terrorists and smugglers. It’s worth a watch, if you can find it!

So, those are just seven movie trilogies that are better than people may think. For more news on all things trilogy-related, be sure to swing by here often! 

Some of what many would consider to be the greatest movies of all time are also those based on classic and beloved novels. And while there are folks out there who think you don’t need to read the book after watching the movie, there are dozens of examples that prove otherwise. 

From Academy Award-winning dramas to a few landmark fantasy films and just about everything in between, here are 32 books that you might still want to read after you watch the movie. There’s a lot to unpack here, so let’s start strolling through this library of great titles… 

Jurassic Park

Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and the Michael Crichton book on which it was based are both cultural touchstones in their respective worlds. And while they share the basic concept of a disaster falling upon an amusement park full of cloned dinosaurs, there are some key differences that make reading the book an entirely different experience.

The Shining  

Stephen King is no fan of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, the 1980 adaptation of his horror novel of the same name. Kubrick’s version makes all kinds of changes when it comes to the characters (played by Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duval, and Danny Lloyd) and the overall departure of his original intentions.

The Harry Potter Books

Even though there were eight Harry Potter movies (The Deathly Hallows was split in two) that were all at least two hours long, a lot of material was cut when adapting J.K. Rowling’s popular fantasy books. While we wait for the upcoming Harry Potter series on Max, now would be a great time to go back and read all the novels.

Dune

Denis Villeneuve's 2021 adaptation of Dune (the second half is due in March 2024) gets a lot of things right when it comes to adapting Frank Herbert’s influential sci-fi epic, but like other movies based on fantasy novels, there’s a lot left on the page. This classic, 896-page epic won't be a quick read but it's a classic. 

To Kill A Mockingbird  

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is considered one of the great American novels, and it's a must-read (if you haven’t already) even after watching the 1962 film adaptation starring Gregory Peck. The narration by Scout throughout Lee’s book adds an incredible quality and pacing to the story, a childlike wonder that isn't quite captured in the screen version.

The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz  

L. Frank Baum’s children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is totally worth reading, especially if you’ve seen the 1939 film adaptation. And while both share similar story components, the original text is full of so much more, including a longer stay in Oz, an army of mice saving Dorothy and company from the poppy field, and very different versions of those well-known characters.

The Hobbit And Lord of the Rings Trilogy 

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings novels, some of the best literary experiences of all time, were famously turned into two trilogies by Peter Jackson. And while the movies are awesome in just about every possible way, Tolkien’s original books include so much more story. No extended version could contain all of this.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer 

Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer stands a good chance of winning a ton of awards, and rightfully so. But if you want to go back and read more about J. Robert Oppenheimer, his life, and role in the creation of the Atomic bomb, American Prometheus, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s 700-page biography is going to fill in a lot of the blanks.

The Color Purple  

Alice Walker’s The Color Purple is a Pultizer Prize-winning novel that should be read at least once in your life. Yeah, it was turned into a decorated movie adapted by Steven Spielberg (with a musical-based version coming out in December 2023), but Walker’s rich text and plot threads add so much to the story.

World War Z   

It’s hard to imagine a movie adaptation being less like the source material than 2013’s World War Z. Unlike the movie, which focuses on one character experiencing Hell on Earth, Max Brooks’ novel is set up like an oral history with each chapter focusing on a different, and sometimes, terrifying event, narrated by various characters. 

Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption

Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption has been the highest-rated movie on IMDb for a very long time, and is considered one of the top-tier Stephen King adaptations. Interestingly enough, the 1994 movie starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman is based not on a novel, but a 127-page novella, originally included in the book Different Seasons.

It

Stephen King’s It, all 1,138 pages of it, tells the fascinating and frightening story of a group of kids (later adults) teaming up to defeat a demonic entity multiple times throughout their lives. The 1990 miniseries, and a pair of theatrical releases that followed years later, only touches on part of King’s epic, and the full story must be explored. 

Ready Player One 

Steven Spielberg’s 2018 adaptation of Ready Player One is fun and all, but it’s an almost completely different experience when compared to Ernest Cline’s original novel. There are more than a dozen major differences ranging from minor changes to massive reimaginings of key sequences.

The Martian  

If you got a kick out of the blend of comedy, drama, and intense sci-fi action in Ridley Scott’s The Martian, then Andy Weir’s novel of the same name is going to be something to check out. It has the same tone but more of it.

All You Need Is Kill (Edge Of Tomorrow)

All You Need is Kill was later turned into Edge of Tomorrow (also known as Live Die Repeat) with Doug Liman taking on Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s novel. There were all kinds of changes made for adaptation ranging from its characters and story to how the ending plays out.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower  

Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is based on his book of the same name, is a wonderful adaptation that mostly sticks to the source material. However, there are enough changes to make reading the coming-of-age novel worth a read, specifically its epistolary presentation.

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump the movie and book are two completely different beasts, so much so that watching and reading each version is an entirely different experience. Nearly every aspect of the story was changed in some way when being adapted into an Oscar-winning film, including Forrest’s personality and its ending. Forrest even goes to space in the book, which never happened in the movie.

Pride And Prejudice 

With so many different adaptations of Pride & Prejudice over the years, sometimes it’s fun to go back and read Jane Austen’s original novel to see how each version sticks, or diverts, from the source material.

I Am Legend 

Though I Am Legend the book and movie follow an almost identical path through the majority of their respective stories, the 2008 film adaptation starring Will Smith makes a drastic change to Richard Matheson’s original novella with its ending. We won’t ruin it for the uninitiated, but it completely changes how you see Dr. Robert Neville. 

2001: A Space Odyssey 

Stanley Kubrick and author Arthur C. Clarke shared credit on the 2001: A Space Odyssey screenplay, which Clarke later turned into a novelization. In addition to some shifts in the tone and style, the novel also makes the main portion of the story a mission to Jupiter opposed to Saturn as seen in the classic sci-fi epic.

Gone Girl  

We could write a whole article about how David Fincher’s 2014 adaptation of Gone Girl differs from Gillian Flynn’s novel. In fact, the entire third act was rewritten by the acclaimed author for the movie starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike.

The Accidental Billionaires (The Social Network)

Ben Mezrich’s 2009 book, The Accidental Billionaires, which was later adapted by Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher as The Social Network, details the founding and early days of Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg. If you’re looking for a more detailed (as surprising as that may be) look at the social media giant, this book will do the trick.

The Hunger Games Books

Some would say The Hunger Games is a better movie than book, but the only way to know for sure is by reading Suzanne Collins’ 2008 young adult dystopian novel and its various sequels (and prequel).

In Cold Blood  

In 1967, Richard Brooks adapted Truman Capote’s 1966 true crime thriller, In Cold Blood, a painstakingly crafted breakdown of a quadruple-murder and the two men who carried out the senseless act of violence. Capote’s words just fly off the page, especially in the tense and foreboding opening chapter. 

Fight Club 

Fight Club the movie and book have the same basic premise: a nameless narrator befriends the man he’s always dreamed of being, starts an underground combat group, and then things get out of hand. However, if you want to see characters and situations not covered in David Fincher’s movie, as well as a different ending, check out Chuck Palahniuk’s novel.

Little Women 

There have been a total of seven adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s 19th-century coming-of-age novel, Little Women, each making minor changes of their own over time. If you’ve seen one, two, or all of them, you should probably read the book to see what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. 

No Country For Old Men 

The Coen brothers’ Academy Award-winning adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men is one of the best films of the 21st century, but the book is also more than worthy of a read. It’s sparse, it’s violent, and features a lot more of Tommy Lee Jones’ character as he provides the narration throughout.

American Psycho 

After making your friends watch American Psycho, why not have a book club with Bret Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel of the same name. Surprisingly enough, Mary Herron’s 2000 adaptation is a toned down version of Patrick Bateman’s descent into madness, and cuts back a lot of the central character's outlook on life and other social groups.

Trainspotting  

Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting, which was later adapted into a film of the same name by Danny Boyle, is more of a series of short stories than the film starring Ewan McGregor. The book is also written in the Scottish dialect. While the text can sometimes be a challenge, it's never enough to take away from this story that is at times hilarious and other times heartbreaking.

Matilda  

Danny DeVito did an outstanding job bringing Roald Dahl’s Matilda to life back in 1996, but this doesn’t mean it’s a 100% faithful adaptation. This is a good reason to go back and read the timeless children’s book, as it’s similar but different, familiar yet fresh. There are also a number of changes in the 2022 musical inspired by the book, meaning fans of the Netflix movie should check out the book if they haven’t already.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been adapted for screen and stage numerous times, but it’s never too late to go back and read the fantastical and whimsical novel. It’s fun to see how Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Tim Burton’s more faithful 2005 adaptation compare to this fun children’s book with all its bad eggs and imaginative treats.

The Exorcist 

William Peter Blatty wrote both the novel and film versions of The Exorcist, but this doesn’t mean they are entirely the same. The book, which came out only two years before William Friedkin turned it into a movie, is surprisingly even darker, more sinister, and more graphic. On top of that, there are also numerous minor differences throughout its story, so much so that reading it is a fresh experience.

With a whole slew of upcoming book-to-screen adaptations coming to theaters (and streaming services) in the coming months, you can expect to see some major changes to this list in the near future. 

One does not simply watch the Lord of the Rings movies on streaming… is what I would say if there were not plenty of options to relive the epic fantasy saga based on the works of author J.R.R. Tolkien. Such is a thing that fans and fans-to-be of Peter Jackson’s precious blockbusters should be thankful for as a new animated chapter called The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim will soon hit theaters in December 2024.

Of course, one thing about these Middle Earth-set adventures that may leave newcomers confused is the proper order in which the cinematic adaptations should be seen. Well, fans could either watch the Lord of the Rings movies in order of when they were released or by tracing the story they tell chronologically. The following is a guide on how to check out the films in either order.

If You’ve Never Seen The Lord Of The Rings Movies Before

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, which was published in 1937, and the subsequent trilogy of novels that follow it, collectively called The Lord of the Rings, and were released between 1954 and 1955, are among the most recognizable and seminal fantasy stories ever conceived, which makes the live-action movies that they inspired a perfect entry point for newcomers to the genre. While it seems obvious that you would want to start with the Hobbit movies, since they are based on the book that came out the earliest, we actually recommend watching the Lord of the Rings movies first. The prequel trilogy is chock-full of references to the original films, so it would be better to go in order of release date.

If You Have Seen The Lord Of The Rings Movies Already

If you are a devoted fan of all things Tolkien and have followed the most badass moments from Peter Jackson’s big-screen adaptations since the beginning, then we really see no reason to guide you in either direction. However, your familiarity with the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies in the order they were released does give you the advantage of being able to follow the films in chronological order without risk of being confused by any Easter Eggs. Plus, if you have not already and you have enough time at your disposal, try watching the extended editions of the trilogy.

The Lord Of The Rings Movies In Order Of Release Date

Before you embark on your not-so-unexpected journey, allow us to explain the proper order of the Lord of the Rings movies and the Hobbit movies. We shall start by listing the titles in the order they were originally released for those new to the franchise or those who simply prefer to watch it that way.

• The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
• The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

The Lord Of The Rings Movies In Chronological Order

SPOILER WARNING: As we trace Peter Jackson’s cinematic adventures through Middle Earth, we may give away a few crucial story details. So, if you have not yet seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies (including the Hobbit movies), we do not wish to tell you that you shall not pass but figured it would be most fair to give you a proper warning before we move on.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellan, Andy Serkis

Nearly a decade after wrapping up his first trilogy of Tolkien adaptations, Jackson returned to Middle Earth with a new, epic adventure film based on the saga’s earliest novel — or, more accurately, the first third of the story. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey stars Martin Freeman as the title character, Bilbo Baggins, who finds himself joining wizard Gandalf the Grey and his company of Dwarves on a dangerous quest to reclaim their home in the Lonely Mountain and their riches from a vicious dragon named Smaug. The movie also depicts Bilbo’s first interaction with Gollum which leads to his possession of The One Ring.

How to watch The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

• Stream The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Max
• Rent or buy The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Amazon
• Buy The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug (2013)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellan, Benedict Cumberbatch

Picking up almost immediately where the previous film left off, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug sees Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves continuing their struggle to reclaim their homeland, if not for the titular dragon making things more difficult. Lord of the Rings cast veterans appearing in this prequel include Cate Blanchett as Galadriel and Orlando Bloom as Legolas.

How to watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

• Stream The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Max
• Stream The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition on Max
• Rent or buy The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Amazon
• Buy The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Martin Freeman, Sir Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage

Bilbo’s adventure with Gandalf and the Dwarves comes to an epic and positively deadly conclusion in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. While the characters no longer have to worry about Smaug, the fate of the Lonely Mountain now hangs in the balance as they wonder who will win a fearsome battle made up of various species of creatures from Middle Earth.

How to watch The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

• Stream The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on Max
• Stream The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition on Max
• Rent or buy The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on Amazon
• Buy The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Sir Ian McKellan, Ian Holm

The first live-action, feature-length adaptation of Tolkien’s thrilling saga follows Frodo — the cousin and adoptive heir to Bilbo — who is forced to go on a dangerous journey of his own. When the young hobbit comes into possession of a ring that Gandalf discovers belonged to the Dark Lord Sauron, he and others form the eponymous group in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, with the sole purpose of destroying it.

How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

• Stream The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring on Max
• Stream The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition on Max
• Rent or buy The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring on Amazon
• Buy The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davies, Sir Christopher Lee

In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the fellowship has become divided, with Frodo and fellow hobbit Samwise Gamgee discovering that Gollum is on their trail as they get closer to their destination, Mordor. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli stumble upon a once-great kingdom whose ruler has been corrupted by Sauron’s ally, Saruman.

How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

• Stream The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on Max
• Stream The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition on Max
• Rent or buy The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on Amazon
• Buy The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellan, Sean Astin, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Sir Christopher Lee

The saga reaches its stunning final chapter in the 2004 Best Picture Oscar winner, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which earned Peter Jackson his Best Director win and nine other Academy Awards total. Frodo and Sam are the closest they have been yet to Mount Doom but, in order to ensure the One Ring’s destruction, Aragorn and Gandalf wage war against Sauron’s army.

How to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

• Stream The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on Max
• Stream The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition on Max
• Rent or buy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on Amazon
• Buy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on Blu-ray on Amazon

Stream the Lord of the Rings movies and see if you agree that this is the one franchise to rule them all.

Taika Waititi has become so massive for his work in the later Thor movies and in the Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit, but it all really started with What We Do In The Shadows. After directing a short in 2005 that first brought to life the comedic idea alongside frequent collaborator Jemaine Clement, Waititi later made the film in New Zealand, and it has since spawned a popular FX series. While recently speaking about the original vampire mockumentary, the filmmaker and actor recalled a funny connection it has to The Hobbit trilogy. 

Waititi, who is currently promoting Thor: Love and Thunder ahead of the Marvel movie’s upcoming release, visited The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Given the host’s love for all things Lord of the Rings, Colbert asked him if he spoke to the great Peter Jackson ahead of shooting films in his home country of New Zealand. From that question sparked a hilarious story about how 2014’s What We Do in the Shadows was made. In Waititi's words: 

Yes, you read that right. According to Taika Waititi, the green screen used in the What We Do In The Shadows movie was actually stolen from the set of The Hobbit films. The filmmaker also said this: 

Welp, that’s a heck of a way for Taika Waititi and Peter Jackson to be connected. The 2014 vampire movie was reportedly working with a $1.6 million budget, whereas each The Hobbit film reportedly cost $150 million to produce for each movie. So, I mean… the production probably was all good losing some stolen materials, especially if they were taken after the movies had finished filming. When you think about it, Waititi and the What We Do in the Shadows crew were making good use of perhaps set-to-be discarded set pieces. 

Waititi’s small vampire movie received positive praise from critics and audiences alike, but did not make much money commercially and barely screened in the United States. The movie made just $7.2 million at the worldwide box office and it was reportedly one of the most pirated movies of 2014, likely due to its lack of distribution. Of course it led to a TV series that began in 2019 and will return for Season 4 as part of Hulu’s July new releases. 

Taika Waititi directed Thor: Love and Thunder, which premiered on Thursday to glowing first reactions from Marvel fans. The movie, which certainly has enough budget to have green screens of its own, hits theaters on July 8. 

We’re seven years removed from Ian McKellen’s last performance as the great Lord of the Rings’ character Gandalf, and well… I guess a Lord of the Rings and Hobbit marathon is in order then. The 82-year-old actor recently reflected on his casting as the wizard and mentor, and it sounds like Sir McKellen has not lost his modesty about nabbing the beloved role.

Ian McKellen gained A-list Hollywood fame all at once when he was cast as X-Men villain Magneto in the early Fox/Marvel film and scored the role of Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s revered Lord of the Rings trilogy, and later reprised the latter role in the series’ prequels. While speaking about having the opportunity to play Gandalf, he joked:

It sounds like Ian McKellen’s sense of humor was very much intact because obviously we can not think of any other actor better suited for the role. Though, I guess there could be a morsel of truth to his claims that he jumped the line due to the franchise’s filming location. Actors including Sean Connery, Jurassic Park’s Sam Neill and the actor’s X-Men co-star and real-life bestie Patrick Stewart were reportedly in the running for Gandalf.

Ian McKellen also spoke to GQ Magazine about his understanding of the importance of getting the character just right on the big screen ahead of venturing to New Zealand to embody the wizard. In an era before Twitter discourse, he had an early finger on the pulse of the Lord of the Rings fandom because so many people cared about Gandalf in particular. In his words:

It’s sweet to hear the actor had a positive response from fans about the character. Of course, his performance as Gandalf has become a cultural touchstone, especially for his “you shall not pass!” line that has become a popular meme along with being one of the most famous movie lines in recent memory.

These days, Ian McKellen continues to be an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and star in more films, such as Infinitum: Subject Unknown. The Lord of the Rings franchise is moving forward with an Amazon series that will be taking place thousands of years before the timeline of Gandalf and Frodo. A release date has yet to be announced, but we’ll keep you updated!

Peter Jackson’s career, much like Guillermo del Toro’s, is a tale of two directors. On one hand, Peter Jackson movies can be seen as artistic, like the Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings. And on the other hand, well, there is no other hand, because it was chopped off by a lawnmower. Yeah, Peter Jackson used to be that kind of director.

And really, depending on your taste in movies, you might think that one half of his career is better than the other. Personally, I admire both sides, which is why this list is so fun to make. The same director of the brilliant They Shall Not Grow Old also directed a film where a preacher kicks ass for the Lord. I mean, sure, Peter Jackson will never be confused for a Martin Scorsese, but Martin Scorsese never did a movie about perverse, drug-abusing puppets, either. That’s why there’s only one Peter Jackson. God bless that Kiwi.

14. The Lovely Bones (2009)

I’m pretty sure that the general consensus is that The Lovely Bones is a bad movie. But it’s not. A better word for it might be uneven. Based on the popular novel, The Lovely Bones stars Saoirse Ronan as a murdered teenager who watches over her family from “the in-between.” All the while, her family tries to figure out who murdered her. Stanley Tucci, who also stars, was even nominated for an Oscar!

But I do understand its problems. At times a beautiful film, some of the movie often falls into maudlin territory, making it feel quite uneven. It kind of reminds me of What Dreams May Come, in both the good (the visuals) and the bad (the story) ways. In the end, The Lovely Bones is fine. It’s just also forgettable.

13. The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies (2014)

I go back and forth on which Hobbit movie is the worst, and today, I’m thinking The Battle of the Five Armies. The third movie in this unnecessary trilogy sees the head dwarf, Thorin II Oakenshield, played by Richard Armitage, going a little batty inside the Lonely Mountain while a war gets ready to rage outside his doorstep. Then, there’s this long, exhausting battle at the end, and the trilogy goes out with a whimper rather than a bang.

I know some people like this movie, but I just find it tiresome. The final battle goes on forever, and none of it works for me. Pass!

12. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

The Desolation of Smaug is also really bad, but maybe not as bad as The Battle of the Five Armies. This one sees the dwarves and Bilbo sneaking into the den of Smaug, a greedy dragon voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Smaug stuff is good, but it’s all the other padding around it that stinks. I distinctly remember the Smaug sections in the novel, but all the other stuff not in the book is just long and tedious. Honestly, there is a good movie in The Hobbit trilogy. But it would only take one movie. Not 3!

11. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

While I don’t necessarily think An Unexpected Journey is good, I do think it’s the best in the trilogy. Maybe it’s because there was so much hope that this trilogy might be even remotely close to being as good as The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This film sees Bilbo off with the dwarves on their journey to The Lonely Mountain, which houses the dragon Smaug. It’s kind of fun, and the dwarves don’t wear out their welcome as they do in the later movies.

But it takes itself far too seriously. The Hobbit novel is not The Lord of the Rings, as The Hobbit is funny and fun. So why this movie has to feel so epic is beyond me, and it definitely doesn’t work in its favor.

10. King Kong (2005)

King Kong is one of the greatest movies of all time, so does Peter Jackson’s version measure up? Well, no, but he does a damn good job trying. This version, starring Naomi Watts, Jack Black, and Adrian Brody, follows the story pretty closely, but modernizes it visually, making the scenes on Skull Island especially vivid.

Overall, the story is great, and the only thing really keeping it back is the fact that you know that this is more of a passion project than anything that really needed to be made.

9. Meet The Feebles (1989)

In the intro, I mentioned that Jackson had two sides to his career, and Meet the Feebles is certainly on the other side. The best way to describe this movie is that it’s like The Muppets on LSD. It’s about some Henson-esque puppets trying to get their show on the air, but it’s full of sex, drug-use, and violence. It was The Happytime Murders before The Happytime Murders was a thing, but even better, if you ask me.

It’s all in the characters, as there are no live actors in this movie. Instead, you get a sex starved hippo, a rat in the porn industry, and a horny hedgehog. The only thing holding it back is some of the humor, which isn’t as effective as it wants to be. Still, for better or worse, there’s no other film like Meet the Feebles.

8. The Frighteners (1996)

After the critically acclaimed Heavenly Creatures, Peter Jackson’s follow-up kind of went back to his horror comedy roots. The Frighteners, starring Michael J. Fox is about a dude who works with ghosts to con people into thinking he’s exorcising them. In a way, it’s sort of like a bizarro version of Ghostbusters, but weirder, if you can imagine that.

It’s mostly because of Michael J. Fox who plays a lovable jerk just so well. The special effects are dated, but still look great, and it’s just a really fun film, especially when the murders start getting blamed on Fox’s character. If you’re a cool kid, then you love The Frighteners.

7. Bad Taste (1987)

I’ll die on this hill, but Peter Jackson’s first movie, Bad Taste, is my favorite film of his. It’s basically Invasion of the Body Snatchers as aliens come down to earth and pose as humans. But it’s super gory, with blood splatter galore and ridiculous, over the top violence. Peter Jackson plays multiple roles, including my favorite as a nerd named Derek who only fights because Derek’s don’t run.

I know Bad Taste is a bad movie. But it’s the best kind of bad movie. It’s the kind that my good friend, Mickey, found at a video store, and just had to share with all of his friends, myself included. Screw The Lord of the Rings! Bad Taste forever!

6. Dead Alive (1992)

Dead Alive, or Braindead as it’s known around the rest of the world, is like Bad Taste squared. It It’s about a man, played by Timothy Balme, who lives with his mother. Well, one day, his mother is bitten by a rabid animal, and she starts a zombie outbreak in the town. The movie still, to this day, holds the record for the most fake blood in a movie with the infamous lawnmower scene.

Dead Alive is hilarious and bloody as all get out. It’s the kind of film that commits to being as gross and violent as possible, but it’s also super tongue-in-cheek like only a Peter Jackson movie can be. I prefer Bad Taste, but I’m well aware that Dead Alive is the better movie. It’s all killer, no filler.

5. Heavenly Creatures (1994)

Based on a true story about the 1954 Parker-Hulme murder, Heavenly Creatures is a really interesting turning point for the director that still hewed close to his horror sensibilities. Starring Malanie Lynskey and Kate Winslet in their film debuts, Heavenly Creatures is about two friends who share an intense friendship that leads to murder once they get separated.

Kind of like The Lovely Bones, Heavenly Creatures has a fantasy element to it in the world the two girls create together. But it’s much more effective in this movie, and the story and acting is compelling all throughout. It’s a disturbing, yet beautiful movie, and one of the director’s best.

4. The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Some consider The Two Towers to be the best in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. To me, it’s a little slow. Still, as the middle film in the series, it checks off all the qualifications for greatness. The story this time around is even more expansive as the fellowship is split up. We also get talking trees, the vile Saruman preparing the orcs, and of course the Helm’s Deep battle. It’s epic and wonderful, and you care about all of these characters deeply.

Still, The Two Towers is usually the one I find myself looking down at my phone the most with. I do love it, but Treebeard just bores me to tears. I’m sorry.

3. The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring (2001)

Peter Jackson got everything right the first time around. This film sets Frodo, played by Elijah Wood, off on his journey to dispose of the cursed ring. I mean, I don’t have to describe it any more than that since you’ve already seen. Everybody has.

The first one really works though since it’s exciting throughout and all of the characters have such excellent personalities. The fact that Peter Jackson could turn New Zealand into Middle Earth and it all works is still astounding, even to this day.

2. They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

They Shall Not Grow Old is like no other film in Peter Jackson’s filmography, mostly because it’s a documentary, but also because of its subject matter. It’s about the first World War, and features 100-year-old footage, but colorized and brought to life in a way that truly does fit the title of the film. I imagine this movie being shown in History classes in school from here on out since it truly does bring the past to life.

But it’s just an overall great documentary, showing what it meant, and means, to be a soldier. The men were young, and looking at the old, grainy footage doesn’t show just how brave these people truly were. It’s a brilliant movie and I would say it is Peter Jackson’s best film, but I know I can’t call it that. I know that award has to go to…

1. The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)

I mean, it had to be The Return of the King, right? The only fantasy film to ever win Best Picture, The Return of the Ring gets everything right. Even with its 80 or so endings.

Usually, final films in a trilogy aren’t nearly as good as the middle movie in the trilogy. But The Return of the King defies all odds as it's actually the best of the three. Peter Jackson won Best Director for this epic finale, and it was well deserved.

Peter Jackson is a one-of-a-kind auteur who cut his teeth on splatterfest films. But you already know my picks. What are your favorite Peter Jackson movies? Let me know in the poll or in the comments section down below.

This poll is no longer available.

Ian Holm passed away on June 19, 2020 at the age of 88. A true legend of the stage and screen, many knew him best from his work in films like Alien and Ratatouille. But he is perhaps best known for his performance as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings series. It should come as no surprise that the director took a moment to reflect on his time with the actor, and his heartfelt tribute is a must-read.

Peter Jackson shared a long letter with his Facebook followers that details his memories of working with Ian Holm. Within the post, he shared several behind-the-scenes photos of their days on the Lord of the Rings set, which added an extra personal touch to the memorial. He began by offering his abiding memory of the beloved actor:

He then shared that although he was initially nervous about directing such a prolific artist, Ian Holm was a joy to work with, not only because his performance was so good but because he was up front about how he liked to work:

Peter Jackson shared several stories about their time on the Lord of the Rings set, including a sweet anecdote about a challenging day on set. While they were filming the party scene in The Fellowship of the Ring, the director called on Ian Holm to help corral the child actors that Bilbo reads to. That meant he had to constantly change how he was reading the story to keep their reactions fresh. It also meant he had to do some behind-the-scenes work:

The Lord of the Rings director also did not hold back in praising Ian Holm for being willing to reprise his performance as Bilbo in The Hobbit series. He shared the lengths they went to so they could record his performance - moving the set from New Zealand to London to accommodate the actor’s needs. It turned out to be his last on-screen role:

Peter Jackson ended his letter with an emotional reflection on how much Ian Holm, and his portrayal of Bilbo, meant to him, personally:

Ian Holm is survived by his wife, Sophie de Stempel and his children. He will be missed by fans all around the world.

When it comes to adapting an iconic character to the big screen, some actors simply do it justice. And then there’s Andy Serkis, who straight up made it his precious. Even though it’s been nearly a decade since a Lord of the Rings movie came out, it’d be tough to think of the franchise without the actor and filmmaker’s portrayal of Gollum coming to mind.

In an effort to raise some money for British charities dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Andy Serkis will be reprising the role of Gollum for the first time in years. The Planet of the Apes star is going to do a live reading ok J.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit cover-to-cover on Friday. He expects his “armchair marathon” to take him twelve hours to complete.

The live “Hobbitathon” will begin at 10 a.m. London time and last until 10 p.m. For those on the East Coast, that is 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., or 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Pacific Standard Time. Andy Serkis will be raising money for NHS Charities Together, a collective that supports a variety of charities benefitting UK hospitals and Best Beginnings, a UK charity that helps babies, toddlers, pregnant families and new parents. Check out Andy Serkis’ Twitter announcement here:

The actor first played Gollum for 2001’s The Fellowship of the Ring and through the trilogy and the first installment of Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit films. The role pivoted him into the world of motion capture, which he has continued to prominently work in for 2005’s King Kong, Caesar in the recent Planet of the Apes films and as Supreme Leader Snoke in the new Star Wars movies.

Andy Serkis is currently using his time in quarantine to edit Venom: Let There Be Carnage, the sequel to the 2018 origin story starring Tom Hardy. Serkis took over the role as director after Ruben Fleischer helmed the original box office hit. The movie that will also have Woody Harrelson playing Carnage finished filming in England back in February and is expected to hit theaters on June 25, 2021.

Amidst production delays and stay-at-home orders, actors and filmmakers have been finding new ways to connect with fans and raise money for a good cause. The Parks and Recreation cast recently reunited for a social distancing special that raised almost $3 million toward coronavirus relief.

Andy Serkis was also in the middle of filming The Batman with writer/director Matt Reeves when the production shut down. The actor will play the Alfred Pennyworth to Robert Pattinson’s Bruce Wayne in the DC film, which is now coming out on October 1, 2021.

Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more updates on upcoming film releases, and check out what’s coming out this year with our updated 2020 movie schedule.

Cinematic history is filled with fascinating movies that never happened, from Tim Burton’s Superman Lives to Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon to Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Dune. But just as fascinating as the movies that didn’t happen are the ones that did happen, but turned out far different than they might have had different filmmakers been involved or different creative choices been made. Few films exemplify this better than Zack Snyder’s Justice League.

Since the release of Justice League in 2017, fans have held out hope for the so-called Snyder Cut of the film, the hope being that the director’s original vision would have been more creatively satisfying than the film we got. Of course, Justice League is not the only film where an alternate version sounds highly appealing. There are plenty of films that went in a different direction creatively than they might have, but the end result was still good enough.

That means the allure of a rewritten history isn’t as strong for James Cameron’s Alita: Battle Angel, Steven Spielberg’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Cary Joji Fukunaga’s IT or David Cronenberg’s Return of the Jedi. But for movies where the final product disappointed, these alternate versions are the sources of speculation and lament.

There are no guarantees, of course, and execution is key, but along with Justice League’s Snyder Cut, here are five other alternate movies that might have been better than the ones ultimately released to theaters.

The Snyder Cut Of Justice League

We'll start with the biggest one because no alternate version of a movie has ever evoked the kind of fan response and discourse as the Snyder Cut of Justice League. If you watch the 2017 superhero movie, the credits would lead you to believe that it was directed by Zack Snyder, but that’s only partially true. Zack Snyder stepped away from Justice League due to a personal tragedy and Joss Whedon was brought in to handle what would be extensive reshoots.

Thanks to everything we’ve heard and seen, much of it from Zack Snyder himself, we know that the Snyder Cut of Justice League would have been extremely different from the theatrical film, and very little of Zack Snyder’s actual vision made it in. Had he stayed on, or should this fabled director’s cut ever see the light of day, we would have supposedly seen Darkseid, Superman in his black suit, more of Cyborg’s story, an appearance by the Atom and a different final battle.

Those are just some of the apparent differences in a film that would have been much longer and even had a different score. As someone who isn’t a fan of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, I’m skeptical that the Snyder Cut would be the masterpiece many fans presume it to be. However, it would have had a clear vision, and for that reason, it might have turned out much better than what we got from Justice League.

Neill Blomkamp’s Alien Movie

Several years ago, there were two films in the Alien franchise being developed simultaneously. One was Ridley Scott’s sequel to Prometheus and the other was Alien 5 (but not really, more on that in a sec) from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp. But only one of these Xenomorphs could live, and eventually Neill Blomkamp’s film was killed and we got Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant instead.

The Alien franchise is not in a great place following the disappointment of Alien: Covenant, so its hard not to wonder what might have been with Neill Blomkamp’s film. Here’s what we know: Blomkamp’s Alien 5 wouldn’t have really been Alien 5. Much like Terminator: Dark Fate or Halloween, it would have been a rebootquel, de-canonizing Alien 3 and everything after, serving as a direct sequel to James Cameron’s Aliens. Based on concept art, Neill Blomkamp’s movie would have seemingly brought back Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley and Corporal Hicks, and featured a grown-up Newt becoming the new heroine of the franchise.

We don’t know exactly what the story would have been, and Neill Blomkamp’s track record post-District 9 is not perfect. But following Alien: Covenant’s mediocrity and the franchise’s increasing focus on artificial intelligence and not on aliens, Neill Blomkamp’s Alien movie sounds like a far more intriguing and true to the property entry that may have been better than what we got.

Patty Jenkins’ Thor 2

Widely considered to be one of, if not the worst MCU movie, Thor: The Dark World was directed by Alan Taylor, but it was originally supposed to be directed by Patty Jenkins. Patty Jenkins never stepped behind the camera for Thor 2, but we do have an idea of what her vision entailed. She wanted to tell a Romeo and Juliet-esque story with Thor and Jane Foster that would have leaned into that Shakespearean theme of star-crossed lovers.

The apathy of Odin and the gods, sans Thor, towards Earth would have allowed Malekith to amass power on our planet, and the film would have had a war between the gods and the earthlings, with Thor saving the day. It sounds like a stronger story overall with more of a role for Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster. Patty Jenkins doesn’t think she would have made a good Thor 2 because the story she wanted to do isn’t what Marvel wanted to do. But given what she did after and what we got with Thor: The Dark World, I disagree and think her version would have probably been better.

Unlike some of the other entries on this list though, it’s hard to want to change history because of the ultimate good that came out of this. Patty Jenkins went on to direct Wonder Woman, and the creative disappointment of The Dark World created the opening for Taika Waititi to come in and make Thor: Ragnarok and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder.

Guillermo Del Toro’s The Hobbit

On paper, having Peter Jackson direct The Hobbit was the right choice. He directed the masterful Lord of the Rings trilogy and clearly knew and loved Middle Earth. Unfortunately, while it has its charms, The Hobbit series fell well short of expectations, with bloated films that lost sight of what made the previous trilogy special. That might not have been the case had Guillermo del Toro stayed on.

Guillermo del Toro was supposed to direct The Hobbit before Peter Jackson took over and before it became a trilogy. And it seems that del Toro would have made a significantly different movie. GDT’s vision for The Hobbit has been described as feeling more like a fairy tale than Jackson’s in keeping with the source material, and it would have slowly shifted in tone so that by the end, it could have led into The Lord of the Rings.

Supposedly Guillermo del Toro’s version of The Hobbit would have used more practical effects and miniatures, which would have been an improvement on Jackson’s films, which looked artificial and felt like video games. The character designs and visuals would have also been very different, from the look of Smaug to an effect where the sky changed color with the seasons. Guillermo’s version may not have felt too intertwined with The Lord of the Rings, but it would have been unique. Given that he had a plan, versus Jackson, who had to wing it, it may have been better too.

David Ayer’s Director’s Cut Of Suicide Squad

Next year will see the release of James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. The film will supposedly be a reimagining of the property and the characters seen in the 2016 Suicide Squad from director David Ayer. But perhaps a reimagining wouldn’t have been necessary had that previous DC film not been such a creative disappointment. And perhaps Suicide Squad wouldn’t have been a disappointment had David Ayer been allowed to realize his vision onscreen.

David Ayer originally said that the theatrical cut was his cut, but more recently he has said things making it clear that was not the case. We know that extensive reshoots took place on Suicide Squad, and there were even reports that the final cut was done by the company that made the trailer. David Ayer has expressed frustration that he has been blamed for a film that didn’t match his original vision, and everything we’ve heard indicates he would have made a different and possibly much better movie.

Scenes with Jared Leto’s Joker were cut, Harley Quinn’s arc was simplified and ties to the wider DCEU, specifically Justice League, were axed from the final film. The impetus seemed to be to make Suicide Squad more light and fun, DC’s raison d’être post-Batman v Superman, but perhaps a darker film that had clarity and consistency of vision would have been a better overall movie than the mess we got.

Colin Trevorrow’s Star Wars: Duel Of The Fates

Boy, the Star Wars franchise under Disney sure has given us a few of these alternate movie hypotheticals, hasn’t it? But more than Lord and Miller’s Solo or Gareth Edwards’ director’s cut of Rogue One, we now may have a pretty good idea of what Colin Trevorrow’s Star Wars: Episode IX would have looked like. The Jurassic World director was supposed to helm the closing chapter of the Skywalker Saga before being replaced by the returning J.J. Abrams in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Recent reveals about Colin Trevorrow’s Episode IX script, backed up by awesome concept art for The Rise of Skywalker, portray a very different movie than we got in December. Emperor Palpatine's return would not have been the driving force of the film in Colin Trevorrow's Star Wars: Duel of the Fates. Both Rose and Luke Skywalker would have had more to do. The film would have also returned to Coruscant, featured a different arc for Kylo and introduced new characters we never got to see.

All in all, it sounds like Trevorrow’s movie would have avoided many of the perceived problems of The Rise of Skywalker. I didn’t hate J.J. Abrams’ film by any stretch, but on paper at least, Duel of the Fates feels like a more cohesive and interesting ending to both the Sequel Trilogy and the Skywalker Saga, tying everything together while giving audiences great fan service and cool new mythology. Hopefully we’ll see it in comic book form someday.

With Star Wars: Duel of the Fates or any of these alternate, hypothetical movies, the grass is always greener on the other side. It’s entirely possible, even likely in some of these cases, that these alternate movies would have been better than the original, theatrical films we got. But there are no guarantees. Cool concept art and neat ideas do not automatically ensure a great movie. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace sounds great on paper, but without the execution, the best ideas in the world don’t count for much.

Still, it’s hard not to wonder what might have been, and how movies that people had such high hopes for and ultimately disappointed so many could have been lived up to the hype had things gone differently.

Check out our 2020 Release Schedule to see all the movies headed to theaters this year that we hopefully won’t have to wonder 'what if?' about .and let us know in the poll below which of these hypothetical alternate movies you’d like to see.

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There is an argument to be made that Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is this generation’s Star Wars (even though, you could also argue that Star Wars is this generation’s Star Wars, given that series recent trilogy). But the journeys of Frodo, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimili in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and later Bilbo, Thorin, Dwalin, Balin, Kili, Fili, Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur (phew) in The Hobbit movies captivated millions of people around the world in their film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epics.

And with the Amazon show on the way, we thought it apropos to go back to remembering Middle-Earth and the first trilogy that dominated the early 2000s, as well as the second trilogy that made its presence felt in the 2010s, for better or worse. Keep in mind that while we love everything Lord of the Rings, some of these films are better than others. Much better.

6. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)

I hate to be negative since we’re all Lord of the Rings fans here, but The Desolation of Smaug is aggressively bad and by far the worst LotR related movie out of the bunch. Where do I begin? Splitting The Hobbit into two movies (And then three!) already seemed like a cash grab, especially since the book is pretty short. But The Desolation of Smaug turned out to be a bloated mess that dragged out the story to ridiculous proportions. Plus, it’s an ugly movie. How could a film that came out ten years after The Return of the King look about ten times worse than that movie? It was the CG. Way, way too much CG.

The story concerns the leader of the dwarves, Thorin, heading into the Lonely Mountain with the other dwarves to confront the dragon, Smaug, who’s voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. This doesn’t even happen in the book, though. Only Bilbo confronts the dragon. Along the way, Bilbo and the dwarves are tailed by the CG orc, Azog, who looks like he belongs in a video game. Azog, by the way, is also not in the book. At least not as a character. Legolas is in the movie for some reason, even though he’s also not in the book. And Gandalf fights Sauron… which is also not in the book. In fact, the only thing I do remember from the book that’s in this movie is the barrel scene, and even that was way different.

And yes, while I know books are usually different from movies (the Lord of the Rings films made quite a few changes), it’s usually not this big of a departure. It just feels like padding here. Plus, the movie drags on and on and lacks any of the charm or humor found in the book. In truth, it feels like a crappier version of Lord of the Rings done by somebody else. It’s way too serious for its own good, and I hate it with my full heart and soul. Next.

5. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

Is the third and final movie of The Hobbit trilogy necessary? No, not at all. But The Battle of the Five Armies is still a lot more interesting and fun than its predecessor, The Desolation of Smaug. This story concerns Thorin, who now has his gold from the previous movie, holing himself up and hoarding it all for himself, just like Smaug once did. It takes some prompting from Bilbo to rouse him to be the king that he’s meant to be.

So yeah, completely different from anything I remember in the book, but that’s fine. At least there’s a pretty boss final battle for the climax that last almost an entire hour. People literally groaned in the theater when the Strider, Aragorn, was alluded to toward the end of the movie. But after The Desolation of Smaug, it couldn’t get much worse. Thankfully, The Battle of the Five Armies ended up being a lot better.

4. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

Out of the three Hobbit movies, An Unexpected Journey is the best out of the bunch. Maybe it’s because it’s the only film in the trilogy that even feels remotely like the book since it has some lighthearted moments sprinkled in with all that unneeded darkness. The Dwarves sing “Misty Mountains”, it has Gollum, and probably the greatest scene in the entire trilogy of Smaug decimating Erebor.

The story of this one is also straight and to the point. Bilbo is requested to go on a journey with some dwarves, and then stuff happens. There are some pacing issues, but one gets the feeling that everybody making this movie knew all along that they were going to stretch the book out like a rubber band. It’s not up to par with the original Lord of the Rings trilogy, but it’s close enough to be at least a little enjoyable.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Now we’re talking. Whereas The Hobbit movies felt like nice diversions (well, besides The Desolation of Smaug. Did I mention I hate that movie?), The Lord of the Rings trilogy felt like genuine art. The Two Towers, which may be the best book in Tolkien's trilogy, happens to be the “worst” movie in the film trilogy. And I don’t even like calling it the “worst” since it’s still one of the greatest movies of all time.

The movie is split up into three stories, just like the book. Frodo and Sam are on their way to Mordor where they meet up with the treacherous, but pitiful, Gollum. Aragorn and the rest of the fellowship battle at Helm’s Deep. And Merry and Pippin go along with Treebeard to defeat the evil wizard Saruman, played by the late, great Christopher Lee. Also, we get that AMAZING opening scene with Gandalf fighting off the Balrog, that was parodied to great effect on Family Guy.

Honestly, the only thing holding The Two Towers back is its pacing, which is soooo slooow. Especially when it comes to Treebeard the Ent, which talks just as slow as he is supposed to sound in the book. Also, they took one of the best moments from the novel—the fight with Shelob—and shoved it into The Return of the King. That said, it's still a masterpiece, and most people’s favorite in the film trilogy. Just not mine.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The beginning that started it all, it’s fascinating to look back at what a perfect film The Fellowship of the Ring is. Bilbo makes an appearance, still a slave to the ring. The black riders are on the hunt for Frodo. And Gimli is upset that they call it a mine. A mine!

Seriously, from front to back, the world of Middle-Earth was brought to life from that very first battle in the war for the ring. It set the tone for the entire trilogy. Plus, Peter Jackson’s weird sensibilities gave the film a distinct strangeness that was both unsettling and authentic at the same time, like that scene where Saruman used two staffs to make Gandalf do that weird spin. It's late at the time of me writing this, but I honestly want to watch this movie RIGHT NOW and go through the entire trilogy again. This first film is that good.

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

The first (and as of this writing, only) fantasy film to win best picture, The Return of the King is the perfect movie. Basically, Frodo and Sam drop the ring in Mount Doom, Legolas and Gimili continue keeping count of how many orcs they murder in cold blood, and Aragorn leads a legion of ghosts to victory. You know, just your average Best Picture winner. Also, this film has Shelob the spider, a holdover from the second book.

What can I say about this movie that hasn’t already been said? The pacing is perfect, it has about three endings, but each of them is satisfying: Gollum meets his end in a powerful and sad way, Frodo goes away on a boat to... somewhere, and Sam gets to go home and be a family man. Honestly, The Return of the King was a culmination of everything we wanted and everything we needed. It's the best movie in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and one of the greatest, most epic films of all time. Period.

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As Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Benedict Cumberbatch has become a huge movie star. While he was previously best known for his stellar performance as legendary detective Sherlock Holmes on the BBC/PBS hit Sherlock, which has been playing since 2010, his resume beyond those two roles is mighty impressive.

So if you know Benedict Cumberbatch from those two roles, but are unfamiliar with some of his other wonderful work, we’ve put together a nice little list of where to see him in other excellent performances, including a couple of very well-known franchises you might not have known he was a part of.

The Imitation Game (Alan Turing)

The Imitation Game, released in 2014, is the wonderful and tragic true story of a World War II code-breaker named Alan Turing, who was the leader of the team that cracked the German Enigma code. Benedict Cumberbatch plays Turing, who, in addition to being a genius codebreaker and inventor of an early prototype computer, was also gay.

Being gay in the 1950s in England was illegal, and Alan Turing was arrested and convicted of “gross indecency.” His punishment was, in lieu of prison, chemical castration. Within two years of the sentence, he would be dead by cyanide poisoning that was ruled a suicide, though this has been disputed by his family and some historians, as has the historical accuracy of the film.

Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as the brilliant and troubled Alan Turing is phenomenal, and he was deservedly nominated for an Oscar for it. The film and Cumberbatch’s performance brought a bright spotlight on Turing and all the other men convicted of similar crimes in the same era, and eventually inspired a new law granting amnesty to all those convicted of violating those barbaric laws at the time.

Black Mass (William “Billy” Bulger)

Showing his true versatility, in 2015, Benedict Cumberbatch starred as Billy Bulger, the long-time President of the Massachusetts State Senate and brother of the notorious Boston mobster, James “Whitey” Bulger, who is played terrifyingly by Johnny Depp in the film.

Playing a very famous person can always be dicey for an actor, but it’s something that Benedict Cumberbatch does well. His turn as a politician from South Boston with a distinctive Boston accent can be even trickier. Just look at all the bad Boston accents in movies over the years. Cumberbatch pulls off the role with aplomb and displays a fantastic ability to become the character. The acting doesn’t get bogged down by the accent, it is simply a part of the role, allowing Cumberbatch to be completely natural in his performance.

Star Trek Into Darkness (Khan)

The villain with the British accent has become a bit of an overused trope in Hollywood recently, but with Benedict Cumberbatch, he proves in 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness why it works so well. Or maybe it’s just that his acting chops were perfect for the most notorious villain in the Star Trek universe, Khan.

This version of Khan is a genetically engineered human hiding behind the alias “John Harrison,” a Starfleet member who becomes a terrorist that is eventually caught by Captain Kirk on the Enterprise and becomes Kirk's prisoner. These scenes, after he reveals his true identity in the brig of the Enterprise, are when Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance soars. His character’s intelligence and his manipulation of the Enterprise’s crew with an underlining evilness is the highlight of the movie.

The Fifth Estate (Julian Assange)

This is yet another example of Benedict Cumberbatch’s uncanny ability to play real people, as he does in The Fifth Estate, playing the journalist-turned-cyber-outlaw Julian Assange. Like so often as other historical figures, he transforms into Assange -- and despite the unevenness of the film, there is nothing uneven about his performance.

Amazingly, it was released in 2013, the same year as three other movies on this list. It was an incredible year for Benedict Cumberbatch and this underrated role was overshadowed by the others -- in Star Trek Into Darkness, The Hobbit, and 12 Years A Slave -- but for fans of the actor, it is a must-see performance.

12 Years A Slave (William Ford)

Benedict Cumberbatch didn’t play a leading role in the nightmarishly difficult to watch 12 Years A Slave, instead having a supporting part as plantation owner William Ford (yet another real historical person). Ford was not a brutal slave-owner, though he was the owner of Solomon Northrup, played by the amazing Chiwetel Ejiofor in the film. Ford’s compassion comes through in Cumberbatch’s performance as he tries to be as benevolent as possible for a slave owner of the day.

Benedict Cumberbatch walks a fine line between good and bad in the film brilliantly. On one hand, he is a slave owner and has little remorse for it, on the other, Ford was clearly more compassionate than most others of the day. Threading that needle in the performance is easily one of the best things Cumberbatch has done in his career.

Brexit: The Uncivil War (Dominic Cummings)

For those of us who live in the U.S., Brexit can be a little confusing. That’s where Brexit: The Uncivil War can help immensely. Benedict Cumberbatch plays yet another real person, political strategist Dominic Cummings, who led the “Vote Leave” campaign. Think of him as the Karl Rove of the United Kingdom. In Cuberbatch's true chameleon-like ability to become another person, he completely transforms in Cummings, totally changing his look and his mannerisms.

This, like so many of Benedict Cumberbatch’s roles, is not a case of an actor playing someone else, but doing little more than simply being their usual self and calling it someone else. Cumberbatch IS Cummings. Cummings is actually a lot like an Alan Turing-lite. A self-centered man whose disdain for social norms overshadows his intellectual genius. Cumberbatch was the perfect actor for the job.

The Hobbit (Smaug and Necromancer)

It would be easy to not recognize Benedict Cumberbatch’s roles in The Hobbit film series, as his acting is all motion-capture, but his voice is unmistakable. His performance -- both as villains in the series -- is, of course, excellent. It also marks his inclusion in a third massive franchise (along with Star Trek and the MCU) and makes one wonder how he never ended up in a Harry Potter movie. He is British, after all.

Between voicing both Smaug the dragon and The Necromancer, better known as Sauron, Benedict Cumberbatch did an impressive job pulling double duty across The Hobbit trilogy and bringing gravitas to both roles. And that wouldn't be the last time the actor would contribute to a movie with two different performances, as in Doctor Strange, along with bringing Stephen Strange to life, he also voiced and did the motion capture for Dormammu, ruler of the Dark Dimension.

Benedict Cumberbatch has become one of the premiere actors of his generation. He's not afraid to play difficult roles that challenge his craft and the audiences that have the pleasure of watching an actor at the top of his game. He may be best known for Dr. Stephen Strange and Sherlock Holmes but there are many, many more performances worth checking out and more to come, with the new Sam Mendes-directed 1917 due out later this year and the long-awaited release of The Current War, also due later this year.

If you could visit any fictional location from a movie, what would it be? We recently found out that Tony Stark’s lakeside cabin from Avengers: Endgame is listed on Airbnb, and that got me thinking about all the fictional movie locations we can’t visit, or the ones that in the real world that don’t match their cinematic counterparts. But if you could visit these places, if you could pull them up on Airbnb and book a trip to visit them within the worlds of the movies they’re from, where would you go?

There are likely countless answers to this question, but some places that stand out above the rest. Now, for the purposes of this exercise, we are talking specific locations. Sure we all want to go to the worlds of Middle Earth and Narnia, but where in those worlds would we stay and what sight would be at the top of our ‘to see’ list? You can only pick one location per franchise, although different superheroes we'll count as different franchises.

Also, lest this list be entirely populated by spaceships, no transportation vessels are allowed. So no Enterprise, no Millennium Falcon, no Serenity and sadly, no cruise ship on Fhloston Paradise. In addition, no TV locations, but for the record, the answer is Arnold’s room from Hey Arnold! Anyway, here are 14 fictional movie locations that'd be great to visit.

Golden City, Wakanda – Black Panther

Following the wildly successful release of Black Panther, people were apparently trying to book trips to the fictional African nation of Wakanda from the film. This may have occurred in part because of people’s nonexistent knowledge of world geography, but also because of how appealing the technological utopia immaculately realized in the film was.

The opulence of Golden City is a sight to behold, but unlike the dehumanizing fictional urban centers in movies like Blade Runner or The Hunger Games, this Afrofuturist city is a place you’d actually want to visit. It is rich with culture and history, but does not eschew modern conveniences, like the fantastic public transportation on Maglev trains.

The Toretto House – The Fast And The Furious Franchise

Olive Garden’s slogan may be “When you’re here, you’re family” but that could also be the slogan on the Airbnb page for the Toretto house, because Dom only lets real family crash at his place. This is where the family comes together to have movie nights watching Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story and summer cookouts in the backyard.

It may not be as fancy as some of the other places on this list, but it’s homey and has character that you can’t fake. Plus, you can have any brew you want. I repeat, any brew you want. Folks, that is an incredible value, literally any brew you want… as long as it’s a Corona.

Bag End – The Hobbit/The Lord Of The Rings

This is one of the few places on this list that you can sort of visit. In New Zealand, where The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings movies were filmed, the Hobbiton set is now a tourist attraction. But, while awesome, that’s only a small sampling of the magic of Bag End that you would get in the real Middle Earth.

If you could visit the fictional Shire, you could enjoy the quaint, quiet life of living in a beautiful hole in the ground, surrounded by immaculate gardens and the greenest green you’ve ever seen. Sure, you’d have cousins trying to steal the place and every once in a while you’d be roped into adventures, but you can also throw a killer birthday party and enjoy some pipe-weed with the wizard who comes around and brings fireworks.

The Continental- The John Wick Franchise

There are 5-star hotels and then there is The Continental from the John Wick franchise. The level of service The Continental offers for members of the criminal underworld are beyond compare. Beyond just being a lavish hotel, the concierge offers a wide array of services, including weapons supply, an onsite tailor specializing in bulletproof garments and even medical treatment.

Sure, like all great hotels, The Continental is expensive. You have to pay for your stay in actual gold, but it’s worth it, as long as everyone follows the rules, of course. The world of John Wick is a fascinating one and we’d love to visit one of this establishment’s locations around the world. Oh yeah, and it’s dog friendly!

The Bathhouse-Spirited Away

Hayao Miyazaki’s films are full of fantastical locations we’d love to visit, but perhaps none is more iconic than the Bathhouse from his Oscar-winning 2001 film Spirited Away. The Bathhouse is located in the spirit world that 10-year-old Chihiro finds herself trapped in.

Owned by the witch Yubaba, the Bathhouse has lavish baths and dining areas. Here is where the spirits of the world come to replenish themselves, and it is quite the sight to see. Humans get discriminated against and your parents might turn into pigs, but it is still worth visiting for the people, or more accurately, spirit-watching.

Beast’s Castle – Beauty And The Beast

Whether it's animated or in live-action, this castle from Beauty and the Beast is a gorgeous gothic structure in France that is literally right out of a fairy tale. If you’re a foodie or a reader, this is the fictional movie location that should be at the top of your list to visit.

Rather than sitting on some crowded beach reading, Beast’s incredible library can immerse you in countless incredible stories all from the comfort of a gorgeous castle. Better yet, like a great hotel the service here is incredible. The servants only live to serve, they say so themselves. They’ll give you dinner and a show like you’ve never had or seen before. Try the grey stuff, it’s delicious.

The X-Mansion – The X-Men Franchise

Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters is one of film and fiction’s most iconic learning institutions, and one of those places we wish we could have spent our school years at. The school itself is founded on the idea of being welcoming to all, so you can let your freak flag fly. This mansion in upstate New York is surrounded by gorgeous grounds and there’s plenty to do, including playing a few games on a basketball court.

Also, if you can get access, The Danger Room, while dangerous, would be a great place to get some training in, and if you can keep it on a low setting, it could almost be like a really advanced and fun obstacle course. The X-Mansion is where our favorite mutants in multiple X-Men films discovered who they are and were accepted for it and it would be a blast to visit.

Cloud City – Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

There are lots of places we’d love to visit in a galaxy far, far away, and to be fair, Tatooine is the most important and storied Star Wars planet. But you wouldn’t really want to stay there; it’s full of sand, which is coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.

Dagobah is a swamp and Coruscant is too crowded and likely filthy, so it's better to visit Cloud City on Bespin and enjoy the beauty of living in the clouds. Maybe you can rent out at room at the Administrator’s Palace and that magical feeling you get while flying in a plane would be right outside your window in Cloud City.

The Grand Budapest Hotel – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Do you possess an attention to detail and an appreciation for symmetry? Or, in lieu of that, are you a hipster? If you answered yes to any of that, then you definitely want to visit The Grand Budapest Hotel from Wes Anderson’s 2014 film of the same name. Wes Anderson creates incredible quirky and comedic worlds, and the famed Grand Budapest Hotel in the Republic of Zubrowka is one of his most immaculately crafted locations.

It’s an architectural marvel and a feast for the eyes. And like some of the other locations on this list, the service at the Grand Budapest is top notch, as evidenced by the rigorous process it takes for someone to become a Lobby Boy. Just don’t get framed for murder and you’ll have a splendid time.

The Gryffindor Common Room – Harry Potter

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from Harry Potter is obviously a top 5 fictional place to visit, but it’s also a big castle, so where are you staying while studying for potions classes, celebrating Quidditch victories and contemplating the wetness of kisses? Why the Gryffindor dormitories and Common Room, of course.

The Ravenclaw Common Room is posh enough to also be an option, but Slytherin and Hufflepuff? Come on, Slytherin’s is under the lake and is probably riddled with mold and Hufflepuff’s is right next to the kitchens, and thus probably smells like the back of a restaurant. In Gryffindor’s Common Room you can crash in the four-poster bed, relax by the warm fire while surrounded by the glorious scarlet and gold of Gryffindor.

The Lambda Epsilon Omega Fraternity House – Old School

There are some colleges that you go to just to party and there are some fictional movie locations that you visit to do the same exact thing: test your liver’s ability to process alcohol. This location isn’t so much about the building itself, it’s the people that make it special. and the people are open-minded and accepting, no matter who you are.

Concerts from iconic rap artists, legendary parties, hilarious games and likely illegal pledge initiation rituals are just icing on the cake for hanging out with friends and being reminded that we’re all young at heart and it’s the people that make a place special.

The Batcave – The Batman Franchise

In Shazam!, Billy Batson and Freddy Freeman inquire with a real estate agent about acquiring a lair, and if there is one fictional lair we could visit, it is unquestionably the Batcave. The Batcave is an iconic movie location and definitely a must visit if you could. And while it wouldn’t necessarily be the most comfortable place to stay, you’d want to go upstairs to Wayne Manor; it is still an unbelievably cool place seen in many Batman movies.

Here you could check out all of Batman’s clever gadgets, sit in the Batmobile (and maybe take it for a spin,)and try on the many Batsuits, including the iconic Batman & Robin one, of course. Where else can you sit alone, in the dark, spying on the citizens of a city, while still enjoying the benefits of wealth, like having a butler on standby?

The Maitland/Deetz House – Beetlejuice

Who doesn’t want to visit a properly haunted house, right? In Beetlejuice, this Connecticut house originally belonged to Barbara and Adam Maitland. When they died, the insufferable Deetz family purchased it and moved in. That’s the time when we would want to visit it though because the Deetz turn the quaint country home into a modern art piece, and it is wild, absurd and actually really fun.

The real selling point to visiting this house, though, is the opportunity to be haunted by the Maitlands and Betelgeuse who are trying to get you to leave. It might be scary and disturbing, but impromptu performances of Harry Belafonte’s “Banana Boat Song” make it worth the trip. This is a real house, but sans the hauntings it doesn’t seem nearly as appealing.

Hometree – Avatar

There is a reason that audiences experienced what was dubbed Avatar blues or the Avatar depression syndrome after seeing James Cameron’s 2009 box office king. The world of Pandora is an environmental utopia; an Eden teeming with fantastical life and the splendor of natural beauty. You know, like Earth used to be. Pandora – The World of Avatar at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom is cool, but there’s no substitute for the real thing.

If we could escape to Pandora, we’d ideally stay at cinema’s greatest treehouse: Hometree. There aren’t many, if any, cooler, more blissful places to visit and from Hometree you could explore Pandora’s other wonders like the floating mountains and the bioluminescent forest. I don't doubt that the many Avatar sequels will provide even more amazing locations that could take up a few spots on this list.

The beauty of cinema is that the worlds we can visit on the big screen are limited only by the imagination of the filmmakers. This is just a small sampling of the amazing, fantastical locations from our favorite movies that we’d love to visit and no doubt there are a near infinite number of places I left out. Be sure to let us know where you’d like to go in the poll and comments below.

To see what amazing worlds are coming to the big screen this year, Check out our 2019 Release Schedule.

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Each role brings its own set of challenges, but playing a despicable figure from real life can be especially difficult. That's what Topher Grace had to deal with when he was cast as former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke in Black KkKlansman. It's no easy feat getting into the headspace of one of history's most famous white supremacists, so after his time on the Spike Lee movie was over, Grace decided to unwind and mentally distance himself from the Duke role by cutting together a two-hour version of Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy. Grace voiced his thoughts on how The Hobbit adaptation should have been put together thusly:

Backpedaling a little bit, Topher Grace recalled that he was "so depressed" while working on Black KkKlansman, not just because he was portraying David Duke, but because he would see on the news how Duke's ideology was affecting "us" in the present day. So after the movie finished filming, Grace turned his attention to the Hobbit trilogy . While each book in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy each received its own movie, The Hobbit, the novel that launched the Middle Earth mythology, was stretched out to three movies, a.k.a. 434 minutes of screen time. The end result was certainly a financial success, adding up to $2.9 billion worldwide, but critically, The Hobbit trilogy wasn't met with the same level of praise as the Lord of the Rings movies. Grace decided to piece together a "tighter" version of The Hobbit as a creative challenge, and it sounds like he was pleased with the end result. Continuing in his interview with Indiewire, the actor said:

This isn't Topher Grace's first time editing together his own cut of a blockbuster franchise. Back in 2012, he made an 85-minute version of the Star Wars prequel trilogy and showed to some industry professionals before legal restrictions put the kibosh on future screenings. It's also worth noting that Grace isn't the first person to edit together a condensed version of The Hobbit, although the previous fan version released in 2015 was four hours long, making Grace's version an easier watch. Though if his experience with the Star Wars prequels cut is any indication, don't expect Grace to ever release his Hobbit cut to the public.

You can see David Duke in Black KkKlansman when it hits theaters on August 10. If you want to find out what other movies are coming out later this year, look through our 2018 release schedule. As for the Lord of the Rings franchise, it's time on the big screen is over, but an Amazon TV series that will explore new stories is in development.

Evangeline Lilly found fame and success relatively early into her acting career when she was cast as Kate Austen in the ABC series Lost, which she was a part of from beginning to end. During that six-year run, Lilly also appeared in a few movies, like The Hurt Locker, but in the years after Lost ended, she jumped into the blockbuster film game when she appeared as the elf Tauriel in the latter two Hobbit movies. As it turns out, we have those movies, and specifically director Peter Jackson, to thank for Lilly not retiring from the acting world.

As Evangeline Lilly explained to THR, she "felt very uncomfortable" being launched into international stardom when she joined Lost. So after the show ended, she acted alongside Hugh Jackman in Real Steel, but once that wrapped up, she intended on retiring from acting. And that was the case for two years, with Lilly having a child and writing scripts during that time and not being in contact with Hollywood at all. Then, she received a "covert call" from Peter Jackson, who knew about her relationship with Dominic Monaghan, a Lord of the Rings alum and fellow Lost star, and hadn't had any luck reaching her through the normal entertainment channels. Jackson offered Lilly the Tauriel role, but the actress felt torn about taking it. Lilly continued:

So if Peter Jackson had never called Evangeline Lilly to play Tauriel (an original character) in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, then Lilly might have stuck to her retirement, and another actress ultimately would have played the elf protagonist. But because Jackson did give Lilly a ring, it took her down a new path that, as she noted, led to her discovering that she could balance both her acting life and her other interests/family. From there, she was cast as Hope van Dyne in Ant-Man, a role she's reprised for Ant-Man and the Wasp, but clearly those Hobbit movies will hold a special place in her career.

You can see Evangeline Lilly back in action as Hope van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp starting tomorrow (or tonight, depending on your area), and for all the latest movie news, keep checking back with CinemaBlend. For now, you can find out what other movies come out later this year in our 2018 release schedule.

A very successful superhero era ended in 2012 when Christian Bale hung up the cape and cowl with The Dark Knight Rises. His run as Bruce Wayne that began with the debut of Batman Begins led to a fascinating search for a replacement, which eventually resulted in the casting of Ben Affleck for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. That said, Affleck obviously wasn't the only actor who tried out, and it seems that The Hobbit star Richard Armitage auditioned for the role as well. In a recent interview, the actor explained:

Replacing Christian Bale was an unenviable task for the folks over at Warner Bros. It sounds like there was an exhaustive search, and Richard Armitage stepped in for an audition following his work with Warner Bros. on The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey before Affleck ultimately got the role. We have no idea what Armitage's version of Bruce Wayne or The Caped Crusader would've looked like, but it's an intriguing thought exercise to imagine his potential take on the beloved hero.

Richard Armitage stands among a long list of actors who almost got a chance to play Batman, but never did. In addition to the Captain America: The First Avenger veteran, actors like Sicario star Josh Brolin and The Social Network's Armie Hammer were all in consideration for the classic DC Comics badass at various points in time.

It also doesn't sound like Richard Armitage has soured on the idea of Batman as a character or a concept. In fact, the actor continued his interview with Digital Spy and noted that he's incredibly intrigued by the hero's fundamental darkness and sensitivity. Armitage said:

Of course, now we're left to wonder if Richard Armitage may ever have a chance to play Batman at some point. Some rumors have suggested that Ben Affleck intends to leave the role behind at some point in the near future, and at 46 years of age, Armitage could still have an opportunity to don the cowl. Although rumors in the past have suggested that Matt Reeves may look to a younger Batman, and we'll be sure to let you know once concrete information is available.

So, while we never got a chance to see this particular version of Batman, we will make sure to bring you any relevant updates related to the character as more information about the future of the DCEU becomes available to us. As for Richard Armitage, you can check him out in Ocean's 8, which is currently in theaters!

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Acting is a cumulative profession. Experience gained on one job can often help a performer get into the right frame of mind for another, and that is something that Richard Armitage seems to understand all too well. During a recent chat about his latest film, Pilgrimage, I asked Armitage if his work on The Hobbit films helped prepare him for his role as Norman crusader Raymond De Merville. As it turns out, the role of Thorin Oakenshield not only helped him physically, it also helped him get into the right mindset to portray his newest sword-wielding badass. Armitage explained:

Although they are decidedly different in terms of style and overall tone, it's not hard to see where Richard Armitage managed to draw his parallels. Both Thorin and Raymond are fanatical in nature, and both come from prideful and brutish clans of lifelong soldiers. While Thorin has a bit more of a heroic and likable side to him throughout The Hobbit films (and he never attempts to disembowel anyone who does not deserve it), portraying one character of a similar mentality seemingly helped inform how Armitage transitioned into the next.

That said, that seems to be where the similarities between Peter Jackson's Hobbit films and Pilgrimage end. The former is a bombastic PG-13 thrill ride that leans headfirst into its sense of adventure, but the latter is a somber, gritty and almost overwhelming journey into a dark time in world history. Medieval battles and sword-based adventures have long captured the imaginations of moviegoers around the world, but these projects showcase two decidedly different sides of that coin.

Pilgrimage centers upon a group of monks in 13th century Ireland on a journey to return a holy relic to Rome. However, along the way they find themselves forced to face off against a series of malevolent forces (some of whom are led by Richard Armitage's Raymond) who want to take the object for their own political gain. As the story progresses, these holy men find their faith tested, and they soon discover that someone in their midst may have a far deadlier set of skills than they ever imagined that could potentially keep them alive. The film also stars Marvel Cinematic Universe veterans Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal and has thus far has been met with a positive reception from critics.

Pilgrimage is now in theaters, as well as Digital HD and VOD formats. Beyond that, make sure to take a look at CinemaBlend's comprehensive movie premiere guide for more information related to the rest of this year's most highly anticipated theatrical debuts!

Books! The written word is the original gateway to the imagination, and has led millions of avid readers to digest the work of their favorite authors or series. Countless of these stories have been adapted to the big screen (some multiple times), but as any reader can tell you, a great book does not always make for a great movie. Book adaptations can go sour real fast, as fans of the Stephen King's Dark Tower series recently learned. There are a number of reasons for why these movies end up failing hard, but knowing those reasons doesn't exactly remove the scowl from any hardcore reader of the book.

Even the best of novels can be turned into a crummy movie, no matter how classic it is or how hard production works to live up to a particular novel's legacy. Not everything can be a Harry Potter or a James Bond, and even the technically bad Twilight movies have their big fan bases. No movie should have to be 100% faithful to the source material, but it can't forget to, well, BE GOOD. A book adaptation can get it so wrong that it can never earn back our forgiveness, and these are 10 movies that likely still piss people off.

The Hobbit Trilogy

A prequel to The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit trilogy failed to live up to J.R.R. Tolkien's original masterpiece. Despite having great casting in Martin Freeman as Bilbo, plus the return of Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey (the best Gandalf), these three movies were a bust from start to finish. Peter Jackson phoned it in for three movies straight, overly relying on CGI, cartoonish action, and references to the original trilogy over memorable characters. The films have their bright spots for sure (Smaug is noticeably epic), but ultimately the decision to split one normal-sized book into three movies was its real undoing.

Gulliver's Travels

Gulliver's Travels is Jonathan Swift's satirical look at societal rules and travel novels was written almost 300 years ago. The most well-known part of this story is Gulliver's encounter with teeny-tiny people on the island of Lillipy, who have tons of quirky customs (what end you crack an egg is the source of a political divide). The movie envisions the story in modern day and includes Jack Black, the Bermuda Triangle, poop humor, giant robots, and Guitar Hero III -- a little man gets sucked into Jack Black's butthole for crying out loud! Let's just say it takes some liberties, making it a shallow effort just trying to capitalize on name recognition.

World War Z

This adaptation of Max Brooks' zombie horror novel never had an easy time. Multiple rewrites, productions troubles, and an extensive third act reshoot all plagued World War Z about as a well as any zombie virus. While not a totally bad film, its generic plot and crappy ending prove how difficult it can be to streamline an unconventional novel. The book is a collection of accounts from multiple perspectives recounting how the world dealt with an international zombie outbreak. The movie opted to focus on one point of view (Brad Pitt) but wasn't quite able to do much with it. That wall of zombies was pretty cool, though.

The Scarlet Letter

This is an example of how deviating from the source material can pretty much tank a movie. This 1995 adaptation of the classic novel, The Scarlet Letter, Hollywood-ified Nathaniel Hawthorne's original work. The story follows a Puritan woman who -- by modern definitions -- is slut shamed for having an affair with a minister and forced to wear a scarlet letter "A." It's about sin, betrayal and lust, which the movie version confuses for more softcore sex scenes with Demi Moore. The novel doesn't end well for her or her lover, but the movie ends with a convenient last-minute save that allows them to live happily ever after together, missing the entire point of the novel. But man, look at how steamy Demi Moore and Gary Oldman are!

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Written by Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a popular sci-fi comedy series that began as a radio show but then spawned into book and television series'. The books, which are probably the most digested format, are odd, uniquely funny, and pretty confusing (in a good way). They don't easily lend themselves to adaptation on film, which people saw firsthand when the movie version was released. Starring Martin Freeman, Sam Rockwell, and Zooey Deschanel, the movie doesn't quite match the spirit of the novels and ends up being just confusing (in a bad way). It's not a trainwreck by any means, but it's a fairly generic look at one of the most un-generic properties.

All the King's Men

All the King's Men, rated as one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, was already adapted into a film in 1949 that went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. When they did it again in 2006... well, it's a movie, I can tell you that much. Despite boasting a star-studded cast (Sean Penn Judd Law, Kate Winslet, Anthony Hopkins), with Steven Zaillian directing, the film failed to live up to TWO different versions of itself. It has a Rotten Tomato score of 11%, which writes that the movie "lacks political insight" in a story where politics is used as a lens into themes of consequence and morality. There's no life in the film, as scenes just drag on, and Sean Penn's Louisiana accent is better left on the page where it can only hurt your eyes.

Bonfire of the Vanities

Brian De Palma crafts some great thrillers, but he bit off more than he could chew with Bonfire of the Vanities. Adapted from the 1987 satirical novel of the same name written by Tom Wolfe, the story follows a wealthy New York City stock broker who accidentally runs over a young black man, tracing the highly-publicized trial that follows. The movie version softens up the events and characters of the novel and loses most of its bite in the process. Tom Hanks is miscast in the lead role, and the film is just unable to match the in-depth look Wolfe hooked readers with in his novel.

Dune

Dune has drummed up a cult following since its release in 1984, but it remains divisive among book fans. The plot, which chronicles rival noble families competing for control of a harsh desert world with a valuable resource, was hard to follow and over stuffed. The film couldn't keep up with the novel's dense text that created a world that fascinated readers, and the result was a film that critics hated, and one that tanked at the box office. Even writer-director David Lynch distanced himself from the project,and there are some versions where he is credited under a pseudonym. Lynch later admitted that he probably never should have done the movie at all. That being said, Denis Villeneuve should still try to remake it.

Bicentennial Man

The Positronic Man is a novel by Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg, based on a short story by Asimov. The book tells the story of Andrew, a robotic helper to the kindly Martin family that slowly develops human emotions and creativity over time. Andrew eventually replaces his mechanics with synthetic organs, abandoning his immortality so that he may finally be considered human. The novel is a thoughtful and subtle look at what it means to be human, so of course, you cast Robin Williams in the lead role of the movie adaptation. Called Bicentennial Man, the movie interjected more goofy humor and some very unsubtle sentiment that chiseled away the sharper source material until all that was left was just a genuinely bad movie.

The Cat in the Hat

You should not see this movie in a box; you should not see it with a fox or any other living creature because no one can know that you saw this. This movie -- which came in a temporary bad live-action Dr. Seuss phase before they decided to just do bad animated ones -- is pretty horrible. The Cat in the Hat is as classic as children's literature gets, yet that is not a medium that suits full-length feature films. Starring Mike Meyers as the title demon, there's really nothing positive to say about The Cat in the Hat. It's got weird sexual innuendos, bad special effects, and is mostly unfunny. The Cat in the Hat book taught me to read; The Cat in the Hat movie taught me I might be better off blind.

For a lot of people, this has been a long year, and we're finally saying goodbye to 2016 to welcome in 2017.The new year will bring many exciting new movies with it, so let's celebrate the holiday with some epic movie marathons. Plenty of networks are going out with a bang with huge franchise-length marathons, and we've collected some of the best right here for you. Check out the dates and times for some of these below to plan your schedule accordingly.

Harry Potter Franchise, Freeform

It wouldn't be a holiday weekend (or any given weekend, for that matter) if Freeform wasn't airing a Harry Potter marathon. Freeform will be showing every single Harry Potter film over the course of the weekend. It all starts on Saturday, Dec. 31 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone at 7 a.m. EST. There will be repeat showings for each film, but the marathon officially ends on Monday, Jan. 2 at 5 p.m. with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II.

Ghostbusters, BBC America

BBC America will be running a marathon of Ghostbusters all afternoon, though it's without the recent Ghostbusters film that didn't perform so hot over the summer. Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2 will be playing all afternoon starting on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 1:30 p.m. and running until 11:30 p.m. EST.

The Fast And The Furious, Spike

Want to end 2016 with action, really fast cars and girl butts? You won't find a better place than Spike with its The Fast and the Furious marathon. The network will be playing the first five movies in the franchise, beginning on Sunday, Jan. 1 at 12 p.m with The Fast and The Furious and ending at 10 p.m. EST with Fast Five. The marathon will also air Monday, Jan. 2 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST.

The Lord Of The Rings, TNT

You could end the year by sitting on the couch literally the entire day by watching The Lord of the Rings marathon on TNT. For some reason, the network is forgoing The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and will instead air the second and third films in the fantasy franchise. Beginning on Saturday, Dec. 31 with limited commercials is The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers at 4:22 p.m., followed by The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King at 8 p.m. EST.

The Hobbit, Also TNT

If Lord of the Rings wasn't enough for you, then TNT has you covered with another trip to Middle-Earth. The network is running the first two films in the Hobbit trilogy, beginning with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Sunday, Jan. 1 at 1:18 p.m., followed by The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug at 4:45 p.m. EST.

Tyler Perry Films, BET

You can always count on Tyler Perry for some entertaining and emotional fee- good films. BET will be running a Tyler Perry movie marathon for the holiday weekend. On Sunday, Jan. 1, the marathon will be mostly Madea-less and begins with Why Did I Get Married Too at 12:05 p.m.; Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor at 3:15 p.m.; Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself at 6:05 p.m.; and it all ends with a repeat showing of Why Did I Get Married Too at 9 p.m.

James Bond, Esquire

Send 2016 packing in style! Esquire will be holding a James Bond marathon, though it does come with a caveat depending on your Bond preferences -- they'll only be airing the Pierce Brosnan Bond movies. The marathon begins Monday, Jan 2. with GoldenEye at 7 p.m. followed by Tomorrow Never Dies at 9:30 p.m.; The World is Not Enough at 12 p.m.; and Die Another Day at 2:30 p.m. Then rinse and repeat with GoldenEye at 5:30 p.m.; Tomorrow Never Dies at 8 p.m.; and The World is Not Enough at 10:30 p.m.

Alfred Hitchcock, TCM

Finally, a treat for any film fan. TCM will be airing the classics of director Alfred Hitchcock for an epic movie lovers marathon. Running all day on Sunday, Jan.1 from 6 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. EST, you'll be able to see such classics including, but not limited to, Strangers on a Train, Psycho, Marnie, The Birds, Rear Window and Vertigo. 24 hours of suspense if there ever was one.

You might have thought that since Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit have both been turned into rather successful trilogies, that would probably be the end when it came to the work of J.R.R. Tolkien on the big-screen. But Hollywood doesn't work like that. Rather than turning to one of his other stories or books this time around, though, work has now begun on a J.R.R. Tolkien biopic, which will get the unsurprising title of Middle Earth.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Middle Earth will revolve around the chaotic and bloody events that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to pick up a pen and write both The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings trilogy. Angus Fletcher has written the script, and he's put quite a lot of time and effort into it, too, as it was constructed with the help of six years of interviews and archival research. According to IMDB, Angus Fletcher's only previous other work came as the writer and director of 2008's S.E.R.E., which was a war thriller that revolved around four American soldiers trying to survive in a Saudi Arabian prison.

Middle Earth has already acquired a director, too, as British filmmaker James Strong has signed on to oversee the biopic. While this will mark James Strong's debut as a feature film director, he has been shining on the small-screen for quite a while. Not only has he overseen over half a dozen episodes of Doctor Who, but he has also directed numerous episodes of both Broadchurch and Downtown Abbey, the documentary Elton John: Me, Myself & I, and the TV films United while in the UK. Most recently he has been working on US TV, too, directing the pilot for Drew and episodes of 11.22.63.

Middle Earth also has a direct connection to The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, as Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne are producing the film, which they'll do through their Unique Features banner. Bob Shaye and Michel Lynne were the ones who decided to give Peter Jackson the greenlight to work on The Lord Of The Rings films when they were at New Line Cinema. They will also be producing Middle Earth alongside Rachael Horovitz, and the trio. Protagonist Pictures, who are handling its worldwide sales, will launch the biopic to buyers at the Berlin Film Festival.

While it's hard not to be a little skeptical about whether J.R.R. Tolkien's life warrants a biopic, the events that led to him writing both the Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings provide a little hope that it will ultimately be worthwhile. That's because it will revolve around J.R.R. Tolkien's time as a soldier in the first World War, an experience that ultimately went on to inspire the fledgling writer to scribe both The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings. Tolkien served in the British Army as a Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers between 1915 and 1920, and was even involved in the Battle Of The Somme, which lasted from July 1 to November 18, 1916, and resulted in over a million men being killed or wounded.

We'll learn if there have been any buyers for Middle Earth when the Berlin Film Festival takes place in February 2017.

While most cinephiles with a literary obsession will tell you "the book was better," sometimes the movie camera and the printing press stand shoulder to shoulder in their abilities to convey the written word. It's not exactly a rare feat, but it's less often than you think that a movie can give you the same message and/or thrills that an original novel can, but when it does, it's truly a thing of alchemy. But which film-based adaptations rank as the best of the best?

Well, in the case of the British population, there are 10 films that take right after their bookish equivalents. The Independent sampled 2,000 movie going Britons, and out of that sample, 10 films are the obvious heavy hitters. The top spot on this list is occupied by a 32% result, which sounds like this list is full of stiff competition if you ask us. But don't take our word for it. See the list for yourself, and let us know if you agree with the top 10 book-to-film adaptations, according to the British population.

10. Forrest Gump

If life is like a box of chocolates, then Forrest Gump is the candy you eat first in a box of really good confections. With Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks telling the story of a man not graced with stereotypical intelligence, but still wise beyond his years, it's hard not to see this movie as pure gold. Of course, if the book's author Winston Groom were asked the same question, he'd undoubtedly leave this film off this list altogether.

9. The Hobbit

If you want to know what type of a list this is, The Hobbit managed to make it into the Top 10. While the trilogy of films is the weaker of the two sagas from the pen of J.R.R. Tolkien, the films by Peter Jackson do manage to recapture some of the magic that ran through the pages of the relatively short tome. Just pretend The Desolation Of Smaug didn't happen, and you should be fine with this result.

8. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The confusion of which version of Roald Dahl's infinitely witty children's book is the better cinematic experience might seem like a no-brainer to most fans. However, while Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory has Gene Wilder's lovable madman and the more memorable songs, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory maintained some of Dahl's darker tones, and in a more modern setting. The poll in the Independent says Charlie, but in our hearts, we know folks had to have been thinking of the 1971 classic when they submitted their result, so advantage Wilder. Right? Right?!

7. The Green Mile

The other author to have two very similar entries on this list is none other than literary impresario Stephen King. His first showing on this list is the Frank Darabont / Tom Hanks collaboration known as The Green Mile. Now, while The Shawshank Redemption ranks above this film in every sense of the word, that doesn't make this film a dud by any stretch of the imagination. It's just a matter of preference, in a game where both options are the winner.

6. The Bourne Franchise

Here's another case where fans may have been voting with their movie tastes over their quest for literary accuracy. Anyone who's read Robert Ludlum's original series of novels, starting with 1980's The Bourne Identity, will tell you that these movies are more of a series of "name only" adaptations. Still, Jason Bourne has endured everything from various government conspiracies, to some sequels of diminishing returns, so obviously his place on this list is secured with the blood of his enemies.

5. The James Bond Franchise

Full essays could, and have, been written about how the James Bond franchise has changed over the decades. In some cases, the films have strayed so far away from Ian Fleming's original vision, we're surprised he hasn't made a pact with Baron Samedi to revive himself and exact brutal vengeance. But when the series decides to hew closer to its printed origins, with films like On Her Majesty's Secret Service, License To Kill, and even Casino Royale, then it's not hard to see why Bond is as strong as he is after all this time.

4. The Lord of the Rings

You knew The Lord of the Rings was going to be on this list, and its pretty high showing compared to The Hobbit speaks volumes of how the public reacted to both pieces of the over-arcing saga. With lush visuals, and its heart so buried in the right place that even a Ringwraith would have a hard time piercing it, Tolkien's masterpiece is as well respected now as the day audiences first laid eyes on it.

3. The Shawshank Redemption

Considering how beautiful of a film The Shawshank Redemption is, seeing it rank third on a list of literary adaptations kind of feels light. While the competition above it is worthy of their respective slots, part of our heart pangs for this film not taking the top spot. Still, third place or not, Stephen King and Frank Darabont created a perfect film when they birthed The Shawshank Redemption, and it works just as effectively on the first, or four hundredth viewing.

2. A Christmas Carol

If A Christmas Carol hasn't broken a record for being the most adapted piece of literature ever, then it surely must place pretty high up on the list. Charles Dickens' holiday classic is so easy to adapt, whether it be through its period appropriate context or re-written to fit into another era and culture, that it really is hard to screw up. Though depending on who you ask, favorite adaptations may range from Richard Donner's Scrooged to The Muppet Christmas Carol, with Alastair Sims and George C. Scott's turns as Scrooge topping both of those films easily.

1. The Harry Potter series

Harry Muggle-lovin' Potter, ladies and gentlemen. Vanquisher of magical foes, charmer of ladies and spells, and an all around awesome kind of guy. J.K. Rowling's literary empire reigns supreme in the eyes of the British people, and even with some of the more drastic revisions and trims that the series has taken in its cinematic journey, it's still a bright, shining example to be held above all. These films truly are the best adaptations, as they may not always nail the letter of the text, but they always capture the spirit and the world of Rowling's words. Good on you, Harry!

Viggo Mortenson has admitted that he held discussions with a producer to return as Aragorn in The Hobbit trilogy. Unfortunately for Lord Of The Rings fans, though, this chat failed to evolve beyond words, and Peter Jackson was unable to find room for the beloved character in the prequel series.

Viggo Mortenson made this admission to The Independent while promoting the release of Captain Fantastic over in the United Kingdom. Discussing his role in The Lord of the Rings movies and how Aragorn almost made an appearance in The Hobbit movies, Mortenson revealed that he did have talks about reprising his most famous role, but that ultimately things didn't work out. Said the actor,

After clearing the air during the same interview over his quotes from 2014 that suggested he'd previously had a dig at Peter Jackson, Viggo Mortenson made it perfectly clear that he still holds the Academy Award winning filmmaker in nothing but the highest regard. This then led Mortenson to explain about just how close he came to returning as Aragorn in The Hobbit films, even though his character isn't in the books and he would have been an infant. And while, in the grand scheme of things, he wasn't actually that near to portraying the character again, it's still tantalising to think of how he could have been squeezed in.

It's also superb to hear just how eager Viggo Mortenson is reprise the role of Aragorn, who when we last left him in Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King had been crowned as the King Elessar Telcontar of Gondor, married Arwen (Liv Tyler), and then united the two kingdoms. That was a pretty happy ending for the character with a pretty firm conclusion, but apparently the actor isn't necessarily ready to leave the character behind entirely.

Obviously, because of the huge success of The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, there's always going to be a desire for some kind of spin-off. But while most actors wouldn't want to risk ruining the reputation of their previous portrayals, Viggo Mortenson is clearly aware of the scope of J.R.R. Tolkein's world and that there's still plenty more story left to tell. That being said, considering the roles and films that he's taken on since, it's a little surprising to hear that he still has a hankering for Aragorn. A History Of Violence, Easter Promises, The Road, A Dangerous Method, and now Captain Fantastic have been much smaller productions that allowed him to stretch these characters down avenues that mainstream blockbusters usually avoid.

If he could do that again with Aragorn in an extra Lord Of The Rings film then that's something that a huge amount of people would be interesting in seeing. It's just a shame that, 16 years on from The Return Of The King, the likelihood of that happening is incredibly remote.

When it comes to sequels in Hollywood, "not as good as the original" is certainly one of the most common complaints you’ll hear. The first movie in a series sets a bar, and it’s by that bar that all subsequent titles are judged. For most franchises this proves to be an insurmountable task (Back To The Future and Jurassic Park spring to mind), but there are a few out there that have follow-up stories that are better than their predecessor.

Taking into consideration only franchises with three or more movies, and two sequels that are better than the original, we’ve put together a list of 10 franchises that actually got better as they went on. Read on for our selections, and hit the comments section with your thoughts!

Star Trek

Star Trek is easily one of the most beloved franchises of all time, dating back to when audiences first watched William Shatner at the helm of the Enterprise on the original series. That being said, things didn’t exactly get off to a great start on the big screen, as Star Trek: The Motion Picture isn’t terrible, but it is quite slow and boring. Fortunately, the series then brought us Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (one of the best sci-fi movies ever made), and while it’s true that there are still plenty of other bad Star Trek films, we’ve also been gifted with some truly awesome titles, including The Undiscovered Country, The Voyage Home, and First Contact.

Evil Dead

Some of the entries on this list will be seen as more controversial than others, and we expect this one will cause a bit of discussion. Sam Raimi’s original Evil Dead was made for a figurative five dollars and a stick of bubble gum, and while it’s rough as hell around the edges, it’s also now a horror classic. That only speaks to how great both Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness are, however. The evolution of the genre from movie-to-movie makes the franchise one of the more peculiar in film history, but it’s the sharper focus on the comedy side of things that elevate the sequels even beyond the spectacularly bloody original.

The Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is a short story for children that, with skillful writing and editing, could be told within the confines of a two/two-and-a-half hour blockbuster. For the big screen adaptation, however, Peter Jackson and Warner Bros. decided they wanted a trilogy to complement The Lord of The Rings, so that’s what we got. As a result, the biggest general complaint about the movies is that they feel drawn out – but this is more of an issue with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey than either The Desolation of Smaug or The Battle of the Five Armies. Exposition and build-up weigh the first movie down, but does provide more freedom for the sequels to flow.

X-Men

Bryan Singer’s X-Men had a big hand in helping the re-launch of the modern comic book movie, but as a project that 20th Century Fox wasn’t entirely sure about as a major blockbuster, the film didn’t have the same kind of budget that superhero films do now. Its quality and the huge response to it, however, certainly caused things to change, and as a result the franchise did get better as it continued. Singer’s X2: X-Men United remains one of the best titles in the genre, and the ups of X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past help us forget about the downs of X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Fast & Furious

This list has so far discussed franchises the started off well and then got better with new chapters, but this one is a bit different. In addition to basically being a street racing-centric remake of Point Break, John Cohen’s The Fast & The Furious is a straight up bad movie – and John Singleton’s 2 Fast 2 Furious is arguably even worse. What saved the series was the introduction of Justin Lin – who not only made the surprisingly good Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift, but also the best title in the franchise, Fast Five. The addition of James Wan’s Furious 7 only improved the good-to-bad ratio, and hopefully that’s a score that will only continue to get better.

Mission: Impossible

The Mission: Impossible franchise has been around for 20 years now, and few have had trajectories as odd. The original from director Brian De Palma is fun and has plenty of iconic moments, but also is just a tad bit convoluted – and it was followed by John Woo’s Mission: Impossible II, which is unquestionably the worst in the series. It wasn’t until 10 years after the original that things started picking up again with J.J. Abrams Mission: Impossible III, but most recently we’ve seen the cream of the crop thus far: Brad Bird’s incredible Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and Christopher McQuarrie’s stunning Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. It’s a franchise that has evolved unlike most since the start, and we’re excited for where it goes next.

Harry Potter

Altogether, the Harry Potter movies will go down as one of the great young adult franchises Hollywood has made, but I think we can collectively agree that the movies didn’t get off to the best of starts. Chris Columbus deserves a lot of credit for bringing J.K. Rowling’s vision to the screen, but both Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets suffer from how close they hone to the books, and aren’t helped by rough CGI. Of course, Alfonso Cuarón gave the series a huge boost with The Prisoner of Azkaban (considered by most to be the best in the bunch), and director David Yates brought it all home strong, making the last four films.

Toy Story

John Lasseter’s Toy Story will forever go down as one of the most revolutionary movies of all time, being the first animated feature film created entirely with computers, and it’s rich and creative story have helped it live on as a modern classic. Movies don’t get much better than Toy Story - but both Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 somehow actually are. The two sequels are emotionally powerful on an almost disturbing way, while also featuring absolutely gorgeous animation that the original simply didn’t have the technology to create. All together it’s one of the greatest trilogies of all time, and our fingers are crossed that the upcoming Toy Story 4 will add to the legacy.

Jason Bourne

Doug Liman deserves a lot of credit for transforming Matt "Good Will Hunting" Damon into an action hero with The Bourne Identity, and setting a high bar for globe-trotting adventure – but it was having Paul Greengrass at the helm of the sequels that really put the franchise into high gear. Both The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum are crazy tight, thrilling blockbusters, with Greengrass’ penchant for hand-held camerawork help defining the franchise’s aesthetic. The more recently released The Bourne Legacy from directory Tony Gilroy was a bit of a side-step, but Greengrass being back at the helm and Damon back starring in Jason Bourne fills us with anticipation.

Captain America

Much as he did with The Rocketeer, Joe Johnston put together an absolutely wonderful period superhero story in Captain America: The First Avenger, and the only reason why this series is on the list is because both The Winter Soldier and Civil War compete as two of the best comic book movies of all time. Marvel Studios’ hiring of directors Joe and Anthony Russo was a big surprise, given their background primarily in television comedies, but their work with screenwriters Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus resulted in two jaw-dropping thrillers that feature as much character development and drama as stunning action sequences. The First Avenger set the tee, and the sequels knock it out of the park.

When Sir Ian McKellen finally decides that enough is enough, and he quits acting so that he and Sir Patrick Stewart can spend their days entertaining the masses on social media, it will be tough to figure out his most iconic role. Actually, no it won’t. Sorry, X-Men fans, there’s only one real answer to this burning question, and we all know that Sir Ian McKellen will forever be remembered as Gandalf from The Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies. But is Sir Ian done playing the glorious wizard? Well quite obviously yes. But just to drive the point home, he has now verbally ruled out ever portraying Gandalf again.

The English actor made this declaration during his recent appearance on Larry King Now (via Comic Book). When the host asked him whether after 15 years and 6 films he had any interest in reprising the role, McKellen provided a rather unequivocal answer. 

While we’d all love to see Sir Ian McKellen back up on-screen again as either Gandalf The Grey or Gandalf The White, there is now scant chance of that occurring. That’s because the man who created the character of Gandalf, and then put him in The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, has been dead for more than 42 years.

Sure, Peter Jackson was able to stretch The Hobbit into three films, much to the annoyance of some J.R.R. Tolkein die-hards, but if anyone ever decided to create an original story that revolved around Gandalf, not only would they likely be sued to within an inch of their life, but they’d also be mercilessly attacked by fans of the character.

Still, it wouldn’t necessarily be as bad as you’re thinking, though. I mean, just look at Ian McKellen’s most recent cinematic release: Mr Holmes. Based on the 2005 novel, A Slight Trick Of The Mind, Mr Holmes told the story of a 93-year-old Sherlock Holmes, who is now retired and struggling to remember the details of his final case as old age ravages his mind.

It’s also one of the most underrated and poignant films of the year, with McKellen absolutely knocking it out of the park as the elderly Holmes. Surely something in the same vein, where Gandalf is retired and living in the Undying Lands alongside his old pals, struggling to remember his greatness, would be worthwhile.

Actually, even after briefly considering that, I instantly see how tedious and turgid it would be. I apologise for wasting your time. 

Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a masterclass in filmmaking. Jackson and his team spent years simply planning the production before filming ever began. Every choice they made was methodical. When filming finally did begin, it was done with the entire picture in mind. A trilogy of movies shot together so that every piece would fit together properly into the whole. Then Jackson returned to Middle Earth to film The Hobbit, and apparently the wheels came off the bus. Jackson comes clean in a new documentary for the DVD release of The Battle of Five Armies and says that making these movies was a complete mess.

The chaos started, as you may remember, because Jackson wasn’t supposed to direct The Hobbit in the first place. Originally Guillermo Del Toro had that chair. When he had to bow out, however, Jackson jumped in, but by then the schedule was already set. Jackson couldn’t go back in time and do the prep work he had done the first time around. Jackson says he was filming scenes that never had storyboards made and that the script that he had been working on with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens wasn’t even finished. However, since he was now focused on directing he couldn’t focus on that.

So what happened to all the prep work that del Toro did? It sounds like the man behind Pan’s Labyrinth was going to make a substantially different movie. When Jackson took over, the two years of work that del Toro had done to prepare went out the window because Peter Jackson was going to make a different movie. The film was completely redesigned. As The Guardian quotes the director, since Jackson couldn’t prep the movie, it sounds like he didn’t even try.

This whole thing makes the production sound like such an utter disaster that it’s actually hard to believe the movies turned out as good as they did. While there’s no denying that The Hobbit is not the masterpiece that The Lord of the Rings is, it’s also not a bad set of films. It’s a perfectly serviceable fantasy epic. Check out this clip from the documentary below for more details on the problems of production.

Well, at least now we know. Peter Jackson bit off more than he could chew when he took over the director’s chair. Of course now we’ll be forever left to wonder about what could have been. If Guillermo del Toro has never left, or if Jackson had more time, what could we have seen then?

Peter Jackson’s Hobbit series is over. It took three long years, but last December the New Zealand-born filmmaker released the final chapter in his cinematic vision of author J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth. But while you may have seen all of the movies released so far, you actually haven’t seen the full story just yet, as we are only now about to see the world premiere of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition.

To celebrate the upcoming digital and Blu-ray release of the epic fantasy film, Fathom Events is hosting a special big screen presentation tonight of the longer version of the Hobbit’s final chapter. In anticipation of this special event, we went back to look at the Extended Editions of both An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug to look for key scenes that were removed from the theatrical version of the movies but still actually add quite a lot. What are these scenes? Read on and find out!

Young Bilbo Enjoying Gandalf’s Fireworks

"Show Don’t Tell" is an important philosophy in the movie world. After all, it’s a visual medium, and an audience is going to be bored to tears if everything is just explained to them through either narration or exposition-heavy dialogue. It’s for this reason that I give a lot of credit to a very quick scene at the start of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, featuring Gandalf setting off fireworks with a young Bilbo Baggins by his side.

This moment doesn’t have a giant impact on The Hobbit trilogy as a whole, but it is a pretty and fun little moment that does a good job enhancing what are at the end of the day multiple references to Gandalf’s fireworks. It is a bit weird that we never get to see the wizard’s face – presumably because the production didn’t want to shell out the money to de-age Ian McKellen – but it’s such a nice and small moment that I wonder why Peter Jackson decided to cut it out.

The Extra Songs

The songs in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey get a bit of hate of casual movie-goers, as they do have a part in slowing down the first act of the film, but the truth is that the music is an element that any real Tolkien fan should be able to appreciate. After all, the lyrics that the characters sing come directly from the book, and a director who cares much less about the source material would have axed them completely. That on the table, there’s a lot to like about the two extra songs sung in the extended version of the movie.

There are actually two musical numbers that were ultimately left out of the Unexpected Journey theatrical cut – one with Bofur singing a tune while eating dinner in Rivendell, and the second sung by the Goblin King after capturing the dwarves – and while both are rather goofy, they make the earlier songs feel less out of place and also really capture a larger spirit of Tolkien’s book (even if the Bofur bit was a song from "Lord of the Rings").

Kili Shows An Early Attraction To Elves

There are multiple tiny moments in both An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug’s extended cuts that help shine a light on the individuality of the dwarfs – something of which the theatrical versions could have used more – but my favorite amongst them is in the first movie when the dwarves are having a feast in Rivendell. Kili shares glances with an Elf harp player, and when caught by Dwalin has to explain that he’s never actually been attracted to elf maidens. He makes exception to one that walks behind him… only to discover that it’s no maiden.

In addition to being a funny little moment that just makes fun of the feminine looks of male elves, this winds up being a nice bit of foreshadowing that ultimately enhances the nine-hour experience of watching the entire trilogy. Kili, of course, winds up forming a close relationship with Evangeline Lilly’s Tauriel, and while it’s not from the books, it does actually add some real emotion to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

What Happened To Thrain?

The theatrical versions of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug do a good-yet-unfortunate job of answering the question of what happened to Thorin’s grandfather, Thrór – revealing that Azog cut his head off in the battle of Moria – but there is one thread that’s left untied: what happened to Thorin’s dad, Thrain? The versions of the Hobbit movies that most people have seen don’t answer this question, but the extended version of The Desolation of Smaug does so in an interesting way.

An extended scene at the beginning of the movie, Thorin and Gandalf discuss that Thrain was killed during the battle of Moria, but it’s later in the movie that we learn he is both still kicking and completely out of his mind. It turns out he was captured at Moria, brought to Dol Guldur, and from what I can tell tortured until driven mad. It’s sad that he’s killed almost as quickly as he is introduced, taken down by the Necromancer, but it’s still a nice part of the larger story to have.

So That’s Where That Ring Went…

More than just answering the question of what happened to Thrór, the extended versions of both An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug also feature an thread that links the entire trilogy to the events in The Lord of the Rings movies. In the longer cut of the first film, a discussion about the last of the seven rings that were given to the Dwarf-lords is started by Gandalf when meeting with Galadriel and Elrond, and Saruman shoots him down by saying that the One Ring is the only one that actually matters. This turns out to be a set up for Thrain’s reintroduction in the second movie, as it’s revealed that Azog cut his ring right off his finger, and has been using its power for himself.

This is not only a solid connection made between the first two films, but also is in general a nice original plot thread not featured in Tolkien’s book (having written "The Hobbit" before imagining "The Lord of the Rings," the author couldn’t exactly have crafted those connections). This is also a part of the story that can easily be continued in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition, so we’ll be keeping an ear perked for references to it.

Looks like somebody is getting used to the handcuffs off screen as much as he is on screen. Actor Manu Bennett who portrayed Slade Wilson/ Deathstroke on the hit CW TV series Arrow was just arrested on a misdemeanor assault charge while attending Alamo City Comic Con.

The actor spent the night in a San Antonio jail under the charges of assault causing bodily injury. According to My San Antonio, Benett punched a 29-year-old man in the face while at a party at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. No additional details have been made available on the incident. But the actor who has shown off his fighting skills in a range of shows and films, from Starz’s Spartacus series to The Hobbit movies clearly did some damage, as the assault charge kept the New Zealand actor held on a $1,600 bond.

Bennett was in San Antonio to attend the Alamo City Comic Con as one of their named celebrity guests. The 45-year-old actor is most well known for his portrayal as Crixus, a top gladiator in Spartacus. The series which was inspired by the historical figure Spartacus has become recognized as one of the most graphic shows on television. Bennett’s role on the series though would open up a new world for the actor. He went on to star as Azog the Defiler, the starring evil Orc in The Hobbit films. And most recently, Bennett has been a recurring villain on Arrow.

Bennett showed up in Season 1 and soon joined the main cast in Season 2 as Slade Wilson/ Deathstroke. He even had a guest role in Season 3 of the series. Slade’s character has an important role in the series, he was on the island where Oliver Queen is stranded during flashbacks, and eventually teaches the protagonist how to fight but as their story progresses, and the seasons continue, Slade Wilson’s Deathstroke becomes more prominent, an enemy to Oliver Queen/ Arrow.

Arrow fans have deemed Deathstroke as one of the best aspects of Season 2, and he went on to have a sole appearance in Season 3, but Bennett was displeased with the way his iconic character was treated, and may not be returning to the series anytime soon. Slade Wilson was left locked up at the end of his appearance, so he may or may not be returning. We’d rather see the actor kicking ass onscreen though, than in real life. So maybe he should reconsider his return to the show.

The Battle of the Five Armies is about to get bloodier. Well, we assume bloodier, because Warner Bros. officially announced the extended edition of the final Hobbit trilogy installment will be rated R. Of course, there are other features coming to the home release, but this the most interesting tidbit.

According to ComicBook.com, the WB will release The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies extended edition on November 17. Twenty minutes of extra footage will be added to this cut — which presumably accounts for the R rating — and more than nine hours of special features will be included. These include: commentary with Peter Jackson and co-producer Philippa Boyens; The Appendices Parts XI and XII, which chronicles the history of the filming; and a feature called "New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth, Part 3."

Elsewhere, the extended editions of all three Hobbit films will be screened in theaters this October over the course of three nights. TheOneRing.net reports that the festivities will kick off on October 5 with An Unexpected Journey, followed by The Desolation of Smaug on October 7, and finishing with the Battle of the Five Armies on October 13. Note that this seems to be the tentative schedule, as of now, so be sure to check your local listings. But it’s all leading up to that R-rated cut.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies sees Thorin, Bilbo and the dwarves dealing with the repercussions of unleashing Smaug upon the people of Lake-town, in addition to the encroaching orc army heading towards the Lonely Mountain. It’s unclear exactly why the final film was bumped up to R, but you can only imagine what must be shown in those extra 20 minutes. The MPAA cited "some violence" for the rating, though they went into further detail in labeling the standard theatrical cut PG-13 for "extended sequences of intense fantasy action violence, and frightening images," which seems a bit more foreboding, if you ask me.

One source could possibly be the film’s massive battle, though it’s hard to imagine anyone calling for an even longer version of it. Still, apart from added nudity and cussing, which weren’t cited in the rating, more intense and graphic violence seems to be coming for this battle. Back in December, Peter Jackson said that the film will feature some "additional Beorn stuff," referring to the shapeshifter played by Mikael Persbrandt. It seems unlikely that he alone could justify an R rating, unless, of course, he shifts into his bear form and brutally mauls a couple of dwarves or orcs. We’ll have to wait until November to find out for sure.

Andrew Lesnie, the Oscar-winning cinematography behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy and a longtime collaborator of director Peter Jackson, died Monday. A native of Sydney, Australia, Lesnie was said to have died from a heart attack. He was 59. 

A spokesman for the Australian Cinematographers Society, which inducted Lesnie into their Hall of Fame back in 2002, released a brief statement saying they’ve been "advised of the sudden death of Andrew." Lesnie’s family is said to make a statement, potentially later today.

Hollywood is devastated by the news. According to News.com.au, members of WETA, Jackson’s special effects company, are said to be in mourning, while some of Lesnie’s co-workers have responded on Twitter. Russell Crowe, who worked with Lesnie on his directorial debut, The Water Diviner, called Lesnie "the master of the light," while Fantastic Four star Jamie Bell, who worked with him on King Kong, called the cinematographer "a treat to work with."

Lesnie was known for his artistic sensibilities, seamlessly merging it with tech. He got his start working on low-budget shorts, music videos, documentaries and commercials, and he expanded to the children’s TV series Wonder World in 1979. He worked steadily in the years that followed, though he gained notoriety for his relationship with director George Miller. Lesnie worked with him since the ‘80s as a cameraman on Mad Max: Road Warrior, and they re-teamed for Babe and the sequel, subtitled Pig in the City.

However, his relationship with Peter Jackson led to his Oscar win. Though Jackson hasn’t yet released an official statement on Lesnie’s passing, the filmmaker said in a 2004 interview with DigitalProducer.com that he decided to hire him for The Lord of the Rings because of Babe.

UPDATE: Jackson released an official statement on his Facebook page regarding Lesnie's passing. He wrote, in part,

In 2002, Lesnie won Best Cinematography at the Oscars for his work on The Fellowship of the Ring. Here's an example of some of his work.

He would continue his work for Jackson with all three of The Lord of the Rings films, King Kong and the Hobbit trilogy. Some of his other notable achievements include I Am Legend with Will Smith, M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender and Rise of the Planet of the Apes with his Hobbit and LOTR buddy, Andy Serkis. 

While upcoming new movies like Avengers: Age of Ultron are gearing up to head into theaters this spring, the big DVD companies are still churning out some Academy Award nominees and winners, along with some holiday favorites. From big franchises like The Hunger Games and The Hobbit to smaller releases, like The Imitation Game, there are plenty of great DVD/Blu-ray releases this month. Check out the list, below.

March 3

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part I Blu-ray

Most of the Hunger Games movies have thrived on action sequences and a horrifying dystopian premise. This time around, the Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I team left the arena behind for the latest entry in Lionsgate’s movie franchise. The plot has thickened and a revolution has begun, placing Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) front and center in the drama. It makes for a slower movie, but one that is more emotional and, surprisingly, works. The latest movie brings back some familiar faces, including Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) and President Snow (Donald Sutherland). New faces are prominent too. We get to spend time with the rigid leader of District 13, Alma Coin (Julianne Moore). We also meet the artsy documentary filmmaker, Cressida (Natalie Dormer), who helps Katniss to become the voice of the people in the districts. But key to the story is Katniss’ desire to rescue Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) from Snow’s clutches.

If you are buying The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I, it’s likely you are already a fan of the franchise. Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s set is incredibly detailed. The action sequences pop (especially on the big screen), but even just flipping through the Blu-ray disc is cool. The menu screen itself features a propaganda video. There is also commentary from director Francis Lawrence and a huge "making of" featurette with multiple segments. There’s some great stuff in the deleted scenes, with one scene in particular featuring Peeta talking to President Snow that will make your hackles rise. There’s even a tribute to the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who filmed scenes for the movie before his death. It’s a great set, and you can nab a copy here.

Foxcatcher Blu-ray

Foxcatcher is basically about two characters, one who is aloof and pretty clearly has some kind of mental illness and another who keeps the majority of his feelings inside. Consequently, the finished product is a pretty slow burn. It winds and winds itself, building tension until it all climaxes into the epic conclusion. It’s not a film for the faint of heart, nor is it a film for those who need to be consistently entertained. For those willing to see it through and invest in the characters, however, there’s a ton of truth and beauty to be found, as well as another ringing endorsement for director Bennett Miller who is quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s most careful, reliable and detail-oriented filmmakers. The Foxcatcher Blu-ray, put out by Sony, isn’t quite so exhaustive, but it does contain deleted scenes, as well as a featurette, both of which are must-watches for big fans.

Other March 3 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Outlander: Season 1, Volume 1

Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Never Beast

Da Vinci’s Demons: The Complete Second Season

Longmire: The Complete Third Season

Life Partners

The Humbling

Innocence

The Last Of Robin Hood

The Captive

To Write Love on Her Arms DVD

The Better Angels DVD

March 3 Early Digital Releases

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Exodus: God and Kings

CSI: Cyber- Season 1

The Following: Season 3

The Last Man on Earth: Season 1

Battle Creek

March 10

The Sound Of Music 50th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment’s 50th Anniversary release of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music has some heft to it. It’s not simply a TV airing of a movie that has become a classic; a movie that by estimate has been seen by more than a billion people, according to the extra features on the disc. There’s the movie, sure, restored for high definition home viewing, but there are also numerous interactive extras and special bonus features that make the set a bit more magical. This disc is alive with music, but also photos and sketches, facts, documentaries, a DVD and digital copy and a copy of the soundtrack on CD.

Many people have seen The Sound of Music numerous times since the film was first released back in 1965, but they’ve never seen the movie like this. There’s an "interactive celebration" function you can turn on while watching the movie that allows pop- up features to appear during the film. Among these are "The Sing-Along Experience" and an engrossing trivia game. There are plenty of basic features too, including audio commentary, although I will note Sound of Music lead Julie Andrews isn’t the most talkative commentator I’ve ever encountered. No matter, a separate bonus disc will take viewers through an interactive tour of the Sound of Music home and through a virtual map. There’s even a third disc with a brand new 60-minute documentary featuring the charming Andrews’ return to Salzburg called The Sound of A City. Pick up The Sound Of Music’s 5-Disc , 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition today.

Other March 10 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

The Flinstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown

John Hughes Yearbook Collection

The Red Road

Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B DVD

Ancient Aliens: Season 7-Volume 1

The Red Tent

White Haired Witch

Alpha and Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games DVD

March 10 Early Digital Releases

Bates Motel: Season 3

Despicable Me 2: 3 Mini-Movie Collection

Annie

A Most Violent Year

Unbroken

March 17

Top Five Blu-ray

Top Five is exactly the type of movie you’d expect a comedian to make. It’s a hilarious take on a familiar story. A comedian, Andre Allen (Chris Rock) has reached a low point in his career and is trying to make a comeback in the public eye. To do this, he allows journalist Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson) into his life for an extensive profile that turns out to be a bit of a meet-cute. Rock’s neither the best writer nor director, and while the story is predictable, the movie itself is always engaging, giving the audience an idea of what life can be like for a celebrity that is not totally in control of his own destiny. The title Top Five comes from a running bit where each of the characters share their own "Top 5 Rappers" list in the movie, and this device serves to highlight a bunch of comedians that are in their prime, including Leslie Jones, JB Smoove, Kevin Hart, and Tracy Morgan, who shot the movie prior to his accident. It also features cameos from Whoopi Goldberg and Jerry Seinfeld. If you haven’t caught it, we suggest giving it a watch; if you haven’t bought it, you may not need to. Paramount Home Media Distribution’s Blu-ray is nice enough, coming with some outtakes and deleted scenes, but this isn’t a movie that needs to be viewed in High Definition on a large screen. A digital copy would be perfectly adequate.

Other March 17 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Exodus: Gods and Kings

Annie

The Penguins of Madagascar

My Girl Remastered Blu-ray

Dexter: Most Shocking Episodes

Song of the Sea Blu-ray

Transporter: Season 1

Troop Beverly Hills Remastered Blu-ray Turn: The Complete First Season

Muck

Life in the Wild 3D

Vice

Son of a Gun

March 17 Early Digital Releases

Wild

Interstellar

The Imitation Game

March 24

Into The Woods Blu-ray

Disney’s Into The Woods has received a lot of notice for the changes made between Stephen Sondheim’s musical and the film. However, I wouldn't call it a tame version of the story. Instead of simple lesson learning and a happy ending, Into The Woods gives us a cautionary tale, capably brought to the big screen by an all-star casting including Meryl Streep (Even if you haven’t caught the flick, you’ve probably seen her in the "Stay with Me" clips that dominated Awards season), Emily Blunt, Anna Kendrick, Tracey Ullman, Johnny Depp, Chris Pine, and new Late Late Show host James Corden. Rob Marshall’s movie intersects ideas from fairytales, including "Jack and the Beanstalk," Cinderella," "Rapunzel" and more. Disney’s film is fun for those who enjoy musicals, and the set is a must-have for diehard fans—especially those diehard fans that have been looking forward to "She’ll Come Back," the new Sondheim song that was expected to be featured in the movie.

Walt Disney Home Entertainment’s set is wonderfully laid out, and behind-the-scenes extras look at the indoor building of the woods in the set, the intricate costuming, the score—all of the lovely details that took the stage program up a notch. As a bonus, you can play the entire soundtrack with music and lyrics. Nab your own copy here.

The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies Blu-ray

It’s hard to believe that the era of Middle-earth is coming to a close with the release of the final Hobbit film, the trilogy-ending Battle of the Five Armies, which capably wraps up the story of Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his adventures, with Gandalf (Ian McKellen), the dwarves (Richard Armitage, etc.) and more, coming into contact with villains like the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) and the Orc army. Peter Jackson’s ending capably connects to the beginning of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, finishing out the series in a way that should really speak to fans who have followed the director through a six-movie journey. Speaking of the connections between LOTR and The Hobbit movies, the new Blu-ray set looks at all of the connections to the two trilogies, giving fans an interesting take on the end of an era.

The Battle of the Five Armies has not even released an extended edition, yet, but this is a detailed set. We took a look at the regular Blu-ray set released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, which includes a special bonus disc with plenty of content. Even the titles of the extras sound epic: "A Six-Part Saga" and a "Seventeen-Year Journey" are among them. While the menu and layout aren’t all that spectacular, there’s plenty of stuff to enjoy about the bonus features, which look back at the trilogies beginnings and the making of the final movie. Huge fans should wait for the Extended Edition of The Battle of the Five Armies, but you can’t beat the price.

Unbroken Blu-ray

Unbroken may have originally attracted attention because of director Angelina Jolie’s attachment, but thankfully, viewers were treated to more than just a passion project from an A-list star. During the often traumatic but engaging story of survival, lead Jack O’Connell proves just how talented he is, playing defiant Olympian and later war hero Louis Zamperini. He undergoes a life’s worth of trials, setbacks and horrors, but his spirit is never completely crushed. It’s a beautiful story, thanks to careful writing by the Coen Brothers and wonderful performances by the supporting cast, Unbroken is one of the more interesting movies of of 2014, regardless of what the Oscar nominations may have implied. Universal Studios Home Entertainment’s set comes with Blu-ray, DVD and Digital copies, as well as numerous special features. The deleted scenes are worth a look for big fans, but the real highlights are the featurettes, particularly the one that looks at the real Louis Zamperini. You can grab the movie here and learn more about the novel the flick was based on over at author Lauren Hillenbrand’s site.

March 24 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Fast & Furious 1-6 Collection: Limited Edition

Song One

March 31

Interstellar Blu-ray

Christopher Nolan’s splashy film Interstellar first hit the box office back in November, but it’s lingered in our minds for much longer, and this week Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is finally releasing the film onto Blu-ray. Interstellar is a movie that is best consumed on a large screen, but even if you have a relatively large television, the space journey undertaken by Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), Brand (Anne Hathaway), Doyle (Wes Bentley) and Romilly (David Gyasi), looks pretty incredible, with planets and solar systems creating landscapes that are as memorable as the blustering dust and dying planet consuming the lives of Professor Brand (Michael Caine) and Murph (Jessica Chastain) on Earth.

The Blu-ray isn’t as mesmerizing as the actual movie, but Warner Bros. went out of the way to put together a set of extras that will appeal to fans. The "Science of Interstellar" was obviously going to be addressed with the set, and Warner Bros. got Matthew McConaughey to narrate a segment regarding the science on the extra fancy bonus features Blu-ray to boot. The set also comes with a collectible IMAX film cell that apparently came from an actual 70 mm film print. Anne Hathaway’s teary-eyed in the one I review, and while it’s gimmicky and I have no idea what to do with it, it’s still pretty cool. Get your own movie/film print here.

Imitation Game Blu-ray

The Imitation Game is a careful movie. It follows acclaimed British computer scientist Alan Turing as he and a team conquer Germany’s famed Enigma Machine and help turn the tides of World War 2. To offer context and character development, the film gives us Turing during two other times in his life, as well. We meet him as a young boy who discovers his sexuality and falls in love for the first time, and we meet him as a deteriorating adult who is betrayed by his own government. It’s a disappointing story in some ways, but in many others, it’s a hopeful journey and a reminder of how brilliant and dedicated people can change the world. It’s something we need to remember, and fortunately, the larger Blu-ray release from The Weinstein Company and Anchor Bay is loaded with special features that allow viewers to explore more. It’s missing a larger documentary on Alan Turing, but it does contain a commentary track with director Morten Tyldum and screenwriter Graham Moore that touches on the inspiration. In addition, the set offers a Q&A, deleted scenes and a making of featurette, all of which are worth a look.

Silicon Valley Season One DVD

Mike Judge is one of the better comedic minds in the business. With cult favorites Beavis and Butt-head and King Of The Hill already under his belt, fans were expecting big things from Silicon Valley. Fortunately, Season One delivers. It manages to find the perfect balance between smart, sophisticated humor and dick jokes, delivering both astute commentary on the technology field and episode long arguments about jerking people off. In short, it’s a riot, and the HBO comedy looks like it could be around for a long time, thanks in part because the episodes are so re-watchable. That’s a particularly good quality to have in a DVD too, and this one is filled with some additions that make it better. The disc takes fans through both the Pied Piper house and the Techcrunch conference, and it offers a "Making Of" featurette, as well.

Wild Blu-ray

You would think that a story about a woman losing herself on the trail in order to find herself would be ripe with clichés and heartbreak. Yet, with a little Nick Hornby flair and a lead as watchable as Reese Witherspoon, the clichés are left behind. In their place is the story of a woman who continually treated herself badly, having sex with strangers and getting addicted to heroine while dealing with the death of her mother, but who decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail as a means to confront those demons. As Cheryl Strayed, Witherspoon is infinitely watchable, and Jean-Marc Vallee’s story feels cohesive, despite featuring plenty of time jumps to past memories. Wild is based on a book by the real Cheryl Strayed, and the writer appears on the bonus disc to explain where her story has gone after the events in the movie. Plus, a Blu-ray copy of the flick won’t break the bank.

Other March 31 Blu-ray And DVD Releases

Wild

Wild Card

Gravity: Special Edition

Island of Lemurs: Madagascar

Outcast

Cries and Whispers

Veep: The Complete Third Season

Have you read all of the Middle-earth books by J.R.R. Tolkien and watched all of the adaptations by Peter Jackson, yet still find yourself confused by exactly how The One Ring really works? Well, now we have this nifty new video to explain it all in understandable and deep detail paired with fun animation.

Fans of The Lord of the Rings movies are likely well aware with the Galadriel-read prologue that begins The Fellowship of the Ring, which tells of how three rimgs were given to the Elves, seven to the Dwarf Lords, and nine to the race of Men, but this video does a really wonderful job of really breaking down that SparkNotes version and explain just how Sauron used little bands of metal to try and control Middle-earth.

As the video from CGP Grey points out, Sauron wasn't actually so big on trying to gain influence over all of the races with his ring plan at first, and instead actually began the campaign as an attempt to simply control the Elves. It was actually only after this strategy failed that Sauron began looking into the other races, and that idea actually wound up being rather successful. Of course, it all ended in war, bloodshed, and ultimately defeat, so that success obviously wasn't eternal.

In addition to being a good Middle-earth history lesson, what I can appreciate about this video is that it does a fun approach to breaking it all down. I can totally understand why a casual movie-goer or fiction reader might feel extremely intimidated dipping their toe into a universe as expansive as the fantasy world created by J.R.R. Tolkien, and this clip makes it all very clear and simple language and even a few fun little speech bubbles:

The extra good news is that this isn't the only helpful Middle-earth guide from CGP Grey. Back before The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies was released, the same team also put together a short little video detailing the various races that inhabit J.R.R. Tolkien's world. It's just as entertaining as the One Ring video above, and you can check it out over on Page Two!

Eddie Redmayne has been gaining serious traction lately with his incredible performances in films such as Les Miserables and most recently The Theory of Everything. So it’s no surprise that the young British actor has been considered for other big time roles. While on The Graham Norton Show Redmayne revealed his interest in a few hit films including The Hobbit, which he actually auditioned for. Watch him describe his terribly awkward audition for the role of Bilbo Baggins below.

Redmayne. You do so many things right. But apparently playing a hobbit just isn’t one of them. At least he looks adorable doing so. And even as he clenches up and creepily says the line, "my name is Bilbo Baggins", it’s still so endearing. It’s terrible, but endearing nonetheless.

Fantasy acting is just not for him. Though, he would have played a great Weasley in the Harry Potter which he also mentions in the interview, if only for his red-headedness. But, we’ll stick to the powerful acting we’ve seen from him in the past few years.

Most recently, Redmayne portrayed Stephen Hawking in the film, The Theory of Everything which is currently still in theaters. Despite the inability to move or speak during much of the film, Eddie Redmayne’s portrayal of the genius turns out to be one of the best performances of the year. The romantic drama tells the story of physicist Stephen Hawking and the literature student he fell madly in love with, Jane Wilde, in the 1960s at Cambridge University. Redmayne’s performance is truly moving and has scored him a Golden Globes nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.

And as Redmayne notes for his Hobbit audition, he did his research. As he does extensively for many of his roles. He didn’t take his character in The Theory of Everything lightly. The actor spent time with Stephen Hawking’s family, he visited patients who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, watched footage of Hawking, read Hawking’s book, A Brief History of Time, and finally went on to meet the physicist right before he started shooting. Redmayne was nervous about his encounter with the physicist though. He told The Independent that he was worried all of his preparation for his character wasn’t going to match up with the man he was meeting. But overall, his interaction with Mr. Hawking was very useful for his research, and helped him in portraying the man so well on screen.

And whether or not Redmayne wins the Oscar for his performance, he has shown his talent off once again, and it will gain him recognition for bigger and better roles in the future. We can look forward to seeing Redmayne next on February 6, 2015 in the space opera film Jupiter Ascending.

In a fun behind the scenes story that should interest any Middle-earth fans out there, it's been revealed that celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was offered a role in one of The Hobbit films if he cooked Peter Jackson’s 50th birthday dinner. However, due to a scheduling conflict Oliver actually had to turn down the director’s offer, even though he had big plans for playing a hobbit.

According to The Daily Mail, Jamie Oliver made this revelation during his appearance on Jamie And Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast while he was talking to Kate Hudson. The television chef admitted that if he had cooked at Peter Jackson’s party, which took place three years ago, he could have then featured in either The Hobbit’s An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug, or The Battle of the Five Armies.

Unfortunately, Jamie Oliver had to turn down this generous offer because he had too many other work commitments to focus on at the time, and he was beyond devastated to reject Peter Jackson’s casting proposal. Not only did this mean that he was unable to launch his acting career, but there was another reason why Jamie Oliver was upset. He wanted to dress up as a hobbit to impress his wife. In fact he’d already planned to take the costume home and then tell his wife, "Jools, let’s make love!" What a romantic sod.

As he was making the trilogy, Peter Jackson handed out cameos in his Hobbit films to seemingly anyone who was interested. In fact, most of the crew and some fans of JRR Tolkien’s work pop up in the The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. The director couldn’t even resist the allure to put himself in each of the films as well. You can check an image of his brief appearance in Lord of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Ring below:

Perhaps the most famous celebrity to receive a cameo in The Hobbit series was the television personality Stephen Colbert. The former Colbert Report host, who is set to begin hosting duties on The Late Show later this year, popped up in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug during the Laketown sequence. Meanwhile Colbert’s wife and sons were also allowed cameos in the film too. You can check out a gif of Colbert’s appearance below:

The last installment to Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, is continuing to excel at the box office. It has so far amassed over $625 million across the world, as JRR Tolkien aficionados flock to their local multiplex to say goodbye to the beloved franchise one final time.

With the release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on December 17th, the chapter of our lives that revolved around new Middle-earth releases has officially closed. However, the Alamo Drafthouse theater in Austin has one more trick up its sleeve to get you excited about our final film journey into Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth. On New Year’s Day, Hobbit and Lord of the Rings fans can spend an entire day watching Jackson’s entire Middle-earth saga on the big screen. Yes, you read that correctly. Fans in the Austin area can spend literally their entire New Year’s Day in Middle-earth.

Obviously, showing the six films back-to-back is a movie binge that will last approximately 1200 minutes is a pretty serious venture, and spending a day in a movie theater would be pretty unenjoyable if you only had popcorn, candy, and soda to tide you over. Luckily, this is the Drafthouse we’re talking about, so they have some pretty great food planned for the marathoning moviegoers. Alamo Drafthouse will be providing moviegoers a nine course feast. Here is the quest-worthy, hobbit-approved menu that will await moviegoers:

Pippin would be so proud. Finally, someone remembered second breakfast.

Drafthouse theaters around the country usually have a Lord of the Rings feast every New Year’s where fans can snuggle in for the original Middle-earth trilogy and some tasty treats. However, showing all six of Jackson’s films will certainly be an epic adventure (thank goodness they are not showing the extended versions--the marathon would last days if they did that). For the time being, it looks like this will only be happening at Austin Drafthouse theaters. If you aren’t located in Austin, you can check with your local Alamo Drafthouse to see if you will get to participate in the awesome food and movie binging.

If you do want to catch the Drafthouse marathon (and they haven’t yet sold out), a ticket to the movie and the feast will set you back $145.00, and $175.00 to add a beverage. Should you not have a Drafthouse near you, or you can’t participate in the Austin Middle-earth movie watch-a-thon, you can still have a Middle-earth filled New Year’s by checking out The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, in theaters now.

Now that The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies has hit theaters, we've seen all of Peter Jackson's interpretations of J.R.R. Tolkien's most popular works: The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Regardless of your opinions of Jackson's films, you have to admit that those movies are pretty fun rides, and they are rife with some heart-stopping action and some truly amazing, badass moments.

Though there are many to pick from in Jackson's six Middle-earth films, we’ve thought back on each of the titles and selected the moments we truly believe to be the most badass of the badass. These are the true standouts.

Be warned, there will be spoilers for every Peter Jackson Tolkien film - including Battle of the Five Armies - ahead.

10. Tauriel Interrogating The Orc

Okay, so Tauriel wasn’t actually featured in any of the Middle-earth books at all, and Legolas wasn’t actually present in The Hobbit. This is only the start of particular complaints about the arguably unnecessary additions Peter Jackson made to the The Hobbit trilogy’s story, but there is one thing we can all probably agree upon: Tauriel definitely was a badass character. A perfect example of this is seen when she is interrogating an orc in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Tauriel refuses to wait around for the orc to decide to play nice, and just before lunging at the creature, she says, "You like killing things, orc? You like death? Then let me give it to you." Made up character or not, this line is one of the most awesome lines since Eowyn’s, "I am no man."

9. Birth of the Uruk-Hai

The Uruk-hai were some seriously badass fighters that led Saruman's army. While the orcs were certainly a force to be reckoned with, the Uruk-Hai were far more fearsome and powerful than any orc. It was no surprise that the way these tough-as-nails fighters were ushered into the world is equally badass... and also super gross. In

[[ fellowship i of ring ]] <="" the=""> we see one of these creatures being "born" from a bunch of muck in the ground. From the moment they are pulled from the muck and brought into the world they are already giant, badass fighters with complete devotion to Saruman. It’s rather disgusting, but also very cool.

8. Arwen’s Horse Tidal Wave

In Fellowship of the Ring Frodo is stabbed by one of Nazgul at Weathertop with a Morgul blade. With Frodo’s wound beyond Aragorn’s ability to heal, he calls in Arwen to take Frodo to get him Elvish care. As Arwen rushes off with Frodo, the Nazgul are hot on her heels. When it seems she will be unable to lose the Nazgul, she coerces them out into the water to come and take Frodo from her. As they get closer and closer to Arwen and Frodo, Arwen summons an enormous, horse stampede-shaped tidal wave to knock the Nazgul out. It’s an awesome display of power, and one of the franchise’s best moments.

7. Thorin And His Men Join The Fight

In The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Thorin succumbs to a serious case of dragon sickness, closing his men into the mountain while an overwhelming army of orcs attacks the armies of men, elves, and dwarves being obliterated outside. It takes a while for the dwarves to speak sense into Thorin, with Bilbo even attempting to trick the dwarf king into sanity by giving Bard the Arkenstone, but when Thorin is finally able to snap out of the sickness it’s a genuinely badass moment. Once he is back in his right mind, he and his men rush to the field to fight against the orcs, and when the dwarves see their king fighting alongside of them, they rally and ultimately defeat the enemy. Greed and evil being defeated by brotherhood and good is always badass.

6. Bard Takes Down Smaug

After Smaug descends upon Laketown, Bard immediately flies into action at the start of The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. He tries to take down the dragon, and ultimately finds the legendary weak spot in Smaug’s scales. Bard runs to the top of a tower in Laketown, uses his own son to aim an enormous, makeshift arrow, and takes the great, red dragon down like a chump. The winged monster does end up crashing into the town, destroying whatever was left of it after multiple passes with fire breath, but at least Bard stopped the beast from burning everyone and everything to ashes.

5. Thorin Defeats Azog

Azog the Destroyer was a force to be reckoned with for all three Hobbit movies, and the most consistent, present antagonist. While there was the awesome moment in the first Hobbit where Thorin chops off Azog’s arm, the final, nail-biting fight between the two in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies on that frozen lake is completely amazing. Sure, the fight does have quite the tragic end as Thorin ends up dying himself, but he is able to use his sacrifice to end Azog once and for all. A sad moment, yes – but also a badass one.

4. Elrond, Saruman, and Galadriel Save Gandalf And Banish Sauron

When Galadriel discovers a captured Gandalf in Battle of the Five Armies, she rescues him and carries him away from danger. However, Sauron is not about to let her leave so easily. Just as he turns his nine kings on her - who will become the Nazgul in the Lord of the Rings films - Elrond and Saruman come to her aid. As it turns out she doesn’t really need them, as she puts on an extreme display of power that helps both defeat the kings and banish Sauron. Of course, that’s not the last we see of Sauron in Middle-earth, but we won’t talk about that right now...

3. Gandalf vs. The Balrog

Gandalf might look unassuming with his big beard, walking stick, and his giant grey hat, but he is most certainly not one to be trifled with. He proves his abilities in Fellowship of the Ring while fighting the Balrog. Really, Gandalf’s entire encounter with the Balrog is so completely badass, it is hard to isolate just one moment that is the most badass. Sure it’s amazing when Gandalf jumps in front of the Balrog to let the rest of the Fellowship escape, but it’s also amazing when he lays down the law screaming, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS." And let’s not forget that that he continued fighting with the greatest beast while falling to his death, leading to his return as Gandalf the White. The entire encounter is incredible and proves how awesome Gandalf is.

2. I Am No Man

Eowyn is one of my personal favorite characters in the Lord of the Rings universe, and a fan favorite for many others. We first meet Eowyn in The Two Towers, where we see her as a strong presence in Rohan, and a capable fighter that is never able to see any real battle because of her gender. However, she takes charge in Return of the King and sneaks onto the battlefield. When Eowyn finally comes face-to-face with one of the Nazgul, she delivers perhaps the most badass line in the franchise – as noted above - before promptly taking the Nazgul out. Don’t mess with Rohan.

1. The Ring And Sauron Are Destroyed

This is the ultimate badass moment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. After three films of travelling, Frodo and Sam finally reach Mount Doom, and go to throw the ring into the fires of the mountain at the end of Return of the King. Of course there are a few hiccups along the way of actually hurling the ring into the fire, what with Frodo deciding he wants to keep the ring and Gollum attacking Frodo – ultimately biting his ring finger off. But the ring, along with Gollum and a portion of Frodo’s finger, end up in the fires of Mount Doom anyway, just as planned. Once the ring finds its way to the fires, Sauron is destroyed, and his armies are also vanquished, saving the men and elves fighting against Sauron’s army. The good guys win!

Peter Jackson’s final installment in his Hobbit trilogy, The Battle of the Five Armies, is finally in U.S. theaters. However, Peter Jackson isn’t only making waves for his final Middle-earth adventure. He’s also creating a bit of tension in the movie-making world for accusing modern movie makers of using too much technology.

Yep. You heard me correctly. Peter Jackson is calling out others for using too much technology. Here’s what he said in a recent interview with Movie Fone.

I’m not even sure where to start with this. Jackson has made his fortune by bringing a giant franchise to life. Even more than that, his latest endeavors with The Hobbit trilogy, love them or hate them, are stuffed to bursting with technology and special effects. The costs Jackson accrued to make this movie skyrocketed past what it cost to make The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Jackson has also managed to eke three long movies out of one of Tolkien's shortest works in The Hobbit. Beyond that, fans of the book will tell you that Jackson didn’t really focus on sticking closely to Tolkien's narrative, either.

I could go all book-nerd in your face, but let’s just stick to the topic at hand: Jackson’s criticism of the movie industry relying too heavily on special effects. Now certainly, a fantasy film will have to rely somewhat on the use of special effects. For instance, Jackson, sadly, cannot use an actual dragon for Smaug scenes. So while he can create a sort of dragon-rig on set, he’ll largely have to rely on special effects to bring Smaug to life. He also has had to do this with the character Gollum. Though the amazing Andy Serkis did actually perform Gollum’s actions while wearing a motion capture suit, the Gollum we see on screen is computer generated.

But let’s talk about other creatures from the film, like orcs, for instance. Here’s an image from a Lord of the Rings-era orc.

What you’re looking at there are men dressed as an orc. You’re looking at intricate, amazing makeup, and a group of guys who are probably burning up beneath pounds of latex and paint. Without the help of special effects, the orcs from the Lord of Rings films looked amazing, and very realistic. The actors were able to interact directly with an orc, rather than dealing with a green screen. There was something about the orc’s physical presence on the set that really added something special to those films.

Now let’s take a look at one of the Hobbit’s big antagonists, the White Orc (like I said, this is not the time nor the place to discuss the textual accuracy of including the White Orc in The Hobbit films).

That’s CG, baby. Now, you could argue that getting a human into any sort of suit to look like the White Orc wouldn’t do him justice. Fair enough. Let’s look at another creature from one of The Hobbit films.

Also CG, and I could go on. Now, before you say that I am just a movie snob, let’s not forget when Viggo Mortensen, Aragorn himself, called out Jackson’s The Hobbit films for their reliance on special effects. So it isn't just me noticing this.

Love it or hate it, Peter Jackson is a special effects guy. His movies are rife with special effects. So is the movie industry getting too cozy with franchise films and special effects? Perhaps. Is that a bad thing? That’s certainly something that can be debated among moviegoers and filmmakers. Does Peter Jackson have literally any room at all to call out other filmmakers for relying too heavily on CG and franchises? No freaking way.

The cultural impact of Peter Jackson's big screen Middle-earth franchise is unquestionable, and there are thousands upon thousands of fans who will be deeply saddened by its conclusion with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. But what will the people who made The Hobbit movies miss most about that experience? To answer that question we have this brand new featurette:

With The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies set to finally be released in theaters tomorrow, the folks over at IMAX have cut together a new video that sees Peter Jackson, Lee Pace, Evangeline Lilly and Luke Evans discuss exactly what it is they will miss most about the experience of filming The Hobbit trilogy. As you might expect, it's a good mix of answers, but at the end of it all it is pretty incredible what kind of an impact making these movies had on their lives.

When you really think about it, it's actually not that hard to think of why making these movies was such a meaningful and incredible experience for the actors and filmmakers responsible for the making of both the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. After all, they were all made on an island distanced from the rest of the world in the south Pacific Ocean, and so many practical sets were created in the natural landscape that it basically allowed New Zealand to become Middle-earth to a certain extent. Add in fact that you are regularly working around the hundreds of people who are constantly walking around in orc, elf and dwarf costumes and it feels like you've come to live in a fantasy world. And the reason I know this is true is because of my own personal time on the set.

There's a very good chance that we will never see another entry in this franchise thanks to the unfortunate conflict that exists between the Tolkien estate and the people at MGM and New Line, which means that most of the things being missed in this featurette may never be relived. The good news, though, is that Evangeline Lilly could actually go to a Peter Jackson Middle-earth set once per month every month if she wanted to - provided she would be willing to pay the extreme expense of a flight to New Zealand. The Hobbiton movie set that was originally built for the Lord of the Rings movies was refurbished as a permanent location when Peter Jackson and his crew were shooting The Hobbit, and there are actually guided tours of the set presently given to die-hard fans who are willing and able to make the trip. Now all someone has to do is build a transporter and set up a transporter right outside so that everyone can have a chance to visit.

What will you miss most about the Middle-earth movies and the Hobbit franchise? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Much like the books they are based on, Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth movies are rather dense films. There’s not only an impressive number of characters to follow and plots to keep up with, but J.R.R. Tolkein also established a world with a full and rich history – and Jackson has worked to try and stay true to as much of it as possible. As a result, the 12-month span between sequels can lead to some details being forgotten – but that’s why we’re here to help.

Having seen The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, we’ve singled out five key things that you will need to remember from An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug in order to follow along with all of the events in the film. This is a totally spoiler-free piece that only covers the events seen in the last two films, so don’t worry about that. Read on!

Gandalf’s In Trouble

One of the key ways that the Hobbit films has expanded on the narrative from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels is by continuing to follow Gandalf as he separates from Bilbo and the dwarfs to investigate the events at Dol Guldur and the activities of a dark sorcerer known only as the Necromancer. As we saw in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, however, the events of the wizard’s mission do not go exactly as planned, and he winds up being in a good spot of danger as a result.

After following Galadriel’s advice, investigating the tombs of the Nazgul (better known as the Ringwraiths from the Lord of the Rings movies), and finding them empty, Gandalf returns to the dark land of Dol Guldur, but unfortunately gets the surprise of a lifetime. As it turns out, this is where Azog and the rest of the orcs are currently stationed – not to mention the Necromancer, who is revealed to be none other than the evil Sauron. The grey wizard is defeated, imprisoned, and forced to watch as the orcs move on towards the Lonely Mountain.

The Arkenstone Is Everything

When Smaug took over the Lonely Mountain, he truly inherited one hell of a treasure. As seen in both the first and second Hobbit movies, the dwarf-built fortification known as Erebor is home to an incredibly huge stockpile of gold – which is actually what drew the dragon to the land in the first place. But while there are many prizes of great worth in the treasure, there is one piece that has value above all else: The Arkenstone.

Far more than just a piece of gold or a fancy stone, the Arkenstone is a bright, white gem that is seen as the royal jewel of Erebor and the right to own of any dwarf king who presides over it. Reacquiring this stone is the most important thing in the world for Thorin Oakenshield - perhaps even more than slaying the dragon that slaughtered his people. When we last saw The Arkenstone in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Bilbo came upon it while sneaking around Smaug’s treasure.

There Is Some Forbidden Love Going On

There are many mystical races in the world of Middle-earth that aren’t too fond of other mystical races, but surely one of the most explored is the bad blood between dwarfs and elves. A light was shined on this conflict in The Lord of the Rings movies through the begrudging friendship between Gimli and Legolas, but it’s represented in a different way in The Hobbit films. Basically it’s a bit of Romeo and Juliet.

In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, we are first introduced to the wood elf Tauriel (a character not originally featured in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel) and she winds up developing a connection with the pretty boy dwarf Kili – first helping him during a spider attack and then working to save his life after he is shot in the leg by a cursed arrow. The ideas of elves and dwarfs being in love isn’t something that’s exactly celebrated, but there’s also the added tension that comes from Legolas’ romantic interest in Tauriel, even though his father, Thranduil, has explained that she is too low for him. Speaking of Thranduil’s dickish-ness…

Thranduil Is Kind Of A Dick

We’ve been introduced to many good and friendly elf characters in Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth movies – including Legolas, Tauriel, Galadriel, Elrond and Arwen – but the Elvenking Thranduil is proof that even the race of sprightly, forest dwelling archers isn’t without its individual assholes.

We’ve already touched on how Thranduil’s dickish-ness comes through his negative views on romance that cross class lines, but the truth is that he was being an asshole many, many years before that. After all, he and his army of wood-elves literally stood on a hill outside Erebor and did nothing while Smaug decimated the homeland of the dwarfs. In The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug we also see him lock up Bilbo and the dwarfs, only offer to help them for a hefty price of white jewels, and then try to shut his kingdom off from the world when he learns that Sauron has returned. This is not a nice dude, and he has proven that time and time again throughout the course of these movies.

Don’t Forget The Framing Device

When Peter Jackson began work on a big screen version of The Hobbit, one of the key pieces to his whole plan was showing cinematically that the events in the second trilogy all happen within the same continuity as the Lord of the Rings films he made back in the early ‘00s. Part of this involved expanding and further developing plotlines that help link the two stories together (J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit wasn’t originally written with The Lord of the Rings trilogy in mind), but it also involved the use of a framing device that kicked off the new story two years ago.

Rather than immediately taking us far, far back into the world of Middle-earth, Peter Jackson began The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with the return of Ian Holm’s older version of Bilbo Baggins, who meets with his nephew Frodo and begins to write down the epic tale of how he traveled with a group of dwarves to kill a dragon and rescue a treasure and a kingdom. It’s a great start to the series, and one that is ultimately beautifully paid off.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives in theaters December 17th.

After nearly one and a half decades, Peter Jackson’s cinematic adventure in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth is coming to an end – and it’s doing so in rather epic fashion. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies meets every definition of giant blockbuster, and like its predecessors in the trilogy, it will be released in both 3D and 2D formats. But, of course, the question always loomed: is the extra dimension worth the extra money for the ticket?

You can read our theatrical review of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies here to find out whether the film as a whole is worth your time, but what you’ll find below is our full breakdown of the movie’s use of 3D using categorical analysis. Read on to find our results!

Fit Score

5/5

Along with animation, big, epic blockbusters with a good amount of CGI are typically seen as the best projects for 3D, and it’s hard to argue against The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’s case. The film is almost entirely made up of huge battle sequences and dragon destruction, and those kinds of scenes really are perfect in 3D. Also, this is the final chapter in a trilogy that has been made up of 3D films, so there’s an extra level of fitting there as well.

Planning & Effort Score

5/5

When Peter Jackson entered on the filmmaking journey that his adaptation of The Hobbit, he decided to do so with two modern filmmaking techniques that weren’t really do-able at the time he made Lord of the Rings: higher frame rates and 3D. And while the former turned out to be kind of a bust, there’s no ignoring the fact that Jackson made these movies with an extra dimension in mind. It’s not a post-conversion job, and was part of the cinematography plan from the start of production. Hence the perfect score.

Before the Window Score

2/5

When we refer to "Before the Window," it’s our assessment of the 3D element that allows characters and things to actually come off of the screen and into the audience. Sadly, this has largely come to be seen as the "gimmicky" side of the technology, and as a result it doesn’t appear as much in blockbusters that take themselves a bit seriously. Peter Jackson does add touches in here and there – one of the most notable instances being a moment with Thorin Oakenshield’s sword as he prepares for a fight – but sadly The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is lacking in a legitimate department.

Beyond the Window Score

5/5

Instead of focusing on the "Before the Window," Peter Jackson instead really focused all of his energy on using 3D to bring depth and scope to the world of Middle-earth, and in that mission he succeeded. As mentioned earlier, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is almost entirely big action sequences, and Jackson does a great job of pulling the audience into the movie and creating a visual spectacle that appears to extend miles and miles beyond the screen.

Brightness Score

4/5

There is unfortunately a degree of subjectivity in this category, as some theaters don’t use their projectors to their highest specs in order to save money on expensive bulbs, but there certainly is a degree to which filmmakers can control how the brightness of a movie is affected by the audience wearing shaded 3D glasses. In the case of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, what we have is mostly great – particularly because a good deal of the big war scenes happen outdoors in daylight. That being said, when the night does start to come in the movie world, there was definitely a bit of murkiness that hampered a few scenes.

Glasses Off Score

4/5

Anyone who has ever taken off their glasses during a 3D movie knows that they are pretty difficult to watch due to the fact that what you’re seeing are two angled images being projected right on top of one another. What’s interesting, though, is that the blurriness of the image is often telling of the quality of the 3D simply because you can see how many layers of depth the filmmaker is working with. Occasionally taking off my glasses while watching The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies I was mostly pleased with what I saw, as with the exception of some sequences, most were unwatchable without the corrective lenses.

Audience Health Score

5/5

This is another slightly subjective category, as individuals regularly have varying reactions to the 3D experience, but there are steps filmmakers can take towards reducing headaches and nausea – namely by establishing clear focal points and making sure that the audience always knows exactly where they are supposed to be looking. I am very happy to report that I felt completely fine throughout my screening of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and I’m confident that you will as well.

3D SCORES RECAP

3D Fit

5

P & E

5

Before The Window

2

Beyond The Window

5

Brightness

4

Glasses Off Test

4

Audience Health

5

Total Score

30/35

Final Verdict: A score of 30/35 is a strong score, and based on technical achievement we would recommend seeing The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in 3D. Director Peter Jackson has once again shown that he is quite adept as using the technology, and he uses it often in great ways in his newest film. Whether or not viewers want to see the movie in 3D may be partially dependent on how they saw The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in theaters, but if you paid a little extra to see the first two, we suggest you put down the dough again this time.

This poll is no longer available.

Click to visit our full To 3D Or Not To 3D Archive.

Martin Freeman hosted Saturday Night Live last night and revisited two of his most beloved roles, Tim Canterbury in BBC’s The Office, and Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit. Watch the hilarious sketch as Bilbo Baggins takes on his most terrifying journey yet, a day at The Office.

The sketch entitled, "The Office: Middle Earth" starts out with a disappointed Bilbo Baggins explaining what he’s been up to for the past few years, including saving Middle Earth, becoming a hero, cashing in some treasure, and now, after all he’s accomplished, he’s stuck working at a paper company and drives a Jetta. The look on Freeman’s face after that line says it all. He just bites his lip, looks side to side in that classic Tim Canterbury annoyed yet playful manner that we all came to love.

The skit is the perfect mash-up between the two worlds. There’s the ridiculous general manager position, taken over by Gandalf, but within the style of Ricky Gervais’ goofy and inappropriate character David Brent. There are elves, dwarves, orcs, and by the end of it even some giant spiders to battle in the parking lot. But, arguably best of all, is that Gollum plays the Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook) role. It’s fantastic.

The skit starts with a call back to the first episode of The Office when Gareth finds his stapler inside Jell-O. This time though, it’s Gollum losing something so precious to him, so we find the ring in the same type of Jell-O mold that the stapler was found in the original show. Just brilliant. Later in the skit, holiday festivities commence, and we have the pleasure of witnessing Gandalf do the uncomfortably awesome David Brent dance. The room goes silent. Then the camera cuts to Freeman stating, "Uh, well you don’t choose the people you work with… or go on a quest with."

This was Freeman’s first time hosting SNL and he often joked throughout the show of being relatively unknown in the United States. But he has quite the résumé beyond The Hobbit and The Office. He was in the holiday classic, Love Actually plays Dr. John Watson in BBC’s Sherlock, is in Fargo and more. You can see Freeman one last time as Bilbo Baggins in the final film of the trilogy, The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies, in theaters now.

You might not know this, but Christopher Lee is the greatest 92-year-old to have ever graced the earth. Not only is he one of the most dedicated and talented actors to ever be committed to celluloid, but he is also a bona-fide heavy metal artist, too. And he even has a brand-new Christmas single out. You can hear a snippet from it in the video below.

Christopher Lee’s festive Christmas single is titled, Darkest Carols, Faithful Sing. And while it may not be the normal sort of track that you hear around the Christmas season, you can’t help but adore it since The Wicker Man actor’s famous dulcet tones feature on it. As you can probably tell, the metal song is actually set to the music of Hark the Herald Angels Sing. However the lyrics themselves have been slightly altered to fit in with the metal vibe. Christopher Lee’s bassy voice flows over the riff of Hedras Ramos’ guitar for Darkest Carols, Faithful Sing, and various publications have already called for a campaign to try and get the song to Christmas number 1.

But this isn’t the first time that the 92-year-old actor has put out a metal track at Christmas time. In fact, it’s actually the third year in a row that he has done so. Back in 2012 he started this tradition with A Heavy Metal Christmas. This saw Christopher Lee record tracks such as The Little Drummer Boy and Silent Night in time for the holiday season. After noticing that his rocking efforts had actually received a sterling response from moviegoers, metal-heads and members of the public who appreciate seeing men in their 90s still loving life, Christopher Lee decided to proceed with his unique Christmas music the following year. In 2013 he followed up A Heavy Metal Christmas with A Heavy Metal Christmas Too, which included Jingle Hell and My Way.

Jingle Hell actually achieved chart success too. In fact, it made it to number 18 on the Billboard chart. This meant that the former James Bond villain now had another achievement to add to his already long-list of accolades, as he was now the oldest charted performer in Billboard history. Christopher Lee first embraced the metal genre back in 2005. This was when he collaborated with Rhapsody of Fire’s lead singer, Fabio Lione, to sing a duet on the single, The Magic of the Wizard’s Dream. Since then, Christopher Lee has released two more metal albums, Charlemagne: By the Sword and the Cross and Charlemagne: The Omens of Death, while he has also recorded four EPs too. What do you think you’ll be doing when you’re 92?

The Hobbit was never planned as just one movie. Even in the years before the adaptation became a trilogy the plan was always to have the story unfold in at least two parts. But what if that wasn't the case, and Peter Jackson went for brevity instead of a broad scope? The trailer for that epic production might have looked something like this:

With The Hobbit trilogy soon coming to a close with the release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, YouTube user Joel Walden has cut together an extended trailer that gives us the sense of what it would look like if Peter Jackson had tried to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien's first novel into one ridiculously action-packed film And the results are pretty epic.

As you can see, the video is a bit heavy on footage from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - as that was the film that really set up all of the story points - but this trailer does a good job weaving in the epic highlights from Bilbo Baggins' journey to the Lonely Mountain to capture Smaug's treasure. It would be rather impossible for one feature film to contain all of the previewed sequences and do them justice - even in a three hour movie - but it's still great to see the progression of adventures, from the trolls to the goblins to the spiders to the desolation of Lake Town. Peter Jackson truly taken us on a pretty incredible ride these past three years.

There are a number of people out there who mock The Hobbit trilogy for the fact that it adapts what is a fairly short book into three very long movies, but now looking back at the experiment as a whole fans should really appreciate what Peter Jackson has done. Audiences always have complaints about the material that gets cut when a novel is adapted into a feature, but what Jackson had honestly delivered is the most accurate big screen version of The Hobbit that he could - and done so by also adding to the mythology of Middle-earth. He has also provided fans with something really epic, and there are surely many out there that will one day sit down with all three movies and watch them back-to-back-to-back An opportunity to adapt The Hobbit on this scale may never come again, so it's great that we got the most in-depth version imaginable.

Do you think that the story of The Hobbit could effectively be told as just one movie? I imagine that when The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is released on home video that at least one fan will make an attempt to do so, cutting away anything that doesn't directly move the plot forward. Until then, perhaps this trailer can just be used as a guideline for establishing what's important and what's not.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be in theaters December 17th.

There will forever and always be a deep connection between director Peter Jackson and the world of Middle-earth. The New Zealand-born filmmaker proved himself to be the perfect man to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's work to cinematic life with The Lord of the Rings trilogy back in the early 2000s, and while it looked for a time that he would be handing the franchise over to Guillermo del Toro for The Hobbit, ultimately it was decided that really only Jackson could do the job. The bond between artist and material is undeniably real - and it's the reason why Ian McKellen believes that Peter Jackson may not be done with Middle-earth just yet.

The legendary actor revealed his thoughts to the BBC at the London premiere of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which is now just a couple weeks away from its domestic release and will conclude the Hobbit trilogy that began in 2012. Discussing the anticipated finale of the franchise, McKellen reflected on the last time it was apparently "all over" for Peter Jackson and told the reporter,

Of course, while Ian McKellen truly believes in the connection between Peter Jackson and J.R.R. Tolkien's greatest work, the truth is that reality may make further big screen adventures an impossible dream. As I've written about in the past, there has long been a good deal of contention between the movie studios responsible for the Middle-earth films and the Tolkien estate. As it stands, the only piece of canon literature left in the series is the book known as The Silmarillion, but MGM and New Line don't currently have the rights to turn that material into a movie. Considering that Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien's son, once said that the Lord of the Rings trilogy "gutted the book, making an action movie for 15-25 year old," it's doubtful that they will budge on the issue in the future.

When The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is released later this month, it will be interesting to see where audiences stand when it comes to the idea of more films set in Middle-earth. Will the movie prove to be a satisfying conclusion that wraps up the entire franchise? Will it be rejected, and have audiences begging for the franchise to be over? Or will it be so good that people will be left wanting more? Only time will tell.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be arriving in theaters on December 17th. Are you properly excited?

When Peter Jackson and the folks at Warner Bros. announced that The Hobbit would be split up into three movies instead of the announced two, many fans were outraged. After all, the original J.R.R. Tolkien novel was only about 300 pages - far shorter than the entirety of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was made into the same number of films. But rather than just being a simple cash grab, it turns out that what is actually planned for the new trilogy's finale, The Battle of the Five Armies, is the most epic big screen Middle-earth war we've seen yet.

Talking with Entertainment Weekly as part of a feature about the final Hobbit films, Peter Jackson revealed that The Battle of the Five Armies will feature a 45-minute sequence where the titular factions go to war over the treasure of Erebor - the one that had been guarded by Smaug for years and years. As you can imagine, the sequence took a great deal of time to set-up, not just because of the logistics or visual effects involved, but also because so many different kinds of creatures and races will be involved. Said Jackson,

To help you understand just how massive the scale of this battle will be, just take a gander of this chart that Jackson drew up, with the colors of the arrows, circles and pie charts all representing the armies involved in the fight:

As EW points out, this graph once again shows eagles sweeping in to join the action of the final battle, which might worry some fans who saw the Eagles flying to save the day at the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy being a dues ex machina. Jackson has promised that this definitely won't be in the case in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, however. Instead, they'll actually have a legitimate role to play as everything goes down. Said the director,

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be in theaters on December 17th.

With this December's release of The Hobbit: The Battle Of the Five Armies, an epic age of storytelling will come to a close. With such a momentous occasion at hand, it's natural for those who've helped in telling the story of Middle Earth's most crucial epoch in history to come back and see the franchise off. We've confirmed that Billy Boyd will be doing his part by serenading the audience after the conclusion of this December's massive undertaking, and now we've seen The Hobbit series execute what's been dubbed as "the most epic safety video ever," starring – who else – Elijah Wood.

Variety ran with the video posted on the Air New Zealand YouTube page, which shows two rabid Hobbit fans rushing to make their Air New Zealand flight. Once aboard, they're thrilled to see Elijah Wood sitting in the section across from them, and this triggers a safety video that showcases the scope and scenery of The Hobbit trilogy, as well as a couple more of its stars. You can watch the video for yourself at the top, as it's a rather cute way of getting all of the usual flight safety instructions out of the way.

In addition to Elijah Wood's appearance, we see Sylvester McCoy (Radagast The Brown,) Dean O'Gorman (Fili,) Sir Richard Taylor (the head/founder of WETA Workshop,) and Sir Peter Jackson all on hand to help out with the normally dry task of telling everyone to brace for impact, turn off your devices, and not use the One Ring in the middle of any air traffic, as Ringwraiths are not cleared for any sort of air travel. According to Variety's story, the attention to detail in this video is staggering, as the following aspects that were used in The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings trilogies were also used for this safety video:

This isn't the first time Air New Zealand and The Hobbit have teamed to ensure scores of travellers (both fans and non-fans) have a safe and uneventful flight. As you'll see below, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Briefing helped commemorate the release of the first installment, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey in 2012.

Considering Elijah Wood's Frodo was the narrative backbone in The Lord Of The Rings, it's only fitting that he come back to help see us off on either our adventure to New Zealand or our adventure to YouTube to watch the video we'd be watching on the way to New Zealand. The series has been good to Wood, and in turn he's always been nothing but good to the series, and this just proves it.

The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies opens in any format you can think of on December 17.

The Hobbit film series is poised to be one of the highest grossing franchises of all time. And it better be considering how much Warner Bros has shelled out to make the trilogy: three times the cost of making Lord of the Rings.

Let us say that again: The Hobbit trilogy costs three times as much as the Lord of the Rings trilogy did.

The AP reports The Hobbit. trilogy's budget has come in as $745 million. This is frankly a shocking figure when you consider that back in 2007 it was estimated to cost $300 million. So, what happened? Well, for one thing that estimate was made when The Hobbit was being eyed as a two-part franchise. Since then, Peter Jackson pushed for a trilogy, and as such padded on some new characters, subplots, and complex action sequences. Understandably, the price tag rose from $150 million for two films.

But $745 million for three films? That still seems pretty steep, right? Well, let's remember that these films boast a heavy amount of visual effects, elaborate costumes, as well as expansive casts. And on top of all that, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies were also shot in the 48 frames per second, and in 3D. Do you hear that sound? It's the price of a budget skyrocketing.

Because Warner Bros set up a subsidiary company in New Zealand to produce The Hobbit movies, the annual financial reports have made the grand total of the films' production public knowledge. It's unclear how much--if any--of this total accounts for the extensive print and advertising campaigns that have been used to promote The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. But we'd be willing to wager that cost is counted elsewhere. Besides, the total figures wouldn't be in for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which is hitting theaters this winter on December 17th.

Let's say--for the sake of argument--that each of The Hobbit movies cost about $248 million apiece. That would make each of them the sixth most expensive film ever made. Coming in ahead of them: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ($250 mil), John Carter ($250 mil), Spider-Man 3 ($258 mill), Tangled ($260 mil), and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End ($300 mil). And yet, Warner Bros. shouldn't be sweating this very, very high price tag.

First off, The Lord of the Rings trilogy pulled in $2.9 billion by the end of its run. Between its first two installments, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, this prequel trilogy has already amassed more than $2 billion dollars. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is expected to be a big fat hit this Christmas, and on top of all this Warner Bros. received $122 million back from New Zealand's tax payers thanks to the film incentive programs there.

Basically, it seems the studio behind the titular Halfling took a clever cue from Bilbo: go big, or go home!

When The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey started to unfurl on screens across the world in 2012, it greeted fans with the familiar faces of Ian Holm and Elijah Wood as Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. After an entire trilogy with the Baggins family, opening the new chapter of the story is pretty much the best way you can introduce the continuation of the Lord Of The Rings saga's prequel to fans not so familiar with the books. Much like Billy Boyd's involvement with The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies is the perfect way to bookend the series.

Hypable reported that Boyd, known as Pippin in the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, would be singing the latest and final end credit track in the series, entitled "The Last Goodbye." To add some extra coincidental humor to the mix is the fact that the first trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle Of the Five Armies actually featured Billy Boyd's performance of "The Edge Of Night" from The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King. That trailer is included below, if only to showcase the beautiful singing voice Boyd has.

Right in that trailer, "The Edge Of Night" is used as this brilliant, emotional short hand to signal that an age is coming to an end. Much like the previous age that ended, Billy Boyd is our musical shepherd, ready to bring us to the edge of the franchise and send us off in proper fashion. This inclusion is one of the better, more subtle references to the blockbuster franchise that The Lord Of The Rings, as it doesn't beat you over the head with its presence in an era that clearly precedes it. (At least, as far as production chronology goes.)

The Hobbit: The Battle Of the Five Armies will complete the full The Hobbit: There And Back Again trilogy, and if the trailer is any indication, it will be epic in both scope and emotional weight. Having Billy Boyd sing the closing credit song is something that helps sell that point very well, and also reminds us that yes, this will be the last JRR Tolkien adaptation we'll be seeing on the big screen. Unless, of course, the Tolkien estate decides they like money again, and decides to launch a campaign to make The Silmarilion into a full-length miniseries.

However likely that may seem, we can at least look forward to The Hobbit: The Battle Of the Five Armies, which will be released in 3D, HFR 3D, IMAX 3D, and conventional formats on December 17.

Rarely does an actor know when a line of dialogue is going to go "viral," attaching itself to the career and becoming the Signature Quote for the duration of the performer’s time on screen. Clint Eastwood probably had a good feeling about, "Go ahead. Make my day." But did Sir Ian McKellen know that "You shall not pass" would be the quintessential line of dialogue from Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the line that the actor would use to motivate British students as they get ready for their examinations?

Chew Valley School in Somerset, UK posted the above video of Sir Ian McKellen inspiring a gaggle of school children as they prepare to take exams. The legendary actor was present on the school’s campus to celebrate "the tremendous work the Equalities Team [has] been doing for more than a year now in promoting human rights, opposing bullying and in particular challenging homophobic language and behaviour in school," according to the Chew Valley Web site. The school’s Equalities Team recently achieved national recognition for their efforts against bullying, and even earned the title of Stonewall Champions from the Stonewall organization, which McKellen helped to establish.

Of Sir Ian McKellen’s visit, Chew Valley’s headteacher, Mark Mallett, said:

The question remains: Do these young children know that Ian McKellen’s line comes from Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film? Will they go home and rifle through McKellen’s filmography, to try and figure out who that nice old man was, and why he was shouting at them?

They’re probably just going to unearth meme after meme of this guy, telling them that "One does not simply pass the examination."

As for Sir Ian McKellen, the actor will be back at it one last time for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which opens in theaters on December 17.

A family who have ritually watched The Hobbit together have pleaded with the internet to help them in their attempt to convince the makers of the fantasy epic to allow them to see the final instalment to the saga, The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies, before their terminally ill father dies. You can watch a YouTube video, which has been created by a family-member to create a bit of buzz and attention for their endeavour, below. It’s a bit of heart breaker.

Unfortunately, the family, who are believed to be from the Midwest, near Chicago, don’t believe that their father will live until December 17, 2014, which is when the film is released in the United States. But they haven’t given up hope of watching it together, and they believe that if they can get enough people to support their endeavour Peter Jackson and Warner Bros. will allow them to see the fantasy-epic before it’s released. The clip, which is entitled #HobbitMovieLastRequest, was created by account holder, Jessy Stouffer. In the about section she explains, "This video is a special request for my terminally ill father. If you could help by tweeting, posting to Facebook, or even Instagram, it would be amazing. Thanks for your time!"

You’d be a heartless soul if you didn’t try and get this viewed by as many people as you possibly can, so you should click and share away to everyone that you can possibly think of. The first minute of the clip explains why this this would mean so much to the unnamed family. The text reads …

Of course, they then instruct you to spread the message across social media, before a series of emotional photographs of the terminally ill father and his adoring family end the clip. The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies is the film film of Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit, and it stars Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Evangeline Lily. If just one of those individuals gets wind of the situation then they may help out in this worthy cause. Let’s make this happen.