New Zealand’s Post-Hobbit World
Even after the end of Peter Jackson’s ‘Lord of The Rings’ movies, the New Zealand film and TV business is thriving and “turning the land that once served as Middle-Earth into a host of…
Tag Archives: Peter Jackson
Real Life ‘Lord of the Rings’ Locations
In Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth is “composed of dozens of incredible locations around New Zealand,” and “the natural beauty of New Zealand’s lush countryside and icy blue…
Sir Peter Jackson – WW1 Exhibit Creator
Academy Award winning filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson talks about his new Great War Exhibition in Wellington, and how he used filmmaking technology to bring colour to a war that, until…
53M Views for All Blacks Men In Black Airline Safety Video
Air New Zealand’s new safety video, shown on all domestic and international flights, is featuring the New Zealand All Blacks, who have teamed up with former rugby rivals in the Man In Black-themed safety…
Settling in over a Beer at Hobbiton’s Green Dragon
“In New Zealand, even a nondescript cutting in the woods can lead somewhere extraordinary. That magnetic pull to see what’s around the next bend, whether sparkling glacier or primeval forest, is my favourite thing…
Peter Jackson Celebrates Life of Friend Andrew Lesnie
Peter Jackson has taken to Facebook to celebrate the life of Andrew Lesnie – his friend, ‘brother’ and frequent collaborator, who suffered a fatal heart attack this week. “I grew up wondering what…
Peter Jackson Helps History Come Alive in New Zealand
Peter Jackson has helped to create an exhibition to mark the Centenary of the First World War at New Zealand’s Te Papa museum with the support of the country’s government, philanthropists, and…
Gallipoli Film Restored By Peter Jackson
Take a Look at this rare Gallipoli film restored by Peter Jackson for The Auckland War Memorial Museum’s special week of activities leading up to Anzac Day commemorations. This…
In iZombie Rose McIver Devours Her Brainiest Role yet
New Zealander Rose McIver, 26, looks awfully alive for someone playing undead, New York Times correspondent Kathryn Shattuck writes. “In iZombie, her new series, she’s a vision of iron deficiency – ghostly pallor,…
Melanie Lynskey Reflects on Realism in Latest Roles
From Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures to HBO’s new television show Togetherness, actor Melanie Lynskey reflects on what 20 years – and Charlie Sheen – have taught her about showbusiness. Jackson’s film introduced not only future…
New Zealand Shines As Bright As A Movie Star
“New Zealand might be best known for its breathtaking scenery, excellent wines and friendly locals; however, the land of the long white cloud has also earned a stellar reputation as a popular film location”…
Hobbit Trilogy Unmitigated Financial Grand-Slam for All Parties
“The Hobbit trilogy has been incredibly successful on a domestic and worldwide stage,” Forbes contributor Scott Mendelson writes. “The three-film trilogy cost around US$765m to produce and made US$2.916b worldwide thus far. Yet no…
New Line Cinema to Remake New Zealand Horror-Comedy ‘Housebound’
New Line Cinema has picked up the remake rights of New Zealand horror-comedy Housebound, which earned praise from Lord of the Rings filmmaker Peter Jackson. Gerard Johnstone, who wrote and directed the movie, will produce the remake but…
Outflanking the Tolkien Fans on Tongariro
Before Peter Jackson and his film crew rolled into town, Mount Doom went by the humble name of Mount Ngauruhoe, the fearsome volcano which forms the centrepiece of New Zealand’s Tongariro Alpine Crossing, the…
Peter the Great’s Hobbit Premieres in China
Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson was joined by Weta Workshop’s Richard Taylor (pictured far left) in Beijing for the Chinese premiere of the final Hobbit installment on 19 January. This was Jackson’s final stop on his…
Peter Jackson Embarking on WWI Museum Project
Peter Jackson is leaving the battle for Middle Earth behind to dive into some real-world war history curating a collection of artifacts at a new museum in Wellington. The temporary museum will open in…
Peter Jackson Wants Off Hollywood Blockbuster Bandwagon
The new Hobbit film made US$90 million in its opening weekend, but in an interview with Esquire magazine director Peter Jackson confesses he doesn’t really like the “Hollywood blockbuster bandwagon.” The third and final installment…
Esteemed Middle-earth Location Scout Dave Comer
Dave Comer, who selected many of the spectacular New Zealand locations for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies for director Peter Jackson, has died aged 58. Comer started out as a still…
The Hobbit: “Peerless Fantasy, Flawlessly Rendered”
“The pleasure is intense, and mixed with awe,” writes Wall Street Journal film critic Joe Morgenstern of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. “There is majesty here, and not just because we’re…
Empire Reunites Peter Jackson and the Bad Taste Gang
For the January issue of Empire, devoted entirely to bidding “Farewell to Middle-earth,” Peter Jackson and the crew of the 1987 splatter classic, Bad Taste are reunited “to reminiscence about the crazy shoot.” “That year,…
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Featurette – 17 Year Journey
Take a look at all the memories throughout the 17 years of the making of The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit. Peter Jackson and the crew talk…
Battle of the Five Armies Packs Huge Chain Mail Punch
Upon its release in Britain, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies was met with great enthusiasm, with UK newspapers agreeing the New Zealand director has completed his trilogy with verve. “Jackson’s…
Nine Things We’ve Learned about Peter Jackson’s Epic Saga
“Just as there are nine members of the Fellowship, here are nine things we have learned from Peter Jackson’s six-picture behemoth …” Guardian journalist Ryan Gilbey gives us the rundown. “It’s big. But how big?…
Peter Jackson Receives Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Peter Jackson landed a choice section of Hollywood Boulevard for his Walk of Fame star outside the Dolby Theatre and joined by his family and friends from “The Hobbit.”…
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Is One Epic Film
Seventeen years after Sir Peter Jackson won the rights to film The Lord Of The Rings, he is finally taking leave of JRR Tolkien and Middle-earth with the conclusion of The Hobbit. The new film marks a magnificent,…
Stars Dazzle At The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies World Premiere
Oscar Winning New Zealand director Sir Peter Jackson and his stars arrived on a green carpet for the world premiere of his latest film The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The premiere was…
Stone Street Studios to Produce Pete’s Dragon
Walt Disney has confirmed that production of Pete’s Dragon, a remake of the 1977 film and starring Robert Redford, will be based at Peter Jackson’s Stone Street Studios. The live-action and CGI film…
Peter Jackson to Get Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
New Zealand filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ahead of the release of his new film The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Jackson…
Weta’s Richard Taylor Takes on Thunderbirds Challenge
The idea to adapt half-century-old television series Thunderbirds began 12 years ago when New Zealander Richard Taylor an Oscar-winning visual effects, makeup and costumes wizard, went to the UK to ask for creator Gerry…
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies – Main Trailer
From Academy Award winning filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece…
Behind the Scenes of the Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made
As the official airline of Middle-earth, Air New Zealand brought together an entire army to create The Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made. Go behind the scenes with Elijah…
Weta Cave Workshop Expands for Tour Groups
Hobbit fever is ramping up in Wellington ahead of the third and final installment of Peter Jackson‘s “Hobbit” trilogy and Weta Workshop is expanding to meet demand. In a bid to cater to growing demand from tour groups…
Hobbits Fit Their Safety Masks for Air NZ Safety Video
Ahead of the final instalment of The Hobbit trilogy, and continuing its long tradition of entertaining in-flight videos, Air New Zealand has launched its latest “epic” pre-flight safety demonstration. The airline has done a new…
The Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made
As the official airline of Middle-earth, Air New Zealand has gone all out to celebrate the third and final film in The Hobbit Trilogy – The Hobbit: The Battle…
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Official Teaser Trailer
New Zealand director Peter Jackson offers the first taste of the epic final chapter of his Middle Earth saga with the teaser trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of…
Peter Jackson and Paul Allen Dogfight over Warbirds
Filmmaker Peter Jackson, who has amassed more than 40 flyable World War I warbirds – the planet’s largest collection – and Microsoft Corp. billionaire Paul Allen are vying to build the world’s best fighter…
Secluded Waikato Getaway Carved out of the Hills
“Long before Peter Jackson re-created Middle-earth in the fertile hills of New Zealand’s Waikato region, Graham Hannah and his young daughter Jessie had a dream,” Rob McFarland writes for the Sydney Morning Herald. “They would…
Hobbit Trilogy Beating the Odds to Hit Screens
“In one of the most epic feats in recent cinema history, New Zealander director Peter Jackson brought to life Tolkien’s fantastical universe with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Almost a decade later, the…
Melanie Lynskey Revising Cinematic Female Archetypes
Melanie Lynskey has built a career on genuine, naturalistic portrayals of women in films like Up in the Air, Win Win, Hello, I Must Be Going, and, at age 16, in the Peter Jackson-directed…
Comic-Con Kicks Off Featuring Strong Kiwi Contingent
Comic-Con begins in San Diego today, with the New Zealand representatives ranging from Peter Jackson and the Hobbit producers to a small movie made by an Auckland animation school. The Hobbit will be a major…
Jackson to Be Honoured with Walk of Fame Star
Sir Peter Jackson will be immortalised in brass as one of the movie world’s greats with the director set to get his name on a Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame star. “Being honoured with a…
Peter Jackson talks to James Nesbitt About NZ Film Industry
Take a look at a small interview by James Nesbitt, also known as his character for Bofur in Peter Jackson’s three-part film adaptation of The Hobbit, as he interviews…
Peter Jackson & The Hobbit cast on There & Back Again
Peter Jackson and the Hobbit cast from Desolation Of Smaug tell us what they’re most excited about seeing in There & Back Again, also known as the The Hobbit…
What the Royals Are Taking in on Their NZ Tour
As Prince William, Kate Middleton – and Prince George – head to New Zealand on an official tour, the Telegraph looks at all the places they are visiting asking their own experts, as well…
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Production Blog Part 14
Take a peek at Peter Jackson’s fourth video blog for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. In this entry, it’s all about the amazing development of the new music…
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Production Blog Part 13
Take a peek at Peter Jackson’s third video blog for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. In this entry, see exclusive scenes of Bilbo Baggins and the dwarves playing…
Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold
Take a look at an exclusive video clip from Warner Bros and TheOneRing.net from Peter Jackson’s film: The Hobbit. Far Over The Misty Mountains Cold is a song sung…
Jackson Hits His Personal Stride with Smaug
Peter Jackson explains how The Desolation of Smaug, the second film in his Hobbit trilogy, brought certain freedoms and how the “sole responsibility of this film foot on the…
Fans Pack Australian Cinemas in Record Numbers
Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug recorded the second-highest Boxing Day opening in Australian history taking $AU5.465 million, with the only film topping that, his own. The first film in the trilogy,…
Middle Earth’s Man Contemplates Doctor Who Offer
Peter Jackson has confirmed reports that he has offered to direct an episode of Doctor Who. “I’m a Doctor Who fan, certainly. I’m of the generation that hid behind the sofa, and Patrick Troughton…
Movie-Making to Rival Lucas and Spielberg
“Peter Jackson has picked up the pace … The Desolation of Smaug is a cheerfully entertaining and exhilarating adventure tale, a supercharged Saturday morning picture: it’s mysterious and strange and yet Jackson also effortlessly…
The Making of The Book of New Zealand
To celebrate the 2013 release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Peter Jackson and the cast unveil a giant, New Zealand-themed pop-up book at The Beverly Hilton, with…
Introducing the ‘Book of New Zealand’
Take a look at the video for the opening ceremony of the “Book of New Zealand”,promoting Tourism New Zealand and the 2013 release of The Hobbit: The Desolation of…
Air New Zealand Plane Gets The Hobbit Dragon Decals
An Air New Zealand Boeing 777-300 that the Weta Workshop team in Wellington have fitted with a 54-metre long image of Smaug the dragon from The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was unveiled yesterday…
The Hobbit: Behind the Scenes – Production Video Blog Part 12
Take a peek at Peter Jackson’s second video blog of 2013 for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. In this entry, Peter Jackson shows lots of behind the scene…
The Hobbit Fan Event
To get fans ready for the next installment of The Hobbit , a live worldwide Fan Event was held on 4 November 2013. For those who have missed out,…
