New Zealand calls on Hobbit makers to pay back $56 million subsidy Following the tremendous box office success of The Hobbit film a New Zealand official has called on the moviemakers to repay the $56 million (NZ$67 million) subsidy they received from the country’s taxpayers to fund shooting in New Zealand. The first movie in Peter Jackson’s upcoming trilogy based on J.R.R.Tolkien’s best-selling... 

The making of ‘The Hobbit’ movie for release this month has resulted in the deaths of at least 27 animals, wranglers involved in the film say. The main cause seems to have been poor accommodation and treatment of animals away from the set. According to the American Humane Association supervising the way animals are treated on films, the animals were not harmed during the actual filming, Associated... 

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey New Zealand’s capital will be renamed after the fictional setting of Middle-earth to celebrate the world premiere of the Hobbit saga film. “The Middle of Middle-earth” is Wellington’s new unofficial name for three weeks before and after the premiere. ­The magic name will be reflected on postmarks on letters and the masthead of Wellington’s main... 

New Zealand is to release special commemorative coins depicting characters from JRR Tolkein’s The Hobbit. They are being issued to coincide with the premiere of the Peter Jackson film of the book. The coins will be valued between $25 and $3000. New Zealand has been the setting for all of Peter Jackson’s movies of Tolkein books including the three part Lord of the Rings. The coins will go on sale...