GOLD! THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES Will Open $75M+, Already At $122M+ Overseas - Over 70% Of Total From 3D Screens!

This is it guys. The last trip we will have to Middle-earth for a long time. So go out and enjoy it! Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES opened last night to massive midnight screenings and is projected to hit north of $75 million for the weekend. Add on the $122 million it has already made overseas and we're well on our way to another gigantic release for Tolkien's imagination. Well mostly Tolkien and some kind liberty by a fella known as Peter Jackson.

After seeing the first two releases in this franchise series, it really makes me wonder what Guillermo del Toro's versions would have been like. More practical effects I'm sure, but what would be the big differences? I'm hoping that perhaps some of those concepts get included in the upcoming trilogy blu-ray set for THE HOBBIT next year. They've got my money already, but that would be the icing on the cake.

Back to the matter at hand - I won't be able to see the finale until the weekend, but Tim says he's seen it already so it will be great to see his review on the movie and the native 3D. Mine will be coming forthwith! Can't wait to see all that native 3D goodness, all from the amazing 3D rigs of 3ality Technica. Bring it on!

Here's the movie's storyline:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is now playing in 3D, HFR 3D, IMAX 3D and flat.

First Hobbit TV-Spot Hits

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."

So begins this new TV Spot. Tim here with a bit of exciting Hobbit news... like there isn't something new every day. That's the point we've finally reached for the marketing on the first film. Expect a lot more to come in the following days. However, that doesn't make any of us less excited. It does however bring to light the fact that if you want to stay fresh then you had better start skipping posts like this.

I really like this TV-Spot because it focuses on Bilbo's lack of experience in adventures. There's plenty of action shots with a few clever lines delivered quickly and on the mark. There's a few new shots, but a lot of the quick action shots are from the trailer released a month ago. Mainly the dialogue is fresh to the ears.

Hit the jump for more...

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of Peter Jackson's three films bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's epic to cinematic life hits theaters Dec. 14, but advanced tickets sales start Nov. 7, so as a warning to you: Be online, or in line, first thing that day to get your tickets.

Expect Extended Edition 3D Blu-Rays Of THE HOBBIT

Tim here with a "I could have told you this was coming." Reported out of theonering.net it turns out that three movies aren't enough to satisfy all the footage for The Hobbit. We're looking at Extended Editions of each as well, just as it was with The Lord of the Rings. No complaints because Extended Editions means more enjoyment for fans... and a push for 3DTV's and the 3D Blu-Rays!

Just like the LOTR DVDs the theatrical cuts will hit the DVD, Blu-Ray, and Digital Copy market first, followed by the Extended Editions a few months later. Expect the 3D Blu-Ray to also have the Extended Scenes in 3D. This will give more people incentive to purchase a 3DTV so that they can enjoy the Extended Editions as they were meant to be seen. However, will the digital copies also be 3D? It's not a hard leap for the iTunes digital copies to be available in 3D as through an AppleTV one can easily play a side-by-side squeeze on a 3DTV and have it interpreted as 3D. All Apple has to do is enable 3D in the iTunes Store. That's wishful thinking at this time. The Blu-Rays are guaranteed to be 3D at least.

Here's the storyline for THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY:
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities… A simple, goldring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters on December 14^th worldwide.