New Zealanders Fight to Keep “The Hobbit”

Middle Earth is in New Zealand, thousands of demonstrators proclaimed in a Wellington march to squelch any possibility that filming of "The Hobbit" might be moved out of the tiny country.

Peter Jackson, the director of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is reportedly considering moving the location of his much-anticipated "The Hobbit" follow-up after union protests about working conditions ticked him off. The unions have since backed down, but Warner Bros. officials were due to arrive in Wellington to meet with Prime Minister John Key and make a final decision.

Crowds carried banners saying "New Zealand is Middle Earth" and "We Love Hobbits" in a bid to reassure the studio execs after the union's short boycott, reported Reuters.

The $500 million adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien novel could mean triple that for the nation's economy, according to experts. Jackson made the first three films in his native land, and planned to shoot a two-part adaptation of "The Hobbit" there, too.

Industry analysts believe Warner Bros. will use the threat of relocation to win financial concessions. Key told reporters Monday that he thought there is a 50-50 chance of the movies being filmed in New Zealand.

"I'd love to tell you it's a done deal, but we're a long way away from being a done deal. There are a number of issues that we'd need to resolve," he was quoted by the New Zealand Herald as saying.

Reports have suggested that Warner Bros is considering locations in England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Australia and eastern Europe.

The "Rings" movie trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at box offices with the final chapter, "Return of the King," sweeping the Academy Awards in 2003 by winning in all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including best film. Filming of "The Hobbit" could begin early next year.

 

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