Peter Jackson

His statement follows claims that "Now and Then" is the band's final song.

Last week, we took note of a new business venture called Screening Room spearheaded by Napster founder Sean Parker. The proposed service would digitally stream the latest major-studio theatrical releases into the confines of private American homes for a hefty estimated fee of $50 on the same day as in-theater premieres, rendering a trip to the local cineplex less necessary than ever. Naturally, this radical new strategy would change the entire face of the industry, and has accordingly raised hackles on the production, distribution, and exhibition sides of Hollywood. As movie theaters struggle to stay relevant and profitable, Parker’s every press conference sounds like a death knell. And this weekend, both sides of this instantly contentious debate dug in their heels on their positions.

All of Peter Jackson’s Middle-Earth movies have pushed the boundaries of the PG-13 rating, but it looks like the extended edition of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies may be the Halfling that breaks the Oliphaunt’s back. It seems that the longer version of the trilogy capper, which is returning to theaters this October, has been slapped with an R-rating by the MPAA.

Nicolas Cage in a Lord of the Rings film? It almost happened, if you can believe that. Cage was offered the role of Aragorn in Peter Jackson's trilogy but eventually turned it down. He would later explain, “[It] shot for a great quantity of time. I had family obligations, so I’m glad I stayed and had those experiences with my family.” This is just one of the facts packed into the latest episode of You Think You Know Movies, which travels to Middle-earth for The Lord of the Rings trilogy!

Having gone on an unexpected journey and endured the desolation of Smaug, Peter Jackson’s bloated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ finally comes to ‘The Battle of the Five Armies,’ which is less of a climax to this trilogy than a distended epilogue. After spending two movies and 330 minutes building up the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) as the ultimate antagonist, he’s eliminated from the story completely in the first ten minutes. He’s literally gone before the title appears onscreen.

Yes, it’s easy to decry the permeation of film marketing and our obsession with trailers and posters and previews, but let’s just be honest with ourselves here: The ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ trailer is going to an event that rivals the release of most movies. Think back to the good ‘ol days of 1998 (”A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...”) and remember how fans would buy tickets to ‘A Bug’s Life’ and ‘The Siege’ just to watch the teaser trailer for ‘Star Wars: Episode I.’ If you’re one of those people and want to replicate that experience, you’d better pre-order your ticket for ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’ pretty soon.

Back in 2012, some of the cast members from the 'Hobbit' films appeared in an in-flight safety video for Air New Zealand titled "An Unexpected Safety Briefing," and to coincide with the upcoming sequel 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,' they've made a different kind of sequel: "The Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made." It is very epic indeed.

Every year, Comic-Con comes complete with some major surprises -- be it the announcement of an unexpected film or the reveal of a major piece of casting -- but rarely do such surprises involving rap superstars randomly popping on stage in the middle of a panel to sing their biggest hit alongside one of entertainment's most beloved leading men. In what has to be a first-time event, Biz Markie interrupted the 'Book of Life' panel to jam out to his classic jam, "Just A Friend," and was then...joined by star Channing Tatum?

Last year, 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' ended on a huge cliffhanger that promised a fiery start to 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.' The new poster for the third film in director Peter Jackson's Middle Earth prequel trilogy takes the final images from the previous film and runs with them, promising a showdown that fans of the book have been waiting three years to see.

We heard the rumors that the third of Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit' trilogy would be undergoing a title change and today, it came to pass. What was once 'The Hobbit: There and Back Again' is now 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.' What was once pleasant and sentimental is now battle-hardened and filled with promises of action. Take from that change what you will.

There comes a time when we must stop kidding ourselves. These 'Hobbit' films – with 'The Desolation of Smaug' representing the shank of the trilogy – are not real movies. These are exploitation films for Tolkien nuts, for enthusiasts of the original 'Lord of the Rings' movies and for audiences so hungry for high fantasy they'll gobble up whatever is served to them and ask for seconds. As someone w

The Air New Zealand team has always taken pride in the fact that Peter Jackson filmed his 'Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings' trilogies in their homeland, but they've taken it one step further for 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.' While some of the trailers have refrained from showcasing the evil dragon in his full form, the airline has plastered him all over their new 'Hobbit'-themed plane. Rea