Though many fans are still getting over the CG disappointment that was the Hobbit Trilogy, a recent announcement concerning the BluRay/ DVD release might just bring some back into the fold. The extended version of the epic finale, will include a R rated version of The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies.
Along with the new R rated, extended version of the film, the release will also include;
- Commentary with director/producer/writer Peter Jackson and co-producer/writer Philippa Boyens
- The Appendices – The Appendices Parts XI and XII showcase a chronological history of the filming of The Battle of the Five Armies, documenting the work done on set chronologically through the three shooting blocks and in the world of its digital effects.
- New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth – Part 3
The new rating is likely to do with a lot more CG blood and violence than anything else since the film was made largely after principle filming wrapped. Sadly, it was probably not additional Elf/Dwarf sexy time that called for the new rating. Could even more CG warriors cutting each other to bits fix a film plagued with far too much CG already?
Audiences wont have to wait for the BluRay/DVD release on November 17 to find out.
The extended versions of The Hobbit will be premiered on three non-consecutive nights in October ( Oct. 5, Oct. 7, and Oct.13). Tickets for the event are already on sale at select cinemas through Fathom Events, and fans can see for themselves if the new R rating is worth all the hubuub.
Fans of the first Lord of The Rings trilogy have been rather vocal in their dislike of the more CG focused trilogy, but special editions and the promise of something better are hard to ignore. It is possible that Peter Jackson heard the pleas of the fans and tried to amend the finale? Whether or not fans will give it another go is the real question. In an interview with The Daily Beast last year, Jackson may well have told us exactly what we can expect in the new cut when he was asked what he might have done with an R rating,
Oh all sorts of great things. I will tell you what, you wait for the extended cut of this film. There are a few Orc killings that we actually got knocked back. Because when we submitted this to the MPAA we got an R. So what you’re seeing is the result of heavy editing to even just get the PG-13. But there will be a little bit of Orc killing to be seen in the extended cut.
Are you looking forward to more Orc guts in the new extended Battle of the Five Armies? let us know what you think in the comments below, or the Grizzly Bomb Facebook page.
Images: Warner Bros.
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