We've got the latest geek updates from Middle-earth and Westeros — find out which sexy elf is the star of the new trailer for The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug and why Game of Thrones' season-three finale made history! Plus, we've got news that the Man of Steel is already scheduled for future heroics here on Earth.
If you were underwhelmed by last year's The Hobbit, Peter Jackson is really kicking the action up a couple notches for the second installment in the series, The Desolation of Smaug. Featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the dragon Smaug, we see some action when the terrifying creature shows up for Bilbo to defeat, but I'm actually more excited to see Orlando Bloom return as Legolas. It's just like Lord of the Rings old times! There are more fun faces to come into Middle Earth, too, like Lost's Evangeline Lilly and Luke Evans.
Even though I was a bit disappointed with how slow last year's The Hobbit was, I'm pretty psyched for this — probably due to my ongoing love for all the Lord of the Rings movies (and Legolas!). The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug comes out on Dec. 13, and you can watch the trailer after the jump.
Director Tom Hooper adapted the legendary musical into this Oscar-nominated big-screen version, starring Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, a former prisoner who flees lifelong nemesis Javert (Russell Crowe) and finds redemption in 17th-century France. The movie is almost entirely sung, which doesn't always work, but it's a triumph when it does. Case in point: Anne Hathaway's performance of "I Dreamed a Dream" as Fantine, the role that won her an Oscar. A commentary track and a few behind-the-scenes featurettes are included on the DVD.
Jessica Chastain stars in this true-life thriller as Maya, the woman who leads a decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden. Kathryn Bigelow directed the harrowing drama, which also stars Chris Pratt and Joel Edgerton as members of the SEAL Team 6 who found bin Laden. Chastain delivers a great performance (which earned her an Oscar nomination), but the controversial torture scenes can be tough to watch. DVD extras include a few making-of featurettes.
See two more new releases after the jump.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hit movie theaters with larger-than-life geektastic action, but the small-screen version of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy story comes with something even more miniscule: Hobbit-size Lego. Yep, the Blu-Ray/DVD combo set for The Hobbit comes complete with a Bilbo Baggins minifigure.
The two-disc set of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first installment of director Peter Jackson's trilogy, is available for preorder now at Target ($25) and ships March 19.
Watch geek prince Martin Freeman play the role of a lifetime, alongside Ian McKellen as Gandalf and his band of dwarves. If you missed the movie on the big screen, catch up on what folks had to say about the Lord of the Rings prequel and get your daily dose of all things Tolkien online.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey took in $32.9 million this weekend, for its third time at the top of the box office. Three Christmas Day releases followed the fantasy film: Quentin Tarantino's Western Django Unchained earned $30.7 million, the musical Les Misérables won $28 million, and Billy Crystal's Parental Guidance made $14.8 million. Tom Cruise's action flick Jack Reacher rounded out the top five with $14 million.
Your little one is growing up, leaving behind the sweet stuffed animals and baby dolls for action-packed toys designed to engage and excite. You probably know what your child's favorite toy of 2012 is — he either hasn't put it down since this Summer or has been begging you to put it under the tree for months — but what about you? Are you crazy for the new Wii U or more of a Nintendo 3DS XL gal? Are you secretly hoping Santa will bring you a Furby too? Or are you nuts about the new Lego Hobbit sets — after all, that many pieces can buy a mom a lot of free time! Tell us what your favorite big-kid toy of 2012 is below, and if we left out your top pick, leave us a comment and let us know.
(Top Row: Ybike Explorer Go Kart, Lego The Hobbit: The Goblin King Battle, Nintendo Wii U; Middle Row: Nintendo 3DS XL, Furby; Bottom Row: Twister Dance, Skylanders Giants Starter Set, Nerf Lazer Tag Blaster)
Looks like Middle-earth has a lot of fans: Peter Jackson's epic adaptation The Hobbit earned $84.8 million in its opening weekend, setting a new record for the best December opening weekend. It also set a record for one-day opening, reaping $34.5 million on Friday and besting the previous record, coincidentally held by 2003's Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. In a steep drop-off, Rise of the Guardians came in second with $7.4 million, followed by Lincoln with $7.2 million. Last week's champ, Skyfall, slipped to fourth with $7 million, followed by Life of Pi with $5.4 million.
Are you ready to go back to Middle-earth? Director Peter Jackson takes us back with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first of three movies that make up a prequel trilogy to The Lord of the Rings. This time, Frodo's uncle Bilbo embarks on a journey with wizard Gandalf and a team of dwarves, where they encounter trolls, dragons, elves, and a few other things. So how does The Hobbit stack up to its predecessors? Watch our video review to find out!
How can you get enough hobbit after just one (albeit, one three-hour-long) IMAX screening of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey? Relive the magic of Middle-earth long after the theater with the following guide to finding more Tolkien entertainment online.
Downloadable Movies
Want a second helping of the characters you already grew to know and love in Peter Jackson's original films on Tolkien's works? Rent or download the movies here:
Books
Of course, it was J.R.R Tolkien's carefully crafted books that started Middle-earth mania. Start at the beginning with The Hobbit, and then delve deeper into the languages and cultures of the world with the rest of the series.
Keep reading for hobbit apps on mobile devices.
