Though Matthew didn't keep as close an eye on The Hobbit trilogy as he did with Fast & Furious, Twilight, or The Hunger Games, his studio held a 20% stake in the investment and corresponding premiere revenue shares. He occasionally contacted the production team to stay updated on progress.
Now, after years of effort, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was set to release globally, and Matthew wouldn't miss the premiere for the world.
The enormous success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy had created countless Middle-earth fans across the globe. Even before the premiere, over a hundred thousand tourists had already gathered in Wellington.
Matthew himself was a diehard fan of the series, especially The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He could still vividly recall the battles of Helm's Deep and the Pelennor Fields.
Hollywood unanimously agreed that no fantasy film had yet reached the heights of The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Now, he was directly connected to J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth.
The global premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was held at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington, New Zealand, in a grand event that attracted nearly 100,000 fans. It was a massive spectacle, leaving the streets virtually deserted.
In addition to Peter Jackson and Martin Freeman, as well as the rest of the film's cast and crew, Hollywood blockbuster director James Cameron made a guest appearance alongside his wife.
Even New Zealand's Prime Minister and Wellington's mayor attended the premiere.
It was widely known that The Lord of the Rings trilogy's global popularity had significantly boosted New Zealand's tourism industry.
Clearly, New Zealand placed high hopes on Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy, which was also filmed on the islands. Two months prior, they had announced that Wellington would temporarily be renamed "The Middle-earth Capital" starting from the premiere day and lasting for three weeks.
Wellington invested over 1.1 million New Zealand dollars to support the premiere festivities for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Air New Zealand collaborated with the renowned Weta Workshop to transform a Boeing 777-300 into a flying Hobbit advertisement, branding the plane with a movie-themed design to promote what was considered New Zealand's "national film" to the world.
The airplane even made a striking appearance in the skies above the premiere venue.
On the day of the premiere, New Zealand's national TV station broadcast the weather forecast in Elvish, and Wellington Airport displayed a giant Gollum sculpture. A "Middle-earth fever" swept through the entire country.
For the following week, Wellington would be immersed in a festive atmosphere. A large-scale red carpet ceremony, a Hobbit craft market, and open-air film screenings would create unforgettable experiences for fans. Visitors could even purchase Middle-earth-themed coins produced by New Zealand Post and send postcards stamped with "Middle-earth" postmarks.
It was no exaggeration to say that New Zealand had intertwined its national economic growth with the Middle-earth universe.
That a film series could become tied to the economic lifeblood of an entire country was incredibly rare in cinematic history.
In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, all the scenic views of Middle-earth were filmed in New Zealand. The locals hoped the new trilogy would attract even more global tourists to explore the magical allure of "Middle-earth."
As Matthew walked the red carpet alone, he saw many familiar actors and greeted several of them, including Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving, and Ian McKellen—members of the White Council.
Unfortunately, the council's head, Christopher Lee, was unable to attend due to his advanced age, as long-distance travel had become too taxing for him.
Among the actors he met, the one who left the deepest impression was Richard Armitage, who played Thorin Oakenshield. This British actor stood nearly 6'3" tall, yet played a dwarf in the film—a testament to the magic of modern filmmaking.
The Prime Minister of New Zealand even personally approached Matthew to greet him.
"It's an honor for New Zealand to have you here for the premiere," the Prime Minister said warmly. He understood that the man before him wasn't just a typical celebrity but someone with far greater global influence. "You're always welcome to visit New Zealand."
Matthew responded politely to the host's enthusiasm. "This is a beautiful country, truly impressive."
The Prime Minister was tactful and seized the opportunity to say, "Mr. Horner, may I invite you to become New Zealand's tourism ambassador?"
Matthew didn't answer immediately. Such matters couldn't be promised casually, not even when invited by a head of state.
"New Zealand is stunning," he replied diplomatically. "The skies and air here feel so pure."
Years in Hollywood had honed Matthew's ability to navigate such conversations with ease. Talking in platitudes? He could match anyone word for word. Smiling, he added, "From the moment I got off the plane, I've been surrounded by breathtaking scenery."
Hearing someone praise his country naturally pleased the Prime Minister, who beamed in response.
Matthew, however, steered the conversation elsewhere. "As an actor, I greatly admire Peter Jackson as a director. I'm thrilled to be invited to New Zealand for the global premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I'm very much looking forward to experiencing Middle-earth again on the big screen."
The Prime Minister, far from being a fool, understood that Matthew was politely declining his offer. He dropped the subject but continued to chat with Matthew amiably, maintaining a cheerful demeanor throughout.
Though it was a refusal, it left no room for negative feelings.
After Matthew excused himself and departed, the Prime Minister nodded repeatedly in approval. A Hollywood star reaching Matthew Horner's level of success was incredibly rare. Few celebrities possessed his combination of poise and emotional intelligence.
Rejecting an invitation without offending anyone—this was the charm of Hollywood's number one star.
This charm stemmed not only from his appearance and charisma but also from his exceptional intellect.
After bidding farewell to the Prime Minister, Matthew sought out Peter Jackson.
"I've seen a few preview clips from Warner Bros.," Matthew said, referring to the ten or so minutes of footage he had watched earlier. "The 48-frame 3D effect is absolutely stunning."
Like James Cameron, Peter Jackson was famously a tech enthusiast. He grinned and replied, "Film technology is evolving all the time. Audiences always hope for better visuals, just as DVDs replaced VCDs. I hope this new technology will enhance the viewing experience."
Matthew nodded. "Let's hope so."
However, advancements in film technology don't always win over audiences.
Still, the craftsmanship of Weta Workshop was undeniably impressive.
The studio, co-founded by Peter Jackson, along with Weta Digital, was one of the most influential special effects and props companies in the world. The groundbreaking visuals of Avatar were a product of Weta's expertise.
The Hobbit tells a story that takes place roughly 60 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, making it a prequel to the trilogy.
This thrilled Middle-earth fans, who were eager to see the original The Lord of the Rings cast reunite and return to Middle-earth. It was the biggest draw for them to head back to the theaters.
For Matthew, it was his first time watching the film on an IMAX 3D screen. Based on the final cut, this epic film would undoubtedly offer Middle-earth fans another journey down memory lane. The grandeur of the dwarven kingdom, the elven realms, and the Middle-earth landscapes remained as awe-inspiring as ever.
When 48-frame technology meets 3D, the result is equally dazzling, providing a uniquely immersive fantasy experience.
He recalled his earlier years on the other side of the Pacific, watching the Elven kingdom of Rivendell on a computer screen for the first time. The Lord of the Rings had already made him long to live in the picturesque Elven world. Now, with this film's 3D technology, Rivendell's stunning beauty was rendered even more enchanting, and Peter Jackson's masterful scene direction made it all the more captivating.
The action sequences stood out as well. For example, the scene where Wargs chase the rabbit sled featured several shots that made it feel as though the Wargs were leaping right off the screen. Aerial shots and lateral tracking during the dwarven kingdom's opening scene also gained added intensity thanks to 3D.
However, the film's flaws were as evident as its strengths.
It was overly long—not because of its 166-minute runtime, but because its narrative pacing felt stuck in the past. The film felt like a slow-moving drama. Nearly three hours of runtime stretched the audience's patience to its limits. Without the visual spectacle and the goodwill built up by The Lord of the Rings trilogy, its appeal would have been significantly diminished.
In today's world, slow-paced films are a hard sell.
A decade ago, most audiences could sit through a film with a leisurely unfolding plot. But in this fast-paced era, people's patience has waned, and fewer viewers are drawn to films with a meandering tempo.
It's an inevitable result of the times.
Movies—especially mainstream commercial ones—must ultimately adapt to the era they're made in.
By the end of the film, Matthew realized he would need to work closely with Warner Bros. and Peter Jackson to ensure the next two installments avoided the same pacing issues.
He also pinpointed some of the underlying causes.
Compared to the epic scale of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit was a much shorter and simpler children's book. While both works were fundamentally written for children, The Hobbit leaned more heavily into that demographic. The film's stretched-out subplots likely stemmed from the original story's structural simplicity. Breaking such a short novel into three films inevitably led to
padding.
Fortunately, the film's fantasy atmosphere remained as captivating as ever, likely satisfying the majority of fans' expectations.
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