Big Picture Big Sound

Here's a little something for you, my Precious: Warner Bros. just announced plans to release The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on Blu-ray. The first part of Peter Jackson's trilogy will be available in both 3D and 2D, starting March 19, 2013.

The New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM) production will come packing an UltraViolet version of the film and over 130 minutes of extras. That should please frothing Hobbit fans. Just know that Warner Bros. says that it will release an "Extended Edition," just like they did with The Lord of the Rings franchise. That version will be available later this year, in time for holiday shopping.

[editor's note: rumors of the extended edition featuring a 52-minute scene of Bilbo deciding what to pack for his trip are as yet unconfirmed. :) ]

There's no word on what that second version will include. However, these upcoming combo packs will come packing plenty of special features. The first of those is the opportunity to hear about the second film from Peter Jackson himself. The director will host a live first look at The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the second film in the franchise. This will be a streaming event to be held on Sunday, March 24 at 3:00 p.m. (EST). It's also an exclusive for those with the UltraViolet code from one of The Hobbit combo packs. An edited version will then be archived on the movie's official website.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be available in a 3-disc Blu-ray combo pack and a 5-disc Blu-ray 3D combo pack. Both will have a theatrical version of the film in HD and SD, with the 5-disc set adding in a 3D version. Both sets will include a full suite of Jackson's production videos. This 2-hour piece has the director taking you behind the scenes, on location and through the star-studded cast in a series of video journals. That content will cover the "Start of Production," "Location Scouting, "Filming in 3D," the "Post-production Overview," and the "Wellington World Premiere."

Nominated for three Academy Awards, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first part of a trilogy, starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett, Ian Holm, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, and Andy Serkis. Based on the J.R.R. Tolkien novel of the same name, the adventure focuses around Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) and his quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome Dragon Smaug. For more information on the movie, check out Joe Lozito's theatrical review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was released theatrically on December 14, 2012. The second film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, is coming on December 13, 2013, with The Hobbit: There and Back Again wrapping up the series on July 18, 2014.

At last peek, Amazon had yet to start taking pre-orders. That will probably change very soon. Expect to see the 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack listed with an MSRP of $35.99, with the 5-Disc Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack coming in at $44.95.

For More Information:

• The Hobbit Trilogy's Official Website