News

As our esteemed Film Editor David Crow has said elsewhere, movies are back — but in a sense they’ve never really gone away. New original films have been popping up via streaming and video-on-demand all throughout the reign of the coronavirus, and they continue to do so even as theaters begin to reopen and the studios slowly start to fill them with new releases as well.

The operative word here is “slow”: we’re not seeing a deluge of new films anywhere — the big or small screen — but there is a steady flow of them nonetheless, and as is often the case, horror leads the way. Below is a round-up of fresh horror releases coming your way (or there already) in the US and UK, available either at your local multiplex (and we urge you to keep the risks of going to the theater in mind) or right in your living room.

FrightFest, the UK horror festival that was forced to move online this year because of pandemic disruption, has unveiled a lineup for its 21st edition (August 27-31) including seven world premieres.

The event opens with the UK premiere of Sky Sharks, which features Nazi zombie-piloted airborne killer sharks.

World premieres include Logan Thomas’s There’s No Such Thing As Vampires, Patrick Rea’s I Am Lisa, Ruben Pla’s The Horror Crowd, G-Hey Kim’s Don’t Click, Toby Watts’ Playhouse, Airell Anthony Hayles and Sam Casserly’s They’re Outside, and Francesco Giannini’s Hall.

Industry-focused events will include a panel hosted by Den Of Geek’s UK editor Rosie Fletcher about how the horror genre has been affected by the pandemic.

All online film screenings will be geo-locked to UK audiences and available through FrightFest’s website.

“We will desperately miss seeing all of you in person...

Stars: Kerry Armstrong, Kathryn Wilder, Gary Sweet, Stephen Hunter, Jordan Waller, Kevin Harrington, Don Bridges, Helen Dallimore, Madekaine Nunn, Anna Tolputt, Danxia Yang, Rob Sheean, David Adlam, Kasha Bajor | Written by Jordan Waller | Directed by Jesse O’Brien

After the death of their adoptive mother, shy butcher Norman and his drama queen twin sister Annabelle leave the UK and adventure to Australia in search of their biological mother, but the local townsfolk of Two Heads Creek are hiding a dark secret… but aren’t they all when it comes to small towns in horror movies?

Australia and New Zealand have a fine tradition of mixing comedy and horror to superb effect. Be it the early work of Peter Jackson such as Bad Taste and Brain Dead, or more recent efforts such as Primal and The Loved Ones, horror from down under always seems to walk a very fine line be laughs and scares,...

Exclusive: Shaked Berenson and Jonathan Barkan’s genre distribution label The Horror Collective has acquired the North American distribution rights to the Jesse O’Brien-directed horror-comedy Two Heads Creek. The pic is slated for a summer release.

Written by Jordan Waller, who also stars in the UK-Australian film alongside Kathryn Wilder, Two Heads Creek follows a timid butcher and his drama-queen twin sister as they venture off to Australia in search of their birth mother. While there, they are among seemingly tolerant townsfolk but little do they know, they are hiding a dark, meaty secret.

More from DeadlineShaked Berenson And Jonathan Barkan Launch Genre Distro Label The Horror CollectiveSydney Film Festival Cancelled Over CoronavirusChina Moviegoing Survey Reveals 62% Of People Will Wait For Complete Covid-19 Containment Before Returning To Cinemas

“Making Two Heads Creek was a horror fan’s dream,...

Jane Seymour.

Jane Seymour’s abiding interest in dementia led to her landing the lead role in Ruby’s Choice, producer/director Michael Budd’s drama with comic overtones, which starts shooting in Brisbane later this month.

The British American actress who made her name in the 1970s as Bond girl Solitaire in Live and Let Die and in TV’s The Onedin Line, Our Mutual Friend and Battlestar Galactica, will play the title role, a loving grandmother who has dementia.

Coco Jack Gillies will portray her 16-year-old granddaughter Tash.

Jacqueline McKenzie is Ruby’s daughter Sharon with Stephen Hunter as her husband Doug.

Emerging Brisbane writer Paul Mahoney wrote the screenplay, pitched it to Budd and it immediately struck a chord as the filmmaker lost his grandmother to dementia.

Budd approached Seymour’s agent knowing it was a subject close to her heart: Seymour served as executive producer on Glen Campbell...

"This is how we fight!" Momentum Pictures has released a new official Us trailer for the true story thriller Escape from Pretoria, opening in March (on VOD) at the same time as the UK release. The film is about two white South Africans, imprisoned in 1978 for working covert operations for Nelson Mandela's banned Anc. They attempt to escape from the notorious white man's Pretoria Prison, known as "Robben Island", the same place former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela was imprisoned before. Starring Daniel Radcliffe and Daniel Webber as the two leads, with a cast including Ian Hart, Nathan Page, Stephen Hunter, Mark Leonard Winter, Jeanette Cronin, David Wilson, and Ratidzo Mambo. Based on a true story, of course. This looks as good as it did in the UK trailer, a gripping thriller with an inspiring story. Here's the official Us trailer for Francis Annan's Escape from Pretoria,...

Network: ABC.

Episodes: 13 (hour).

Seasons: One.

TV show dates: June 20, 2019 — September 13, 2019.

Series status: Cancelled.

Performers include: Poppy Montgomery, Ray Stevenson, Desmond Chiam, Melissa Bonne, Tamala Shelton, Stephen Hunter, Melina Vidler, Joey Viera, and Arthur Costa.

TV show description:

From creators Poppy Montgomery, Mark Rosner, and Ken Sanzel, the Reef Break TV show is a French-American crime drama produced by ABC Studios and ABC Studios International, in partnership with M6. The series centers on the stunning Cat Chambers (Montgomery), a former thief.

These days, Cat works as the fixer for the governor of a beautiful Pacific Island. Thanks to her checkered past, Cat has a deep understanding of criminals and the...

"Your whole plan is doomed to failure..." Empire Mag. has debuted the first official trailer for a true story thriller titled Escape from Pretoria, which is opening first in the UK coming up this March. The film is about two white South Africans, imprisoned for working on behalf of the Anc. They attempt to escape from the notorious white man's Pretoria Prison, known as "Robben Island", the same place former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela was imprisoned before. Starring Daniel Radcliffe and Daniel Webber as the two leads, with a cast including Ian Hart, Nathan Page, Stephen Hunter, Mark Leonard Winter, Jeanette Cronin, David Wilson, and Ratidzo Mambo. Based on a true story, of course. This looks like a solid prison escape thriller, about insistent prisoners who want out as a way of fighting back. Have a look. Here's the first UK trailer (+ poster) for Francis Annan's Escape from Pretoria,...

Jordan Waller in ‘Two Heads Creek.’

Producers Brett Thornquest, Steven Matusko and Mat Graham have launched Entertainment Advocate, an Australian distribution company with the aim of handling a limited number of Oz, Us and UK titles each year.

The banner’s debut release, Two Heads Creek, a macabre, irreverent horror comedy directed by Jesse O’Brien, opened last weekend after premiering at Monster Fest.

While the weekend gross was a modest $14,000 including festival screenings, Matusko, who is partnered with Thornquest in Eclectik Vision, tells If: “We understand the business and will approach distribution with a producer’s mindset rather than a distributor’s.

“We are not looking to outbid larger distribution companies but we want to work with other Australian producers and also to release select films from the UK and Us.”

Graham was one of the producers on Eclectik Vision’s Infini and The Osiris Child, both directed by Shane Abbess.

Kirsten Howard Aug 6, 2019

Death Note and Blair Witch director Adam Wingard is steering the doomed spaceship into streaming territory with an Event Horizon series.

Time for a little bit of tentative excitement, as Variety has reported that Amazon are working on an Event Horizon TV series!

The 1997 cult horror fave's original producers, Larry Gordon and Lloyd Levin, are reportedly both onboard the new Event Horizon project, and Adam Wingard has been tapped to direct and produce it. Some of you are likely to immediately recognize Wingard's name, but for everyone it doesn't ring a bell with, he previously helmed fare like The Guest, You’re Next, Netflix's Death Note, and the rebooted Blair Witch. Wingard is currently in the midst of post-production on Godzilla vs. Kong, which will arrive in mid-2020.

Paul W.S. Anderson's psychological space gore affair wasn't massively appreciated when it was first released in the late '90s,...

‘Mrs Lowry and Son.’

The arthouse market in Australia is alive and well but these days in concentrated largely on myriad film festivals, according to Rialto Distribution’s Kelly Rogers.

So Rogers and Lisa Garner, Rialto’s head of film, are aiming to fill a gap in the market for upmarket titles with cross-over potential.

“We’re looking for films and stories that we emotionally connect with and we can see have a clear audience – whatever the genre,” says Garner, who opened the Sydney office in February, taking over from Backlot Films.

“Yes the market is cluttered, but if a film emotionally engages and entertains an audience then the film will find its audience and level.

”As the market shifts and changes we generally buy films based on knowing there’s a strong audience, whether that’s in the theatrical arena or home entertainment or sometimes a film that could go either way.

Vulture Watch

Will Bob Lee Swagger's life ever get back to normal? Has the Shooter TV show been cancelled or renewed for a fourth season on USA Network? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Shooter, season four. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?

What's This TV Show About?

A USA Network action drama, Shooter stars Ryan Phillippe, Omar Epps, Shantel VanSanten, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Jesse Bradford. Based on Stephen Hunter’s novel, Point of Impact, and the 2007 Mark Wahlberg film, Shooter centers on expert marksman Bob Lee Swagger (Phillippe). Despite being retired and living in exile, Swagger is coaxed back into action for the most important mission of his...

Tonight, USA Network will air the final episode of season three of the Shooter TV show. The cable channel cancelled the series last month but, do you think this should be the end of the road? Would you watch a fourth season Shooter on another channel?

An action drama, Shooter stars Ryan Phillippe, Omar Epps, Shantel VanSanten, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Jesse Bradford. Based on Stephen Hunter's novel, Point of Impact, and the 2007 Mark Wahlberg film, Shooter centers on expert marksman Bob Lee Swagger (Phillippe). Despite being retired and living in exile, Swagger is coaxed back into action for the most important mission of his lifetime. In the third season, he discovers details surrounding his father's death, which lead to uncovering a shocking conspiracy.

Read More…...

At the beginning of its sophomore year, the ratings for the Shooter TV show on USA Network dropped off significantly, but then they stabilized. In the end, they were enough for a third season renewal. Now that season three of Shooter is here, will it be able to hit the target that is Nielsen households? Will Shooter be cancelled or renewed for season four? Stay tuned. *Status update below.

A USA action drama, Shooter stars Ryan Phillippe, Omar Epps, Shantel VanSanten, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Jesse Bradford. Based on Stephen Hunter's novel, Point of Impact, and the 2007 Mark Wahlberg film, Shooter centers on expert marksman Bob Lee Swagger (Phillippe). Despite being retired and living in exile, Swagger is coaxed back into action for the most important mission of his lifetime. In the third season, he discovers details surrounding his father's death, which lead toward a...

How on target is the third season of the Shooter TV show on USA Network? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether the TV show Shooter is cancelled or renewed for season four. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we'd like to offer you the chance to rate all of the Shooter season three episodes below.

A USA Network action drama, Shooter stars Ryan Phillippe, Omar Epps, Shantel VanSanten, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Jesse Bradford. Based on Stephen Hunter’s novel, Point of Impact, and the 2007 Mark Wahlberg film, Shooter centers on expert marksman Bob Lee Swagger (Phillippe). Despite being retired and living in exile, Swagger is coaxed back into action for the most important mission...

Network: USA Network  

Episodes: 31 (hour)

Seasons: Three

TV show dates: November 15, 2016 -- September 13, 2018

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Ryan Phillippe, Shantel VanSanten, Omar Epps, Eddie McClintock, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Tembi Locke, David Marciano, and Sean Cameron Michael.

TV show description:      

Based on a novel by Stephen Hunter and the 2007 feature film, this TV show revolves around an expert marksman who is coaxed back into action for what seems like the most important mission of his lifetime.

Born the son of a Medal of Honor-winning Marine, Bob Lee Swagger (Ryan Phillippe) followed his father's footsteps into the Corps and became the greatest sniper in the history of the U.S. Marines. After several successful tours and countless heroic (though not always authorized) actions, Bob Lee was wounded in battle, both physically and...

USA Network has pulled the trigged on Shooter. Deadline reports the network has cancelled the TV show after three seasons.

Based on the Stephen Hunter novel and 2007 film, the action drama centers on expert marksman Bob Lee Swagger (Ryan Phillippe), who is coaxed back into action for the most important mission of his lifetime. The cast also includes Omar Epps, Shantel VanSanten, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, and Jesse Bradford.

Read More…...

Considered by USA Network to have fired too many blanks of late, Shooter has been canceled.

The drama will be permitted to wrap up its ongoing third season, but will not return for a fourth, according to Variety.

Five episodes remain on Season 3.

For this, the Ryan Phillippe-led series is averaging 740,000 total viewers and just under a 0.2 demographic rating among 18-49-year olds, a sharp drop from last year's figures of 1.25 million and 0.35, respectively.

As is so often the case these days when a show gets the axe, fans are likely wondering whether Season 4 could be picked up by Hulu or some other streaming service.

And Variety does report that Universal Cable Productions and Paramount Television, which co-produce the series, are looking into this exact possibility.

But the odds are very low.

Shooter is based on a number of novels by author Stephen Hunter.

It featured Phillippe in the...

Shooter has fired off its final round; USA Network has opted to cancel the Ryan Phillippe drama after three seasons, our sister publication Variety reports. Shooter‘s third season is currently airing Thursdays at 10/9c, with five episodes still to run.

Shooter this season is averaging 740,000 total viewers and just under a 0.2 demo rating, down sharply from Season 2’s 1.25 mil/0.35.

Based on the book series by Stephen Hunter, Shooter starred Phillippe (Secrets and Lies) as highly-decorated Marine Corps sniper Bob Lee Swagger, a man who was pulled back into the fray when his former commanding officer Isaac Johnson (played by...

“Shooter” will not return for a fourth season on USA, TheWrap has learned.

The Ryan Phillippe-led drama has been canceled by the cable network midway through its third season.

Producers Universal Cable Productions and Paramount Television have been exploring options to place the show elsewhere, according to an individual familiar with the matter. However, according to the source, talks with Paramount Network “have all but stalled” and the series is unlikely to land at the Viacom network.

Also Read: WWE Reality Show 'Miz & Mrs' Gets 14 More Episodes From USA Network

Based on the best-selling novel “Point of Impact” by Stephen Hunter and the 2007 Paramount film of the same name starring Mark Wahlberg, “Shooter” is led by Phillippe as a highly-decorated veteran sniper who is coaxed back into action to prevent a plot to kill the president.

The show saw a steep drop-off in viewership between its second and third seasons,...

“Shooter” has been canceled at USA Network, Variety has learned.

The drama series is currently in the midst of airing its third season. Since Season 3 began back in June, the series has seen a steep fall off in its Live+Same Day ratings. This season is currently averaging a 0.2 rating in adults 18-49 and 738,000 viewers per episode, down over 40% in both measures from Season 2.

Sources say that Universal Cable Productions and Paramount Television, which co-produce the series, are said to be shopping the show for a potential fourth season. Discussions are said to be underway at Paramount Network, but a source with knowledge of the situation said that it is unlikely to land there.

The cancellation comes as USA is looking to bolster its originals lineup. The cabler ordered four projects to pilot back in April, including a cop drama starring Denis Leary and a drama series set in the Jason Bourne universe.

USA Network has opted not to order a fourth season of thriller drama series Shooter starring Ryan Phillippe. The decision comes as Shooter has crossed the midpoint mark of its 13-episode Season 3 run. I hear leading producer Paramount Television is shopping the series to other networks. Sibling Paramount Network, recently relaunched as Viacom’s leading brand for original scripted series, is a logical destination and I hear that there have been conversations but they appear to have stalled.

Following USA’s recent cancellation of Colony, also after three seasons, Shooter is USA’s lowest-rated remaining drama series among adults 18-49. Season to date, Shooter averages 471, 000 in 18-49 and 1.506 million total viewers in Live+3, down double-digits from Season 2 averages.

Shooter, whose 2016 debut was delayed because of a series of real-life mass shootings to after the November Presidential election, was a breakout hit. Despite lukewarm reviews, it was embraced by viewers — a...

Raymond J. Barry is set for a recurring role in Season 3 of USA Network’s popular drama series Shooter.

Based on the best-selling novels by Stephen Hunter and the 2007 Paramount film starring Mark Wahlberg, Shooter follows the journey of Bob Lee Swagger (Ryan Phillippe), a highly decorated veteran who must confront a nemesis from his past in order to return to a life of normalcy. In Season 3, mysterious details are revealed surrounding his father Earl’s death, leading Bob Lee towards a startling conspiracy that hits close to home.

Barry will play August Russo. Formerly a member of Earl Swagger’s unit in Vietnam, August now uses the skills he developed in wartime to train operatives at a secret facility.

A co-production with Paramount Television and Universal Cable Productions, Shooter comes from executive producers Mark Wahlberg of Closest to the Hole Productions; Stephen Levinson of Leverage Entertainment; and Lorenzo di Bonaventura.

Random Media will brings humankind to the edge of ruin when they release Blue World Order nationally on January 16.

Starring Billy Zane (Titanic), Jake Ryan (The Great Gatsby) and Stephen Hunter (The Hobbit trilogy), Blue World Order will premiere nationwide January 16th on Cable and Digital VOD, including iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, inDemand, Dish and more.

Synopsis:

After a nuclear war decimated the Northern Hemisphere, the surviving population was infected with a deadly bacterium. In an attempt to rebuild civilization, a self-appointed government called The [Continued ...]...

© 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. And Ratpac Entertainment. Photo Credit: Keith Bernstein.

(L-r) John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli, Erich Bergen as Bob Gaudio, Vincent Piazza as Tommy DeVito and Michael Lomenda as Nick Massi in Warner Bros. Pictures’ musical “Jersey Boys, ” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Warner Bros. Pictures has released their slate of films for 2014. Along with each movie’s synopsis and photos, you will find Hobbits, dolphins, legos, Godzilla as well as the latest info and first image of Clint Eastwood’s take on the musical Jersey Boys.

The cinematic lineup hosts a bevy of A-listers for fans of Tom Cruise, Johnny Depp, Russell Crowe, Colin Farrell, Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Bryan Cranston, Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Foxx, Chris Pine, Kevin Spacey, and Christoph Waltz.

Further on down the cinematic...

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug continues its climb up the worldwide box office, crossing $500 million globally. The film, a production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), has thus far grossed an estimated $160.5 million domestically and $343.5 million internationally, for a worldwide estimated total of $504 million and growing.

Moving into its third week in release, The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug continues to dominate the global box office, remaining the #1 film in U.S. and abroad. Internationally, the film has released in 61 territories, with key markets China and Japan set to open in the coming months.

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug is the second film in Oscar®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson’s epic “The Hobbit” Trilogy, based on the timeless novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. The first film, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” was released on December 14, 2012, and went on to become a billion dollar success at the worldwide box office.

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as Galadriel Orlando Bloom as Legolas Evangeline Lilly as...

As he promised, Peter Jackson has released the final video production diary for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and it’s all about the soundtrack process. We get to see the concert hall where the recording took place (and where the Beatles once performed) and we get to see Peter Jackson‘s bare feet propped up on a table again (apparently it’s his preferred viewing pose) and so much more:

Featurette: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Production Diary 14

Be looking for our review of the soundtrack for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug next week.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchette, Elijah Wood, Hugo Weaving, Sylvester McCoy, Aidan Turner, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Ken Stott, Mikael Persbrandt, Ryan Gage, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Ian Holm, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Conan Stevens, Orlando Bloom, Luke Evans,...

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as Galadriel Orlando Bloom as Legolas Evangeline Lilly as...

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug, the second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

The three films tell a continuous story set in Middle-earth 60 years before “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

From Warner Bros. Pictures, The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug is in theaters now.

A few lucky Wamg readers will win a copy ‘The Hobbit’ book and Hollywood Movie Money to see The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug.

Answer The Following Questions:

1. What is the name of the single, solitary peak that lies far to the east?

a. Mount Doom

b. Widow’s Peak

c. The Lonely Mountain

d. The Misty Mountains...

"I am King under the Mountain." Exclusive poster for #TheHobbit: The Desolation of Smaug! pic.twitter.com/dfIkQPK8Bp— The Hobbit (@TheHobbitMovie) December 16, 2013 The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter...

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as Galadriel Orlando Bloom as Legolas Evangeline Lilly as...

New Hobbit 2,Desolation Of Smaug movie delivered great action,drama & more. New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures) released their new action/adventure/fantasy flick, "The Hobbit 2: The Desolation Of Smaug" into theaters this weekend. I just checked it out, and thought it was pretty damn good. It delivered a ton of amazing action scenes, coupled with lots of drama and suspense. It stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Evangeline Lilly, John Bell, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Michael Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O'Gorman, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Ken Stott, and Aidan Turner. In the new flick, Bilbo and the Dwarves continued their journey to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the great dragon ,Smaug. However, on their way there,...

‘The Hobbit 2′ weekend box office: Far behind ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ in North America? (Photo: Orlando Bloom as Legolas in ‘The Hobbit 2′) First the (domestic) good news for distributor Warner Bros. and producing companies Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, New Line Cinema, and WingNut Films: The Hobbit 2 aka The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the second movie in Peter Jackson’s $567 million-budgeted* The Hobbit trilogy, opened Friday, December 13, 2013, with an estimated $31.14 million from 3,903 North American venues, including $8.8 million from Thursday midnight shows. That likely means that the sequel to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will have earned more than $70 million in the U.S. and Canada by Sunday evening. Early Friday estimates indicated that The Hobbit 2 would debut below the $70 million mark at the domestic box office. Now, The Hobbit 2 bad news: A year ago, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opened with a — relatively speaking — disappointing $84.61 million at 4,045 theaters. Even if it reaches $75 million,...

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as Galadriel Orlando Bloom as Legolas Evangeline Lilly as...

‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ box office: Domestic midnight grosses far behind ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ opening last year The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the second movie in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy, opened with a (relatively speaking) disappointing $8.8 million from Thursday midnight, December 12-13, 2013, shows in North America. For comparison’s sake: At about this time last year, and in a similar number of theaters, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey debuted with a considerably more impressive $13 million. (See also: “‘The Hobbit 2′ weekend box office” [early estimates]. Image: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.) As it stands, Peter Jackson’s two Hobbit movies have had the biggest domestic December midnight openings ever. That sounds good, but how high will The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug go this weekend? Well, at this stage it seems that the Hobbit sequel will trail its predecessor in North America. Some have been...

New Hobbit 3 movie definitely happening,release date and title revealed. Yes,yes,yes. There is going to be a 3rd installment for "The Hobbit" movie series, and it will be titled, "There And Back Again." We've actually known about this for quite some time as the series was created to actually be a trilogy. And the release date is scheduled for December 17th, 2014. The official synopsis for the 3rd installment reads like this: "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" is the epic conclusion to Peter Jackson's trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece "The Hobbit," by J.R.R. Tolkien. The film concludes the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins, who joins the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor." It stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Benedict Cumberbatch,...

New Hobbit 2,Desolation Of Smaug got mostly positive reviews from top critics. New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. Pictures) released their new adventure/action/fantasy flick, "The Hobbit 2: The Desolation Of Smaug" into theaters today, and the reviews from the top movie critics are in. It got mostly positive reviews with an overall score of 66 out of a 100 across 44 reviews on the Metacritic.com site. We've posted a couple of snippets from them,below. The movie stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchett, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Evangeline Lilly, John Bell, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, John Callen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Mark Hadlow, Peter Hambleton, Stephen Hunter, William Kircher, Sylvester McCoy, Graham McTavish, Michael Mizrahi, James Nesbitt, Dean O'Gorman, Lee Pace, Mikael Persbrandt, Ken Stott, and Aidan Turner. Nick de Semlyen at Empire, gave it a perfect 100 score, claiming, "Middle-earth's got its mojo back.

Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug grossed $8.8M last night--the 2nd largest December midnight total of all-time.— Exhibitor Relations (@ERCboxoffice) December 13, 2013 The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans...

When we first heard that The Hobbit was being split into three films, a lot of people were very skeptical, myself included, but The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug may manage a rare feat in the movie world… improving efforts as it goes along. Though we don’t really have what we can call final verdicts, the second film is already showing up significantly higher in the overall scores at places like Rottentomatoes.com and MetaCritic.com, and if you take a look at the trailer below, you may get an idea why critics are more responsive to this one.

We have the first trilogy of movies to compare, of course, with each of them getting more attention than the last, ultimately resulting in an Academy Award, and we may be in store for a similar course of events. It’s the very reason that people rolled their eyes at the idea of three films,...

Film: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"; Cast: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellen, Evangeline Lilly, Orlando Bloom, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugo Weaving, Sylvester McCoy, Aidan Turner, Manu Bennett, Dean O'Gorman, Graham McTavish, Peter Hambleton, Mikael Persbrandt, Adam Brown, William Kircher, Jed Brophy, Conan Stevens, Stephen Hunter, Mark Hadlow, Billy Connolly, Stephen Fry; Director: Peter Jackson; Rating: *** 1/2 - The Desolation of Smaug' - an exciting visual opus.

If the first instalment of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" was visually splendid, then "The Desolation.

It’s here it’s here it’s finally here! The premiere we’ve been waiting for, for just about a year now. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hits theaters today, and to celebrate, we have one more clip and poster for your Middle-earth enjoyment. Feast your eyes:

Clip: The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug – Your World Will Burn

Orcs. Ugly as ever.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchette, Elijah Wood, Hugo Weaving, Sylvester McCoy, Aidan Turner, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Ken Stott, Mikael Persbrandt, Ryan Gage, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Ian Holm, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Conan Stevens, Orlando Bloom, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly, Barry Humphries and Benedict Cumberbatch hits the theaters on December 13 – Today.

"There is nowhere to hide…" New poster for #TheHobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – in theaters this weekend! pic.twitter.com/QOw3hqadfY— The Hobbit (@TheHobbitMovie) December 12, 2013 The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as...

It’s finally The Week! The week of the premiere of Part Two of the Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, throughout the land, in a variety of formats and venues. To help ramp up the squee factor, we have the tenth TV spot and a nice interview featurette with star Martin Freeman who talks about why the movie isn’t just for geeks (though obviously we are welcome):

Featurette: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Martin Freeman on the Themes

TV Spot: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – #10

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchette, Elijah Wood, Hugo Weaving, Sylvester McCoy, Aidan Turner, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Ken Stott, Mikael Persbrandt, Ryan Gage, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Ian Holm, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Conan Stevens, Orlando Bloom, Luke Evans, Evangeline Lilly, Barry Humphries and...

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as Galadriel Orlando Bloom as Legolas Evangeline Lilly as...

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as Galadriel Orlando Bloom as Legolas Evangeline Lilly as...

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as Galadriel Orlando Bloom as Legolas Evangeline Lilly as...

Depending on when you’re reading this, only just over one week separates us from the sure wonder of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Do you have your ticket yet? Will you be seeing it in IMAX High Frame Rate 3D? RealD 3D? Digital 3D? Standard format? So many choices.

Here’s an easy choice for you: to watch, or to not watch, Peter Jackson‘s latest Production Diary for the movie. Watch, obviously. My favorite part is near the end, with Jackson doing some fun fantastic camera work:

Featurette: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Production Diary 13

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, Cate Blanchette, Elijah Wood, Hugo Weaving, Sylvester McCoy, Aidan Turner, Graham McTavish, John Callen, Ken Stott, Mikael Persbrandt, Ryan Gage, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Ian Holm, Stephen Fry, Ryan Gage, Conan Stevens, Orlando Bloom,...

The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as Galadriel Orlando Bloom as Legolas Evangeline Lilly as...

Click the Image Below to Check it Out! The second in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" continues the adventure of the title character Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor. Starring: Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield Graham McTavish as Dwalin Ken Stott as Balin Aidan Turner as Kíli Dean O'Gorman as Fíli Mark Hadlow as Dori Jed Brophy as Nori Adam Brown as Ori John Callen as Óin Peter Hambleton as Glóin William Kircher as Bifur James Nesbitt as Bofur Stephen Hunter as Bombur Luke Evans as Bard the Bowman Hugo Weaving as Elrond Cate Blanchett as...