Peter Jackson is not known for taking the easy or cheap way of doing things. If you thought the amount of money he spent on the “The Lord of the Rings” series was insane then you will be blown away by what he has spent on his “The Hobbit” trilogy. So far he has spent more than half a billion dollars so far, double the amount spent on the three movies in the “The Lord of the Rings” series.
The crazy large amount of money includes the major 266 days of filming with actors that was completed last year, although it doesn’t include an additional two months or so of “pick-up” shoots done this year. There will likely also be additional post-production costs as the next two movies are completed.
The trilogy, which is being shot in New Zealand, has cost $676 million New Zealand dollars, or $561 million at current exchange rates, according to financial documents filed Friday
However, no one is complaining. With only one film of the trilogy actually released in theaters, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” they have still made over $1 billion in the box office.
According to current statistics, the trilogy seems to be one of the most expensive movie productions ever. Both Box Office Mojo and Guinness World Records estimate the most expensive single movie ever made was “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” with an estimated $300 million production tag. That movie, in conjunction with “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” — which was shot at the same time — held the previous record for the most expensive total production, costing an estimated $450 million to $525 million.
Jackson’s previously trilogy cost a total of $281 million to make. The Star Wars prequel trilogy, meanwhile, cost $343 million, according to Box Office Mojo, which tracks movie costs and box office receipts.
The second movie in the latest series, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” is due out in December while the final movie, “The Hobbit: There and Back Again,” is due out in December 2014.
