The Hobbit: Book vs. Movies
The three Hobbit movies, released between 2012 and 2014, are adapted from J. R. R. Tolkien's book, published in 1937. Each movie has its own page here; this one compares the book with all of them.
From Books Adapted
How much of the book it covers
Jackson’s three movies divide one book
Peter Jackson’s trilogy tells the story of The Hobbit across three movies. It also draws on background Tolkien later supplied in the appendices to The Lord of the Rings.
| Movie | Part of the book adapted |
|---|---|
| An Unexpected Journey (2012) | The opening journey, including Rivendell, the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo’s encounter with Gollum. |
| The Desolation of Smaug (2013) | The middle of the journey, through Beorn’s home, Mirkwood, the Wood-elves, and Lake-town to the Lonely Mountain and Smaug. |
| The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) | The last part of the book, including the attack on Lake-town, the conflict over the treasure, the battle, and the aftermath. |
The trilogy reaches the end of the book. Its three titles do not refer to three separate Tolkien novels.
Rankin and Bass’s 1977 animated television movie is a separate adaptation of The Hobbit. It is not an installment in Jackson’s trilogy.
What changed from the book
Gandalf’s absences become a second story
In the book, Gandalf leaves Bilbo and the dwarves for stretches of their journey. The movies follow him, showing his investigation of the Necromancer at Dol Guldur.
Jackson said the appendices to The Lord of the Rings let the writers fill in those absences using connections Tolkien developed after writing The Hobbit. This brings the rise of Sauron into the movies as an ongoing story alongside Bilbo’s journey.
Tauriel was created for the movies
Tauriel, the captain of Thranduil’s guard, is not a Tolkien character. Fran Walsh said the writers created her to give a woman a substantial place in a story whose main characters are male. Evangeline Lilly, who had read Tolkien since childhood, discussed the addition of female characters while preparing to play her.
Every movie has its own page
Vote on them one at a time: each has its own question, results and comments.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyMovie, 2012 · Directed by Peter Jackson · 2 hr 49 minFrom The Hobbit · 1937 · 320 pagesPeter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) begins a three-film adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel. Bilbo leaves the Shire with Gandalf and a company of dwarves seeking to reclaim their home.Which was better? Vote 
The Hobbit: The Desolation of SmaugMovie, 2013 · Directed by Peter Jackson · 2 hr 41 minFrom The Hobbit · 1937 · 320 pagesPeter Jackson’s The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) continues his adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel. Bilbo and the dwarves travel through Mirkwood and Lake-town toward the dragon occupying their mountain.Which was better? Vote 
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five ArmiesMovie, 2014 · Directed by Peter Jackson · 2 hr 24 minFrom The Hobbit · 1937 · 320 pagesThe Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) concludes Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1937 novel. Rival claims to the Lonely Mountain’s treasure put Bilbo between Thorin and the people gathering outside.Which was better? Vote
The book
Details
- Author
- J. R. R. Tolkien
- Year
- 1937
- Pages
- 320
- Audiobook length
- 11 hr 4 min
- Narrator
- Rob Inglis
- Series
- The Hobbit
Bilbo Baggins has no experience of burglary when Gandalf recommends him for a place in a company of dwarves seeking a dragon’s treasure. Far from his comfortable home, he has to negotiate encounters with trolls, goblins, and creatures that cannot simply be fought. As the dwarves come to depend on his ingenuity, Bilbo finds that helping them does not always mean agreeing with them.
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