'Hobbit' movie adaptation to be trilogy

Martin Freeman in 'The Hobbit' (Warner Bros)

Peter Jackson's film adaptation of "The Hobbit" will be split into three movies, the director and the studios behind the venture said yesterday.

Jackson said that given the richness of the story - which is set 60 years before "The Lord of The Rings" - he decided after wrapping up shooting recently in New Zealand that what was originally planned as two movies would now be a trilogy.

The trailer for the first film (above) was released in February.

Reuters