Extension questions: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

1. Does The Hobbit franchise illustrate any wider trends in terms of contemporary film production?
There are many contemporary trends of modern day films that are illustrated in The Hobbit franchise. One example of this would be the dominance of blockbusters in the modern film industry. There is a rise lately in the success of films with a simplistic storyline which gain a large profit, way exceeding the film's original budget. Another trend that is common in the modern industry, especially in the action or fantasy genres, is the rise in British actors being selected. Over the past few years many British actors have come to fame, staring in many international films. Attaching these rising stars and their names to the franchise is often done by the institutions to increase the attention brought onto the film. One final trend that is seen in both The Hobbit and the wider film industry is the collaboration of multiple institutions to fund and produce the project. For example, for The Hobbit, New Line Cinema, Wingnut productions, and a few other institutions collaborated with Warner Bros to create this film