By Nick Perry
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) --Financial documents filed this month in New Zealand, where the three movies are being made, show production costs through March had reached 934 million New Zealand dollars ($745 million).
The figures include filming and digital effects completed over several years but not the final eight months of production costs leading up to the scheduled December release of the final movie. It's not clear from the documents whether worldwide marketing and distribution costs are included.
Warner Bros., which is making the movies, on Tuesday declined to answer questions about the costs: "We don't comment on production budgets," wrote Candice McDonough, a senior vice president at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Entertainment, in an email.
The cost eclipses previous records for film productions. On a per-film basis, however, the movies are not the most expensive ever made. At least not yet.
Box Office Mojo and Guinness World Records estimate that record goes to "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" which cost about $300 million to make.
Box Office Mojo estimates the first two Hobbit movies took in a combined $1.98 billion at the box office.
The financial documents filed in New Zealand provide an unusually detailed account of the costs involved in a big Hollywood production. Typically, studios provide only vague estimates and have been accused of both underestimating and overestimating costs as it suits them for publicity purposes.
But in New Zealand, Warner Bros. set up a wholly-owned company to handle the trilogy, which has filed regular financial reports that are publicly available.
The latest documents show the production received $122 million from New Zealand taxpayers through an incentive scheme designed to attract big budget movies to the country. Such schemes are common in U.S. states and countries that compete for movies.
Trilogy director Peter Jackson has been promoting the anticipated release of "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" on social media, putting up images of movie posters on his Facebook page. "We're getting closer now," he wrote in a post last month.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More