This will be a day long remembered

Wow, has this been a LONG time in coming.

Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on “The Hobbit,” filmmaker Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s widely read masterpiece.

“The Hobbit” is set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

When Return of the King won a crapload of Oscars over 7 years ago, who would have thought it would take this long for The Hobbit to start shooting.  Thankfully, all the actors who are carrying over parts are still alive and Peter Jackson is directing.

I'm not thrilled by the 3-D and likely will go see it in traditional 2-D.  Still . . .

Hooray!!!