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No premium charge for Hobbit’s 48fps


With ticket prices at an all-time high and no signs that their exponential increase has any plans of slowing down, moviegoers were notably distraught about the idea of having to pay for yet another premium surcharge when they head down to their local theater. After the 3D surcharge grew to record highs – effectively turning […]

With ticket prices at an all-time high and no signs that their exponential increase has any plans of slowing down, moviegoers were notably distraught about the idea of having to pay for yet another premium surcharge when they head down to their local theater. After the 3D surcharge grew to record highs – effectively turning the audience that demanded the format against itself – news that  Peter Jackson‘s Hobbit trilogy would also be released in a higher frame rate (HFR) in addition to the 3D brought waves of bitter grumbling from fans. And with Jackson hailing his HFR format (in conjunction with 3D) as the savior of cinemas, nobody was interested in letting the idea die before it had even been unleashed upon the world. So the studios, filmmakers and exhibitors have launched a preemptive strike, agreeing not to charge extra for the new format.

Vulture is now confirming the long-standing rumor that when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters on December 14, its limited run of HFR screenings will not be subject to a surcharge of any kind. Apparently, with audiences already having to pick up the $3-$5 3D surcharge, Warner Bros. became nervous that they would be scared away by the new format if the price was increased even further, and the exhibitors agreed with them. In other words: they don’t want to slaughter the cash cow before the audience has had a chance to taste the meat. And while this is good news for fans in the short-term and the format as a whole, it bears mentioning that the studios will likely not hesitate to jack up the prices on the subsequent two Hobbit films if the audience responds positively. Still: let’s celebrate the fact that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will screen in its intended form for only a few dollars more.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Desolation of Smaug and There and Back Again hit theaters on December 14, 2012, December 13, 2013 and July 18, 2014, respectively. ~Devin Garabedian

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