Written this, let´s face HObbit movies – I would agree with one story splitted in two, although it is much storter story than LOTR, one tiny book and one 3 hours movie (3:30 in dvd extended version) would do just fine. But why the second one??? Nothing important happened in those 50 years between Hobbit and LOTR..That about Dol Guldur and Thrain happened BEFORE Hobbit. And the White Council and attack to Dol Guldur happened in the same time as the events of Hobbit. The chasing of Gollum by Aragorn happened just before starting LOTR. So again – we have here 50 years with no interesting story at all!! So what would Aragorn and Arwen do in the second Hobbit movie? The only thing I can think of that they´ve met and dating, but she looked the same and I doubt Liv Tyler will look the same as 10-12 years ago, and Aragorn – He would be in his 30ties, which mean Viggo vould have to look as a young man in his 20ties and that is impossible, I wouldn´t buy it with those two actors playing younger versions of themselves 10 years after they filmmed LOTR…but again the question is WHY they would be in the story? So we can see how they met? That is not enough I´m afraid…
I would be happy if they stop to make money with famous faces from LOTR, focus on just the Hobbit story (and deal with the childish tone of the book, if they wants it to be a part of the LOTR movies) and if tehy want to make more money – there are plenty of great stories in SILMARILLION…..

The casting of the movies was excellent (with the exception of Hugo Weaving as Elrond). The acting was very good, with a few exceptions. The set design, visual effects (especially Gollum), and music were also very good. But Jackson took a superb supporting cast and made a superb book into three movies that were merely good.

While the plot of the movies followed the books fairly closely, the movies did not feel anything like the Lord of the Rings trilogy that Tolkien wrote. Also Jackson removed several beautiful points of suspense that were in the books (such as Where is Gandalf? when he did not show up in the Shire) and added far too many unnecessary ones.

Peter Jackson had a difficult job to do and a lot of expectations to fulfill, and of course I’m not saying I could do better. He did a pretty good job – but I myself was hoping for more than pretty good. It’s not as if he’s leaving impossibly huge shoes for del Toro to fill.

If this what we have in store I would start worrying now. This statement makes no sense.

I think Peter did a fabulous job and I don’t think Del Toro can do a fabulous or even mediocre job. This is not his genre…see Hellboy..comic books are his genre

There’s quite a bit of info out there from the Silmarilian and Unfinished Tales about the time just before, during and after the hobbit. This concerns the chasing out of Sauron from his fortress at Dol Guldur in Mirkwood. Gandalf disappeared in the middle section of the Hobbit to meet with the white council and finally they go against Sauron and his minions (e.g. other evil things drawn to him from the dark places of the world.) 91 years before Gandalf had made the discovery that it was Sauron at Dul Guldar and not one of his servants. At a white council meeting after this discovery Saruman had talked the council out of action, for he secretly hoped the ring would seek for its master his rival, and that he could somehow intercept it. By the time the second meeting occurs Saruman fully agrees with ousting Sauron, using the full strength of the council. Saruman has discovered by this point that Sauron power is growing, that he knows the ring was lost in the River Anduin and that his growing strength would soon be too formidable even for the white council. The battle with the Council also distracts Sauron from interfering with Bilbo’s Thiefs mission to the Lonely mountain and the ensuing battle and slaying of Smaug the last of the dragons, who were brought into the world by the first dark lord (Morgoth) in the first age. At last they Drive Sauron out of Mirkwood, but he has prepared himself well. He feights flight from middleearth, but instead returns to his fortified stonghold in Barad-dur, there he raises up the dark towers again.

Gandalf when visited Dul Guldar 91 years before was a prisoner of Sauron, although Sauron did not realise he was one of the wizards (Istari). There in a deep pit Gandalf met the dieing dwarf king Thrain II. Sauron had taken his dwarf ring (one of the seven) from him and discarded him. Now he was dieing and bereft without his ring. He gave Gandalf a key to a secret dwarf entrance to the lonely mountain (Erebor) and a map of Moria both of which Thrain asks Gandalf to give to his son Thorin before he dies. When Gandalf gives these to Thorin years later he finally convinces him to take Bilbo along. Gandalf can foretell that the mission to the Lonely mountain and all that ensues from it will not occur without Bilbo.

Finally there are other side stories that could be told in the two hobbit movies: Thorin using the map to return to Moria (the mighty dwarf kingdom of old) and the subsequent battle, siege and death. The trapping and guarding of Gollum by the Elves, and how he eluded the Elves, Orcs and Aragorn in his escape. Arogorn and the other rangers of the north and there efforts to keep a watch on the Shire. How Sauron discovered eventually from Gollum of the whereabouts of the Ring. Susequently once he discovered where the Shire was he sent the nine (ringwraiths) who were unclad and invisible but for the fear and dread that they filled the hearts of men with as they journeyed unbeknown even to the wise. Once they were in the region of the little people they were clad and given horses.