Hundreds of cast and crew for the Hobbit films have flown to
Dunedin International Airport seemingly bound for Otago film
sets.
An airport spokesman said four chartered flights carrying 320
cast and crew arrived, starting on Thursday night with a
BAe146 Whisper Jet from Wellington. Yesterday, another three
flights arrived, two from Wellington, and one from Taupo,
also on chartered Whisper Jets.
A large contingent of rental cars had been organised for the
arrivals, but he did not have further details.
The spokesman said he had not known the large group was
coming until a couple of days ago.
A Dunedin man said he spotted English actor Martin Freeman,
who played Tim in the TV comedy The Office, in Centre
City New World yesterday. Freeman plays Bilbo Baggins in the
Hobbit films.
Filming locations for the two-film series are closely
guarded, but include areas around Queenstown, Middlemarch,
and possibly Mosgiel.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is scheduled for
release on December 14, 2012. The second film, The Hobbit:
There and Back Again, is due to be released on December
13, 2013.
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