Consider walking out the door to see a stranger completely trash your work in front of you, after praising you just moments before. Such was the recent experience of director Peter Jackson, a hilarious yet incredibly awkward situation that had people laughing at how embarrassing it was. Yet beneath this viral story lies a heated controversy that has been brewing for over a decade.
The Hobbit trilogy was considered a massive letdown compared to the success of ‘The Lord of the Rings‘ franchise, according to some fans of the Middle-earth lore. From a highly chaotic production process to an equally controversial decision to expand the relatively short novel into a sprawling trilogy, Jackson’s two eras of Middle-earth began to feel strikingly different in both scale and reception.
The Brutal ‘Hobbit’ Insult
During an on-stage appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, Peter Jackson recently recalled a hilarious encounter that happened to him quite some time ago.
According to Jackson, the incident occurred when the director opened the front door of his house to collect his parcel. The delivery guy seemed to recognize him immediately and said the following: “Lord of the Rings, that was great, man, that was a fantastic film.”
Related: Top 10 The Lord of the Rings Actors Who Nailed Their Roles Perfectly
When the courier guy complimented him, Peter Jackson said that he appreciated it. However, what came next was quite unexpected. As soon as he finished praising ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ he turned to Jackson and gave his negative opinion about another trilogy that he made:
“Oh, they should have got you to make those Hobbit movies, because they were c—-…”
Amusingly, Peter Jackson simply agreed with this guy by saying, “Yeah, tell me about it, mate.” What made this story viral was the fact that Jackson didn’t find the criticism offensive at all and shrugged it off as light banter.
How Guillermo del Toro’s Exit Changed Everything
For many years, the online community has been discussing one question—why ‘The Hobbit‘ trilogy did not turn out as successful as LOTR. While the Lord of the Rings films remain the favorite among many viewers, ‘The Hobbit‘ movies remain quite controversial.
First of all, ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy had several problems during production. At first, Guillermo del Toro was supposed to direct this trilogy; however, due to several issues, he left the project.
Then, Jackson stepped in and started filming the trilogy without prior preparations. For this reason, the production process of the Hobbit films was somewhat chaotic.
In case you missed it: ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Finds Its New Aragorn And Fans Are Already Divided
Secondly, the choice of expanding one small book into three huge films was not a clever decision in hindsight. Many viewers felt the story became overstretched with excessive CGI spectacle, newly invented subplots, and tonal inconsistencies that lacked the emotional depth of the earlier trilogy.
Despite numerous criticisms, the Hobbit trilogy was able to garner attention and was profitable in its own right. Performances from actors like Martin Freeman and Richard Armitage also received praise from audiences.
At the same time, Jackson’s story highlights just how beloved ‘The Lord of the Rings’ remains more than two decades later. For many fantasy fans, the original trilogy simply set a standard that the Hobbit films struggled to live up to.
You might also like to read: Why Ian McKellen Refused to Play Dumbledore In ‘Harry Potter’ Despite His ‘Lord of the Rings’ Wizard Fame
