Thousands flock to 'The Hobbit' casting call

A casting call for 'The Hobbit' in New Zealand has been shut down after thousands of people turned up, creating traffic chaos.

More than 3,000 people arrived in Lower Hutt, near Wellington, hoping to score a role in Peter Jackson's latest movie.

The film's production company, 3 Foot 7, decided to close the casting early after it was overwhelmed by the numbers and also because of safety issues.

'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' is due for release later this year.