‘Hobbit’ cast bid emotional farewell

Director Peter Jackson and the cast of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies waved goodbye to Middle Earth at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

To mark the momentous night, members of the original Lord Of The Rings turned out to celebrate the end of the second trilogy.

After 15 years of work and taking $5bn (€4bn) at the box office, Jackson appeared emotional as he celebrated the final in six movies at its premiere.

He said of completing the movies: “By the time we are done with this film, I think it will be the most emotional, the most tense of the three — I think it’s my favourite of the three. Seriously, it’s got a nice thrill and a pace to it. It’s something that, when you get to the end of it, it’s going to feel like the right time to hand over the future of the ring. I was always very much aware of it being a six-film set.

“There was always a sense that one day, long after all this is over, if it’s going to exist in the world it will be as this six-film series — that’s how future generations are going to think of them. It starts with The Unexpected Journey and ends with Return of the King,” Jackson said.

Billy Boyd, who played Peregrin Took and Elijah Wood, who starred as Frodo Baggins in the first three movies, reunited with Orlando Bloom on the red carpet

Bloom, who played Legolas the elf in the six movies, said he was ready to say goodbye to the character: “I look back and think I’ve had this amazing opportunity. Legolas is fantastic to dress up in, of course he is, and I’ve had the best time playing him. But I’m looking forward to this next chapter and doing sort of different things.”