Ian McKellen Defends The Hobbit, Peter Jackson Against 3-D Criticism

Actor who plays Gandalf says "it's not the sort of crude 3D that comes out of the screen" and fans will be impressed

By Rebecca Macatee Oct 30, 2012 2:19 PMTags
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If it's good enough for Gandalf, it's good enough for us.

There's been a fair bit of criticism about the use of 3-D technology in The Hobbit. But Ian McKellen, who plays the film's most prominent wizard, thinks fans will be impressed.

"I've seen enough of it to know it's going to be just as exciting as Lord of the Rings," he told the BBC.

"In fact in some senses it's more exciting because it's in three dimensions," he added. "It's not the sort of crude 3D that comes out of the screen. Rather it brings you into Middle Earth. You see round the corners. You see everything."

"It's not absolutely complete yet but Peter Jackson's very pleased with it," he said.

Ten minutes of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey were screened at CinemaCon 2012 in April. Many fans and critics alike questioned the method in which the film was shot (Jackson shot the film at 48 frames per second as opposed to the standard 24 frames per second).

Guess we'll have to wait and see! The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens nationwide Dec. 14.