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OhioDude72
The Shire
Apr 29 2018, 5:59pm
Post #1 of 5
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Any word on a 4K release?
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It's about time
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AshNazg
Gondor
May 1 2018, 1:54am
Post #2 of 5
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Although The Hobbit was filmed in 5K, the VFX, colour timing and editing were all finished in 2K, so that creates a problem. There is a higher resolution version, made for IMAX using their proprietary "DMR" up-scaling technology. It has a 2:1 aspect ratio, an 8K resolution and some very minor editing tweaks.
They could up-scale the 2K version, but it would be a risk to spend a lot of money digitally up-scaling The Hobbit for a 4K release that may not sell well. (The Lord of the Rings Blu-rays had poor sales due to them being digitally up-scaled for HD, and when the films were re-scanned in 2K for the Extended Editions, they had to re-colour The Fellowship of the Ring and there was some backlash about the new colour timing, so they know fans can be picky about details).
Their other option would be to release the existing IMAX versions of The Hobbit in 4K, but it's uncertain how consumers would react to the subtle changes for those versions or the potential noise/artefacts from the up-scaling process.
I'm speculating here, but they could wait for 2020 and hope that Avatar 2 creates a new interest in High Frame-rates and then use that interest to drive the sales of a 48fps version of The Hobbit in 4K.
Or, more likely, they could re-release The Lord of the Rings in Digital IMAX theatres, as an excuse to up-scale those films into 8K using the DMR technology. They could then sell The Hobbit in an IMAX Box-set of all 6 films. (this could happen in 2021, the 20th anniversary of Fellowship of the Ring)
Either way it's going to be a few years, and the version you'll get will be a digital upscale rather than a native 4K film.. However, with the added colour gamut and HDR considered, the benefits far outweigh the risks. It's just a matter of whether it is worth the expensive cost of the up-scaling process vs. how to market the films to an audience that is largely uninterested. 
(This post was edited by AshNazg on May 1 2018, 2:01am)
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Ataahua
Forum Admin
/ Moderator
May 1 2018, 2:33am
Post #3 of 5
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Avatar 2 is also going to be 4K?
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Damn. I really dislike the hyper-realism of high frame-rates.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
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Darth Crumb
The Shire
May 3 2018, 8:05pm
Post #4 of 5
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maybe a simple upconversion soon, and a deluxe 4K later?
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I just saw Gladiator got released in 4K, and it has effects even older than LOTR. And the Matrix is coming soon too.
So I'd imagine they could do a simple 4K upscale and release it anytime they wanted. Probably depends on if the studios just want to dump it out there as a catalogue release, or do something special with it.
Does PJ have any say in how they get treated for a 4K release?
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Aragorn the Elfstone
Tol Eressea
Jun 25 2018, 5:45am
Post #5 of 5
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I expect an Ultra HD release timed to...
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the release of (or the build up to) the LotR TV series.
WB will probably wait to capitalize on the publicity to generate good sales. I expect we'll see a box set of all 6 films. None of the films will be actual "4K", since they were each finished on 2K. But, as many Ultra HD proponents will tell you, the big thing about UHD is not the resolution, but the High Dynamic Range (greater contrast between light and dark) and expanded color gamut.
Another benefit from UHD will be that The Hobbit films will be able to be presented in their original High Frame Rate format, which is not possible on standard Blu-ray.
"The danger with any movie that does as well as this one does is that the amount of money it's making and the number of awards that it's got becomes almost more important than the movie itself in people's minds. I look at that as, in a sense, being very much like the Ring, and its effect on people. You know, you can kind of forget what we were doing, if you get too wrapped up in that."
- Viggo Mortensen
(This post was edited by Aragorn the Elfstone on Jun 25 2018, 5:46am)
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