Pursuits
Hobbit Returns to Find Middle Earth Has Become Expensive
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In a fake cave in a Wellington suburb, tourists pose by a statue of Gandalf, a hero of the “Lord of the Rings” films that boosted New Zealand’s economy by more than $580 million. The country needs the wizard’s magic more than ever when he returns next month.
As the capital prepares to host the world premiere on Nov. 28 of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first part of a prequel to the Rings trilogy, New Zealand faces economic hurdles that weren’t there when the first movie from the series of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books opened 11 years ago.