Main description:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles II: Creatures and Characters explores the amazing cast of heroes, villains, beasts, and beings that populate Middleearth in the fi rst chapter of Peter Jackson's fi lm adaptations of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit. Richly illustrated with behind-the-scenes photographs, digital renders, and fi lm stills, this comprehensive book goes species by species and character by character through the fi lm's huge ensemble cast and bustling menagerie of creatures, both physical and digital, and shows how each came to be realized for the fi lm.

First-hand accounts from the actors, makeup artists, digital effects specialists, dialect coaches, prosthetics technicians, movement coaches, and many other crew members describe the process and how the production unfolded, while also sharing insights into the characters. A bonus feature, unique to this book, is the special fold-out character size chart, which compares all the major creatures and characters of the fi lm, from Radagast's hedgehog friend to the towering Stone Giants!

Compiled by Weta Workshop designer Daniel Falconer and featuring a wealth of stunning imagery, this book puts the reader face-to-face with all the creatures and characters of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, from the Dwarf heroes to the dark denizens of Middle-earth–the Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, and Wargs–and, of course, the hobbit himself, Bilbo Baggins.