The Hobbit is now an unnecessary trilogy

Bilbo catches his own reflection and realizes his ears look stupid. 

So let me get this straight. "The Lord of the Rings" was a massive tome of a book split up into three distinct parts was made into three distinct three hours movies with, after extended editions, becoming around 11 hours in total.

Now, we have a singular book, a couple hundred pages long (if that?) that has ballooned into a brand new massive trilogy. Why? Because Peter Jackson says so, that's why. From his facebook page, take it away, Pete:

It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie - and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life. All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.' 

We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance. The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.

So, without further ado and on behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three. 

It has been an unexpected journey indeed, and in the words of Professor Tolkien himself, "a tale that grew in the telling."

Cheers, 

Peter J

Um, what? Listen, I love Lord of the Rings as much if not more than the next guy, but isn't this getting to be slightly excessive? Granted, this could ultimately be amazing and more incredible than the original trilogy but I have my serious doubts. I fear that this is going to end up being a history lesson on Middle-Earth, which may be fun as an academic exercise all you Silmarillion readers (to which Jackson and Co. do not have the rights), but to the rest of us I wonder how much of the appendices are actually going to be full of interesting stories.

(And if this means more re-shoots and the delay of season 3 of Sherlock, I will punch a baby.)