'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies'
Cast member Orlando Bloom (2nd L), second unit director Andy Serkis (2nd R), actors Billy Boyd (L) and Elijah Wood greet each other at the premiere of "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" at Dolby theatre in Hollywood, California December 9, 2014. The movie opens in the U.S. on December 17. Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

The Blu-ray and DVD of “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” will be released on Nov. 17 and the digital HD version will be available by Oct. 20, according to a press release by Warner Bros. The new version of the movie is said to be R rated.

The press release states that the Blu-ray and the DVD set will include more than nine hours of special features. Apart from the additional 20 minute footage of the movie, the new edition will include commentary by director, producer and screenwriter Peter Jackson and co-producer and screenwriter Philippa Boyens.

The Appendices will show some behind-the-scenes footage of how the filming of the movie was done. The shooting was apparently done in three blocks and the viewers will be able to see the sequential history of the filming. There will also be a video showcasing the landscape of New Zealand, where filming took place to depict scenes from the fantasy world of Middle-earth.

“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is the final movie in the trilogy that tells the story of how Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and a company of Dwarves reached the Lonely Mountain to reclaim the vast treasures guarded by a dragon called Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch). The armies of Middle-earth also faced legions of Orcs sent by an ancient enemy.

A report by Collider says that the decision for the movie to be released with an R rating may not have been easy for Warner Bros. It notes that the rating may be seen as a cause for concern by a few strict parents. The report also mentions that the rating change may be due to the inclusion of some scenes showing more violence, not necessarily adult content.

The Extended Edition of “The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies” is described in the Collider article as “action-intensive” and asks the pertinent question about whether it would be enough for people to consider buying it. It claims that Jackson’s last “Hobbit” film could be considered as “the most expensive R rated movie ever made.” It also points out that 9 hours of Blu-ray or DVD may be “boring” and “bloated.” At the same time, Adam Chitwood, the writer of the said article, insists that it may still be worth it to watch “The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies” again.

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