[octothorp]

Originally Posted by Jacks

I haven't read them in several years but weren't the appendices in the LOTR books?

The hobbit was a fairly short story. Unless they are planning on going into some of the background history before the Hobbit story took place that was detailed in the LOTR appendices, the Silmarillion, etc. That would be cool but it might be a little much to follow.

As for material written by Jackson, hopefully they keep that to a minimum.

Yes, but the appendices described stuff that was going on around the time of the Hobbit (like what Gandalf was doing when he'd leave the dwarves for days at a time). It was this whole way that Tolkien integrated The Hobbit and LotR together.

Here's what I anticipate:

Spoiler!

Start with Gandalf and the rest of the White Council. There were rumours of a nazgul in Dol Guldar, but Gandalf suspects that it is infact Sauron returned. This beginning allows the setting of the time and story in context of LotR. Gandalf goes to explore, and his suspicions are confirmed, he finds evidence of Sauron, but he also finds Thrain II imprisoned there. Before dying Thrain gives him the map and key for Erebor (Lonely Mountain).

Gandalf meets with the White Council again, they discuss the whole missing ring situation, and the problem that Sauron and Smaug could form a powerful allegiance. Gandalf's concerns are largely dismissed by Saruman.

Gandalf has a chance meeting with Thorin Oakenshield, shows him the map, and gives him the idea for the quest to reclaim Lonely Mountain.

Story of the Hobbit progresses pretty-much as told at this point. I'd expect the first movie to maybe end around the time that the eagles rescue the company from the Orcs and Wargs.

Second movie probably deals with the journey through typical hobbit plots of mirkwood, the elves, the lake-men, and Bilbo meeting Smaug. Smaug might be killed at the end of the second movie, or it might be left until the beginning of the third.

The second movie will probably also set up the White Council's attack on Dol Guldar. We'll probably see Saruman's motivations, which Gandalf isn't even aware of until Two Towers. The attack on Dol Guldar itself will probably be in whichever movie the death of Smaug is not in. If the attack on Dol Guldar ends the second, the fight with Smaug probably starts #3, and vice versa. I also suspect that Sauron will be present in some form when the attack on Dol Guldar happens (in the book, he had already withdrawn to Mordor).

Third movie will center on the events leading up-to and the resolution of the battle of the five armies, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was a footnote involving Gollum leaving the mountains to search for the ring, and Aragorn searching for Gollum.