It was recently reported that Peter Jackson and his team had let as many as 27 animals dies through mistreatment on the set of his latest movie The Hobbit. However, Peter has now issued a statement claiming that these rumours are completely false and all animals are very well taken care of.
On-Set picture from The Hobbit
The statement read, “The producers completely reject the accusations that 27 animals died due to mistreatment during the making of the films. Extraordinary measures were taken to make sure that animals were not used during action sequences or any other sequence that might create undue stress for the animals involved.”
It went on to say, “Any incidents that occurred that were brought to [producers'] attention as regards to this care were immediately investigated and appropriate action taken.” He also stated that hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on the welfare of the animals and the majority of animal shots in The Hobbit are CGI.
Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, is the first of the latest Peter Jackson trilogy and stars familiar faces such as Ian McKellan, Orlando Bloom and Elijah Wood, as well as the star of the movie Martin Freeman. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is expected to be released on December 14.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey trailer
