Packed with exclusive behind-the-scenes photographs, this official illustrated guide tells the detailed story of the making of the second film in the award-winning Hobbit trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson. Journey deeper into the magical world of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, through exclusive interviews with director Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Orlando Bloom and principal filmmakers and new cast members, including Stephen Fry as the Master of Lake-town, Evangeline Lilly, who plays Tauriel the Elf, and Benedict Cumberbatch, who reveals film-making secrets about playing the dragon, Smaug. Richly illustrated with a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes photos of the actors, creatures and costumes, and numerous special effects scenes, this essential guide is an indispensable companion to the second film in the award-winning trilogy.

Two veteran writers collaborate on this fascinating behind-the-scenes account of the journey that took the practically perfect nanny from the pages of P. L. Travers's beloved novels to the stage. Well-known British writer and radio personality Brian Sibley tells Mary Poppins's story, from her obscure origins in Travers's Australian childhood and her progress through the series of books Travers began to write in 1934, to her incarnation by Julie Andrews in one of the most successful Disney films of all time, to her long-awaited landing onstage in London's West End. A long-time friend of Travers and co-writer with her of an unproduced sequel to the film, Sibley offers unique insights into the idiosyncratic author's complex relationship to her heroine, and the decades-long series of proposals and negotiations that finally resulted in Disney Theatrical Productions joining forces with the Cameron Mackintosh Theatrical Group to realize Travers's stories as a spectacular work of musical theater. Sibley's details the entire development process of the show's script, music, choreography, and design, culminating in a glorious opening night on December 15, 2004 in London's Prince Edward's Theatre, as Mary Poppins is met by cheering sold-out houses and critical raves. In the book's second half, Michael Lassell gives a fascinating backstage account of the show's transfer to Broadway, including the show's American casting and important changes to its book, lyrics, and designs, as the creative team strives to plus Poppins to perfection.

Packed with exclusive behind-the-scenes photographs, this official illustrated guide tells the detailed story of the making of the highly anticipated new film The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, directed by Peter Jackson. Enter Bilbo Baggins' world through exclusive interviews with director Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and all the principal cast and filmmakers, who share film-making secrets and tales of what it was actually like making movie magic in Middle-earth. Lavishly illustrated with hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos of the actors, locations, sets, creatures and costumes, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Official Movie Guide has been produced in collaboration with the filmmakers who have brought J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novel into breathtaking three-dimensional life.

Packed with behind-the-scenes photographs and exclusive interviews with cast and crew, this official illustrated guide tells the detailed story of the making of the final film in the award-winning Hobbit trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson. Journey deeper into the magical world of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, through exclusive interviews with director Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom and principal filmmakers and cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch, who reveals film-making secrets about playing both the evil Necromancer and the dragon, Smaug. Richly illustrated with hundreds of behind-the-scenes photos of the actors, locations, creatures and costumes, this special collector's edition hardback is an essential guide to the final film in the award-winning trilogy. 'In our adaptation of The Hobbit we have done something that Tolkien didn't succeed in doing in print and, hopefully, this will come fresh to people who will have never seen the full story playing out in chronological order.' PETER JACKSON