Third 'Hobbit' film to open July 2014

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 1 (UPI) -- The third and final installment of New Zealand director Peter Jackson's adaptation of "The Hobbit" will be released in July 2014, the film's distributor said.

The first film, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is scheduled to open Dec. 14, and the second, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," a year later on Dec. 13, 2013. There will be a seven-month gap between the second film and the third, "The Hobbit: There and Back Again."

"We wanted to have a shorter gap between the second and third films of 'The Hobbit' Trilogy. Opening in July affords us not only the perfect summer tentpole, but fans will have less time to wait for the finale of this epic adventure," Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures, told the Los Angeles Times.

"The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" trilogy are based on fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien.