Entertainment

Final "The Hobbit" film gets a new title: "The Battle of the Five Armies"

By Jessica Derschowitz

April 24, 2014 / 2:09 PM EDT / CBS News

The third and final film in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" trilogy is getting a new title.

Jackson announced on his Facebook page Thursday that the film, previously titled "There and Back Again," will now be "The Battle of the Five Armies."

"Hobbit" director Peter Jackson on "The Desolation of Smaug" 04:52

"Our journey to make The Hobbit Trilogy has been in some ways like Bilbo's own, with hidden paths revealing their secrets to us as we've gone along," he wrote. "'There and Back Again' felt like the right name for the second of a two film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo's arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film. But with three movies, it suddenly felt misplaced--after all, Bilbo has already arrived 'there' in the 'Desolation of Smaug.'"

"When we did the premiere trip late last year, I had a quiet conversation with the studio about the idea of revisiting the title. We decided to keep an open mind until a cut of the film was ready to look at. We reached that point last week, and after viewing the movie, we all agreed there is now one title that feels completely appropriate," he added. "And so: 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' it is."

Jackson said the title "There and Back Again" could reemerge on a future box-set of all three films. He also told fans he's finishing the final movie and also working on the "Desolation of Smaug" extended cut, which will feature more than 25 minutes of new scenes.

"Battle of the Five Armies" will open in theaters on Dec. 12.

Post by Peter Jackson.

More from CBS News