If he's filling the third part with a bunch of stuff that isn't in the Hobbit, he's not really making a film of the Hobbit. Making a film to bridge that gap isn't necessarily a bad thing, but since the parts of the LotR films that I saw were relatively true to the book, it'd seem strange to suddenly deviate.

Unless, of course, the intra-book stuff is essential in order to justify the ultra-mega-extended box set with both film trilogies. It mostly sounds money-grabbing though.

well, from what i understand it was originally: The Hobbit + another film to bridge, then the possibility of just Hobbit, which then became The Hobbit 1 & 2 w/interesting links to LOTR. The original plan could have worked: a cracking film which just about everyone who's read the hobbit would see, and become hyped by What Happened Next.

Instead we'll get Hoibbit insterspersed with plugging in of stuff most people familiar with The Hobbit story will just be confused/bored by.

Grr, I want: Hobbit dragged into Quest, Trolls! Pocketsesses & Riddles! Wolves! Eagles! SPiders! Elves! Dragon! Battle! Home Again! The End!