By now, most of you have probably heard about the issues surrounding the framerate of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. It was going to be shown at a higher rate than normal, in this case, 48fps, which is twice the normal rate. However, early test footage had mixed reactions, with several people simply calling it terrible, so now the plan is to show this version in a limited release in order to gauge the reaction to the finished product.
Today, thanks to The Film Stage, we hear that Warner Bros. will not be charging extra for these screenings, which doesn’t exactly show a lot of confidence in the process. If they were happy with it, they would most likely charge more, just like for a 3D or IMAX screening. However, with the reactions to the initial footage, they most likely don’t want to take the risk of angering fans.
If the process does become a big hit, you can bet that they will start adding an extra charge to the ticket price. We’ll just have to wait and see how well it does in its limited release.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters on December 14th, 2012.
Do you think 48fps could be the next big thing? Let us know in the comments!