Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The (2012) will receive its world premiere in New Zealand, it has been announced.

Producer and director Peter Jackson told local journalists visiting the set that the movie will debut in Wellington in November 2012.

Explaining that he had taken the decision because of how supportive the country and city had been of the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003, Jackson said: "No-one I don't think in the international industry could quite believe how the country got behind that moment."

"I think everyone involved is quite honestly keen to let New Zealand have the premiere of the first Hobbit movie."

Evangeline Lilly, who will play woodland elf Tauriel in the movies, recently paid tribute to Jackson, describing him as a "super-inspiring" and supportive filmmaker.

Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom has described reprising the role of Legolas in The Hobbit films as "a huge honour", saying that he owes Jackson "a debt of gratitude" for giving him the role.

The Hobbit will be released as two separate movies. The first, titled The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, will debut on December 14, 2012, followed by the release of The Hobbit: There and Back Again on December 13, 2013.

Source: Press Release