Should NZ have paid to ensure the Hobbit films were made here?

9:12 AM Wednesday Jan 9, 2013

The first film in the trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, has earned $US959 million ($1.15 billion) worldwide, a third of this in the United States.

The National-led Government controversially changed employment laws and granted tax breaks amounting to $NZ67 million to Warners in 2010 after director Sir Peter Jackson warned The Hobbit franchise could be moved to countries where it was cheaper to film.

A majority of New Zealanders polled by the Herald back the $67 million in tax breaks given to the producers of The Hobbit by the Government - but only if the films return more than that to the local economy.

Should NZ have paid to ensure the Hobbit films were made here? Here is the latest selection of Your Views:

Harry L (New Zealand) | 09:43AM Wednesday, 09 Jan 2013

Look at it this way, the first film has made enough money worldwide that every cent it and the next two films earns from now on is profit. Costs are now covered.

The second and third films have basically already been paid for so the profits will be huge - enormous. Every DVD sale, licensing agreement, video rental is profit.

Why did the NZ taxpayer have to part fund this? Are we committed now to part funding the next two films or was this a one shot deal?

With so much money being made, how about Warner Bros putting some money back into NZ?

Faulkingbridge (Auckland Central) | 09:44AM Wednesday, 09 Jan 2013

We got played by Hollywood so John Key could strut the red carpet signing autographs with the celebrities. The movie executives must be laughing as they rake it the profits on our dime.

Ydrup (New Zealand) | 10:24AM Wednesday, 09 Jan 2013

It was one thing to pay for it but to change laws is not democratic and shows how this govt will do what ever the American corporates demands. It is way too higher price to pay and we are now America's little lap dog pleb.

I thought this goverment was all about the free market and not giving handouts to people who can get off their butts and work... and yet they give how much to wealthy Hollywood corporates?

So how much did we get back on our investment? Do we actually know? Where else could that money be invested in order to create jobs for kiwis?