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:

  1. your views
  2. Harry L says
    "The first film has made enough money worldwide that every cent it and the next two films earns from now on is profit. How about Warner Bros putting some money back into NZ?"
  3. Environmentalism, it's recycled Communism! says
    "$67 million worth of tax breaks? That is about what NZ spends on welfare payments over two days, without which, middle-earth would have been moved to Scotland."
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