"I think [New Zealand] is such a perfect match for it [the books]. The idea of having something so perfect as a country ... for me, the landscape plays an important part in [the films]," Royd said during the flight.
"It kind of rekindles that magic I had back when I was 9 when I read [the books]. It's a perfect match."
Royd says his great-grandfather J.R.R. Tolkien never visited New Zealand.
Mr Tolkien says he is "uber excited" about the new film - and the subsequent post-celebration.
"[In] the Lord of the Rings there was obviously just the one dwarf in that, so for me the hobbits were the ones that partied the hardest back then [at the premieres]," Royd said.
"But there's a few more dwarfs now, so I think they're going to let their hair down, let their beards down a bit, go a bit nuts."
Graham McTavish, who plays the dwarf Dwalin, said the Hobbit-hype in New Zealand was "wonderful".
"It's been very touching," McTavish said. "I've never seen anything like it and I don't think I ever will again."
Sir Peter filmed most of the event with his iPhone as he led cast and crew down the black carpet.
* Visit nzherald.co.nz later today for full coverage of The Hobbit red carpet and premiere. Live updates will begin at 12pm and a live stream of all the action will start at 3:50pm.
