New Line has registered a new potential title for the third Hobbit film

With less than a year until the release of the final chapter in Peter Jackson‘s LORD OF THE RINGS prequels, THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN, rumors are surfacing that studio New Line Cinema may be considering a retitling of the film. Granted, just because the studio has registered a title it doesn’t mean it is for a feature film, but The One Ring fan site makes a compelling argument for why it might be.

According to sources, the title the studio has registered is THE HOBBIT: INTO THE FIRE. Much like their registration of the name THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES, it could just be a failsafe in case they elect to make a video game or tie in to the film, but to register something this late in the game could be a sign either way. While THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN holds a connection to the J.R.R. Tolkien novel as well as THE LORD OF THE RINGS, it doesn’t have as epic a sound as THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG. INTO THE FIRE does sound pretty enthralling so I would be okay with that title as well.

Nothing has been created yet, marketing-wise, for THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN. The only people who truly know that title are the ones in the industry, those of us who report on movies, and ardent fans awaiting the movie. For general audiences, there is still plenty of time to re-title and market the movie with INTO THE FIRE as the subtitle.

I would expect to get a final answer on this soon as marketing is likely to ramp up as we go into the summer movie season. THE HOBBIT: THERE AND BACK AGAIN, or whatever it will be called, will hit theaters on December 17, 2014.