The Hobbit journeys to the edge of cinema technology

Last night’s premiere of The Hobbit marked one of the most glittering occasions London’s Leicester Square has seen all year. The film was so eagerly anticipated in New Zealand that director Peter Jackson took over Wellington for its premiere, with 100,000 people lining the streets. In London, fans braved freezing temperatures for a glimpse of stars such as Sir Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman and its royal guest, the Duke of Cambridge. Only the absence of the Duchess of Cambridge marred the occasion.