Air New Zealand, Middle-earth’s precious airline, has begun filming its latest inflight safety video in preparation for its rollout across the Air NZ fleet in late October.
The video will celebrate the upcoming release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (due out in cinemas in December), the final film in The Hobbit trilogy, and the fellowship between the airline and the film franchise. Air New Zealand has confirmed there will be cameo appearances from cast members, director Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor from Weta Workshop (the special effects and props company for The Hobbit films).
The upcoming, yet-to-be-named safety video, directed by Taika Waititi (who will also cameo), is being filmed in Central Otago, New Zealand.
“Air New Zealand has been the official airline of Middle-earth for more than a decade now and we want to mark the final film in The Hobbit Trilogy in a very special way,” Mike Tod, Air New Zealand’s chief marketing and customer officer said.
Air New Zealand has gained much publicity, and sometimes a little notoriety, from its inflight safety videos and the airline hope this newest video will fill the rather large curly-haired feet of its predecessor, An Unexpected Briefing, released in 2012, which went viral with around 12 million views on Youtube.
