There will be 500 meters of red carpet running from Taranaki Street to the theater, and the film's stars and director will be walking along it over a period of two hours.

"Thousands of people want to come and be part of the fun," Wade-Brown said.

The mayor added that Jackson has helped to create a film industry in Wellington, which now employs more than 3,000 people.

In a statement, Jackson said he was thrilled that the movie would premiere in Wellington. "It's special showing any film to an audience for the first time, but even more so when it's in your hometown," he said.

The Hobbit series chronologically precedes Jackson's acclaimed Lord of the Rings trilogy in Tolkien's imagined world.

About the broadcaster:

CJ Henderson is a foreign expert for China Daily's online culture department. CJ is a graduate of the University of Sydney where she completed a Bachelors degree in Media and Communications, Government and International Relations, and American Studies. CJ has four years of experience working across media platforms, including work for 21st Century Newspapers in Beijing, and a variety of media in Australia and the US.

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