'The Hobbit' Movie Director Peter Jackson Rebuilds Bilbo Baggins' House in NZ Mansion; Steven Spielberg, More Stars Regular Guests

The ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ director Peter Jackson has reportedly recreated Bilbo Baggins' house, Bag End, inside his own New Zealand mansion.

Despite the last installment of ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy being released late last year, which marks the conclusion of the cycle of the trilogies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, the director made the decision to re-create the hobbit’s humble home inside his basement.

Bino Smith, who previously worked on both of the director’s trilogies, revealed that he and other technical team members helped Jackson in building a Bag’s End replica in his own basement after the filming of the movies.

Jackson bought the two-storey 1930s mansion in Masterton, New Zealand, and instructed the same team who worked on his movies to transform one floor wholly dedicated to Tolkien’s work, using the same set.

"His eye for detail, was such that we had to build it right down to the feather, so everything is exactly the same as the movie - but it's liveable," Smith said in an interview with Stuff. "There's nothing like it in this world. People can stay there. Bag End is underground. You have to go under tunnels to get to it."

The set artist also explained how guests can reach the director’s private Bag End upon arrival at his mansion, particularly the need to pull out a specific book in a bookcase before being able to walk into Bag End.

“You go down to the wine cellar and you pull a bottle, and it opens up a door, then you step out a look down this corridor - about 35 metres, we had to create it, then you go down one part,” Smith shared.

The crew member also explained that there is a skeleton as well as several bodies before reaching a mock ‘torture chamber’ that shortly leads to a replica of Bilbo’s house.

In addition, Smith revealed that Jackson often welcomes his filmmaking pals into his own Bag End replica.

"It's a playground. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are over here all the time. Danny DeVito is one of his best mates. And it's just for them. And they got the shelterbelt and everything," the designer shared.