Well it seems Warner Brothers has decided that most moviegoers are not yet ready for another cinematic revolution. You may have already heard that Peter Jackson shot The Hobbit at 48 frames per second, essentially the first time a major motion picture has used a frame rate other than 24 fps. He and James Cameron have been huge proponents of this new format, insisting that it offers enhanced clarity and much more crisp action. Unfortunately, when Jackson screened some 48 fps footage earlier this year at CinemaCon, the reaction was largely negative with many critics in attendance saying that it had a cheap, made-for-TV look. Still, he seemed confident that viewers would adapt and that releasing The Hobbit in 48 fps was the right decision. Now this week we have learned that Warner Brothers does not necessarily agree, and that the high frame rate version of The Hobbit will only get a limited release.

According to Variety, the initial release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will only be projected at 48 fps in a handful of locations, perhaps not even all major cities. If it is successful, however, they will consider expanding it further. This means that most people watching the film will be seeing a downgraded version that has been converted to 24 fps using motion blur and other techniques.

It’s probably a smart move, especially considering that not all theatres will necessarily be equipped to show the movie at 48 fps either. As of right now, there are no theatres capable of this, but a software upgrade will allow many to be ready in September. Word on the street is that The Hobbit now looks much better at the higher frame rate (the CinemaCon footage hadn’t been through post-production yet), but it will be very interesting to see how it is received. What do you think, are higher frame rates really the future of cinema? Will you seek out a 48 fps version of The Hobbit in December or will you avoid it like the plague?