The New Zealand Actors Equity has recommended lifting a boycott on "The Hobbit", which had been put in place after the union was not allowed to negotiate minimum wage and working conditions with producers. The union said that it would begin talks again with producers, even as fears rose that Time Warner would take production of the movie elsewhere following the boycott. The movie is expected to bring around $500 million to the local economy if it films in New Zealand. Protesters in Wellington urged the company to keep the movie in New Zealand, where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed.
See "New Zealand battles to remain home of "Hobbit" movie", Elaine Lies, Reuters, October 20, 2010