I was wondering about that too. Plus, I sort of feel that the whole book The Hobbit has a very different feel than LOTR. Its a much more innocent little story, and Gollum, scary as he is, is almost a comical figure. It really is much lighter fare. I wonder if Del Toro gets that. His Pan’s Labyrinth was truly dark.
Yes; “Pan’s” shows he’s quite the artist, but it is a miserably unhappy story.
However, Hellboy is (paradoxically) much lighter, more comic.
So, I’m not gloomy about it.
(c: