9. The Hobbit
The Buzz: Also at Comic-Con 2012, Peter Jackson showed off a wealth of footage from the first part of his (at the time) two-part Hobbit saga, making it clear that Martin Freeman fit the role of Bilbo Baggins like a glove. Attendees were convinced that Jackson had nailed it once again,
Regular Audiences: Jackson sure isn't daft, because he made sure to show this wondrous footage off
before announcing two weeks after Comic-Con that The Hobbit was going to be split into a ludicrously unnecessary three parts, much to the chagrin of just about everyone. Still, while the film was praised technically and fared OK-ish with critics, general audiences did express the sentiment that it was a huge step down from Lord of the Rings, underlining the likely needlessness of a three-film, 9-hour adaptation of such a short book.