The Hobbit: Extended Edition (Update: Warner Retraction)

Update (10/05/12): Warner Bros. issued a retraction this evening based on an error in a 2013 release calendar sent to media outlets:

"In the recently distributed calendar included in the Warner Bros. 90th Anniversary press kit, there was an erroneous mention of an Extended Edition release for The Hobbit film. This product has not been confirmed yet and we apologize for any confusion."

Whether the studio simply tipped its Q4 2013 hand or has no intention of releasing an Extended Edition remains to be seen. Our original 10/4/12 news post read as follows:

In a 90th Anniversary press packet sent to media outlets today, Warner Bros. officially revealed plans to release The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition in the fourth quarter of 2013. While no further details were provided, the announcement answers a number of burning questions. First, The Hobbit is going to follow in the footsteps of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy with at least one (and presumably three) extended edition releases. Second, director Peter Jackson not only has enough material to fill three films (as opposed to the two he originally set out to make), he has enough material to create one or more viable extended editions as well.

With a full year to go before The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: Extended Edition arrives on BD, Warner Bros. has yet to outline tech specs and special features, or specify if the Extended Edition will include both 2D and 3D versions of the longer cut. Warner also didn't confirm that the Blu-ray release of the movie's theatrical cut will arrive in the summer preceding the Q4 Extended Edition release, although it's pretty safe to assume as much.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey comes to theaters on December 14, 2012.