Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey used 48 frames per second for its high-frame-rate presentation.
Most traditional theatrical films are presented at 24 frames per second, so the Hobbit production’s 48-fps format was a major technical experiment. Jackson and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie used specially developed digital camera technology to capture more motion information and create a smoother image.
The film was marketed as the first major feature presented theatrically at 48 frames per second. The format aimed to reduce motion blur and make stereoscopic 3D appear brighter and more comfortable, though some viewers felt its unusually sharp appearance resembled video or live television.
The standard version still existed at 24 fps, which causes a common mix-up. Forty-eight frames per second refers specifically to the high-frame-rate version, not every theatrical screening of the film.