Lord of the Rings : Recent Episodes
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Another San Diego Comic-con is water under the Brandywine Bridge, but the memory of many exciting Lord of the Rings events remains, such as TORN’s packed panel which focused on adaptations of Tolkien’s work.
Justin Sewell, host of TORN Tuesdays moderated the panel of guests which included Richard Taylor (WETA), Kellie Rice (Happy Hobbit; author), Clifford Broadway (TORN Tuesdays Host, Ringers: Lord of the Fans), Matt Graf (Nerd of the Rings), Cathy Udovch (TORN Special Events Coordinator), and Jim Wert (TORN Special Events Coordinator).
L-R: Justin Sewell, Richard Taylor, Kellie Rice, Clifford Broadway, Matt Graf, Cathy Udovch, Jim WertJustin first showed TORNs SDCC exclusive Prancing Pony wood tankard created in partnership with Middle-earth Enterprises and designed to make you feel like a Hobbit. Besides the tankard, other TORn items at the booth included an exclusive Tom Bombadil and Goldberry T-shirt and our now infamous Prancing Pony Club T-shirt. He also announced the new The Lord of the Rings Fan Club and told everyone to sign up.
Sign up–adventure awaits!Jim pointed out that the very first adaptation is when a reader first reads a book and they bring their own imagination to what the characters and landscapes look like. Kellie said that adaptation takes longer than writing one's own stories because it has to be done in a respectful and nuanced way. Richard added that “we say...I love the movie, but it was not as good as the book.” He said the book is as big as the imagination of the reader, but the movie is only as big as the budget. “And the imagination of the reader is pretty bloody big, right?”
Matt said playing Magic the Gathering is a unique way to experience Tolkien’s world, and since the new Magic The Hobbit card set will soon be available, he gave away a beautiful slipcovered volume of The Hobbit to a young sister and brother in the audience who had never read it. What a treat they are in for!
Cliff talked about the first film adaptation of Tolkien’s work–the animated Rankin/Bass version of the The Hobbit. Matt asked Richard if WETA had ever considered putting Aragorn in a skirt like he wore in the animated feature of The Lord of the Rings. Richard laughed and then said since The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed together, Peter Jackson shot a lot of scenes from the last film before the others because he wanted “to make sure that I don't get in the same difficult jam that Ralph did, where we don't get to make the second and third films.” (This happened with Bakshi’s animated The Lord of the Rings.)
The talk turned to the scarcity of action figures available when The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings animated films were released, and that Dark Horse has created vinyl figures to help make up for the lack.
Dark Horse vinyl figures from the Rankin/Bass Hobbit and the Bakshi Lord of the RingsJim pointed out that “adaptations are not just in film or in cartoons, they're in art, they're in music, they're in cosplay…So the world is endless.” Many well-known artists such as the Brothers Hildebrandt, Alan Lee, and John Howe have portrayed Tolkien’s world. Howe recently designed a new Tom Bombadil statue for Syzygy Forge which was on display at The Middle-earth Enterprises booth. There are also many other artists continuing to create new interpretations such artist, Jackson Robinson of Kings Wild Project, who as at the TORN booth signing his illustrated card decks and poster of Tom Bombadil.
L-R: Gandalf (David Baxter) at Middle-earth Enterprises' Prancing Pony booth; Bombadils by Syzygy Forge & Jackson RobinsonJustin talked about a new crowdfunded deck-building game called Lord of the Rings: Ascension by Stone Blade Entertainment in which you play as a member of the Fellowship while trying to resist the power of The One Ring. He also previewed a tabletop figure from The Lord of the Rings version of the King's Gambit 3D tabletop game, due for a 2027 release.
LotR: Ascension card game and LotR: Kings Gambit tabletop figure.WETA Workshop's environments are another form of adaptation that bring us into the world of Middle-earth. Richard thanked everyone who has ever purchased one of their sculpts for helping to keep the community of Middle-earth artists at WETA together and announced the creation of a Númenórean soldier which was selected to be made through fan input. He also talked about WETA’s new jewelry pieces. Arwen’s coronation crown, Galadriel’s ring, and the Ring of Barahir were originally designed for the movie trilogy by costume designer Ngila Dickson and created by jeweler Jasmine Watson who will be hand-making each new piece. I spoke with Josie Boakes, one of the WETA staff, who explained Jasmine’s process making the crown. Using “depletion,” which removes all the impurities from the silver, and “planishing,” which is done with a special hammer, the silver of the crown looks ethereal and very Elven.
WETA's new large-scale Rivendell environment and Jasmin Watson's Arwen crown.The panel talked about the two feature film adaptations coming up: The Hunt for Gollum written by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Phoebe Gittins, and Arty Papageorgiouand, and the film Stephen Colbert is writing called Shadow of the Past. Not an adaptation but Tolkien-adjacent is the crowdsourced short film Society of the Lost and Found featuring Bruce Hopkins (Gamling) which starts filming this October. Cathy announced that Royd Tolkien’s film There's A Hole in my Bucket will be showing at the Newport Beach Film Festival this fall. The film follows Royd as he completes the bucket list his brother who had ALS left for him.
Kellie and Jim told us about their joyful, immersive Middle-earth experience at the Brandywine Festival which is a full-out camping and LARP (Live Action Roll-Playing) event.
To cap off the panel, Kellie shared a note from Philippa Boyens who gave her best to everyone and asked if anyone had translated the runes in the teaser for The Hunt for Gollum. Of course someone had, but no spoilers, so you can try for yourself.
See you next year! And don't forget to sign up for The Lord of the Rings Fan Club!
This will be our 24th edition of the Bagginses Birthday Bash in Griffith Park. Head to the link below to RSVP and list what you will bring to the party. You can also email me at Garfeimao(at)TheOneRing.net to RSVP if you are not on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/events/1369087481317252/
The party will start at 11:30am on Sunday, September 20, 2026 and will be a potluck sort of party, as usual, so please do mention what you plan to bring so we know what to expect and what holes need filling.
There will be fun and games, including a Dessert Contest for the best Fellowship of the Rings themed cake or cupcakes, or just theme it around 25 (for the 25th anniversary of FOTR). Costumes most welcome, there will be prizes.
The worlds of Tolkien and Magic: The Gathering are coming together once again, and TheOneRing.net is excited to bring you an exclusive conversation with one of the creative minds behind it all.
In the interview linked below, TORn staffer MadEyeGamgee chats with Mark Rosewater, Head Designer for Magic: The Gathering, to discuss the highly anticipated The Hobbit set. From adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved novel into the world of Magic to the design philosophy behind the cards, Mark offers fascinating insights into the creative process that helped bring Bilbo's unforgettable adventure to life on the tabletop.
The conversation explores how the design team approached iconic characters, memorable moments, and the rich themes of The Hobbit, while also giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at what they can expect when the set arrives. Whether you're a longtime Magic player, a Tolkien collector, or simply a fan of seeing Middle-earth reimagined in new ways, this interview is packed with interesting stories and design details you won't want to miss.
A huge thank you goes to Mark Rosewater for taking the time to speak with us and share his passion for both game design and Tolkien's legendary world. We'd also like to thank our own MadEyeGamgee for conducting this fantastic interview on behalf of TheOneRing.net.
Be sure to watch the full interview below, and let us know in the comments which reveal or insight from Mark you're most excited about as Magic: The Gathering – The Hobbit prepares to make its debut.[gallery ids="122216,122215,122208,122203,122201,122200,122197,122182,122179,122166,122209"]
If you couldn't make it to San Diego Comic-Con 2026, don't worry—we've got you covered! In the Middle-earth Tour video linked below, we're taking Tolkien fans on a tour of some of the convention's biggest destinations for Middle-earth collectibles, giving you an up-close look at the incredible statues, figures, and artwork that had collectors buzzing all weekend long.
Our journey takes us through the impressive displays at Wētā Workshop, where fans were treated to stunning collectibles and exciting new reveals, before stopping by Dark Horse Direct, to check out its latest offerings inspired by Tolkien's world. We also visit Sideshow Collectibles, the distributor of Asmus Toys, to get a closer look at their growing lineup of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit collectibles.
The tour wouldn't be complete without a stop at the Middle-earth Enterprises booth, where attendees got an early look at the brand-new Tom Bombadil statue from Syzygy Forge. It's always exciting to see new interpretations of Tolkien's beloved characters making their way into the collectibles world, and this piece certainly drew plenty of attention from fans walking the show floor.
Be sure to browse the photo gallery below after watching the video, where you'll find even more highlights from around the convention. We've included images of many of the collectibles featured in the tour, along with additional Middle-earth-themed displays from exhibitors across the show floor. You'll also find incredible artwork from legendary fantasy artist Jerry VanderStelt, collectibles from Iron Studios, Factory Entertainment, and plenty of other Tolkien-inspired treasures that made San Diego Comic-Con 2026 a fantastic event for collectors.
Whether you're searching for your next grail piece, catching up on the latest reveals, or simply enjoying the incredible artistry inspired by Tolkien's world, we hope this tour brings a little of the magic of Comic-Con straight to you. Let us know in the comments which collectible stole the show for you!
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Jamie Campbell Bower has been confirmed as the Elf Celeborn in Season 3 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.The announcement made in an exclusive by Empire Magazine validates much fan speculation. With Bower’s ethereal quality and his ability to portray both vulnerability and strength, his casting for this role seems perfect.
Empire Magazine's Instagram post about Celeborn Casting (note TORN staffer Quickbeam's comment) Bower’s performance as Vecna in Stranger Things was nuanced and terrifying, yet he earlier portrayed a character that was both lover and fighter in the role of Jace Herondale in the film The Mortal Instrument: City of Bones. Hopefully, Bower will have the opportunity to explore all of his acting strengths in Season 3 of The Rings of Power, in his relationship with Galadriel and as a leader in the War of the Elves and Sauron.
Jamie Campbell Bower and Lilly Collins in "The Mortal Instruments: CIty of Bones"Celeborn, a Sindarin Elf, is an experienced warrior who is more than 1,500 years old at the time of Rings of Power. He fought in the First Battle which took place during the 52nd year of the First Age (FA 52.) His actual birth date is unknown but has been speculated to be during the Days of Bliss of Valinor. Celeborn fought in the Wars of the Jewels, the battles caused by the theft of the Silmarils by Morgoth and the Oath that Fëanor and his sons swore to recover the jewels at any cost. Celeborn also fought in the War of Wrath where Morgoth was ultimately chained and Beleriand was wiped off the map.
Amazon Prime's Map of Middle-earthIn J.R.R. Tolkien's books, Galadriel and Celeborn traveled together in Middle-earth throughout the Second Age, but in Season 1 of The Rings of Power, Galadriel tells Theo that she believes her husband Celeborn may have been lost in the War of Wrath because she has not seen him since its end. Revealing that Bower plays Celeborn sets up viewer anticipation for Galadriel’s and Celeborn’s reunion in Season 3.
"Jumping forward several years from the events of Season Two, Season Three takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war, bind all peoples to his will – and at last rule all Middle-earth." (From press.amazonmgmstudios.com) The showrunners and executive producers for Season 3 are J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay.
Charlie Vickers plays Sauron in "The Rings of Power" (image from Amazon Prime Video press release)The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3 is set to premiere on November 11, 2026 on Amazon Prime Video.
Whispers and rumours were heard a couple of weeks ago; and now the way is open at last! The shiny new Lord of the Rings Official Fan Club from Middle-earth Enterprises is here. And what's more, one of TORn's own Four Founders, Calisuri, is building it! We're feeling like it's those early days of online fandom all over again, seeking out friends on the internet and geeking out together. There are quests to be fulfilled and mathoms to be collected - some of which will be found at San Diego Comic Con this weekend! So get your questing boots on! Head on over to LOTR.com to join the fun.
Here's what the official press release tells us:
Middle-earth Enterprises Announces the Official Fan Club for The Lord of the Rings ™###### Free to join at LOTR.com, the new official community opens in early access this July with Quests, Fellowships, collectible Mathoms, daily games, and a shared San Diego Comic-Con program
LIVERMORE, CALIF. — Middle-earth Enterprises today announced the official fan club for The Lord of the Rings ™ , a free community opening in early access this July at LOTR.com.
Even before any official public announcement, fans around the world had already discovered the hidden entry at LOTR.com and joined the waitlist, underscoring the demand for a welcoming official home for Middle-earth fandom.
Built for fans of The Lord of the Rings ™ , The Hobbit ™ , and the wider world of Middle-earth, the fan club is designed to give members an active role in a new official community at LOTR.com. Members will be able to complete Quests, earn digital keepsakes called Mathoms, form Fellowships, play daily games, follow official brands and creators, and keep a personal record of their fandom journey.
The fan club is also being built to support the fan groups, creators, channels, and websites that already make Middle-earth fandom so strong. Known inside the club as Heralds, they will be invited to create their own spaces within LOTR.com. The goal is to lift up what already exists, help more fans find it, and give those groups new ways to gather followers, share updates, and create experiences inside the official fan club.
“For decades, fans have built extraordinary communities around Middle-earth with creativity, care, and remarkable commitment,” said Jay Komas, General Manager of Middle-earth Enterprises. “LOTR.com is an opportunity to recognize that passion, support the communities that have helped carry it forward, and create an official space where fans, creators, licensees, and community leaders can participate together.”
“Quests” are one of the main ways members can take part in fan club experiences. A member might scan a code at a convention booth, check in at a panel, answer a lore question, enter a secret phrase, complete an online challenge, or help unlock part of a larger shared adventure. Completing Quests can earn members “Mathoms,” digital keepsakes named after the term for a treasured object in the world of Middle-earth. In the fan club, Mathoms are not simply points or badges. They are a record of participation: a show attended, a creator discovered, a fan group joined, a challenge completed, or a moment shared with fellow fans. Some Mathoms will be common, while others will be genuinely rare, giving each member’s collection its own history and character over time.
The first major community program, Gather the Fellowship, will launch this July around San Diego Comic-Con. Fan Club members will be able to form or join Fellowships and collaborate across online and in-person activities. Attendance at San Diego Comic-Con will not be required to participate. A fan at the convention may complete part of the adventure from the show floor, while another member joins from home. Together, the Fellowship moves forward.
Members will also find games with a Middle-earth twist, including a daily riddle and a palantír-inspired lore challenge, giving fans a reason to return, play, and build their Fan Club record over time.
Official licensees, known inside the club as Merchants, will have a place within LOTR.com to build a page, post announcements, offer rewards, run promotions, and create co-branded Mathoms tied to events, products, booths, packaging, and other fan experiences.
The club will also recognize members of the early 2000s fan club whose names appeared in the Extended Edition film credits, allowing them to search for their name in a special archive and claim a commemorative keepsake. A launch campaign, Give Us a Gold Ring, will invite members to support a formal proposal for a plain gold ring emoji, to be submitted to the Unicode Consortium by the close of San Diego Comic- Con.
A NEW COMMUNITY STANDARDEveryone is welcome, as long as they welcome everyone.
Newcomers and longtime fans, readers and film fans, gamers, collectors, creators, and community leaders will participate on equal footing.
As part of its commitment to genuine fan engagement, Middle-earth Enterprises brought on longtime community builder CHRIS PIRROTTA as VP Marketing & Fan Experience. Pirrotta co-founded TheOneRing.net in 1998 and helped grow it alongside a global volunteer community that has supported Middle-earth fandom for nearly three decades. He also spent 25 years at Sideshow, where he helped grow one of the world’s leading collector-focused fan businesses. TheOneRing.net continues to operate independently through its volunteer team, while Pirrotta’s day-to-day focus is now on building the official fan club at LOTR.com.
“When we started TheOneRing.net in 1998, the internet still felt like a place you went to find your people,” said Pirrotta. “A lot has changed since then. Too much of the modern internet rewards outrage, pile-ons, and the loudest voice in the room. LOTR.com is being built for something different, inspired by the community at the heart of Middle-earth: a place where everyone has a part to play, whether they arrive as royalty, a seasoned Wizard, a loyal gardener, or someone taking their first step out the door. No one is above anyone else here. That is what makes this work with the Middle-earth Enterprises team so meaningful. This is not just about opening an official site. It is about opening the door wider, with a welcome to all.”
The official fan club for The Lord of the Rings will be free to join. Early access invitations will begin ahead of San Diego Comic-Con, with additional members welcomed in over time as the community grows. New licensees, creators, Heralds, Merchants, and fan groups will be added on an ongoing basis. Fans can visit LOTR.com now to join the early access waitlist.
ABOUT MIDDLE-EARTH ENTERPRISES
Middle-earth Enterprises owns exclusive worldwide rights to motion picture, merchandising, stage, and other rights in certain literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Middle-earth Enterprises works with partners around the world to support high-quality films, games, merchandise, stage productions, location-based entertainment, events, and other experiences inspired by these works.
ABOUT EMBRACER GROUP
Embracer Group is a global group of creative and entrepreneurial businesses in PC, console and mobile games, as well as other related media. The Group has an extensive catalog of over 400 owned or controlled franchises. With its head office based in Karlstad, Sweden, Embracer Group has a global presence through its operative groups: THQ Nordic, PLAION, DECA Games, Dark Horse, Freemode and Crystal Dynamics – Eidos. The Group includes 53 internal game development studios and engages over 6,000 talents across nearly 30 countries.
A powerful new companion card joins the upcoming card decks for Magic: The Gathering.
Unveiled today are several new cards for The Hobbit "Universes Beyond" cards from Magic The Gathering (MTG). And we got an exclusive!
Lord of the Eagles Template_GroupedStylesAs you can see on the reveal, this powerful card gathers all your creature power to make spell easier to cast. It includes a direct paraphrase of J.R.R. Tolkien's own words from The Hobbit published in 1937, “Eagles are not kindly birds. Some are cowardly and cruel. But the ancient race of the northern mountains were the greatest of all birds; they were proud and strong and noble-hearted. They did not love goblins, or fear them. When they took any notice of them at all (which was seldom, for they did not eat such creatures), they swooped on them and drove them shrieking back to their caves, and stopped whatever wickedness they were doing."
Find more previews of The Hobbit x MTG from various folks around the interwebs here.
The Hobbit Universes Beyond sets release August 2026. Buy them from your local game shop!
Booth 1934. All weekend. Bring your dancing boots — the yellow ones.
Every great era of music has its power couple. And long before anyone in the Fourth Age (or the 1970s) picked up a Fender and sang about RUMOURS and heartbreaks, Middle-earth's original singer-songwriters were already selling out the Old Forest: Tom Bombadil and Goldberry, the River-daughter.
He's the eldest. She's the daughter of the River. Together they've spent Ages singing about love, devotion, heartbreak, and taking care of the land — decades before it was cool, and they never once needed a record label, a tour bus, or a second take. When your relationship has outlasted the literal shape of the continents, you've earned a greatest-hits record. You could say they GO THEIR OWN WAY around Middle-earth.
This year at San Diego Comic-Con, TheOneRing.net is throwing the album release party the Withywindle valley never got.
Introducing: Merry Dol, River-daughterEvery year TORn brings a brand-new, fan-designed shirt exclusively to SDCC — and this year's design pays loving parody tribute to one of the most iconic album covers in rock history. You know the one: the mystical duo, the dramatic pose, the dangling magic object, the interlocking destinies. If a certain 1977 masterpiece by a certain band famously full of romantic entanglements taught us anything, it's that couples who make music together make legendary music together.
The Merry Dol, River-daughter shirt is artist-designed and hand silkscreened, and it looks like the album your coolest aunt kept in pristine condition and would not let you touch.
The details:
- Price: $30
- Where: TheOneRing.net Booth 1934 (near door C), all convention long
- Cuts: Unisex premium cotton/poly blend (Bella Canvas 3001) and a women's flowy dolman scoop neck (Next Level 1560)
🚨 Preview Night Exclusive: The Rare First Pressing 🚨Real record collectors know the first pressing is everything. Attendees on Wednesday Preview Night only can grab a limited edition variant of the shirt featuring the classic tan album sleeve with artwork rendered in striking black & white — the "demo tape" edition, if you will. When Wednesday ends, it's gone. The rumors are true, and they will not be repeated Thursday.
And Yes — Actual Vinyl available at Booth 1934What's a release party without records? Also at the booth: vinyl and CD copies of Tom Bombadil's song, featuring the talents of Bear McCreary and Rufus Wainwright.
Even better: Bear McCreary himself will be at Booth 1934 on Friday at 12:30pm to sign recordings. The first 50 folks who purchase one of Bear's recordings (we'll have his album The Singularity, as well as Rings of Power Season 2 soundtrack recordings) at the booth before Friday 12:30 get a guaranteed spot in the signing line — so come early, buy your vinyl, and leave it safely in your hotel room until showtime (pro tip: just bring the cover).
Derry dol! Ring a dong dillo! Or in the language of the music press: this one's going platinum in Bree.
[envira-gallery id='122240']Find Your FitThe shirts are hand silkscreened, so know your size before you sprint to the booth Wednesday.
Unisex Tee — Bella Canvas 3001A soft, retail-fit unisex tee in premium Airlume combed ring-spun cotton/poly. Heads up: this cut runs slimmer than an old-school boxy tee — if you like a relaxed fit, size up one.
| Size | Chest Width (laid flat) | Body Length | | --- | --- | --- | | XS | 16.5" | 27" | | S | 18" | 28" | | M | 20" | 29" | | L | 22" | 30" | | XL | 24" | 31" | | 2XL | 26" | 32" | | 3XL | 28" | 33" |
Measured flat: width is armpit to armpit; length is from the highest point of the shoulder to the bottom hem.
Women's Dolman Scoop Neck — Next Level 1560Lightweight 60/40 cotton/poly jersey with a flowy, relaxed dolman cut, scoop neck, and curved hem. Goldberry-approved for twirling.
| Size | Body Width (laid flat) | Body Length | | --- | --- | --- | | XS | 17.75" | 25" | | S | 18.75" | 25.5" | | M | 19.75" | 26" | | L | 20.75" | 26.5" | | XL | 22.25" | 27" | | 2XL | 23.75" | 27.5" | | 3XL | 25.25" | 28" |
The dolman is designed to drape loose through the body with wide, flowy sleeves — it's meant to move like river-weed in a current, not fit like a rock tee from the merch tent.
The Setlist (Booth 1934 Edition) Wednesday Preview Night: Limited edition B&W variant shirt — one night only * All weekend: Merry Dol, River-daughter shirts, $30, in unisex and dolman cuts * All weekend: Vinyl & CDs of The Singularity and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 soundtrack * Friday 12:30pm:* Bear McCreary signing (buy a recording before Friday 12:30 for a guaranteed line ticket)
https://open.spotify.com/album/2Oe6kYDU9YQhun0YrXL9eV?si=BgTMRC1cSvO08i3K26YGxALoudest couple in the Old Forest, captured in silkscreen and on vinyl. 'Now let the fun begin! Let us sing together!' 'We'll be waiting for you' - all you have to do is show up.
DONT STOP until you find Booth 1934. Hey dol! Merry dol!
Over the last few years one of the most in demand exclusives to get at San Diego Comic-Con has been the print sets our friend Jerry Vanderstelt has at his booth and I have no doubt that this year won't be any different.This years set is titled Winged Fury, and captures three of Jerry's prints in a never before released size of 12x16. The three prints that make up this set are the Fell Beast, Smaug, and The Balrog. I personally have all 3 as individual prints and I cannot wait to add this set to my collection. They are exceptionally well done. This limited edition, 350 print run, at a price of $40, will not last past the end of SDCC on July 27th. Fans going to Comic-Con can pre-order theirs right now, if they'd like, and simply take their receipt to booth 1931 to pick it up. The online pre-order will be limited to only 150 copies, with the final 200 being sold exclusively at the show. Get yours now because you do not want to risk not getting it once the show starts.
The publicly traded corporation is taking on a new name inspired by its prized subsidiary Middle-earth Enterprises.
In a recent new press release, Embracer Group has announced its intention to rename the company Fellowship Entertainment as part of a long-term overhaul of its business.
Is LOTR now a stock?The short answer is no. Its not a memecoin or NFT either. The LOTR and Hobbit rights that J.R.R. Tolkien originally sold in 1968, long held by Saul Zaentz, are still together under Middle-earth Enterprises (MEE). MEE, in turn, has licensed out movie rights to Warner Bros, as well as rights to dozens of other licensees to produce LOTR products such as playing cards and baby carriers. Embracer Group A.B., a publicly traded Swedish corporation, bought Middle Earth Enterprises around the same time it also bought EIDOS Interactive (makers of Tomb Raider games) and Dark Horse Comics. Each of these businesses are still managed independently. Kind of like how Alphabet owns Google, Waymo, Android... or how Disney owns Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar, etc.
So, is LOTR in charge?
Well, no. Fellowship Entertainment is a corporate name inspired by Tolkien, and there's probably some trademarks that the subsidiary Middle-earth Enterprises owns which allows use. Middle-earth is not taking over a $20 billion gaming conglomerate. It's obvious though who that company sees as its most prized division.
How big is Fellowship Entertainment?According to the press release from Embracer Group:
Fellowship Entertainment will be uniting top creators and intellectual properties, fostering creativity to build unforgettable experiences for the fans. The strategy is to transform into one powerhouse group with game development and publishing at its core, complemented with transmedia capabilities within IP licensing, comics, merchandise, film and distribution. In total, Fellowship Entertainment will have approximately 6,000 employees across more than 30 countries.
The parent holding entity, called Fellowship Entertainment, will consist of over 40 companies (again, think like Disney owning Lucasfilm and Pixar), including Crystal Dynamics, Dark Horse, Deca Games, Eidos-Montréal, Limited Run Games, Middle-earth Enterprises, THQ Nordic, Tripwire Interactive, Vertigo Games, and Warhorse Studios. Read the full press release below.
https://embracer.com/releases/embracer-to-spin-off-coffee-stain-group-remaining-business-to-be-renamed-fellowship-entertainment/
Later today, the TORn Discord will be embarking on a complete live rewatch/watchparty (and discussion) of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power -- both Season 1 and, Season 2. All are welcome to join.
Starting with S1 E1: A Shadow of the Past at 3pm EST June 8, we will be group-watching one episode each week (with a double-header for each season finale) over the next 15 weeks. Participate in the text commentary on our server, then join us for a wrap-up voice discussion the following weekend. The full schedule is below.
If you've never used Discord before, it's a very easy to use group-chat program that can be used on both PC, and phone. You can download the app and make an account here. It's free. Then join TORn's Discord server here. You can find the actual episode discussion thread here (or just ask one of our friendly moderators for help!).
TORn's Rings of Power Rewatch schedule
Get an exclusive extra slipcase via iam8bit for the coziest new single player Hobbit game.
Wētā Workshop and Private Division have announced pre-orders are now available for a new iam8bit edition of Tales of the Shire. The exclusive edition comes with the game soundtrack, an art book and book style slipcase. From the landing page:
Discover, decorate, and share in this idyllic corner of Middle-earth™. Join friendly Hobbits and familiar names awaiting your arrival in Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings™ Game.
iam8bit Exclusive EditionBegins Shipping July 29, 2025
- Includes an exclusive book cover o-sleeve
- Includes a beautiful 20”x16” fold-out map for the quaint village of Bywater
- Pre-order now and receive a download code for the official game soundtrack
The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee examines the truth and legends of one of the most accomplished actors in Hollywood history.
Director Jon Spira is opening up his feature length documentary film to Tolkien fans with an exclusive deal, following a successful Kickstarter campaign that helped get the movie finished. The film is now available online at ChristopherLeeFilm.co.uk in DVD Blu-Ray, box set, and digital download.
TheOneRing.net community fans can get 50% off the digital edition with code ONERING
Made in collaboration with Chris Lee's EstateThe documentary features new and never before seen interviews with Peter Jackson, Joe Dante, John Landis, and archival footage featuring his best friends Vincent Price and Peter Cushing. It was made in coordination with Lee's estate and heirs, and reveals many previously unheard personal anecdotes and stories. Many of the legendary tales of Christopher Lee's life are covered -- it's up to you, the viewer, whether he was embellishing. Some of the tallest tales we documented years ago in a twitter thread.
https://twitter.com/theoneringnet/status/1023241686846062593The A.I. QuestionTheOneRing.net asked director Jon Spira if he thought Christopher Lee would be brought back to life with A.I. in the upcoming series of The Lord of the Rings films. While he has never inquired with Lee's family or estate about such matters, he personally decided to not use A.I. in his documentary. Actor Peter Serafinowicz narrates portions of the film from the perspective of Christopher Lee, in stories taken from his own autobiography.
"I suspect that he might have left instructions not to allow such a thing. That said, he adored Peter Jackson and I could equally imagine him granting Jackson some form of limited digital manipulation rights," says director Jon Spira.
To be clear: we have not yet heard any rumors that the new movies even want to pursue this. Director Andy Serkis and Producer Peter Jackson, who are working on the next LOTR film "The Hunt For Gollum," have both expressed more than a passing interest in utilizing A.I. filmmaking tools. Jackson recently won Emmy and Grammy awards for using A.I. to restore The Beatles' footage and music tapes. For Saruman's cameo in "The War of the Rohirrim," Philippa Boyens found unused outtakes from "The Hobbit" movies to bring Lee's voice into the anime film.
Print the Legend, Watch the FilmMost Tolkien fans already know that Christopher Lee was a huge LOTR fan. He professed to read the books every year, and he is the only cast member of The Lord of the Rings movies to have actually met J.R.R. Tolkien in person. Not only was Saruman the final performance of his illustrious career, this documentary reveals that Christopher Lee was watching LOTR on the day he died. So go and grab the full movie now for half-off pricing using the code ONERING.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE_mEHwxHPE
Trailer for new fantasy film releasing this week from Stuart Brennan also stars Jennifer English from Baldurs Gate 3 in a "gritty wood elf adventure!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e86VThGsXRgWARLORD is a new fantastical adventure featuring elves and men and magic in an epic medieval setting. It is explained as:
"Determined to free her city from the clutches of evil forces, one woman seeks out an elven Warlord and his powerful allies for aid."
Directed by Stuart Brennan (who also acts), the film stars Billy Boyd, Ryan Gage, Georgina Leonidas, Jennifer English, Aliona Baranova, Kerry Norton and Richard Goss. The film releases digitally May 16, 2025 on AppleTV and other on-demand VOD services.
The cast is stacked with fan favorites! Billy Boyd played Peregrin Took (Pippin) in The Lord of the Rings films, Ryan Gage was Alfrid in The Hobbit sequels, Jennifer English is the actress behind Shadowheart in Baldurs Gate 3 and Latenna in Elden Ring, Georgina Leonidas was in the original Harry Potter movies, and director Stuart Brennan is a BAFTA Cymru-winning British actor, playwright, producer and director who is a leading figure within indie cinema supporting high concept filmmaking and championing film festivals globally.
What's more, Director Stuart Brennan joined Clifford Broadway on TORN Tuesday this week. Check out what he had to say below.
https://www.youtube.com/live/Yr6UXd4kgkk?si=FtWmzC_3agfoiWLX&t=1283Press Release for a "Gritty Wood Elf Adventure" The studio behind WARLORD sends over the following description of the movie, out this Friday on demand.
*Helmed by award-winning writer-director Stuart Brennan (Kingslayer, Assassin’s Guild), Warlord promises a dark and immersive journey into a mystical forest realm where war, rebellion, and power struggles unfold in uncompromising fashion.
Starring an ensemble cast led by Billy Boyd (The Lord of the Rings), along with Ryan Gage, known for his role as Alfrid in the The Hobbit; Warlord delivers a fresh take on medieval fantasy. With cinematography by Doug Milsome BSC, ASC (Full Metal Jacket, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), the film boasts a striking visual aesthetic reminiscent of classic epic filmmaking.
Set in a world rife with injustice, Warlord follows a peaceful Wood Elf leader forced to take up arms against an oppressive Sheriff and his mercenaries. As rebellion stirs, alliances are tested, and the elves’ true motives come into question, setting the stage for a thrilling battle for justice and survival.
Director Stuart Brennan shares his vision: “I grew up inspired by stories like Robin Hood, and I wanted to craft a film that explores timeless struggles—oppression, resistance, and the cost of war. Warlord is an intense, character-driven journey that I feel is timely and dealing with themes that are current real world issues. Having been a big fan of Warhammer growing up, Wood Elves were always my army of choice and so getting a chance to bring wood elves into my universe has been particularly special.”
A first-look at the poster of the film has been released today with exclusive images of Billy Boyd as The Sheriff and Ryan Gage as The Brute. Brennan was very excited about the casting; “I love Lord of the Rings, so working with Billy was very cool. He’s incredibly detail orientated and a very prepared actor. He arrived on set excited to be playing a dark and richly complex character. We’d had a few video calls to talk through the part and once he was in costume, on location it was genuinely one of the highlights of my career being able to capture him bringing this role to life. It’s very different from anything he’s done before.”
This was the third movie he had got to work with Gage; “Ryan is a superb actor, he’s also very prepared, very specific and creative with his choices. He was one of the first people I sent the script to and this character really jumped out at him. He’s a lot of fun in this movie, very dark, very wicked.”*
Screenings, actors Q&A, costume displays, and a ring forge photo op aim to inspire Emmy voters to recognize Season 2 of the billion dollar TV series.
Hollywood, Ca - Prime Video has opened an invite-only The Rings of Power experience, just a few blocks from the world famous boulevard of stars. Select press outlets, influencers, and TV Academy voters were invited to get an up-close look at the craftsmanship put into the top-rated Prime Video series.
Season 2 of The Rings of Power focused on the dramatic working relationship between Sauron and Celebrimbor, so actors Charlie Vickers and Charles Edwards are currently on hand in Los Angeles to discuss their process. TORn's Clifford Broadway snapped this photo from one of the many Q&As happening this week in LA.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJaH_JMhg9w/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3DHuge Show, Huge EffortDeadline has the exclusive interview with the actors -- including Gandalf himself, Daniel Weyman -- which you can read here.
There's a walkthrough of The Rings of Power FYC (For Your Consideration) space thanks to Art of the Costume over on Instagram. Lots of costumes from all the different races on display! Attention to detail is unmatched, in an industry where entire casts of superheroes are often all CGI.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJZ3B2_y6N9/?igsh=NHI2Nmt0dmJuNWp1https://twitter.com/LadyInBlue_x/status/1920553329727267166Celebrimbor himself, Charles Edwards, recreates his famous trailer moment of pouring a Ring of Power into the fire.
https://twitter.com/cedwardsdaily/status/1920538431593062847No word yet if Prime Video will open this space up to the general public (we think they should for a day!) but if you are accredited press, or a member of the voting academy for any TV awards, contact them at their awards website ConsiderAmazon.com.
An intimate evening of music, magic, and heavy metal open to the public.
Bear McCreary is bringing his score for season 2 of The Rings of Power to the Grammy Museum on June 4. Tickets are available now for AmEx cardholders at $30, and public sales start this Saturday, via the Grammy site.
If you end up attending, please send in a full report! Our DMs are open on social, and the anonymous tipline is spymaster@theonering.net
https://grammymuseum.org/event/celebrating-the-music-behind-the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power/McCreary is heavily promoting his score for the Prime Video series during their FYC Emmy nomination campaign. He recently performed at UCLA, and you can read a new interview with Bear at Deadline that teases work on Season 3.
TV show spinoff of their successful podcast begins airing on UK tv, while the boys post outtakes on Patreon.
Billy & Dom Eat the World is a new TV travel show where your favorite hobbit actors visit unique places around the world experiencing local cuisine. It started as a segment on their Friendship Onion podcast and now UK television viewers can catch their many adventures. Watch on Virgin UHD at 8:10pm Monday (tonight!)
Celebrity travel shows seem to be all the rage - Stanley Tucci is eating his way across Italy, and Eva Longoria is Searching Through Spain. This writer is somewhat surprised its taken so long for all these food-travel shows to spring up after the loss of Anthony Bourdain in 2018.
USA when?No word yet on any networks in the USA picking up the global trotting foodie show. It feels weird in 2025 to have a region locked TV show!
Bonus Features on PatreonIn a new instagram post this morning, Billy & Dom announced that outtakes from the show that don't make it to air will be posted at their new Patreon. The first preview has Ian Mckellen making some fun jokes with them. Patreon levels start at $7 per month and we know these guys will continue to entertain the fans there.
https://www.instagram.com/dom_monaghan_/reel/DJjzF81peZm/?hl=en
Hugely successful kickstarter from Ferris Wheel Press brings fans one step closer to finishing their own handwritten red book.
With nearly $1 million CAN raised on Kickstarter, the new calligraphy pen and inks inspired by The Lord of the Rings movies are now offering public pre-orders to be shipped out in July. Three options are available themes around Sauron red, Gandalf white, and Ringbearer green. Get your orders in via Ferris Wheel Press backerkit.
These officially licensed calligraphy pens can help achieve the look of the written page as seen in The Hobbit and LOTR movies, famously scribed by Bilbo, Frodo & Samwise.
For those unfamiliar with high quality penmanship, prices can go very high like this Game of Thrones pen retailing for $1,500. Each LOTR pen is currently around USD $175 and includes custom ink for refilling. Ferris Wheel Press, based in Canada, is known for their high quality pen and inks.
The next step after acquiring a pen is, how do we learn to write like Tolkien?
Fugglers hit store shelves this week with ugly versions of Gollum, Gandalf and Frodo.
LOTR fans on social media were caught off guard over these new interpretations of classic Tolkien characters. Fugglers are real and official - we checked! These "funny ugly" plush are popular on TikTok.
https://twitter.com/evenstvr/status/1919543212181487797https://twitter.com/evenstvr/status/1919567408987005378Seems that WalMart is the exclusive retailer for Fugglers in USA; they can be found in the kids & babies toy plush section of stores, right next to Bluey and Pokemon.
[envira-gallery id='120441']
The Hunt for Gollum, directed by Andy Serkis, will herald a new phase of Middle-earth moviegoing.
Per Variety, Warner Bros Discovery has confirmed the release date of the next LOTR film for December 17, 2027. It seems the title "The Hunt for Gollum" is here to stay, after some early confusion over the same title of a fan-film released over 10 years ago. Filming expected to take place early next year in New Zealand.
Andy Serkis previously directed “Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle” and “Venom: Let There Be Carnage" in addition to starring in the Planet of the Apes and Star Wars sequel movies.
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing and "will be involved every step of the way." Boyens earlier told Empire Magazine, "The Hunt for Gollum is quite an intense story that falls after the birthday party of Bilbo and before the Mines of Moria. It’s a specific chunk of incredible untold story, told through the perspective of this incredible creature.”
No word yet on any casting, but the old gang of actors have expressed public interest in returning to Middle-earth including Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom, Ian Mckellen and Viggo Mortensen.
Join the biggest Tolkien Discord to talk with fellow fans about the news! https://discord.gg/theonering
If you're in the UK, this is for you! On Friday November 29 at 14:00 GMT, you can be present for a conversation with Philippa.
*Other Minds and Hands: A conversation with Philippa Boyens is free to attend and will take place at Merton College, University of Oxford. Phillipa will be interviewed by Grace Khuri and other other members of the Oxford Tolkien Networ*k: Giuseppe Pezzini, Mark Atherton, Stuart Lee, Catherine McIlwaine.
Philippa Boyens is the co-writer of Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning trilogy The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and writer and producer of the highly anticipated animated feature film The War of the Rohirrim, which releases this December 13. TheOneRing.net has interviewed Philippa multiple times, and her interviews are always interesting and insightful, and who knows, she might reveal inside information about the new film. A recent interview with TORN staffer Demosthenes about The War of the Rohirrim can be read here: https://bit.ly/40Op82O
The event is organised by the Oxford Tolkien Network and Merton College. For more information and tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/other-minds-and-hands-a-conversation-with-philippa-boyens-tickets-1077613042619
On Tuesday December 3, London's iconic Leicester Square will host the World Premiere of the feature-length anime The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim ahead of the general film's release on December 13 (note: some locations, such as Japan, are actually getting it a little later).
There will be a slew of cast and crew from the film in attendance: Brian Cox, Gaia Wise, and Laurence Ubong Williams, as well as director Kenji Kamiyama, producers Philippa Boyens, Jason DeMarco, and Joseph Chou, and singer Paris Paloma. Carlos Laloli, Peter Jackson, Ken Kamis, Sam Register, Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou will also be there.
Warner Bros. says it will be setting setting up a an area for a "limited number of fans to watch the red carpet arrivals". Warner Bros. also say they are setting up a ballot, and are taking applications for double passes.
Applications will close at 23:59 GMT Wednesday 20th November and winners will be drawn at random.
- Click here to apply for access to the GENERAL ACCESS FAN AREA
- Click here to apply for access to the ACCESSIBLE FAN AREA
In addition, there will be a live stream of the red carpet with details to be announced soon. Stay tuned, I guess!
Source: Warner Bros.
New York Comic Con was a wonderful place to be for Tolkien fans! Other than the excellent coverage by staffer greendragon who interviewed several of the creatives behind the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (look out for the videos on TORn's YouTube and socials), Kili from Happy Hobbit got to chat with some amazing Tolkien-inspired artists on the showroom floor. You can hear their stories below and be sure to check out the links to their amazing creations! Watch the episode.
Featured Artists:
GeekifyInc
Geek Orthodox
Najarian Art
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers' daily lives since 2012! Learn hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
Welcome to The Great Hall of Poets, our poetry feature showcasing the talent of Middle-earth fans. So come and join us by the hearth, and enjoy!
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
The Steward and the White Lady
by: Cassie Hughes
She lay bereft of all she loved and wished her life was done,
That King had never called her back from limbo’s darkened home,
Within these hallowed healing halls her heart felt caged anew,
What now for maid without a shield? No cause to cleave unto?
In waking dreams she wandered there a ghost in living form,
Her hopes and dreams dispersed as dust, her mind encased in storm,
‘Twas thus he first did spy her there caught up in moonlights glow
And from that moment lost his heart to Rohan’s greatest jewel.
Fair Eowyn he then pursued though she desired naught
But finding honour within death, this goal, her only thought,
With inner strength he persevered and piece by piece did steal
Away despair and hopelessness, her zest for life reveal.
At last the scales fell from her eyes, she finally perceived,
The wise and steadfast prince of men to whom her heart had cleaved,
The Steward and the Lady found at last their just reward,
A strong, enduring love in which to live in light restored.
~~ * ~~
I've included this following poem to commemorate Remembrance Day. It's one I wrote as part of my Literature degree in memory of my Grandfather. Lest We Forget
Grandad Speaks
by: Kelvarhin
They called me Jack,
Though my mates
Called me Snowy.
A hazel-eyed beauty,
From London’s east-end,
Became my life’s love.
Two adored daughters,
Completed our home.
War intervened,
To the R.A.F. I soared.
Not to drop bombs,
Or dogfight in the sky,
Dinghy Drop rescues
Were my choice to fly.
The fates made their call,
Rescuers missing,
Lost over North Sea.
Three simple words,
All that were shared.
Missing in action.
No body to mourn,
No grave to cry on.
A telegraphed epitaph,
My Loves only memorial.
~~ * ~~
Have you always wanted to delight hobbit passerby with a beautiful springtime flower display but don't feel confident in your green thumb? Then you're in luck! Kili is here to show you just how easy it is to plant and grow bulbs! Watch the new episode and read her tips below.
https://youtu.be/EfTKXG9ndSsBulb planting tips:* Plant bulbs in the autumn so that they have time to chill over winter. * Choose a spot with partial to full sun * Bulbs need soil that drains well (so they don't turn to mush after prolonged exposure to moisture), so amend clay soil with perlite or other substances to aid drainage * As a general rule, dig a hole twice as deep as the bulb is tall. * Plant bulbs in the autumn so that they have time to chill over winter. * After the flowers have finished, don't prune them off! Allow the plant to continue its lifecycle. The leaves will continue to create and store energy that the bulb will use the following spring! The will die away on their own in mid-to-late summer.
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers' daily lives since 2012! Learn more hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy
The Regal North Hollywood is holding a showing of the new feature-length anime The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim from 1.00pm on this Saturday (November 9) open to children aged nine to 14, and their parents. It's not entirely clear whether adult-without-kids can also attend, but I took a few moments to run through their pre-booking survey and it does seem that you get screened out if you state you're attending without kids.
T&Cs also state that no-one under the age of nine will be admitted (presumably because of MPAA ratings).
If this tickles your fancy (and you have kids 9 to 14), you can reserve (free!) your tickets here.
If you're unaware of the story, The War of the Rohirrim is set many years before the events of The Lord of the Rings and follows a historic event described by J.R.R. Tolkien in Appendix A of the book. As the filmmakers describe it, "...a sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg."
The anime debuts worldwide (in most locations) on December 13.
Early free screening detailsSaturday, November 9th, 2024
Regal North Hollywood
6150 Laurel Canyon Blvd # 200, North Hollywood, CA 91606
1:00 pm. Open to children 9-14 and their parents
No one under 9 will be admitted.
Check-in will begin 60 minutes before the start of the show.
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS
It’s one thing to just be a reporter who covered The LOTR Trilogy during it’s lengthy production — but it’s another thing entirely to be embedded in the mix for many years while publishing Sir Ian McKellen’s extraordinary stories on his evergreen website www.McKellen.com — and thus Keith Stern, webmaster and author, provides the goods in his NEW tell-all book: For Entertainment Only: Behind the Scenes of The Lord of the Rings. Next Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, there’s even a special Book Launch Party to be held at Hollywood’s famous geek destination Scum & Villainy Cantina!
Only someone who had been that close to the action, the many rehearsals, the Big-atures, and the gargantuan effort made by the Cast and Crew could have written such a revealing volume! What amazing stories Keith Stern has to reveal here!
In his words: “Delve into the captivating world of “The Lord of the Rings” with exclusive behind-the-scenes insights and anecdotes. Discover untold stories from the making of the iconic movies, featuring interviews and experiences ‘from one who knows,’ as endorsed by Ian McKellen himself. Available for pre-order now, this memoir by Keith Stern offers a unique perspective on the filming process and the journey of bringing Middle-earth to life.
Early KIRKUS REVIEWS are positively the best they could be — and they are known to be very tough critics:
A titillating, but never salacious, memoir from a music and movie insider’s perspective.
The above image is from May 25, 2011, Wellington NZ. Birthday party for Sir Ian McKellen. Peter Jackson previews some footage of THE HOBBIT for Stephen Hunter, Dean O’Gorman and Fran Walsh. Photo by Keith Stern “For Entertainment Only”
Continuing from their Kirkus Review: “As the author of the landmark 1993 book Queers in History, Stern has been at the forefront of promoting the biographies of LGBTQ+ luminaries, including that of his close personal friend Ian McKellen, who plays a central role throughout the book’s second half. The author’s stream-of-consciousness writing style offers an engaging read, and the text is accompanied by a high-resolution online photo gallery of snapshots taken by the author of Hollywood stars.”
Behind this nondescript door in Wellington, all kinds of amazing movie magic happened where KING KONG climbed and fell from the Empire State Building! Photo by Keith Stern: “For Entertainment Only”
As we get closer to the Party date (Nov. 12, 2024) more surprises and images will be revealed on Keith’s official FaceBook page here:
There are so many wonderful appearances in the pages of this volume from Rock & Roll stars and movie actors galore. What sets this remarkable book apart is the intimacy and self-awareness of the author himself — a man who worked hard to bring Sir Ian and his wisdom to all the fans waiting to hear from him during the earliest days of the Internet.
Clifford Broadway will be hosting an EXCLUSIVE interview with Keith Stern during next week’s broadcast of TORn Tuesday — so be sure to tune in for that livestream! If you are in Southern California on Nov. 12, 2024, then join us at Scum & Villainy Cantina, 6377 Hollywood Blvd. from 7pm until 9pm Pacific Time — for a smashing good party, free to attend! Books will be available and the author will be happy to sign copies.
The above photo shows us the 2001 Gandalf the Grey contact sheet. Photos by Pierre Vinet. Ian has marked with an X those that should not be used for publicity or marketing. His contract allowed him to reject a certain amount, about 1/2 but the rest were fair game for the studio marketing and publicity departments to use for posters, advertisements and illustrations.
The above picture: November 28, 2012, Wellington NZ: Elijah Wood on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Hobbit”. Photo by Keith Stern “For Entertainment Only”
The post EXCLUSIVE: LOTR Secrets Revealed in NEW Memoir from Ian McKellen’s Webmaster first appeared on Lord of the Rings & Tolkien News - TheOneRing.net Fan Community, since 1999.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on September 29:* The company of Thorin recovers in Lake-town (1341) * Frodo reaches Bree at night (1418) * Gandalf visits the Gaffer (1418) * They come to the Grey Havens (1421) * Frodo and Bilbo depart over the Sea with the Three Keeper (1421) * The end of the Third age (1421)
[join the conversation on the Message Boards here]September 29, 2941 (S.R. 1341)1. The company of Thorin recovers in Lake-town.(not from the appendices)"...within a week they were quite recovered, fitted out in fine cloth of their proper colours...(Tolkien, 1966 Ballantine, p.190-191 Hobbit)September 29, 3018 (S.R. 1418)1. Frodo reaches Bree at night.(from the appendices)"...Even from the outside the inn looked a pleasant house to familiar eyes... ...Over the door was painted in white letters: The Prancing Pony by Barliman Butterbur...."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.208-214 FotR)2. Gandalf visits the Gaffer.(from the appendices)"But fear grew in me as I rode. Ever as I came north I heard tidings of the Riders…"(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.344 FotR)September 29, 3021 (S.R. 1421)1. They come to the Grey Havens.(from the appendices)"...they came to the Far Downs, and to the Towers, and looked on the distant Sea; and so they rode down at last to Mithlond, to the Grey Havens in the long firth of Lune."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.383 RotK)2. Frodo and Bilbo depart over the Sea with the Three Keepers. (from the appendices)"But Sam was now sorrowful at heart, and it seemed to him that if the parting would be bitter, more grievous still would be the long road home alone."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.383-384 RotK)3. The end of the Third age.(from the appendices)"...The Third Age was over, and the Days of the rings were passed, and an end was come of the story and song of those times. With them went many Elves of the High Kindred who would no longer stay in Middle-earth..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.383 RotK)
Available for pre-order from our friends at Weta Workshop is this beautiful statue depicting Radagast the Brown in Rhosgobel. This piece is superbly done, as usual, and perfectly recreates the quirkiness of Radagast and his home. There's also a very cool easter egg that represents the beautiful place in which the films were made, New Zealand. You can pre-order this amazing piece for $999.If you have been collecting the classic series, then this second statue of Radagast is for you. This classic series piece is available for $399. Both Radagast statues are due to ship in the first quarter of next year.For lovers of the monsters of Middle-earth, who need a little eight legged friend in their collection, you could grab the very cool mini-Shelob statue for $179, this statue is also due to ship in the first quarter of next year.
On October 22nd, the very date of Bilbo’s and Frodo’s birthdays, a large group of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Men, Wizards, and well-behaved Wargs, gathered for a day of merriment, feasting, and activities.
The Party took place under the sheltering trees of Griffith Park, in the Mineral Wells picnic area, close by a meandering river. The day was warm, but not too warm. The sun high and bright. The leaves sparkled green and gold in a fair breeze which ruffled the Baggins’ Birthday banner and the feathers adorning Hobbit hats. Tents dotted the landscape: an Elven enclave here, a Dwarven fortress there, a Hobbit hole beneath a tree.
The banqueting table was laden with dishes–pulled pork, barbecue chicken salad, spicy sausages, cheese samplings, Lembas, watermelon, pasta salad (I could go on and on, but it's making my mouth water all over again.) There were even two big jugs of delicious homemade apple brew crafted from a long list of enticing ingredients.
A separate table dedicated to cakes, cookies and other delightful sweets drew people like bees. (Which fortunately were not as abundant as in years past. Let’s hope this was because there were plentiful flowers elsewhere for them to attend rather than some more sinister reason.) The winning confection this year was made of cupcakes transformed into the swirling lava river in Mount Doom, the One Ring perched precariously on top about to melt into its sugary depths. All this molten goodness was surrounded by cupcake flying Dragons.
The Winning CakeAfter people had eaten their fill and had a chance to digest and soak up the Middle-earth vibes, the games began. We started off with our annual tradition of Golfimbul. I discovered that quite a few folks did not know the history behind this game, so I will take a moment to give a retelling.
We call our version of this game Golfimbul. TheOneRing.net staffer Saystine heads up this game that entails a Nerf bat, a traffic cone, a Goblin doll-head, and a stuffed rabbit, and it takes finesse instead of brute strength since it is a contest of accuracy–get the head as close to the rabbit as you can. This year the winner got a hole-in-one, the Goblin head landing in the rabbit’s lap.
Subsequent activities included a Tolkien Trivia competition. TORN staffer Quickbeam, created questions based on Lord of the Rings related books, movies, and TV, and Garfeimao came up with the system for “YES” or “NO” answers, which hastily dispatched the competition until there was only one expert standing. There were two rounds so all could test their knowledge.
Dwarf Tossing, which was introduced at last year’s picnic by staffer Mithril, has quickly become a crowd favorite. Played in teams, with multiple elimination rounds, the ultimate winners each took home a gorgeous Middle-earth ceramic mug donated by Sean Robinson of Functional Mud.
For those of a theatrical bent, there was a contest to deliver lines or act out scenes from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies and books. There was also a costume contest, of course, with many creative entries. During these two contests, we enjoyed performances ranging from a rousing rendition of “The Green Dragon” song, to a heartfelt and voluminous portrayal of Théoden’s call-to-arms (with crowd participation), and a lovely tune sung about and by Tom Bombadil himself. (Yes, the eldest made an appearance!)
The winners of each activity received prizes including WETA statues, action figures, LotR playing cards, and The Hobbit Yahtzee, replete with a golden, jewel-encrusted goblet (appropriately won by a Dwarf). There were also many blind box Middle-earth figurines given away, as well as some valuable relics–canvas carry-bags from a TORN Oscar party–donated by one of the guests.
L-R: Clifford Broadway, Master of Ceremonies, and Costume Contest Judges
Tiffany Germann, Kyle Danskin, Chelsea Schwartz The day would not be complete without a rendition of Bilbo’s birthday speech. This year, TORN’s Sarumann chose to read J.R.R Tolkien's early draft of the speech from The History of Middle-earth books, while the guests cheered at all the appropriate places.
Reading Bilbo's Birthday SpeechAs the shadows grew long, overcome by delighted exhaustion and too much food–there’s always enough for everyone, and even some for people to bring home!–folks relaxed, caught up with friends, or gathered round to listen to Singing Gandalf who was accompanied someone playing a lute. Or perhaps it's a mandolin.
It was a festival day to match the best of all festive days, and I wish it happened more than once a year. But then, it might not feel so special.
P.S. Make sure to follow TORN's Facebook page at The Worlds and Works of J.R.R. Tolkien - TheOneRing.net You can find news about our events in the "Events" section.
P.S.S. Thank you to all the generous partygoers who donated towards a new and much-needed food tent. Enough money was raised for the tent, and then some, with which we hope to purchase a microphone and speaker for next year.
Photos Courtesy of Jeffrey Lindsey and TORN staffer, Nancy Steinman (Mithril)
Here at TORn we were delighted recently to make a new friend: Ian Leino from Geek Orthodox. Ian is a glass artist who creates incredible stained glass (and window cling replicas), and who has recently become licensed with Middle-earth Enterprises. So he's launching a range inspired by Tolkien!
Staffer greendragon recently had a chance to chat with Ian, to find out more about his stunning creations, and his passion for all things Tolkien. Here's what he had to say:
What was your first encounter with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien?My parents divorced when I was an infant, but when I was four, my Mom started dating a man who would eventually become my step-father. When he would come to visit, he would always read to be before bedtime - but none of those [little] children’s books; he launched right into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and introduced me to the world of fantasy. It took a few years to get through the entire Chronicles of Narnia, and by then they had gotten married and we’d established the routine of a family reading time.
With Narnia behind us, the time was right to graduate to the world of Middle-earth, starting with The Hobbit and progressing through The Lord of the Rings, which captured my imagination in an entirely new way. That bond over Middle-earth is one of the things that bound our new family together, and it’s a common interest that we still share.
Why stained glass - is it a medium which particularly lends itself to images of Middle-earth, do you think?My interest in stained glass started with my first job, which was sweeping up at a glass studio on the weekends when I was in middle school. And it intensified in college when I studied art history with an emphasis on gothic art and architecture. As a medium, stained glass has always been used to evoke a sense of wonder and grandeur. From the heroes of history to the religious parables in cathedrals - we use stained glass artwork as a way of venerating and celebrating what is important to us.
The world and characters of Middle-earth are such a foundational fandom for so many of us that I feel that they deserve a similar artistic treatment. From the sweeping vistas that call us to adventure, to the coziness of a pub sign where we know our friends are inside sharing tales, these moments and places absolutely shine through the medium of stained glass in a way that they can’t in any other medium.
Are there other Middle-earth artists/interpreters who have influenced you?I likely have the same major touchstones as many other Tolkien fans my age - starting with the striking animation of the Bakshi films, later finding the stunning work of Alan Lee, and then being absolutely immersed in the world of Middle-earth by the amazing creative teams at WETA.
One of my absolute favorite sets of illustrations ever, though, is the 1976 Russian version of The Hobbit, illustrated by Mikhail Belomlinsky. The illustrations are bold and unique with a touch of whimsy, giving the entire book the feeling of a folk-tale. More than anything, I love the breadth of inspiration that is possible while still being true to the original text, and the huge diversity of artwork based around these stories.
How does it feel to be 'officially licensed'? It feels amazing! I feel like I should have a more sophisticated answer, but it’s so overwhelming that all I can think is: “amazing!”. I’ve long enjoyed being part of a worldwide fellowship of artists who create original art that is inspired by these books. So it’s an incredible honor to know that the stewards at Middle-earth Enterprises have selected my artwork to help officially represent that world to fans everywhere. I feel a responsibility to be worthy of that trust - being true to the original text and my own vision - to offer a new way of experiencing the world that Tolkien created.
Discover Ian's gorgeous work for yourself - and maybe bring home a piece to adorn your cosy Smial!
Lots more Middle-earth on the way as new things are previewed and fans assemble on Bilbo & Frodo's birthday this year.
Tales of the Shire preview & new release dateWeta Workshop & Private Division gave select fans and gamers a playable demo of Tales of the Shire, a console & PC game coming to all platforms - Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Playstation, PC, and mobile via Netflix Games. Developers also announced the release date has been pushed to March 25, 2025. We have a full writeup and video playthroughs in another article.
Game producer Calliope Ryder was at TwitchCon San Diego this weekend for a panel on Tales of the Shire, and posted a "fun facts" thread about shirefolk on X.
https://twitter.com/callioperyder/status/1837937667314766304It was also revealed that the duck with a dwarven helmet is a featured character, and its name is Ladle (sp?)!
https://twitter.com/mytalesofshire/status/1837918104644682142?t=R4iBylacl5ODbHU8ZlB2jQRichard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop posted a 20-minute behind the scenes video of the game in progress.
https://www.youtube.com/live/wb3EeOMUfaUWar of the Rohirrim gets a poster & Warhammer tie-inNew Line Cinema's feature anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim debuted its theatrical poster for Hobbit Day!
Also announced, Warhammer is bringing Rohirrim into its Middle-earth™ Strategy Battle Game with The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim™ – Battle of Edoras starter set. The 56 piece package includes a board map, some Edoras structures, and a ton of miniature painted figures that the Tabletop RPG is known for. Get all the details over at Warhammer website.
Official WB social accounts reawakenThe Hobbit Movie posted a charming little video to celebrate Hobbit Day.
https://twitter.com/thehobbitmovie/status/1837871089382576520?t=-DN8XEaurZWyQXm961x-TwMiddle-earth music in concert in Los AngelesFans spotted that an orchestra concert of 'The music of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit' is coming to Pasadena in March 2025, and tickets are now available at Ticketmaster. (Note this is not the full scores being played with the movie - stay tuned for news of The Return of the King with live orchestra coming to NYC early next year!)
Prime Video celebrates Sauron on Hobbit DayAlso posting on Bilbo's birthday was official accounts for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, focusing on Sauron. This fan wants to know: is Harfoot Nori's birthday also September 22?
https://www.instagram.com/p/DANXRVwusHw/?img_index=1https://twitter.com/PrimeVideoAUNZ/status/1837597679259464148New Fan Podcast LaunchesWhile a lot of your favorite Tolkien influencers are being featured in official The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power marketing, including our own greendragon, more fans are getting into the TolkienTube game. The newest is Makers of Middle-earth from Anna María, who has previously joined us for SDCC panels and livestreams. Her first interview is with the legendary Jed Brophy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwuwVGpoCH4Fans celebrate together worldwide for Hobbit Day 2024New Zealand fans visited Hobbiton with Red Carpet Tours.
https://twitter.com/RedCarpetTourNZ/status/1838112145755500558Los Angeles fans got together for a potluck at Mineral Wells area in Griffith Park
https://twitter.com/ThisIsJeanne83/status/1838261851140055476https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAQKGOIxY0F/Header photo is from Diane in the TORN Discord, taken under the party tree at Hobbiton! We hope all our fellow fans had a happy, hobbity day of fun and festivity - and are enjoying the riches of this era in the Tolkien fandom.
For Hobbit Day 2024, Weta Workshop and Private Division shared a playable demo of their new cozy game Tales of the Shire, and Happy Hobbit got to play the game! The release date has also been moved to Spring of 2025, across all gaming platforms.
Playing, foraging, cooking and sharing in the ShireSo what's the game like? After playing for around 90 minutes, Kellie writes:
The Tales of the Shire demo is just enough to whet my appetite for more! The gameplay is intuitive and straightforward. The base options to customize your character’s appearance give you enough choices to make them unique without being overwhelming, and there appear to be slots to unlock future clothing/accessories. The premise of moving into Old Ruby’s hobbit hole and slowly fixing it up as your character (originally from Bree) meets the folk of Bywater is reminiscent of other cozy games I have played, yet has its own unique Shire flair (I didn’t have time to try out this feature, but you can furnish and decorate your hobbit hole!). I was surprised by how full of life and character the dialogue is as you interact with the locals (it made me laugh several times). Being a demo, I haven’t yet explored much of the geography, but what I did contained serene and bucolic vistas that often made me pause to take it all in. The music, as well, is equally as atmospheric and soothing, often interspersed with periods of quiet and birdsong. These elements combine to create an engaging, calm, and immersive gaming experience. Shortly after I stopped playing to go water my own garden in real life, I found myself wanting to play more! The full game won’t be out until next year, so I had to content myself with some rustic beef stew for dinner… because I just couldn’t leave the Shire.
Other Tolkien influencers and gamers also got to play the preview, and most of them spoke all of the character dialog in their own hobbity voices. It's quite charming! Watch the Happy Hobbit demo play through below or on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/Q-w2-VHoO-0Official Press Release for Tales of the ShireTales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game Launches on March 25, 2025
Fulfill your dreams of living the idyllic countryside life of the Shire! Spend your days full of jovial meals with Hobbit friends, foraging for tasty morsels, and decorating your home early next year
New York, NY – September 23, 2024 – Private Division, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), and Wētā Workshop, the creative studio known for their work on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, revealed yesterday during a showcase that Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of The Rings Game will launch on March 25, 2025 on PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Netflix Games.
Watch the showcase to find out more about all the exciting features and inspirations behind the game on YouTube.
Embark on a cosy adventure in Tales of the Shire where you experience the quiet life of a Hobbit in J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Begin by creating your unique Hobbit avatar, choosing from a variety of very Hobbit-specific features to express yourself – including foot-hair styles and personality ‘moods’ that bring your character to life. Perhaps your Hobbit is a friendly soul with fiery red hair, a cute button nose, and bright green eyes? Or maybe your Hobbit is more of a Sackville curmudgeon, with a broad nose and balding hair! The choice is yours. Then set out to make your home in sleepy Bywater and enjoy the simple pleasures of life in the Shire.
“Wētā Workshop has been trusted with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth universe for more than 25 years, and over that time we have built up a deep understanding of the lore and a real love of Middle-earth that flows through our creative work across screen, collectibles and now, our cosy sims games,” said Richard Taylor, Co-founder and CEO at Wētā Workshop. “Tales of the Shire allows us to inspire our talents in an entirely new medium and, ultimately, create this game for people just like us - fans of The Lord of the Rings. This is a beautiful way that players who are looking for a quieter, more peaceful time can discover this in a less explored corner of this universe.”
This small, growing community is home to a delightful cast of residents, who will request your aid in placing Bywater on the Shire’s map as an official village. To accomplish this goal, you will grow and nurture relationships with other characters. For most Hobbits, the best way to build bonds with others is through the comforts of a warm meal.
Much like in real life, cooking requires proper preparation, careful attention, and a “dash of this or that” for the perfect feast. Chop up home grown vegetables, sauté foraged mushrooms, perhaps add a tart pickle or a dollop of sweet jam to balance the dish. Every meal has various steps to complete to earn multiple stars, all in an effort to present a dish that satisfies and delights your guests.
As a newly established Hobbit, you’ll have access to the essentials - a bedroom, a cosy lounge, and of course - your pantry and kitchen to prepare meals for expected and unexpected guests. From these humble beginnings, you’ll soon be able to expand your space and supplies - fishing, foraging, gardening, and trading with your neighbours. This will quickly enable you to establish a well-stocked pantry and upgraded tools for harvesting and cooking. The shops of Bywater are bustling with many vendors who are willing to sell you all kinds of ingredients, as well as decorative items for your Hobbit home. Meet humorous and interesting characters like Old Noakes; while he may seem a bit cantankerous at first, he is a master angler. Not only can he give you tips on improving your own fishing skills, and help unlock secret fishing spots, he trades his daily catches. Nora and Fosco Burrows’ shop is stocked to the brim with adornments for your home as well as other charming items to fill out your wardrobe. There are many other Hobbits awaiting you in Bywater, so be sure to meet and invite them over for a second breakfast!
If you are not feeling up to the bustle of the market, wander through the fields and the forests to scavenge for seasonal items. Collect some juicy berries for a fresh summer tart or mushrooms to add to a harvest pie. Butterflies often flutter by and when closely followed can guide you to new discoveries. Beyond the rounded opening of your Hobbit home, a short venture reveals a bounty - your very own garden. This fully customisable area allows you to place multiple plots. Want to place a daybed in your garden? Perhaps you'd like to create a summer table setting? The space is yours to create! Your garden offers a personal touch to your Hobbit life, and here you can grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and other harvestable ingredients. Just be sure to take proper care by watering and checking on them daily.
In addition to the hills' ample harvest and your ability to cultivate plants in your garden, you can catch a variety of fish in the various streams and bubbling brooks around Bywater. Relax by taking a moment to cast your lure in a stream. Watch the bobber closely and hook a big catch for your next meal!
“The Lord of the Rings is an extraordinary world, beloved by hundreds of millions, and people have been clamoring for a game to bring the community, fellowship, and warmth of the Shire to life,” said Eric Correll, Vice President, Head of Marketing at Private Division. “In Tales of the Shire, Wētā Workshop has created the countryside village of Bywater like no one else could do, and we can’t wait for gamers to unwind, relax, and explore.”
Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game is possible due to Middle-earth Enterprises having licensed the literary works of The Lord of the Rings series and providing Wētā Workshop Game Studio with the creative license. The game is coming March 25, 2025 for the Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Netflix Games, and PC via Steam. Tales of the Shire is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and visit www.talesoftheshire.com.
Private Division is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
About Middle-earth Enterprises
Middle-earth created by J.R.R. Tolkien is the definitive, deepest, richest and most beloved fantasy world of our time. As its stewards and custodians, our goal is to consistently deliver a wealth of great content in both new, and known formats; to ensure Middle-earth’s rightful place as the world’s leading fantasy IP and brand, forever. Inspired by our deep appreciation for the fictional world created by Professor Tolkien, we are dedicated to working with those providing highest quality products in accordance with best green business and sustainability practices, including fair trade, equality in the workplace, and a commitment to protect our earth, its wondrous beauty and the viability of every living creature. Middle-earth Enterprises was acquired by the Embracer Group in 2022, and has been producing and licensing films, merchandise, electronic games, services, and live stage productions based upon The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books, for more than four decades. Visit our website at www.middleearth.com.
About Wētā Workshop
Wētā Workshop brings imaginary worlds to life by delivering concept design, physical effects, collectibles, immersive visitor experiences and games to the world’s entertainment and creative industries.
Established by Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger in 1987, we are best known for our screen work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Avatar, and Dune, our immersive visitor experiences, Gallipoli: The Scale of our War, Expo 2020 Dubai’s Mobility Pavilion and Wētā Workshop Unleashed. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Wētā Workshop’s ground-breaking work has earned us multiple international awards. Wētā Workshop Game Studio was established in 2014 and is led by an experienced team of creative game developers and film veterans who bring Wētā Workshop’s signature storytelling, technical innovation and artistry to our games studio.
www.wetaworkshop.com
About Private Division
Private Division is a developer-focused publisher that partners with the finest creative talent in the video game industry, empowering studios to develop the games that they are passionate about creating, while providing the support that they need to make their titles critically and commercially successful on a global scale. The Label publishes the Kerbal Space Program franchise, No Rest for the Wicked from Moon Studios, The Outer Worlds from Obsidian Entertainment, Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey from Panache Digital Games, OlliOlli World and Rollerdrome from Roll7, Penny’s Big Breakaway from Evening Star, and more. The Label publishes the physical retail edition of Hades from Supergiant Games on PlayStation®, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. For more information, please visit www.privatedivision.com.
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. We develop and publish products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, Private Division, and Zynga. Our products are designed for console gaming systems, PC, and mobile, including smartphones and tablets. We deliver our products through physical retail, digital download, online platforms, and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com.
All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.
tales of the shire logo
Wonderful news to share on this special double hobbity birthdate September 22 (familiar to all Tolkien fans as Bilbo and Frodo's birthday) -- there is a sparkling new Fan Event happening in the U.K. that some might not be familiar with just yet! FanXLive is happening this October 5 and 6 at Farnborough International Exhibition Center, a small journey southwest of London, with Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, Dean O'Gorman, and LOTR Co-Producer Rick Porras -- and that's just the celebs from the Tolkien franchise! In attendance will also be the stars, writers, and artists from Star Wars, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Indiana Jones, and so much more.
Here is the main announcement from their official site: Get ready to immerse yourself in the ultimate fan experience at FanXLive, the premier Comic Con-style event taking place at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre. Prepare to be captivated by a dazzling array of celebrity appearances, thrilling panel discussions, and an unparalleled collection of merchandise from your favorite franchises. Whether you’re a die-hard comic book enthusiast, a passionate gamer, or a devoted sci-fi fanatic, FanXLive promises to be a true haven for fans of all genres. Dive into a world of cosplay, exclusive panels, and unforgettable moments that will leave you craving more. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this extraordinary celebration of pop culture at FanXLive.
I was recently introduced to Jaime Milner, who is working tirelessly to bring all these elements together under one roof, and he shared some of his inspiration behind the creation of FanXLive as a distinct event: "As well as the usual mixture of stars signing autographs which every event tends to cater for I wanted to bring so much more including talent from behind the cameras to not only meet the fans but also talk about the stories they hold from their time working on the movies -- and of course how they were all made. Those insights are so integral to the worlds we all know and love -- and something that is so overlooked in our field of events, in all forms and genres of movie/tv attendance, so I wanted to change that."
This will assuredly be an energized event, with many opportunities to meet talented voice actors, writers, and performers -- some of whom are rarely seen because of their work inside a droid or acting behind a digital creation!
LOTR original trilogy fans will be delighted at this rare appearance of Rick Porras, who as Co-Producer of the trilogy has terrific stories to share from his time working with Peter Jackson and WETA. There is a Cosplay Contest as well as a unique "After Hours" program featuring one of our favorite stars from the British stage and screen, Miriam Margolyes! A delightful opportunity to be in that audience and ask questions directly to Miriam is a special treat indeed. Oh, the stories and memories she'll share!
Be sure to check out all the details on their main site. Guests can pre-register for those celeb autographs and photos that they would most like. Special tip of the hat to Jaime Milner for putting together such a star-studded program.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on September 22:
- Birth of Bilbo in the Shire (1290)
- Bilbo and the barrels reach Lake-town just after sunset (S.R. 1341)
- Birth of Frodo in the Shire (1368)
- A long expected party!! (S.R. 1401)
- Bilbo and Frodo's birthdays (S.R. 1418)
- The Black Riders reach Sarn Ford at evening (S.R. 1418)
- Gandalf overtakes Shadowfax (S.R. 1418)
- The hundred and twenty-ninth birthday of Bilbo and Frodo's fifty-first birthday (S.R. 1419)
- Sharkey in the Shire (S.R. 1419)
- Bilbo's hundred and thirtieth birthday. Frodo's fifty-second birthday (S.R. 1420)
- They meet the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings in Woody End (S.R. 1421)
- Master Samwise rides out from Bag End (S.R. 1482)
[Join the conversation on the Message Boards here]
- September 22, 2890 (S.R. 1290)
1. Birth of Bilbo in the Shire.
(from the appendices-no text)
Bungo Baggins and Belladonna Took celebrate the birth of their only child, "Bilbo Baggins of Bag End." * September 22, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. Bilbo and the barrels reach Lake-town just after sunset.
(not from the appendices)
"...a barrel was cut loose by Bilbo and pushed to the shore and opened. Groans came from inside…"
(Tolkien, 1966 Ballantine, p. 186-187 TH) * September 22, 2968 (1368)
1. Birth of Frodo in the Shire.
(from the appendices-no text)
Drogo Baggins and Primula Brandybuck celebrate the birth of their only child, "Frodo Baggins of Buckland, the Shire.) * September 22, 3001 (S.R. 1401)
1. A long expected party!!
(not from the appendices)
"The sun got up, the clouds vanished, flags were unfurled and the fun began.
Bilbo met the guests (and additions) at the new white gate in person. He gave away presents to all and sundry—the latter were those who went out again by the back way and came in again by the gate.
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 50-56 FotR) * September 22, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Bilbo and Frodo's birthdays.
(not from the appendices)
"Thursday, his birthday morning, dawned as fair and clear as it had long ago for Bilbo's great Party. Still Gandalf did not appear."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 102 FotR)
2. The Black Riders reach Sarn Ford at evening.
(from the appendices-no text)
A presence of old crept through the forest which the Ranger felt long before he heard the sound of galloping hoofs….
3. Gandalf overtakes Shadowfax.
(from the appendices)
"I took the best horse in his land, and I have never seen the like of him..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 343 FotR) * September 22, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The hundred and twenty-ninth birthday of Bilbo and Frodo's fifty-first birthday.
(not from the appendices)
"After the celebration of Bilbo's birthday the four hobbits stayed in Rivendell for some days, and they sat much with their old friend…"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 327 RotK)
2. Sharkey in the Shire.
(not from the appendices-determined from text)
"'…since Sharkey came it's been plain ruination.'" [tells Farmer Cotton]
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 360-361 RotK) * September 22, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. Bilbo's hundred and thirtieth birthday. Frodo's fifty-second birthday.
(from the appendices-no text)
There was a quiet gathering of friends and family at Bag End. * September 22, 3021 (S.R. 1421)
1. They meet the Last Riding of the Keepers of the Rings in Woody End.
(from the appendices)
"They camped in the Green Hills, and on September the twenty-second they rode gently down into the beginning of the trees as afternoon was wearing away."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 380 RotK) * September 22, 3082 (S.R. 1482)
1. Master Samwise rides out from Bag End.
(from the appendices)
[at ninety-nine years of age] "On September 22 Master Samwise rides out from Bag End…"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 472 RotK)
Have you ever wanted to try your hand at stocking your hobbit larder with some deliciously crunchable dill pickles, but didn't want to fuss with the mess of canning them? Then you're in luck! Whether you use homegrown cucumbers or those you have purchased at your local market, learn how to pickle them with this quick and easy recipe! Watch the new episode.
https://youtu.be/unLSxpsNMn0Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles
To begin: Wash your cucumbers and chop off their heads and tails before measuring them against your jar and cutting them down to size. Next, slice your cucumbers into spears, chips, or both! I recommend placing the solid ingredients into the jar before stuffing the jar with cucumbers. You can even prepare a cute little jar just to bring on a picnic! Feel free to experiment with the ingredients.
Brine:
- 1¼ cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cups cold water
- 1¾ to 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers (about 6), cut into halves or spears
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 6 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 16 or so dill sprigs
Instructions:
- Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan (such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or teflon) over high heat. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Transfer the liquid into a bowl and whisk in the cold water. Refrigerate brine until ready to use.
- Stuff the cucumbers into two clean 1-quart jars. Add the coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs, and chilled brine into jars, dividing evenly. If necessary, add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month or two.
Modified from a recipe by Jenn Segal
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers' daily lives since 2012! Learn more hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
Oaths hold an astonishing power in Tolkien's Middle-earth. Here, TORn Discord member Narrative Epicure explores how Sauron and Elrond's understanding of this fact drives each to behave very differently toward others.
~ Staffer Demosthenes
Concerning Oaths in Middle-earthby TORn Discord member Narrative Epicure
In December 3018 of the Third Age, everybody’s lucky number was nine. After an involuntary white-water rafting trip down the Bruinen, Sauron’s Nazgûl returned to Mordor. These servants, so long bound to him by works he wrought in ages past, gathered once more in the dark shadow of Barad-dûr. In the Elven realm of Rivendell, Lord Elrond prepared a Fellowship whose journey would determine the fate of Middle-earth.
“The Company of the Ring shall be Nine;”1 he declared, “and the Nine Walkers shall be set against the Nine Riders that are evil."2
Contrasts between the Ringwraiths and the Fellowship are legion, but in their preparations, one particular distinction reveals the nature of the hands that send them: while Sauron insists on sending servants bound to him by rings of power, Elrond demands nothing of anyone but Frodo (to not cast away the ring or deliver it to an Enemy). To the fellowship, he says, “no oath or bond is laid upon you.”3
As they depart on their journey south, he demands no promise from the nine he sent.
This difference between Elrond and Sauron is illustrative of each lord’s perspective on oaths and—to a larger degree—of the way each lord interacts with and treats the people of Middle-earth.
Concerning OathsOaths and promises are fascinating subjects that could fill volumes on their own. On a surface level, an oath is a set of words promising some conduct or restraint. Yet, the way we treat an oath transforms it from a set of words to a power. In our own world, this power is usually subtle, intangible, and typically confined to the effects on psyche, trust, or the occasional legal ramification. In large part, oaths have over us what power we give them. In Middle-earth, this intangible power becomes tangible. Tolkien writes of oaths not only as if they have power, but as if they behave.
Oaths are living things that bless those who honor them, and occasionally impose consequences on oathbreakers. Tolkien describes the Oath of Fëanor (an oath that drives much of the action and conflict of the First Age) as “ever at work,”4 and on other occasions he says it has “slept now for a time.”5
The Oath of Feanor by Ted Nasmith.In The Lord of the Rings, we see the terrible result of going back on your word when the Men of Dunharrow break oaths to fight Sauron and Isildur curses them to “rest never until [their] oath is fulfilled.”6
Tolkien’s writing ascribes another unique trait to oaths: they bind people to each other. Tolkien’s Legendarium offers many examples of this: the Oath of Eorl bound Rohan and Gondor together, the Oath of Finrod bound him to aid the kin of Barahir (at the cost of his life), and the sons of Fëanor were “bound by the oath”7 they swore.
But the people of Middle-earth can be bound even without oaths. When Melkor darkened the two Trees of Valinor, the Valar determined that the light of the Silmarils could restore the trees if Fëanor allowed their use. Fëanor refused. The Silmarillion describes him as “fast bound” to the Silmarils. Long before his oath, the love of his crafts bound him.
It was this binding power that Sauron would seek to replicate. In the Second Age, he bent the power of oaths back on itself, twisting it into the shape of rings, “for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves.”8
Bound by OathsIn Season 1 of the Rings of Power, young Elrond describes his outlook on oaths. “To some, [oaths] may now hold little weight, but in my esteem, it is by such things our very souls are bound."9
He sees oaths as Tolkien wrote of them, and he uses them to build a web of collective strength. Elrond gives oaths. He enters them freely as a show of loyalty to those he cares about. Some may argue he enters them too freely.
Yet, despite the impetuous manner in which he binds himself to others, he’s hesitant to let others make oaths to him. When the Fellowship departs, and he asks no oath or bond, he explains some of his reasoning (paraphrased to just dialogue):
Gimli: “Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens.”
Elrond: “Maybe, but let him not vow to walk in the dark who has not seen the nightfall.”
Gimli: “Yet sworn word may strengthen quaking heart.”
Elrond: “Or break it.”10
He’s cautious to hold others to promises made without all facts. We see this again in the mines when he stops Durin from sharing his true name—an act that, while not an overt oath, would have bound the two together. And while he freely binds himself, he’s cautious with whom he makes such promises. Note that in Season 2, when Galadriel asks, he immediately refuses to swear any promise “whose asking is born of that ring."11
But seconds later, he swears exactly what she wishes, only this time to her. He will not suffer himself to be bound to or by her ring, but holds no qualms for his friend. And despite his fears that she is bound to Sauron through that ring, he demands no similar oath from her lips.
At his core, Elrond believes oaths are about people. He cares much more about binding himself to others than binding them to him. He cares deeply about them. When he stumbled into Durin’s Mithril mine in Season 1, he wasn’t looking for mithril itself like Durin suspected. He was looking for his friend. He worried about Durin’s secrets and went there to maintain trust between them.
After swearing an oath to Durin, he’s given a nugget of mithril, which he immediately offers to return. His king sought that ore, but to Elrond, this was always about his friend. Incidentally, this outlook works to his favor. Durin never would have given him the mithril if it were why he came lurking.
Bound in DarknessIf Elrond is the give, Sauron is the take. Elrond builds strength, Sauron builds power. To the dark lord, the purpose of oaths is to ensure those beneath him remain subservient. We see this in the very terminology he uses. He almost always eschews the word “oaths” in favor of “binding.” He doesn’t want to forge webs like Elrond; he wants to forge chains.
Sauron is cautious about oaths he swears. When faced with no alternative, he tries to manipulate them in his favor. “I swear to serve the lord of Mordor”12 is the juicy example that springs to mind. He’s there to bind others to him, not the other way around. Oaths don’t show loyalty or closeness, they keep others in line.
In the finale of Season 1, he asks Galadriel to bind herself to him. What he wants from Galadriel is a promise—an oath—so he can make her a queen, fair as the sea and the sun, stronger than the foundations of the earth. But notice again his subtlety. He offers her effectively nothing. “You bind me to light, and I bind you to power.”13
In exchange for her legitimizing his “healing” of Middle-earth, he binds her to power. But in Sauron’s estimation, he is that power. He binds her to him, and in exchange, she validates his rule. But as Gandalf famously warned Saruman, “he does not share power.”14
He’s promised her only chains.
Since he cannot elicit true loyalty, Sauron must demand it. He can deceive and win hearts, but he cannot keep them. It is this inability to earn true loyalty that—in part—drives Sauron’s need for the rings. Elrond cares for people while Sauron seeks only what he can use from them.
Each ring of power is a literal manifestation of that search for utility. If the people of Middle-earth will not swear to him, he will find some other way to bind them to him.
Frodo observed that “the Shadow . . . can only mock, it cannot make: not real new things of its own.”15
Unable to make bonds and elicit oaths, Sauron mocks, imitating the power of an oath’s bond with his rings. That involuntary bond shreds trust, but he doesn’t need trust when he has control. Dominate some creatures, bind others, make empty promises, and—when your army is threatening enough—maybe some people will swear with less coercion and deception.
And so, nine walkers set out from Rivendell, each a hero, while nine riders set out from Mordor, each a thrall. Sauron told us his plan from a prison cell in Númenor: “identify what it is that [a person] most fears . . . [and] give them a means of mastering it so you can master them.”16
Elrond’s line of thinking would likely be more along the lines of “identify what it is that a person most fears, and swear to protect them from it.”
With that contrast laid out, it’s clear in which fellowship you’d find better company.
About the author: Narrative Epicure is an aspiring loremaster and practicing attorney longing to read or write things that aren't legal. When he's not buried in Tolkien's Legendarium, he enjoys books, board games, and other activities with his Fellowship, which includes his wife and three daughters.
Footnotes
September 22nd is the birthday of both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. On September 21st 1937, The Hobbit was published. So this weekend is a great time to celebrate in 'Shire-ish' style - and we have suggestions for you if you're near New York or Los Angeles!
On Saturday 21st, TORn's good friend Donato Giancola is hosting an Open Studio in Brooklyn. This is an incredible opportunity to meet the artist himself, see where he works, and gaze upon his latest large scale Middle-earth painting, Bridge of Khazad-dûm. If you're very lucky, you may even go home with a Giancola original of your own! Here are the details:
Donato Giancola Open Studio, 11am - 6pm Saturday 21st September###### 397 Pacific Street Brooklyn, NY 11217
Donato says:
This Fall (or the end of Summer) will see the annual hosting of an Open Studio here at our home and studio in Brooklyn. Open to you, friends, and anyone who you may like to bring along.
I will be showcasing the newly finished, large scale Middle-earth canvas, the Bridge of Khazad-dûm, alongside handfuls of new oil paintings including recent work for Tad William's Stone of Farewell, D&D themed drawings, Empathetic Robot projects, as well as scores of classics from my 30+ year career as an illustrator.
Of lucky significance for this event is that September 21st is also the 87th Anniversary of the publication of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien!
I cannot be more thrilled by this opportunity to celebrate the writings and art of Middle-earth. Keep your eyes out for some very special offerings as I plan events and give-a-ways for this day including a lottery for copies of Middle-earth: Visions of A Modern Myth, a signed The Hobbit featuring my cover art from the Science Fiction Book Club edition (signed just by me, not Tolkien, sorry!), and other original art and prints to be announced in the coming weeks.
Anchoring the studio for the second year in a row is another massive Middle-earth work, at 66" x 80", and this time - framed! The successful Kickstarter which just ended this past week will allow me to offer that special print for visitors to examine first hand and enter a lottery for a free large canvas giclee of the art if you missed out on the campaign!
The Lottery will include numerous items in the offering- from an original oil painting, to a Middle-earth original drawing (Moon-Letters - see the image above), to prints, books and Magic Artist Proof paintings - and more to be added as we get closer to the date. (In-person Lottery drawing will be held at 5pm on Saturday, entrants need not be present to win.)
We are also thrilled that the artist & pianist Colleen Quint will be playing live on our piano throughout the day and artists Kelley Hensing and Carter Gill will be present to assist once again this year! New works from Magic: The Gathering as well as interior art for projects with Grim Oak Press will be on display throughout the studio.
For those who may be Darrell Sweet fans, I have his original acrylic painting of the Hobbit cover hanging in our home. This was the artwork used on the paperback book I first read as a young teenager!
Heavy discounts on prints and select original artworks will be offered. I will also have a handful of sketchbooks around for browsing and a few portfolios filled with large, preliminary drawings and studies will also be on display for perusal. Stop by, take in some art, and kick back in the backyard while you enjoy a lemonade in a little part of the Shire in Brooklyn and raise a toast to Tolkien!
Even if you can't attend in person, you could enter the Online Lottery!For all the online audience who may not make it to Brooklyn for the Open Studio, Donato is offering an online lottery for give-a-ways, closing September 21st 11:59 PM ET. To register for the lottery to win one of the incredible gifts (listed below) simply visit Donato's social media pages (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) and enter a comment on the respective post for the Lottery. Or email lottery@donatoarts.com with 'Enter' in the subject field/message.
Items for the Online Lottery include:
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Original watercolor, Micro Painted Magic: The Gathering Artist Proof
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Bridge of Khazad-dûm 24" x 28" foiled and embossed print (US shipping only)
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The Great Dragon Smaug 14" x 11" print (US shipping only)
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Trifold Keepsake of the Bridge of Khazad-dûm and 6" x 9" print of Gandalf and the Balrog
One entry per person.
Sunday 22nd September - TORn's annual Baggins Birthday BashCome and eat, drink and be Hobbity with TORn! Staffers Garfeimao and Quickbeam (and others!) will be there to greet folks from 11.30am. Bring food for the potluck; or maybe even enter the Baggins Birthday Cake contest. Costumes strongly encouraged. Enjoy this very popular annual gathering of fans; all are welcome!
You can find all the details about the event here. Please note, this is event is FREE, and will be held in the Mineral Wells Picnic area of the park. There may be other happenings at Griffith Park that day - so double check the details so you know where to find us.
No doubt many fans will be gathering for festivity this weekend; let us know how you'll be celebrating the Baggins Boys' birthdays!
Webcrawler is back this week to break down the events of Episode 5 of The Rings of Power. Read and enjoy. And, remember, you're welcome to join our ongoing discussions on TheOneRing.net’s Discord Server.
~ Staffer Demosthenes
Recap: The Rings of Power Episode 5by TORn Discord moderator Webcrawler
Season 2, Episode 5Titled "Halls of Stone", a direct reference to the second line of the Ring Verse.
“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone…”The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring. Book 1, Chapter 2: The Shadow of the Past
Synopsis | Analysis | Rating
Synopsis
There are four regional plots we follow in this episode:
Lindon
Two very short scenes; the first is High-King Gil-galad reading Lord Celebrimbor’s letter, sent from Eregion. In the letter, Celebrimbor congratulates the High King on the success of the Three Rings in restoring Lindon, and mentions that he has shut down the forge as requested. Invites Gil-galad to visit Eregion when he can. Gil-galad looks concerned and in deep thought; one his commanders ask about sending forces to attack Mordor.
Gil-galad sees visions due to the effect of Vilya, which seem to foreshadow the calamity of Eregion, including the dammed up riverbed. Elrond is seen running back towards Lindon, having left Galadriel to fend off the orcs alone. He arrives at Lindon and offers Nenya to Gil-galad, stating that Galadriel was correct and Eregion was about to be attacked by orcs. Gil-galad says he believes Sauron is the architect of this, and mentions the elves are not strong enough to fight Adar and Sauron.
Númenor
Four scenes; We see a city near the shore, covered in fog with a visible tower; it is Avallónë on Tol Eressëa. Pharazôn speaks to Kemen about it, speculating that the elves put it there on purpose to remind Men of the immortality they cannot have.
Pharazôn has a task for Kemen, which involves removing power from those who would still support Míriel’s claim to the throne of Númenor. Among those are Elendil, who willingly turns in his sword and captaincy, even after Eärien pleads with him to renounce his support of Míriel for mercy. The other Faithful Sea Guardsmen chant ‘Captain’, much to the chagrin of Kemen.
Míriel and Elendil talk in the Elven Tower on Númenor, with Míriel advising Elendil to stay calm and not start an uprising. She asks him what he saw in the palantír. He speaks of a vision of himself leaving Armenelos on horseback; Míriel believes that since his vision is different from the one she used to see, that Númenor’s fortunes have changed and the doom has passed.
Elendil, Valandil, and a group of the Faithful are doing a ceremony to mourn the lives lost on the expedition to the Southlands. It is interrupted by Kemen, who states the temple is to be condemned to make way for a new aqueduct. A conflict ensues, and Kemen and Valandil fight each other. Valandil wins and has a sword pointed at Kemen; Elendil tells him to stand down. Valandil complies and drops his sword and begins to walk away; however Kemen picks it up and stabs Valandil through the back, killing him; Kemen then has Elendil arrested, accusing him of starting the fight.
Khazad-dûm
The Seven rings of the Dwarves are sent to King Durin, who puts on the largest one, with a blue gemstone. Using it, he is able to see everything in the Mountains of Khazad-dûm, including where to dig to open up a light shaft.
Durin IV is doubtful of his father, but nonetheless tells Narvi, who clears out the area of other dwarves while King Durin digs at a foundation wall. King Durin successfully opens up a light shaft, and credits the use of the dwarven ring. Later, he invites emissaries from the other dwarven realms, telling them that if their lords in the other realms offer tribute of gold and jewels, he will give them a ring.
Disa has doubts about the new rings, as they allow the King to do what she used to with resonating. Disa goes down into a cave and tries resonating; but something deep in the caverns bellows out at her. Durin IV tries to tell his father about this, but the dwarven ring has altered King Durin’s behavior.
He chooses to continue forward with digging even deeper into Khazad-dûm for gold and mithril. He reinstates Durin IV as Prince Durin, and offers one of the seven dwarven rings to his son. Prince Durin later goes home to Disa, who asks him to promise her that he will not put on one of those rings.
Eregion
Celebrimbor, along with the Gwaith-i-Mírdain and a group of dwarves are toasting their success on a new project; the creation of the Doors of Durin, to replace the West-Gate to Khazad-dûm after it was damaged by the earthquake. Annatar walks away during the middle of the speech.
Celebrimbor goes to speak with him afterwards, and learns Annatar is still concerned for the well being of Men, and wants Celebrimbor to make Nine Rings. Celebrimbor refuses, stating that men are more easily corrupted by power, and he will not take that risk. Annatar says he will do it himself.
Later, as Annatar and the Gwaith-i-Mírdain are attempting to forge new rings, Mirdania, one of the smiths, puts on the ring and becomes invisible. She starts to throw objects around the forge, until Celebrimbor stops her by taking off her ring.
Mirdania states that she could see the Unseen world, and there is a fiery, evil looking creature among them. Celebrimbor asks about how they made the rings, and chastises them for using too much mithril in the mix. He attempts to explain what they should have done, but doubt begins to creep into his mind.
Prince Durin comes to visit Celebrimbor, and states his concern that the dwarven rings are flawed; they have made King Durin greedy, covetous, as he has increased tributes within the Kingdom and demands more from the other dwarven realms. Celebrimbor balks at this, until Prince Durin accuses the fault not to just be in the rings, but the ringmakers, implying Annatar may be the culprit for their flawed design.
Celebrimbor confronts Annatar with this information, but Annatar turns it around by claiming it was Celebrimbor who brought deceit into the process when he lied to the High-King in his letter. A guilt-ridden Celebrimbor fears telling Gil-galad the truth would result in him never being allowed to forge again. Annatar convinces him to push forward with making the Nine Rings. After giving another speech to his smiths, work begins, but Celebrimbor looks very troubled.
In the outskirts of Eregion, the orcs have created an encampment on a cliff, and are able to see Ost-in-Edhil in the distance. Galadriel is in a locked cage on a cart, which is rolled to the center of the camp. Glûg releases her, and Adar appears, stating to Galadriel that they should ally, as they have a common enemy.
Overall Thoughts on Episode 5, “Halls of Stone”
This was the shortest episode of the season, but it was packed with plotpoints, character development and some very surprising twists. In some ways it felt a bit rushed, particularly with Númenor, which only had about three scenes back in episode 3. Nonetheless, a lot was pushed forward this episode; Ar-Pharazôn is officially King of Númenor. He has an interesting discussion with Kemen about the Undying Lands, that evokes the following passage from the Akallabêth:
“For in those days the Númenóreans were far-sighted; yet even so it was only the keenest eyes among them that could see this vision, from the Meneltarma, maybe, or from some tall ship that lay off their western coast as far as it was lawful for them to go. For they did not dare to break the Ban of the Lords of the West. But the wise among them knew that this distant land was not indeed the Blessed Realm of Valinor, but was Avallónë, the haven of the Eldar upon Eressëa, easternmost of the Undying Lands.”
The Silmarillion, Akallabêth
We also see a quick image of Avallóne at the beginning of the scene, clouded with a fog as described in the text:
But no ship came ever again from the West to Númenor, and Avallónë was veiled in cloud.
The Silmarillion, Akallabêth
Meanwhile, Lloyd Owen as Elendil has a lot of excellent scenes this episode, and you can really start to see his character grow into the one we know from the lore; I have previously talked about Elendil’s journey in S2, and as predicted he has lost his captaincy, and is arrested by the end of the episode. There’s a great moment when Elendil is talking to Eärien and potentially foreshadows her demise in Númenor.
Another interesting point was the funeral memorial ceremony done by the Faithful, Elendil and Valandil. The text states that the Númenoreans were only worshippers of Eru, and that too only during three particular days of the year; and yet here we see them praying and utilizing what appears to be a statue of Nienna.
Mourning the dead does not seem like something they would normally do, but the text does state that even the Faithful felt unease about death. It’s an interesting bit of world-building that the show engages in, possibly highlighting the greater difference between The Faithful and the King’s Men.
“Nonetheless even they, who named themselves the Faithful, did not wholly escape from the affliction of their people, and they were troubled by the thought of death.”
The Silmarillion, Akallabêth
Charlie Vickers continues to put in a mesmerizing performance as Annatar; he’s cold, calculated, manipulative, and yet he feigns a mercurial streak with Celebrimbor. Sometimes he seems to be pleading for Celebrimbor’s help; other times he seems bored, tired of Celebrimbor’s refusal to help him make the Nine. He’s playing Celebrimbor like a fiddle and we all get to watch.
Charles Edwards, meanwhile, puts in a haunting performance near the end of the episode as doubt, fear and guilt begin to creep into his mind. Long gone is the more joyous, ambitious and optimistic Celebrimbor; the trials of making these rings, and the dangers they start to present seem to push Celebrimbor into a more desperate position to set things right.
It is clear that Annatar means to turn the Gwaith-i-Mírdain against Celebrimbor; we see it in his conversation with Mirdania, and his words of encouragement near the end of the episode; he is positioning himself as the one in control while Celebrimbor seems to be losing his.
In those days the smiths of Ost-in-Edhil surpassed all that they had contrived before; and they took thought, and they made Rings of Power. But Sauron guided their labours, and he was aware of all that they did; for his desire was to set a bond upon the Elves and to bring them under his vigilance.
The Silmarillion, Of The Rings of Power and The Third Age
I also finally understand the reason the showrunners made the Three Elven rings first. This episode makes it clear that in this adaptation, Celebrimbor is the one who knows the secret to making the rings, not Annatar; rather, Annatar has been slowly trying to pull the secret out of him, and with each iteration of the forging make more dangerous and corrupted rings.
In my opinion, this version elevates Celebrimbor’s status as a smith, truly second only to Fëanor among the Eruhini. Círdan’s assessment in the first episode of this season was correct; Celebrimbor had achieved perfection with the Three Rings. These new forgings of the Rings of Power are draining Celebrimbor, and with Annatar, introducing corruption into his works.
The dwarven plotline also features some excellent performances from Owain Arthur as Durin IV and Peter Mullan as King Durin. King Durin’s slow decline into obsession with gold and the ring is fascinating, bringing to mind both Gollum and Bilbo’s corruption via the One Ring.
There’s a particularly sad moment when King Durin tells his son that he was right to ally with the elves and procure these rings, a clear reversal of their season one opinions, and the look of sorrow and pain on Owain Arthur’s face highlights how far King Durin has fallen in the eyes of his son.
Of this Ring something may be said here. It was believed by the Dwarves of Durin’s Folk to be the first of the Seven that was forged; and they say that it was given to the King of Khazad-duˆm, Durin III, by the Elven-smiths themselves and not by Sauron, though doubtless his evil power was on it, since he had aided in the forging of all the Seven.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: Appendix A
Unfortunately, Narvi is given very little to do, except run around and reluctantly comply with the king’s orders. Kevin Eldon does as well as he can with the role, but it does feel diminished. There’s a small amusing moment where both Durin’s are asking him to do opposite tasks, and in frustration, Narvi just silently walks out on them.
Rating: I would give this episode an 8.5/10
It’s a very strong episode with a lot of great acting moments from everyone in the cast; still I wish some of these plot lines were spread out across two episodes and not condensed into one.
I am also a bit disappointed in the very condensed friendship of Narvi and Celebrimbor; one scene to establish a friendship between them, and them working on the Doors of Durin together feels more like an easter egg or fanservice that was put in to appease fans. Contrast that with the great friendship built between Elrond and Durin IV in the first season and I can’t help but feel like Narvi’s friendship with Celebrimbor was greatly diminished.
Númenor also felt rushed; Although there’s not much said about Pharazôn becoming King of Númenor in the text, it would have been nice to see more of the political intrigue after Númenor’s failed expedition to The Southlands.
The Annatar and Celebrimbor relationship continues to be the highlight of season two; using Mirdania as an analogue for how Annatar enamored the Gwaith-i-Mirdain to his side was an excellent bit of storytelling and highlights just how well Annatar was able to work his charm to get what he wanted.
About the author: Webcrawler is a full-time data analyst and a part-time Tolkien aficionado and moderator on TheOneRing.net’s Discord Server. When he’s not working or in the discord, Webcrawler is horsing around on Twitter
Tom Emanuel, University of Glasgow.
If you have read The Lord of the Rings, there is a good chance that you skipped over one or more of the 75 songs and poems in J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epic. Yet long before he was the “father of modern fantasy”, Tolkien’s great ambition was to be a poet.
He wrote hundreds of poems throughout his life, running the gamut from playful limericks to lengthy verse epics in Old English alliterative meter (verse that focuses on alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds in two or more words or syllables). But despite his prolific poetic output, Tolkien remains best-known for his prose. Published by Harper Collins, The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien – the first tome to bring together all of his poetry – will not alter its author’s reputation as a storyteller first and foremost, but it will offer readers illuminating new insights into this oft-neglected side of his personality.
This new book has been in the works since 2016, when Christopher Tolkien sent editors Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull several folders of his father’s unpublished poetry. Hammond and Scull are two of the world’s most respected Tolkien scholars, having written painstaking reference works such as the J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide (2017) and The Lord of the Rings: A Reader’s Companion (2008). They have also edited previous works by Tolkien, including the short poetry collection The Adventures of Tom Bombadil (2014).
Between them, Hammond and Scull have precisely the obsessive eye for detail and encyclopaedic knowledge of Tolkien’s corpus required to pull off such an undertaking. And once you hold this deluxe, three-volume, 1,500-page tome in your hands, you will grasp just how monumental an undertaking it is.
The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien contains nearly 250 individual works spanning more than five decades, 70 of them previously unpublished.
Hammond and Scull do not present the poems as standalone texts. They meticulously document the manuscript history of each poem from initial fragments to final drafts, tracing their evolution over the course of years or even decades.
This is because Tolkien would frequently return to the same poem throughout his life, revising and reworking it over and over – much as he did with his literary mythology.
The Sea-Bell is a perfect example. In 1934, Tolkien published a poem in The Oxford Magazine entitled Looney. It describes a man’s voyage to an enchanted other-world and his desolation upon returning to ordinary life afterwards.
Almost 30 years later, Looney underwent major redrafting to become The Sea-Bell, which was published in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil in 1962. The poem’s basic narrative arc remained the same, but the imagery was darker, more evocative, more devastating. The protagonist is utterly cut off from his contemporaries, with no words to communicate an experience they cannot understand.
Both versions of the poem incorporate other recurring motifs in Tolkien’s poetry: the “perilous realm” of Faërie, grief for the passing of an ancient world, the sublime mystery of the sea.
But The Sea-Bell is not merely a revision of its predecessor. Looney was conceived and published as an independent work. In The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, on the other hand, The Sea-Bell is framed as a text written by an unnamed hobbit within Middle-earth, which Tolkien had discovered and translated for modern readers. This conceit invites readers to put the poem in direct conversation with the themes of melancholy and sea-longing which run throughout The Lord of the Rings.
By charting how the poem and its context changed over time, Hammond and Scull show how its meaning changed too.
Poetry of re-enchantment
In Cosmic Connections: Poetry in the Age of Disenchantment (2024), the philosopher Charles Taylor argues that much of western art for the past two centuries has been deeply concerned with the problem of disenchantment.
Many of us live with a nagging sense that industrialised modernity has cut us off from the cosmos, from nature and from our authentic selves. The Romantics and their inheritors believed that art could reconnect us to what is deepest and truest in ourselves and in the world around us – could re-enchant the world.
This is one way to read Tolkien’s entire literary project. He suggests as much in his famous essay On Fairy-Stories (1947).
Eminent Tolkien researcher Verlyn Flieger reads The Sea-Bell as a profound expression of disenchantment, a reflection perhaps of Tolkien’s service in the first world war. But the powers of re-enchantment are at work elsewhere in his work, in the elven-realm of Lothlórien for instance. This dialectic of disconnection and reconnection lies at the heart of Tolkien’s enduring appeal.
As The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien attests, that same dynamic is at play in his poetry as much as his prose. But be forewarned: this book is not for the faint of heart. Its massive scope, and the academic presentation of the material, are better suited to the Tolkien scholar than the casual reader – certainly not the one who leapfrogs the songs in The Lord of the Rings.
But if you, like me, feel a compulsion to own everything released under the professor’s name, that is hardly going to stop you.
Tom Emanuel is a PhD Candidate in English Literature at the University of Glasgow. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The post First publication of J.R.R. Tolkien’s collected poems offers new insights into the Lord of the Rings author’s personality first appeared on Lord of the Rings Rings of Power on Amazon Prime News, JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit and more | TheOneRing.net.
Not too long ago, Games Workshop announced a new edition of Middle-earth Strategy Battle Game -- their licensed tabletop miniature wargame that's based on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies.
Slipped into that annnouncement was a one-sentence tease that, as part of the update, GW would also release a series of figures based on the forthcoming anime feature the Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. (Sneaky!)
Now they've revealed the first of these: foot and mounted versions of Wulf, the Rohirrim lordling who seizes Meduseld (and the throne) from Helm Hammerhand.
Wulf mounted figure for the Middle-earth Battle Strategy Game.GW Lead Design Manager told TheOnering.net that they "worked with Warner Bros. and the creative team behind the movie -- including the absolutely wonderful Arty Papageorgiou and Philippa Boyens -- to make sure our miniatures reflected the visuals of the film whilst sitting well alongside our existing range."
Although I don't play the game myself, I found the card that outlines Wulf's special rule quite interesting.
To me, that first sentence suggests that GW will subsequently release figures for "the heirs and leaders of Rohan". At a guess, I extrapolate that mean it's reasonable to expect additional figures (in no particular order) for: Helm Hammerhand, Háma, Héra, Haleth, and Fréaláf Hildeson. Leaders could also include the mysterious Olwyn who features as a supporter or advisor to Héra in some of the scenes in the recently released Japanese trailer.
UPDATE
TORn Staffer Ostadan wrote to me to suggest that the new edition will very probably be rolled out with a new 'Starter' set (like the Battle for Osgiliath set of a few years ago). He said that "most of the game's fans seem to think that this new starter will be between Rohan and Dunlending factions. This is not a certainty, but does seem likely."
I certainly agree this makes a lot of sense. It would mean additional fiugures such as Freca (Helm's father), the General Taarg, and the bald fellow whose name escapes me right now. Probably a mish-mash of Wulf's folk, Dunlendings and Haradrim/Corsair (I've now seen the offical coloring book calling them Southrons) mercenaries. And perhaps a Mûmakil.
Wulf on foot. Courtesy: Games Workshop.Mounted Wulf. Courtesy: Games Workshop.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB9O5I3_JKMPlus even more War of the Rohirrim tie-in merch from Harper CollinsThat's not all!
In case you missed it, Harper Collins is also releasing three tie-in books that are now available for pre-order on both the HC site, and on Amazomg. (NB: at the time of writing, Amazon seems to have Falconer's Art book on sale.)
The Art of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
By Daniel Falconer. 256pp. Releases February 25, 2025
A comprehensive, large-format hardcover offering unparalleled insight into the making of The War of the Rohirrim, and the complete creative journey from concept to finished film told by the artists and filmmakers themselves. Cover art not yet available.
Pre-order: Harper Collins | Amazon
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Visual Companion
By Chris Smith. 96pp. Releases November 5, 2024.
Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg—a mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation, Héra, the daughter of Helm, must summon the will to lead the resistance against a deadly enemy intent on their total destruction.
With a cast of exciting and original characters, and a mix of locations both familiar and new, this dramatic new standalone story weaves another thread in the grand tapestry of Middle-earth. Lavishly illustrated with breathtaking art and imagery, The War of the Rohirrim: Official Visual Companion is the ultimate introduction to every character, creature and location you will encounter in this epic adventure from the official Lord of the Rings saga.
Pre-order: Harper Collins | Amazon
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Official Coloring Book
By Warner Bros. 80pp. Releases November 5, 2024.
Experience the valiant spirit of Rohan’s warriors defending their homeland against the forces of darkness as you color these breathtaking scenes featuring all the characters, creatures, and landscapes from the new Lord of the Rings movie. Return to Middle-earth and begin a brand-new coloring adventure, from the splendor of the Golden Hall atop Edoras, to the breathtaking landscapes of Rohan, and ancient fortress of the Hornburg.
As well as dramatic scenes from this exciting new installment in the Lord of the Rings movie saga, you can color all of its heroes and villains, including Rohan’s legendary king, Helm Hammerhand, his intrepid daughter, Héra, and her brothers Haleth and Háma, Lord Freca and his son, Wulf, the warlike Southrons and iconic creatures such as the monstrous mûmakil and the savage snow-troll.
Pre-order: Harper Collins | Amazon
Now that the trailer for The War Of The Rohirrim is out, and a wider audience has been able to see footage, the thoughts of some of us return to Stephen Gallagher’s score. And Galllagher has, in fact, been very busy while we've all been staring at animation and musing aobut character designs. TORn Discord moderator Lasswen is here with the low-down.
The Sounds Of The Rohirrim: Gallagher Concludes Scoring; Big Tip on End-song Vocalist?by TORn Discord moderator Lasswen
Trailer 1 began with Howard Shore’s iconic theme for Rohan, but then merged into what seemed to be somewhat generic trailer music.
While it was quite awesome and not out of place, it seems we are yet to hear any new music for Rohan. In June, Staffer Demosthenes published this report on the scoring to that point in time.
Let’s take a look at what has been happening since.
Again, Instagram is our friend. We are very much appreciative of Gallagher and others who have posted about their work so we can follow the journey.
In the later part of June, Gallagher travelled to England. While there was no mention of recording sessions, he did state that there was more music to score and record. At the end of July there was another update: he was nearing the finishing line of the score.
August saw a lot more activity, starting with the final round of recording in New Zealand, with Stroma Ensemble.
That included at least harp (with a small and orchestra-sized harp) and the return of Tudor Consort for additional choral recording. The inclusion of a small harp has me curious about the potential for maybe an accompanied vocal song, or a poignant scene with a singular instrument for a different sort of emotional effect than a large orchestra.
The final run of recording saw Mark Willsher (music producer and mixer, pin3hot) joining remotely from England, but then the recording sessions swapped to London and it was Gallagher that was joining remotely from New Zealand.
The three days of London recording included brass, taiko, timpani, and more crumhorns and shawms. It’s interesting that the shawms worked from the trumpet score, and transposed on sight for this final session, perhaps indicating it was a late decision to try a different sound than originally conceptualised, or to add shawms on top of the trumpets.
Something that does not seem to have occurred (as yet) that was alluded to back in mid-June was more recording in/from Mexico, presumably for more hardanger fiddle from Karen Bentley Pollick.
Yet, that’s not quite the end of it!
In recent days I spotted a mysterious credit on IMDb for “London Voices … choir theme song”. So, if there’s a theme song who could be a soloist to sing on that theme song? It seems we may actually have an answer for that! Staffer Kellie from Happy Hobbit was the first to make the connection: the theme song for War Of The Rohirrim may be sung by Paris Paloma, after the singer shared the trailer.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C_IUyOlodRB/Paloma’s songs often convey powerful messages on women’s issues, and with Héra as its protagonist, she seems like a good fit for a War Of The Rohirrim theme song. For now, this is unconfirmed and speculation.
However, one notes that WOTR writer Arty Papageorgiou has been following Paloma for a few months now. Additionally, the singer seems to already have a fondness for anime with a scene from Howl’s Moving Castle providing some inspiration for another song, as well including an iconic John Howe Gandalf imagine in an picture dump at the start of the month.
Now that we have reached this point, just what do we know about the score for War Of The Rohirrim?
- Orchestra instrumentation includes typical woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion
- Some unusual medieval instruments such as crumhorns and shawms are also present
- There will be a choral section (editor's note: chorals seemed prevalent in the trailer, but maybe that's just me)
- The iconic sound of Rohan from the Jackson films returns with the hardanger fiddle
- Japanese taiko drums and Tibetan singing bowls are being used
- There may or may not be Éowyn playing cowbell (at least that’s what I keep saying about Gallagher’s Weta epic mini being in most of his Insta pics hehe)
- It appears there will be a theme song, possibly sung by Paris Paloma
Gallagher posted on August 28 that scoring had wrapped, so now we await hearing the results of all the talented musicians in bringing this new imagining of the sounds of Rohan to life.
About the author: Lasswen is a former primary and classroom music teacher, who played bass clarinet in high school and community concert bands. As well as being a long-time player of Lord Of The Rings Online, Lasswen makes use of the game’s music system to arrange and perform music in virtual Middle-earth.
During Dragon Con (from now until the morning of Sept 3rd), our fabulous collaboration mug will be once again available for pre-order from our friends at Oscha.
This beautiful mug has on one side Oscha's own 'Doors of Durin' design, and on the other, TORn's special 25th Anniversary logo:
The mugs are only available as a limited edition; they were on sale during San Diego Comic Con, and we've brought them back for THIS WEEKEND ONLY; after September 3rd they'll be gone forever! You can pre-order online direct from Oscha; and for those who are at DragonCon this weekend, you can also purchase in person from TORn's fan table (Hyatt Exhibition Level, opposite the entrance to the Art Show). So don't delay - order this mug or grab one at Dragon Con, and celebrate the 25 years we've had together so far. The road goes ever on....!
Greetings from Atlanta, fellow Bagginses and Boffins, Tooks and Brandybucks, wizards and elves, Rohirrim and Beornings, Men and Women of the West, Nazgúl and Uruks, and other glorious embodiments of the diverse denizens of Middle-earth! And Proudfoots! ('Proudfeet!') It’s Labor Day Weekend, which means Smaug is stirring in the form of the singular Con forged by fans for fans (why, just like TheOneRing!): it’s Dragon Con time!
Now in its 37th year, and much like the world of fantasy in general, Dragon Con has always leaned heavily into its Tolkienian roots, with Middle-earth inspired programming, cosplay, partying, and a global Fellowship serving to inspire many of the 70,000 or so fans who converge on downtown Atlanta every year. And the 2024 version will be no different! Here’s a quick rundown all the Tolkien goodness that will be happening this year, indeed when there seems to be an explosion of so much we can celebrate!
Movie Guests: The Hobbits Are Coming to Dragon Con!It’s a long-expected celebration as we welcome three excellent and admirable hobbits back to our annual party! Billy Boyd and Elijah Wood have been here before, with 2023 serving as a Frodo first for the con. It’s great to have him back, along with an inaugural visit by Dominic Monaghan. We’ll enjoy reminiscences and revelry, past shenanigans and current updates from gentlemen who still bow to no one! Find them at various times across the weekend.
Alas they're not bringing Orli with them to Atlanta...Media Project Updates and an Event: So Much Happening!###### International South, Hyatt, 7pm Thursday 29th - watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Prime Video was so courteous to schedule the opening of Season Two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on the same day that Dragon Con kicks off! They were especially gracious to allow us to host a Release Day Watch Party in a large ballroom space in one of the host hotels where we’ll get to all three of the first episodes on a big screen with 400 or so of our closest friends. There will be swag!
L401-403, Marriott, 11.30am Monday 2nd - The Rings of Power panel
TheOneRing.net will also be hosting a panel on Monday offering an opportunity for reactions and speculations from a crackerjack panel, including our good friend Willie Jenkins aka KnewBettaDoBetta.
L601-602, Marriott, 1pm Friday 30th - The War of the Rohirrim panel
Just as exciting is the upcoming December release of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, the anime collaboration between the same team that brought us both the LotR and Hobbit movies, along with director Kenji Kamiyama. We’ll have a dedicated panel to discuss the recently released trailers, and special recorded interview with producer Jason DeMarco as he digs into some details with staffer greendragon. (Also look for swag...!)
Centennial One, Hyatt, 11.30am Saturday 31st - Middle-earth Updates with TORn
We’ll even do some speculating about the recently announced next movie release coming in 2026, the PJ-produced, Serkis-directed The Hunt for Gollum. That will happen as part of a general update from TheOneRing.net staffers at Dragon Con, along with some good friends, covering a vast smorgasbord of things we have to look forward to in the Tolkienverse.
Some Scholarly Conversations: Academics Can Party?Tolkien fans are noteworthy for also loving to dive deeply into Tolkien lore, characters, themes, and discussions as part of their experience. We’ll be scratching that itch on a number of fronts:
L401-403, Marriott, 1pm Saturday 31st - Here at the end of All Things: Tolkien's Apocalyptic Visions
Our good friend, professor, and author, Constance Wagner, was asked recently about contributing to an upcoming publication discussing apocalyptic themes in fantasy literature. The inquirer wasn’t sure there really was much in Tolkien’s legendarium that dealt with that kind of thing. After Constance calmed down, she recruited a couple of us to join her in road-testing just how apocalyptic Tolkien can be, and across all the Ages of Middle-earth starting with the Music of the Ainur. And what better place to do that than among Dragon Con friends! We may have to hand out cookies to lighten the mood a bit, though.
L401-403, Marriott, 11.30am Sunday 1st - On Fairy Stories
Tolkien’s On Fairy Stories serves as a fundamental apologetic for the importance, depth, and suitedness of these stories in their application to the human condition. Plus they’re good reads. We’re looking forward to engaging with other fans on these foundational ideas.
L401-403, Marriott, 4pm Sunday 1st - The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien
With the publication of the massive three-volume edition of The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien mere weeks away, we take an hour to focus on what we can expect from this monumental effort from scholars Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond. And we’ll probably do a bit of group confession of how many of us skipped the poems during our first LotR reading or two. We may even listen to Tolkien himself reciting some of his verses.
Parades, Partying, Dancing and Singing: Always Trust an Elf! Or a Hobbit!###### Grand Ballroom, Courtland Grand, 8.30pm Friday 30th - An Evening at Bree
Dragon Con (unlike many of those “CC” alternatives around the country), is especially knows for its literal 24-hour partying spirit, both informal and officially sponsored. One of those latter parties, indeed one of the longest standing parties across Dragon Con’s history, is our annual Evening at Bree. Always happening on the first full-day of the Con, this Friday evening festival combines live bands (since back in those the Emerald Rose glory days! - this year we'll have Landloch'd, Beth Patterson, and the Brobdingnagian Bards playing), dancing that’ll bring joy to the most curmudgeonly hobbit, a costume contest showcasing jaw-dropping cosplay talent, and a mini-concert from Bree’s own Elf Choir who gather to rehearse and present iconic fantasy tunes all on the same day. It’s a great way to kick off the Con in a celebratory mood.
Elf Choir performing at Evening at Bree in a previous year - photo courtesy of Geek Behind the Lens###### Grand Ballroom, Courtland Grand, 5.30pm Friday 30th - Sing with the Elf Choir
That Elf Choir, in addition to their larger contingent who perform at Bree, also has a dedicated group of master singers, garbed in elven cloaks and sporting ethereal lanterns, who make their way through the Dragon Con masses on their long and melodic journey into the West. Fortunately, the Grey Havens are proving elusive, and they’ll be back again this year.
Grand East, Hilton, 7pm Sunday 1st - Hobbit Drinking Songs
One of the most riotously reeling renditions of Shire shenanigans happens with the Brobdingnagian Bards’ annual concert (and excuse to dance spontaneously): Hobbit Drinking Songs. They’ve been at it long enough that many in the audience join in, at least on the choruses. And they have CDs!
Grand East, Hilton, 10pm Sunday 1st - High Fantasy Goblin Ball
One of the last parties we’ll be joining this weekend is one where staffer deej will be taking the lead: The High Fantasy Goblin Ball! We always like to pick a theme for these dance parties, usually picking a favorite decade where deej focuses her musical stylings. We’re back to the 80s this year, and using a Goblinesque orientation in whatever forms our attendees might choose. The mashup cosplay has gotten pretty hilarious in years past. The Eye of Sauron in shutter shades, anyone?
Home for this Tolkien-inspired programming, and for many of us Tolkien-addicted people, is one of Dragon Con’s 35 or so dedicated fan groups, or “tracks”: The High Fantasy Track. Home base is right in the center of all the action, on the lobby level of the Marriott Marquis (L401-403). Should you be attending Dragon Con this year, come by and say hi to fellow fans there!
Grab some merch - celebrate 25 years of TORn!You should also, of course, visit staffers greendragon and deej at TheOneRing.net’s fan table in the Atlanta downtown Hyatt, down on the Exhibit Hall level just across from the Art Show (our usual spot). There you can get some fabulous merch - shirts, buttons, and more! Show your political allegiance by voting Gollum/Smeagol 2024; or show your love for TORn with our 25th anniversary shirt and mug.
We're looking forward to seeing friends old and new! Now forgive us as we go finish up that last flourish on our cosplay!
In January I was reading a skeet on Bluesky about how people feel after every re-reading of The Lord of the Rings. Do they still feel the same emotions, have the same reactions as they did when they first read it?
Some of the responses reflected that you can never feel or react the same way as you did during your first reading, as everything you were reading was new and fresh to you, which is very true. A much-shared readers lament is that you can never feel the way you did the first time you read a well-loved story.
Several responses went onto clarify that every re-read still affects them, though in different ways. Could this be due to being older? Having a greater understanding of world-issues? Being able to comprehend more nuances from Tolkien’s writing?
For myself it’s probably a combination of all of these, after all, I was only 8 years old when I first read LOTR. The complexities of the world-building have grown on me as I’ve gotten older, and I’m far more appreciative of these now than I was as a precocious 8-year-old. My main reason for reading LOTR back then was to join in with the discussions my mother and older brothers were having about LOTR. My mother tried to get me to read The Hobbit, but I just wasn’t interested: Mum and the boys were discussing LOTR, and I wanted to join in with that. I did say I was precocious 😉
This led to a life-long love of Tolkien’s work. Many of my fondest memories are related to LOTR. My brothers and I saved up to buy our mum a box set of Tolkien’s books when The Silmarillion was published, those books now live on my bookshelf, along with all my other copies. Many of my responses when re-reading LOTR reflect where I was at that time in my life. Re-reading the books my brothers and I bought our mum reminds me strongly of when I first read LOTR and how much I enjoyed discussing them with my mum and brothers. They also remind me of the wonder she introduced us to when she first shared her love of LOTR with us, and how excited we all were to buy her the box set, so she finally had her own copies.
Now, every time I re-read them; I’m constantly finding new insights. I’ve mentioned the world-building, something that all fans of Tolkien’s work love, the themes of friendship, fellowship, enduring love, and simple joys are what resound with me and lead me back to read these books over and over again.
I’ve mainly mentioned LOTR, as since that was the work that the fans over on Bluesky were discussing, but I also regularly re-read Tolkien’s other Middle-earth books. My favourite is The Silmarillion, probably because I’ve always been a bit of a history geek too, so I really love the deeper insight into Middle-earth that The Silmarillion provides. I’ve honestly lost count how many times I’ve read it, and LOTR. At one point I could quote whole sections of it from memory, but that was a few years ago, before children and other RL interests came along. Still, I can remember quite a bit of its lore. Every time I re-read The Sil I uncover deeper meaning, beauty, and sorrow and it draws me firmly into Middle-earth.
I must admit that I appreciate The Hobbit much more now I’m an adult, than I did as a child. Being a quite advanced reader from a very young age, I absolutely hated anything that I felt was “talking down” to children. As an 8-year-old, that’s how it struck me, I disliked the narrator talking directly to me and skipping things they felt I was too young to witness or understand. Now it just seems a quaint way of telling the story and doesn’t distract me from the tale. I find I can more fully enjoy Bilbo’s travels “there and back again” a lot more from an adult perspective, and I notice and enjoy the nuances far more than I did as a child. Maybe that’s just me.
I know many fans that have come to Tolkien’s works via Peter Jackson’s movies, and, more recently, via Amazon Studios’ The Rings of Power TV. One of the first questions I was asked when I finally crept out of Lurkwood and joined our Message boards was if I was a “book-firster or a movie-firster”. The question wasn’t asked to belittle me, it was asked out of genuine interest as to how I discovered Tolkien, and led to a truly enjoyable discussion about Tolkien’s work and how wonderful it was that more people were discovering his work due to the release of the films. That, while I enjoy the films, the books will always hold the number one spot in my heart, and it’s this first love that draws me back to Middle-earth over and over again.
We’re seeing this again with the TV series, with people finding out about Middle-earth for the first time and wanting to know more. We regularly have new members join our Discord chat, wanting to know about Tolkien’s books, which order they should read them in. Then they share their joy with us all as they read the stories. I have no doubt that we will see another influx after The War of the Rohirrim is released in December.
We are so lucky today to have so many more adaptations set in Middle-earth. As a child the only film I ever saw was the Bakshi Lord of the Rings. While I left the cinema with many questions for my mother, over changes and omissions, it didn’t rob me of my original love: the books. I did immediately re-read the books, and was surprised at how Bakshi’s film, while not perfect, led me to a greater appreciation of the written work.
It’s wonderful, and a privilege, watching others begin their journey into the wonder that is Middle-earth, and having new memories added to my own ongoing journey. As I, and others, have found, I am sure that those who have come to discover, and love, Middle-earth through the recent adaptations will discover the greater realm that awaits them within the written works. At least, this remains my belief and hope.
I wish them well as they embark on their own journey of discovery, of deeper understanding and wonder of the amazing world that we’ve been gifted by J.R.R. Tolkien. This wonderful Middle-earth. I envy their new discoveries, their first steps into this immense literary world, but rejoice that they are joining our Fellowship. Welcome!
Hot on the heels of Staffer Madeye Gamgee's excellent review of the Chicago premiere of The Lord of the Rings musical, TORn Discord chatter Stickybeebae offers more thoughts after seeing the production.
The Lord of the Rings musical: a must-see with familiar elements and exciting new twists By Stickybeebae
Last week, I had the chance to catch the show and catch up with several actors and fans afterwards. Seeing the musical, which debuted 2006, had seemed like a far off dream, as its original run had ended before I finished high school. Helmed by a different production team, this rendition still keeps the original score by A. R. Rahman and Varttina and script with some modifications when it comes to general ambiance.
Though the budget is scaled down, which also made the show more accessible, there is not a lack of quality.
Photo credit: Chicago Shakespeare CompanyOur journey begins with a soft opening of Bilbo Baggin’s 111th birthday party, where the audience is invited to participate in the form of yard games and conversation with the guests. It was a delightful surprise that I hoped would be carried over from the Watermill Theater, where this production launched, as the Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a very different venue.
Rick Hall as Bilbo Baggins, welcomes the audience to his party.After Bilbo’s grand exit, the plot takes a darker turn as those familiar with the books and films are aware, and the story clips along at a steady pace. Due to the condensed nature, there are some liberties taken with this adaptation, most prominently the combination of the Two Towers and Return of the King and several character omissions such as Eowyn, Eomer, and Faramir. Denethor also takes on a very different role and in many ways is reminiscent of Theoden. The exposition is never heavy handed and gives audiences enough backstory to understand this rendition and the characters involved, without becoming burdensome. One example of this is the introduction of Gollum, which occurs during the Council of Elrond, as we are introduced to his backstory through a flashback enacted by shadow puppets.
Given the fantastical nature of Middle Earth and manner of frightening and mystical creatures, puppetry becomes an integral component of the production. The first emergence are the skeletal horses of the black riders. I was blown away by what the production was able to accomplish in terms of effects to bring the show to life. Whether it was the grand illumination of the Door of Durin, or the terror of the Balrog awakening in the Mines of Moria, it felt like you were there experiencing the events with the characters. My only disappointment was the lack of physical presence of Treebeard and the Balrog, which are largely achieved through sound design and lighting effects.
The physical performances of the actors is what really breathes life into this adaptation of Tolkien. Spencer Davis Milford gives a haunting portrayal of Frodo as he grapples with losing himself to the ring. Due to the truncated nature of the story, his gradual realization that his story could potentially echo Gollum’s is a highlight in terms of character arcs. Tony Bozzuto as Gollum is delightfully unhinged, as he spends much of the second act bouncing around the stage.
It’s reminiscent of Andy Serkis’s portrayal both in terms of movement and voice, but he achieves it without any CGI. I asked him after how he was able to maintain that sort of energy throughout the show and he credited feedback from the audience, so when you go don’t hesitate to laugh, cry, or in the case of when Shelob appears, shriek like a small child. Another standout performance was Will James Jr., who had a commanding presence worthy of the character of Aragorn. It takes little suspension of disbelief to imagine him motivating the armies of the west to march into Mordor.
Instead of an orchestra, there is a cozier feel as the cast play their instruments on stage. Gimli has a lament to Moria with an acoustic guitar that will steal your heart, and when Sam reminisces about the Shire, an ensemble of hobbits and Rosie lifts him up in song. It is hard to rival the performances of the great Laura Michelle Kelly and Rosalie Craig but Lauren Zakrin and Alina Taber did phenomenal jobs as Galadriel and Arwen, respectively. And it shows that the grand acrobatics of the original musical were not necessary to bring those characters to life. There is a strong South Asian influence to Anjali Mahra’s choreography that incorporate movement that almost weave the story together like a tapestry. The show finds ways to keep the battles interesting and engaging without a massive cast of extras, and there is an “avenger’s assemble” moment that occurs right before the return of Gandalf.
One creative liberty the show explores is exactly what the one ring tempts Frodo with, which is forestalling the decay of magic and the loss of the elves. Though as Frodo and Sam trudge through Mordor, Galadriel sings “Wonder” accepting that though Lothlorien will fade, new life will prevail which we see a glimpse of during the Epilogue. I highly recommend bringing tissues for the finale, as it’s as much of a tear jerker as its predecessors.
After the show, I took some time to explore Navy Pier, and caught up with a group of fans wearing bespoke Lord of the Rings shirts who had ventured from Utah to see the show. Some of their takeaways were that it was a great experience for anyone who had missed the original run, and that the new voices and incorporation of a band onstage really invigorated the score. I also had a quick chat with Will who expressed “I feel like I have the greatest job in the world because this role [Aragorn] is so iconic. Both in literature and in what was immortalized in the films, so it was a blast to revisit this work in such a unique presentation.”
Will James Jr. unveils Anduril as Aragorn. Photo credit: Chicago Shakespeare Theater.As a whole, the Lord of the Rings musical is a must see that has familiar elements but the format brings in new twists in an experience you won’t want to miss.
Regular readers will know that The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale has been playing at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre (quick, catch it before it closes on Sept 1!); and will then head down under, first to New Zealand and then to Australia. Staffer Madeye Gamgee went to see the show in Chicago, and was fortunate to have an opening preview conversation with Producer Kevin Wallace.
“This is all about the Hobbits telling their story.”Pippin (Ben Mathew), Sam (Michael Kurowski), Frodo (Spencer Davis Milford), and Merry (Eileen Doan) dance as only hobbits can.This Gandalfian counsel from The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale producer Kevin Wallace provides an essential lens for anyone engaging in the magic that sweeps across the Chicago stage in this re-imagined production of the epic Tolkien classic. Just as Tolkien himself discovered upon penning, “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit,” so too this musical seeks to transform the epic into the intimate, connecting us to joyfully humble hobbit roots through memorable songs, sparkling dance, and music from the performers themselves. “It’s a retelling of their story,” per Wallace; appropriately so given Frodo’s entrusting of the Red Book of Westmarch to Sam and his progeny. The songs go ever on and on.
Originally conceived “as a great piece of commercial art” in its mithril-financed, three-act/3.5 hour initial form for Toronto (2006) and London’s West End (2007-8), 'The Lord of the Rings Musical' has seen a renaissance at a much more hobbit-like scale. Now billed more simply as A Musical Tale, the 2023 revival at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury (UK) dropped an entire act, reduced the number of actors by more than 40, and compressed the run time by nearly an hour. (You can find staffer greendragon’s review of that production here.) “Compared to the earlier productions, this is ‘rough’ theater,” Wallace explained. “It’s hobbits telling their story with what’s available to them… It’s actually ‘big’ theater with the illusion of being ‘poor’. You’re allowed to see how we’re doing it.” Which is why Pippin goes to war carrying a cello, a feat which comes off surprisingly well, to the consternation of a few marauding orcs; and we’re talking some serious swordsmanship by the double bass player.
Two and three quarter hours to cover the whole book? Really?Spencer Davis Milford as Frodo and Tom Amandes as GandalfThe PJ extended edition movies combined run for over 12 hours of content, and listening to the unabridged audiobooks will take you at least 54 hours at regular speed. So how is it possible to pack all of this theatrical Third Age goodness into the flight time between New York and Chicago (and still in time to wrap up before all the local restaurants close)? Kevin Wallace is very familiar with the challenge: “Given the films, we must satisfy our audience’s primary expectations.” Appearances by a very shadowy and flame-flowing Balrog, a stage-filling Shelob, and an especially spot-on and athletic homage to Andy Serkis' Gollum (by actor Tony Bozzuto) certainly fed these appetites. “The essence of the story, though, is Sam’s and Frodo’s journey. Side sections have to fall away…” So the lands of Gondor and Rohan become “the Lands of Men”, Théoden and Denethor combine to become simply the “Steward of Gondor”, and we lose storylines and characters that many find dear. All you lovers of beacon-lighting, Paths of the Dead/Dead Marshes, and “I am no man” heroics may need a post-play re-watching, particularly of the second two movies, to scratch those particular itches. But even though there's still no Bombadil, if you’ve ever wondered what John Lithgow’s version of Treebeard would sound like, this is the production for you.
Still, this is no mere cryptic condensation - despite what some less flattering critics have dwelled on since the inaugural performances in London and Toronto. This production certainly rewards any who are already familiar with the LotR story and personalities, whether through the book and/or movies: character connections are easier, e.g., between Merry and Pippin or Frodo and Gandalf; and plot compression leaves room for personal appreciation of excluded side quests and lost details. I found that the musical’s condensed frame actually served to intensify how I experienced some core Tolkien themes: the blending of voices, musical languages, and cultures in a functioning (and whirling) Fellowship; the enchantment and providential intricacy of dance as an element of creation and connection; the longing and reassurance of beauty observable in stellar spheres, sharply contrasted with the darkness that lingers here in Middle-earth (thank you, Kevin, for continuing to defend the inclusion of “The Star of Eärendil” on the song list!); and especially the hope and heartbreak of repentance, sometimes attained as with Boromir, and sometimes approached and then rejected, as with Gollum’s tragic tale. This was beautifully portrayed (far better than anything PJ produced) in Gollum’s self-aborted restoration to a more noble, never-ending story of worthy Hobbit heroes, as sung by Frodo and Sam in the poignant “Now and for Always” as they approach Mordor and Shelob’s snares. Gollum’s plaintive lyrical mimicry, and the mirroring choreography as he and Frodo together reach for some unseen saving grace, all leverage live theater powerfully in a demonstration of their shared addiction, and diverging paths, given the power of the One Ring. We even hear a faint note of self-sacrifice from Sméagol as he falls toward the Cracks of Doom, “Master is free…”
While condensed, this Musical Tale still manages to offer worthy, and unique, moments to integrate into the ways you may have experienced the artistic and thematic power of Tolkien’s story.
The Road Keeps Going Ever OnThe Red Book of Westmarch gets a new owner at the Grey Havens in this production, too!The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale continues to evolve. “Our Watermill production was a beautiful, intricate Swiss watch,” said Wallace. “Now, here in Chicago, we’ve built a more highly sophisticated Swiss clock.” Even with all the sets, puppetry, and props shipped in from last year’s UK production, the US premiere enjoys a larger venue than the Watermill, courtesy of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s innovative and flexible stage, The Yard. Director Paul Hart works wonders in leveraging this flexibility, from multilevel balconies built into the set, to Gollum’s gymnastic entrance from mid-audience to begin Act 2, to the lighting and mechanical magic that the set makes possible. The US cast and orchestration has also grown a bit from its Watermill roots, adding four new cast members/musicians (including that dangerous double bass). “It’s a production with Chicago ownership, reflecting the demographics and acting talent of the city,” added Wallace.
So where does the Road lead once the Chicago production wraps on September 1? The Civic Theater in Auckland has already scored a similar limited run as Chicago’s, with shows from the 5th though the 24th of November. And just announced is an Australia premiere, with performances beginning at the Sydney State Theater on January 7, 2025. And whither then? Well, wait and see!
“This production is not only a phenomenal opportunity, but also a huge responsibility. You just don’t want to take it for granted… In time, others will take the words and the music and ask, ‘How will I tell that story?’ But we’re still in our infancy with this one.” Suffice it to say that Kevin Wallace has dreams. Big dreams. Take some jewelry to Mordor big, unsurprisingly.
The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale continues through September 1 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. You can find tickets on their website, here.
Staffer Madeye Gamgee and his wife Rosie (Emily and Jim Wert) bookend longtime TORn friend/birthday girl Prof. Constance Wagner, and our new friend Michael Kurowski post-preview. And Samwise sure sports some stylish shoes when not in hairy feet!
The Rings of Power S2 is fast approaching. To keep you thinking, TORn Discord moderator Webcrawler's back today with some more pre-release analysis and some interesting insights into a character who will only become more important as the story unfolds: Elendil the Faithful.
The Rings of Power: analysing Elendil the Faithfulby TORn Discord moderator Webcrawler
The following analysis contains mild plot spoilers from recent news articles and trailers, so avoid if you do not wish to know. I'm going to try to talk about the thematic arc of Elendil in S2, but I'll start with a recap of Elendil's actions in S1.
In a S1 interview with Nerd of the Rings, Lloyd Owen mentions The Story of Job from the Bible as a source for understanding Elendil. I thought it was interesting, as Tolkien describes Elendil as a "Noachian figure" in Letter 131 (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien). But Job also works.
Job from the Bible (a quick primer)
Job is a righteous man who was blessed with a good life, family, wealth, etc. Job's faith is then tested and he loses everything. Job however praises God, but is given more trials. He then curses himself for being born, but still does not rebuke God (yet).
Job is an interesting comparison, because in S1, Elendil is a Faithful. In S1, Ep. 3, he justifies bringing Galadriel to Númenor, telling Miriel "The Sea put her in his path". Elendil has already lost his wife at this point. But he still retains some level of his faith.
However, by Episode 7, after losing Isildur, Elendil comes close to rebuking his faith: he wishes he never "pulled that Elf on board" his ship. It's similar to Job cursing himself for being born.
The fault is still not with "The Sea", his Faith, but rather his own actions.
So in S2, I think Elendil will continue a Job-like story arc. We've seen from behind-the-scenes footage and promotional material that he's jailed. We've read that Eärien might turn against him to seek justice for the loss of Isildur. He likely will lose his position as Captain; more trials for Elendil.
An aside: there's a moment in S1, Ep. 6 when he talks to Isildur about horses and Númenoreans. He mentions learning it from his wife.
I wonder if she was more Faithful of the two. I imagine her death caused strife within the family; Why Anárion became more devoutly Faithful.
The Parable of the Faithful Son
We've established Elendil's Job-like story arc in S1. Indications are this will continue in S2. But how does it conclude? He can't just suffer endlessly for no reason. So where does it take him, and why?
In an interview with Black Girl Nerds, Lloyd Owen talks about Elendil's arc in S2. Lots of good stuff, but at around 27:00 Lloyd says, "And to take that gift with me on my horse and ride with it, super special."
What is this gift, where does he go?
Many have guessed that the gift is Narsil, and he rides west to Andúnië, but I want to ask why and how. Here I bring up another Biblical comparison, which I believe leads to Anárion's appearance, either at the end of S2 or in S3. And that is the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
This Parable features three characters: A father and two sons. The younger son asks the father for his inheritance, leaves the family, and goes off gallivanting. He spends all the money, becomes destitute, and returns home. And yet, the father welcomes him back with open arms.
The older brother, who stayed dutiful to the father, complains, and then the father says in Luke 15:32, roughly, "But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
The parable is about redemption.
Thje Rings of Power flips this around. You have a son (Anárion) who is Faithful, who leaves his Father and siblings, who choose to be less Faithful in order to fit into Númenorean society. In S1, Ep. 3 Elendil says: "The past is dead. We either move forward or die with it".
He wants to leave the old ways.
In the Parable the son returns to the father, seeking forgiveness and redemption. However, here it is reversed; I think it's the father (Elendil) who will return to the son (Anárion), seeking forgiveness and redemption.
This is why I think Elendil rides off at the end of S2.
There's a setup for this too. In the same dinner scene, Elendil says, "There is nothing for us on our western shores". Ironically by the end of S2, there might be nothing for Elendil in Armenelos: one son is presumed dead; Eärien hates him; he's likely no longer Captain.
It's unclear how things with Míriel are, but likely, she will play the role of appeasing Pharazôn and the King's Men. In the same interview with Black Girl Nerds, Lloyd mentions that "his leadership qualities are being taught to him" by Miriel. There are also hints of unspoken love.
This scene could be a goodbye scene between them, where Míriel gives Elendil his sword. If so, it's a variation on Elrond giving Andúril to Aragorn in The Return of the King. Elendil must set aside the Sea Captain, and become who he was born to be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p5zm-9NCh4
There are hints in S1 about what Elendil's lineage might be. I've previously discussed how the show is doing Elendil's lineage from the Lords of Andúnië . I think there's reason to explore that further in S2, leading to him receiving Narsil.
So I think that all of this, Elendil's suffering, his struggle with Faith in Armenelos, will lead him to going West. Narsil is a Quenya name that symbolically refers to the Sun and the Moon. Anárion means Son of the Sun.
To renew his Faith, Elendil must turn to the Sun.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season Two: Amazon Original Series Soundtrack)About the author: Webcrawler is a full-time data analyst and a part-time Tolkien aficionado and moderator on TheOneRing.net’s Discord Server. When he’s not working or in the discord, Webcrawler is horsing around on Twitter.
Look for TheOneRing.net’s annual Baggins Birthday Bash at Griffith Park just 4 weeks from today.
You can find the event at https://www.facebook.com/events/8264139026978984/ and RSVP in the discussion section with what food, beverage or picnic supplies you plan to bring. If you don’t do FB, you can RSVP to Garfeimao@TheOneRing.net with that info. Please read the About info, and open it to reveal More because there is a lot of info in there, including driving directions, the fact we are in the Mineral Wells portion of the park, and start time (11:30am).
If you are looking for ideas of what to bring, you can see from the above image, portable chairs, pop up tents, blankets, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses are all standard. Cosplay, full on or just geeky shirts, we welcome it all and often have a very robust contest.
And then there are the food items, this is a Potluck, so bring at least enough of something you and your traveling companions can eat. We always end up with too much, but that’s not a terrible thing. One you, we had lots of drinks and no cups, so supplies like cups, plates and eating utensils is also a really good idea. And some ice chests to keep those beverages cool. And finally, desserts. We moved off bringing an official birthday cake, to turning that into a competition of Cake and Cupcake makers to design their own Middle-earth themed tasty desserts, so put your creative thinking caps on.
The post LA Baggins Birthday Bash Sept. 22 first appeared on Lord of the Rings Rings of Power on Amazon Prime News, JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit and more | TheOneRing.net.
This week, TORn Discord moderator Webcrawler returns with a new article delving into a concept that Tolkien developed called Ósanwe (a Quenya word meaning "interchange of thought"), and how the showrunnners have used it for various story purposes in Season 1 of The Rings of Power.
Examining The Rings of Power through Tolkien's Concept of Ósanweby TORn Discord moderator Webcrawler
Much has been said about what the showrunners of The Rings of Power have access to in regard to the source material. For those who think the showrunners are not allowed anything beyond the appendices, or are not digging deep into the text, let me introduce the concept of "Ósanwe" as outlined by Tolkien in an essay titled "Ósanwe-kenta", or "Enquiry into the Communication of Thought", and show how it applies to many of Halbrand’s (aka Sauron’s) actions in S1 of The Rings of Power.
Hall of Lore has a great thread that covers the concept in detail from the text.
A superior mind (like Sauron) could communicate a desired vision direct into another person’s mind, who would then see it as something external. There are limitations to the solidity of the vision if the recipient is a mind of less power (which probably means men).
Hall of Lore: here and here
But for our purposes we'll simplify it to apply it to what we are seeing in The Rings of Power. The most basic concept is that all minds are equal and open.
All minds (sáma, pl. sámar) are equal in status, though they differ in capacity in strength. A mind by its nature perceives another mind directly. But it cannot perceive more than the existence of another mind (as something other than itself, though of the same order) except by the will of both parties.
Ósanwe-kenta, Enquiry into the Communication of Thought
Another important idea is that conversation is necessary to gain access to the mind. The use of language can only be done in person. To gain access to someone's mind, you first must meet them and start speaking in person. And that's what we see Halbrand/Sauron do in S1.
For, as the Ósanwe-kenta essay states, “the will to converse in lambe [Quenya meaning "tongue, language"] is a will to communicate thought and lays the minds open”.
Knowledge may be gained or imparted by what the text calls a Guest (someone seeking to communicate), even when the Host (the person receiving the communication) is not seeking or intending to impart or learn information.
The act of G will be effective, if H is simply ‘open’ (láta; látie ‘openness’). This distinction, he says, is of the greatest importance.
Ósanwe-kenta, Enquiry into the Communication of Thought
[Editor's note: to avoid confusion, the "he" in the above means the elven scholar/historian, Pengolodh. The entire essay is a commentary on Pengolodh's thoughts about how Ósanwe function. If you're interested in learning more, it's easiest to find this essay in The Nature of Middle-earth.]
During my rewatch of Season 1 of The Rings of Power, I noticed that Galadriel is at first unwilling to talk to Halbrand. He tells her, "you needn't keep your distance". As the previous tweet implies, speech is needed for ósanwe to "link". He's trying to get her to open her mind.
It's only when Halbrand tells her that "It was Orcs" that attacked his homeland, that she opens to communicating back with him, seeking information. That is all he needed to start "worming" his way into her mind. She wanted something, and here only he could give it to her.
Habrand: it was orcs.
Galadriel: your home. Where was it?The Rings of Power. S1, E1: Adrift.
In the Ósanwe-kenta essay, Pengolodh outlines how by making himself seem useful, helpful, even friendly, Melkor could trick others into trusting him; Halbrand does the same with Galadriel here; she has been searching for proof of the return of the enemy, and he has just proved himself useful and being able to get that proof.
[Morgoth] would come by stealth to a mind open and unwary, hoping to learn some part of its thought before it closed… he was above all benevolent; he was rich and could give any gift that they desired to his friends; he had a special love for the one he addressed; but he must be trusted [emphasis mine].
In this way he won entry into many minds, removing their unwill [emphasis mine], and unlocking the door by the only key, though his key was counterfeit.
Ósanwe-kenta, Enquiry into the Communication of Thought
Halbrand hints at doing this: "Identify what your opponent most fears. Give them a means of mastering it. So that you can master them". Halbrand's gift to Galadriel is "knowledge". By offering this gift, he gains Galadriel's trust, and thus enter her mind.
He does this with Míriel and Pharazôn as well; When he appeals to Míriel to let them stay a few days, and when he offers to give Pharazôn intel on where Galadriel is going (Palantir's Tower). Being willing to listen to him was enough to allow Halbrand into their minds; acceptance of advice creates a small enough amount of trust for Halbrand to create an opening.
Halbrand: Guards! My friends.
[crowd silences]
Halbrand: It seems to me that our leaving presents some complications. Perhaps it’d be better if we stayed…
Míriel: Stayed?
Halbrand: Long enough, good Queen, to give you and your advisors adequate time to weigh our request.The Rings of Power. S1, E3: Adar
Halbrand: I wouldn’t advise that.
Pharazôn: I can’t very well let her leave.
Halbrand: You could. If you knew exactly where she was going.The Rings of Power. S1, E4: The Great Wave
And this explains why Celebrimbor became ensnared in Episode 8 of S1. Here, Halbrand puts his powers of manipulation on full display: flattery, humility, advice and gratitude. "Call it a gift" he says of the knowledge he shared, giving him access to Celebrimbor's mind. The hands touching represent the ósanwe connection being made.
Halbrand: Might there not be some alloy to amplify the qualities of your ore.
Celebrimbor: Well, that is… an intriguing suggestion.
Halbrand: Call it… a gift.The Rings of Power: S1, E8: Alloyed
Later in this same episode, we get evidence of this mind infiltration: an image of Celebrimbor with a shadow of "chains" over him, while he speaks of using the mithril to craft a crown for Gil-Galad to wear to heal the elves.
Compare the dialogue and you see the Celebrimbor speaks the exact words that Adar spoke to Galadriel, yet he was not there in The Southlands to have heard it. He also says the words "over flesh" which Adar had told Galadriel about back in Episode 6: Udûn, when explaining to her why he killed Sauron. Galadriel most certainly did not tell Celebrimbor; so it must have been Halbrand. And yet, when asked, Celebrimbor “believes” those were his own words.
Lastly, when the spell is broken, and Galadriel realises Halbrand is not who she thought, she realises how much he planted ideas in her mind; wanting to get an army, and convincing Míriel to sail to Middle-earth. We are presented it as always having been her idea, but it's not true.
Galadriel: There is no King of the South lands. The line was broken. The last man to bear your crest died over a thousand years ago. He had no heir.
Halbrand: I told you I found it on a dead man.
Galadriel: No. No, on the raft, you saved me…
Halbrand: On the raft, you saved me.
Galadriel: You convinced Míriel to save the Men of Middle-earth.
Halbrand: You convinced her. I wanted to remain in Númenor.
Galadriel: You fought beside me.
Halbrand: Against your enemy. And mine.The Rings of Power. S1, E8: Alloyed
As shown by Beyond Darkness here, Halbrand was one who initially planted the idea within Galadriel that she needed an army. And he continually reinforced it throughout the Season 1, subtly pushing her towards this goal that she thought was hers at first.
And so, we can see that Sauron has been using Ósanwe to influence Galadriel and others throughout Season 1 whenever he needed; and then Celebrimbor when he got to Eregion. And, based on some of the trailers, we can see that in Season 2 he will continue to do this with Celebrimbor, until the reverie is broken for him as well, and Celebrimbor, along with the other elves, will realise that they have been deceived.
About the author: Webcrawler is a full-time data analyst and a part-time Tolkien aficionado and moderator on TheOneRing.net's Discord Server. When he’s not working or in the discord, Webcrawler is horsing around on Twitter.
We know little about hobbit healers, but it is safe to assume that at least some hobbits of the Shire would have grown herbs not just for delicious seasoning, but also for their many healthful properties. One of the easiest and most versatile herbs to grow is catnip (Nepeta cataria), also known as catwort. As the name suggests, the herb is beloved by many a feline, but did you know that it can also calm anxiety in hum-err, hobbits? Join Kili in this new episode of Happy Hobbit to learn more about this amazing plant and how to ingest it!
https://youtu.be/zlMrd-TK8YQHappy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers' daily lives since 2012! Learn hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
For example, the sisters nicknamed Kili and Fili recently recorded their reactions to the final trailer for season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and for the first ever trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim! You can check out both below. Trailer reactions have become a tradition for the YouTubers after going viral for their reaction to the trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug many years ago!
https://youtu.be/aPq5-KdPvwghttps://youtu.be/UTi1DkHKI4oGet even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
Eagle-eyed spies have noted that The War of the Rohirrim director Kenji Kamiyama linked to a revealing article on Japanese publication AV Watch on his Twitter account just earlier.
The article contains some fascinating quotes from key members of the recently announced Japanese voice cast. I'm using good ol' Google translate so I cannot attest to complete accuracy of translation, but let's break it down.
First, there's some background on the Japanese trailer acknowleging it's unsual difference fgrom the US domestic version:
...in order to convey the worldview of "Lord of the Rings" to fans around the world, including in Japan, a Japanese version trailer with different content was released simultaneously worldwide, which is an unusual move.
AV mentions a handful of stand-out details from the JP trailer:
In the video, we can see the horn, the great eagle, Mumakir, orcs, and even Saruman the White and the Horn Castle, all familiar to "Lord of the Rings" fans. At the end, "someone" appears who is collecting golden rings, reminiscent of the "One Ring."
Opinion seems to be firming around the idea that the figure with the pouch of rings, collecting them from corpses on a winter battlefield, is an orc whose name is Rot (the unconfirmed Japanese romanisation is "Lot."). We don't know for certain, but it seems a logical conclusion that this is some sort of free-lance servant or agent of Mordor -- since he asks "What would Mordor want with rings?" A Nazgul wouldn't ask such questions, nor a close servant like Mouth of Sauron. However, it's worth remembering that, in The Two Towers, Grishnákh seems aware that there are Rings of Power.
The thought came suddenly into Pippin's mind, as if caught direct from the urgent thought of his enemy: 'Grishnákh knows about the Ring! He's looking for it, while Uglúk is busy: he probably wants it for himself.' Cold fear was in Pippin's heart, yet at the same time he was wondering what use he could make of Grishnákh's desire.
This is never more fully explained, but Pippin's conclusion seems correct: at least some orcs know about Rings. How and when did they discover this knowledge is an interesting question.
Anyway, we'll return to this Rot/Lot individual shortly.
The article then focuses on the cast, revealing some interesting details:
Takako Honda, who voiced Éowyn in the Japanese dub of "Lord of the Rings," will play Olwyn, who supports Princess Hela [sic]. In the subtitled version, Miranda Otto, who also gave a passionate performance as Éowyn, will play Olwyn, making this a timeless collaboration.
Olwyn may be this character on the left of Héra, who is also seen in a scene on the Deeping Wall during the siege of the Hornburg. It appears that Otto is doing double duty voicing both Éowyn and Olwyn. Honda may be doing the same. It's a little unclear.
...the role of Lot, an orc who is an important character in the story, will be played by Manabu Muraji, who was the Japanese voice actor for Meriadoc Brandybuck, played by Dominic Monaghan in "Lord of the Rings." And the role of Rohan's servant Leaf will be played by Jun Tatani, who played Hiccup in "How to Train Your Dragon" and also appeared in Kenji Kamiyama's "Eden of the East."
Leaf is probably the young ... page/squire on the left. This shot shows the Olwyn character on the right much better.
The article then has some interesting comments from some of the Japanese voice cast.
Masachika Ichimura as Helm Hammerhand
The character I play, King Helm, is so strong that he is called the "Hammer King" because he can knock down enemies with just one fist. Just recording the voiceover for this trailer required so much energy that I lost my voice. This film depicts the emotional drama of King Helm and Princess Hera. As a parent of two children myself, I think there are parts of the story I can empathize with.
Loss and grief is such a prominent part of this tale. First, Wulf, through the death of his father, Freca. Then later, Helm grapples with loss as well after the deaths of his sons Haleth and Hama. Appendix A describes how he grows "gaunt with famine and grief" and when I spoke to Philippa Boyens back in 2022 she mentioned "the madness born of grief from the loss of a child" while we were discussing the role of Helm. She says she "saw the tales of him slipping out during the siege [of the Hornburg] and attacking the camp for his people as literally someone trying to -- even with their bare hands -- protect the people as the king should."
Fuka Koshiba as Héra
Princess Hera was raised with the love of her father, King Helm, and is a dignified woman who is adept at riding horses and swordsmanship. Although she is hesitant at first, she is a strong-willed character who faces the crisis of the kingdom as a princess to protect her people, with a sense of responsibility and determination. The main dubbing of the film is still a little ways off, but I think that fans of The Lord of the Rings, as well as those who are watching the series for the first time, will enjoy it.
I find it interesting that Koshiba decribes Héra as "hesistant at first" yet faces "crisis of the kingdom as a princess to protect her people". There's also a snatch of dialogue in the trailer with someone, possibly Olwyn, seeming to implore her: "People need hope, Héra."
That seems to me unlike Éowyn, who yearns for battle. In fact, as a described, she puts me more in mind of Frodo's uncertainty when Gandalf tells him the truth of the One Ring: "I suppose I must go alone, if I am to do that and save the Shire. But I feel very small, and very uprooted, and well - desperate. The Enemy is so strong and terrible."
Also, taking both Ichimura's and Koshiba's comments together, it seems that the Japanese cast has only just begun their work, and perhaps even have only voiced the trailer so far.
Kenjiro Tsuda as Wulf
The appeal of Director Kenji Kamiyama is that he has created an entertaining work that anyone can enjoy while incorporating complex and philosophical elements. Wulf, the character I play, is not just a villain, but a character with his own reasons and drama.
This supports Philippa Boyens' telling TORn that they have viewed Wulf as a complex character in his own right, and that they've been interested in exploring why Wulf chose to act as he did: "Wulf, if he’d made the right choices, it would have been a different story. He doesn’t. He makes other choices, and they’re very interesting choices – and where those choices come from is really fascinating. He’s one of my favourite characters ever that we’ve ever created."
Takako Honda as Olwyn (and perhaps Éowyn -- TBC)
My role is Olwyn, a maid to Princess Héra. She receives secret orders from King Helm and acts with Héra until the end.
What are these secret orders? When are they given -- at Edoras before it falls, or later at the Hornburg during the winter siege? Intriguing.
Manabu Muraji as Lot/Rot
It's been almost a quarter century since the first trilogy, in which I voiced Meriadoc Brandybuck (Merry) in Japanese, was released in 2001. I'm really happy to have been able to continue to be involved in the world of The Lord of the Rings in various ways during that time. This film depicts the battle in Rohan, a place that has a special connection to Merry, and I'm grateful to Dominic Monaghan for playing a role that's completely different from his previous roles! I hope you'll come to the theater to see his transformation!!
It seems that Muraji was chosen because he'd done a voice role dubbing Dominic Monaghan before. Further, saying he's grateful to Monaghan for "playing a role that's completely different" pretty much confirms that the English VA for Lot/Rot is none other than Mr Dominic Monaghan. TORn Staffer Justin was on the money during our trailer breakdown chat earlier today.
Taya Hayato as Leaf
I will be playing the role of Leaf, who is Héra's servant. Although he is a little timid, he is a kind-hearted boy who tries his best to support Héra as she walks through her cruel destiny.
It's very interesting to hear it called a cruel destiny, rather than a heroic one. Again, to me, this sounds like Héra is more called by necessity than driven by inner-purpose. Or, to quote Gandalf and Frodo yet again:
‘I wish it need not have happened in my time,’ said Frodo. ‘So do I,’ said Gandalf, ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given, us.
Currently playing at Chicago Shakespeare Theater's The Yard, and recently announced as heading to New Zealand later this year, it has now been revealed that The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will follow that with a visit to Australia.
(FRODO (Spencer Davis Mildford, at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre); Photograph by Liz Lauren)Here's what the press release tells us:
THE LORD OF THE RINGS - A MUSICAL TALE CONFIRMS AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
[Thursday 15 August] The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, the stage production based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy beloved by generations of readers, will make its Australian premiere at the State Theatre Sydney from 7 January 2025.
Longtime fans and newcomers alike will journey to Middle-earthTM in the company of Hobbits, as J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy of books The Lord of the Rings is brought to life on stage by a cast of multi-skilled actor-musicians, in a theatrical event that celebrates community, courage and camaraderie. “Tolkien would have been so proud” – WhatsOnStage
Created under license from Middle-earth Enterprises (the owner of exclusive worldwide motion picture and stage rights for The Lord of the Rings), producers confirmed Australia secured the production following its highly anticipated US premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. “A MUST-SEE SHOW to put on your summer list” – Chicago Stage & Screen.
The Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale had its initial production at The Watermill Theatre in the United Kingdom, receiving rave reviews with The Guardian proclaiming it ‘The Greatest Show on Middle-earth’ and the Mail on Sunday calling it ‘Something rather wizard”. The production will also play in Auckland, New Zealand, at the end of 2024.
The Australian production arrives following the 70th anniversary of the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy which debuted in 1954.
“The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is a celebration of storytelling at its finest, most electrifying and enigmatic; and we are so pleased to support this epic adventure as it travels to the magical continent of Australia from its origins in Middle-earth. At the risk of sounding cliché, this truly is a show you cannot miss," Fredrica Drotos, Steward of MEE, emphatically declared.
“It is time for Australia’s actors and actor-musicians to tell their version of The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale in Paul Hart’s wonderful theatrical production, and we are looking forward to their bringing Middle-earth to audiences at the State Theatre, Sydney”, said Kevin Wallace of Kevin Wallace Productions on behalf of the producers.
As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging - a gold ring. This fateful moment launches Frodo on a legendary and perilous quest across Middle-earth to the darkest realms of Mordor, to vanquish evil with his loyal Fellowship. The dynamic folk-inspired score is performed live by the company on stage, weaving together original music with storytelling.
Auditions have already begun in Australia to find the next generation’s iconic roles from the beloved trilogy, including Hobbits Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, Gollum, Galadriel, Gandalf, Arwen and Aragorn.
On behalf of Australian co-producer GWB Entertainment, Torben Brookman said, “This is a production that will delight The Lord of the Rings fans of all ages, whether you are 8 or 80, there is something for everyone in this brilliant telling of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic tale. It is the perfect show for the summer in Sydney and we could not be more delighted to bring the production to Australia.”
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale features a book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day) and original music by Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams, Slumdog Millionaire), Finnish folk band Värttinä, and Tony Award winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical).
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is presented in Australia by Kevin Wallace Productions, GWB Entertainment, Middle-earth Enterprises, Tim McFarlane, KHAM Inc, People Entertainment Group, The Watermill Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS - A MUSICAL TALE
STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON AT THE STATE THEATRE SYDNEY
FROM 7 JANUARY 2025
WAITLIST OPEN NOW AT LOTRONSTAGE.COM
As a reminder: you can read TORn staffer greendragon's review from the production at The Watermill Theatre last year, here. Staffer Madeye Gamgee saw it - and loved it - in Chicago. Who is going to see it in New Zealand or Australia? Don't miss it!
https://youtu.be/NlcW8YxKr2I
A new trailer has dropped this morning, for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2. Darkness will rise indeed! This trailer very much focuses on the dark power of Sauron, and of the war and destruction he brings to Middle-earth. At 2.14, it is a full minute shorter than the previous trailer; but it still packs a punch.
Take a look:
https://youtu.be/c9fsBy45YTQ?feature=shared
Some initial reactions from staffer greendragonWow this is a powerful trailer! This season is definitely Sauron's show; there is hardly anything bucolic, Shire-like, or even of Elvish beauty to be seen in this trailer.
0.01 I like this 'dissolving into black' thing they're doing with the Prime logo for this season.
0.14 Sauron of many faces...
0.23 Bit of a 'PJ Helm's Deep' moment there. (To be fair, I guess it's more of a 'medieval warfare' moment...).
0.26 Go easy on the bling there, Gil-galad!
0.29 The implication for S2 seems to be that we are supposed to wonder if Galadriel has been corrupted/is under the sway of Sauron. (Robert Aramayo suggested as much in a remark during the Hall H panel at SDCC: Elrond loves Galadriel and believes she is a force for good, but also has his doubts.)
0.41 Once again, can't wait to see how the dwarven story line plays out in S2. Such a great cast.
0.57 Can't wait to see Sam Hazeldine step into the role of Adar. He's going to be terrific.
1.03 A flash back moment? Back in Valinor? (Any chance of a bit more Finrod...? One of my favourite wee cameos in S1!)
1.26 I always get a kick out of seeing a Balrog. Still wonder what he's doing there...
1.32 Oooo Ciaran Hinds!! Can't wait to see him. Pretty clearly one of the Maiar - but who...?
1.36 What's going on here? Is Tom in control of that fire flare? He doesn't look concerned; thought the Stranger looks pretty startled.
1.49 Can't help feeling like the Harfoots aren't going to have much of a role to play in S2.
1.51 Entwife!
1.55 Arondir gets a Legolas moment.
1.59 Yep, we are definitely supposed to think that Galadriel might be under Sauron's spell.
Lots of sinister happenings (including those wights, at least one troll, and another glimpse of Shelob) in this trailer. The evil of Middle-earth is gathering! I'm less interested in these kinds of effects than in the actors and how they bring the characters to life; so the highlight of this trailer, for me, is that glimpse of Ciaran Hinds. What a great addition to this ensemble.
Share your thoughts and join the chat about the trailer in our Discord!
In our latest episode of the Collecting The Precious Podcast, we are chatting about the amazing collectibles that we saw during San Diego Comic-Con 2024 from Weta Workshop, Vanderstelt Studio, Diamond Select Toys, Iron Studios, and Cliff Cramp Illustration. We'll be discussing what we hope to see as we work towards next years SDCC, and we'll also talk about Jim's first time attending SDCC.As always thanks for watching and taking the time to support what we do here at TheOneRing.net.[gallery ids="119014,119015,119016,119017,119018,119019,119020,119021,119022,119023,119024,119025,119026,119027,119028,119029,119030,119031,119032,119033,119034,119035,119036,119037,119038,119039,119040"]
San Diego Comic Con International has long hosted TheOneRing.net and our friends through various panels, booths, and events. While you can read the full run down here, you can now also join Kili for a glimpse of the goings on at the TORn booth on Saturday and Sunday in the latest episode of Happy Hobbit. It's an honor for TheOneRing to host such esteemed guests as actor Jed Brophy, composer Bear McCreary, Tea with Tolkien, Nerd of the Rings, and several other Tolkien content creators, all of whom make appearances in the below video. Also not to be missed are the fabulous cosplayers from near and far, Gollum/Smeagol running for President, and the breath-taking artwork of VanderStelt Studios!
https://youtu.be/mimKnj_Ns3sHappy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers' daily lives since 2012! Learn hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
It's already been a week since San Diego Comic-Con , which was an expected crammed full with good things for Tolkien fans. Here's a look back on all the Middle-earth related happenings from SDCC 2024.
PanelsHall HOn Friday morning Prime Video took over Hall H. Fans who made it through the long wait in line were treated to an opening montage of clips from Prime Video shows - which included little snippets of Season 2 of The Rings of Power which had not yet been seen elsewhere. The 10am slot was an hour of irreverent fun from the cast of The Boys; this was followed by The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hour.
TORn friends in line for Hall H!Bear McCreary, drummers and male voices got this off to a great start, with compelling music from Season 2. Immediately after that, a clip played - which, interestingly, was our first time hearing the name Annatar spoken on screen. (He isn't named as such in the current trailer - which was shown later during the hour.)
Host Yvette Nicole Brown was joined on stage by many cast members. Present were:
- Showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne
- Cyntha Addai-Robinson (Míriel)
- Robert Aramayo (Elrond)
- Maxim Baldry (Isildur)
- Morfydd Clark (Galadriel)
- Ismael Cruz Córdova (Arondir)
- Charles Edwards (Celeborn)
- Trystan Gravelle (Pharazon)
- Ema Horvath (Eärien)
- Tyroe Muhafidin (Theo)
- Sophia Nomvete (Disa)
- Lloyd Owen (Elendil)
- Megan Richards (Poppy)
- Charlie Vickers (Sauron)
- Benjamin Walker (Gil-galad)
- Daniel Weyman (The Stranger)
- And joining them a little later - Sam Hazeldine (who takes over the role of Adar, from Joseph Mawle) and Robert Strange (the orc Glug).
Host Yvette Nicole Brown with Charlie Vickers, Morfydd Clark, and Benjamin Walker The showrunners talked about how Season 2 is 'Charlie vs Charlie' - the collaboration which becomes confrontation between Sauron and Celeborn. Morfydd Clark said she thought Galadriel had perhaps learned, in Season 1, 'Don't trust handsome men!' Robert Aramayo remarked on Elrond's complicated relationship with Galadriel - that he feels she has made mistakes, but ultimately believes her to be a force for good.
We were treated to some fabulous behind the scenes footage, showing the forging of the rings. Lloyd Owen spoke of the battle for the soul of Númenor which we would see starting in Season 2 - and of Elendil's own battle between his love for his country and his love for his daughter.
It was confirmed that the spider seen in the trailer is none other than Shelob. Megan Richards hinted at a possible romance for the Harfoot Poppy, and Sophia Nomvete shared that we would get more powerful singing from her, as Disa resonates the stone in Khazad-dûm.
Audience questionsIn answers to the questions posed to the ensemble from the floor, showrunner McKay said yes, there is 'room for Glorfindel' in The Rings of Power - and possibly even Ungoliant? Ismael Cruz Córdova said, when asked if there was a chance that Arondir could be Theo's real father, that though the Elf is not Theo's Dad, he does step into a fatherhood role in this season.
In another clip shown, we saw artist John Howe sketching all of the rings of power. To end an amazing hour, Ben Walker confirmed that Gil-galad sings in the show; and then he stepped up and gave us an example of his wonderful Elvish singing.
Friday evening's panelRoom 25 ABC was packed out for TheOneRing.net's panel, where we were joined by some very special guests. TORn staffers on the panel were Justin Sewell and Clifford Scott Broadway (familiar to followers from TORn Tuesday); Josh Long and Jim Wert ('Collecting the Precious'); and moderator Kirsten Cairns (aka greendragon). Guest Matt Graf (Nerd of the Rings) joined them.
From L to R: John Mayo, Josh, Jim, Matt Graf, Lee Guinchard, Cliff, Justin, Jason DeMarco, Joseph Chou, KirstenThe panel began by welcoming to the stage producers from The War of the Rohirrim, Jason DeMarco and Joseph Chou. They set up exclusive footage, kindly provided by Warner Bros. for us to show at the panel. Gaia Wise (who voices Héra in the film) had a video greeting for TORn, and this was followed by a lovely message from producer Philippa Boyens. And then we got our first glimpse of the movie. (Sorry we can't share you with it here - but the buzz in the room was epic!)
De Marco and Chou were generous in their answering of questions, explaining why Héra seemed the ideal choice of character to tie together the various threads of the story; why anime is an ideal format for telling a tale from Middle-earth; and how they decided to hire many British stage actors for the voice work, as they feel anime needs the 'bigger' acting style used on stage. They also talked about how it was a true collaboration amongst all the artists involved, but how Kenji Kamiyama and Peter Jackson have quite different styles - and ultimately, it is Kamiyama's vision we will see on screen.
DeMarco and Chou then left the stage, and the audience were treated to some exclusive new images from the upcoming game Tales of the Shire. We were then honoured to welcome, from Middle-earth Enterprises, VP of Creative and Product Development John Mayo, and none other than the President, Lee Guinchard. Middle-earth Enterprises own the licensing rights - originally sold by Tolkien himself - to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This means they are involved in all the gaming and film adaptations, as well as the licensed merchandise out there. (TheOneRing.net is licensed by Middle-earth Enterprises.)
Not surprisingly, Guinchard wasn't giving anything away when we asked him about the upcoming film The Hunt for Gollum; but he did say he was excited for the project. He was keen to emphasize how Middle-earth Enterprises take seriously their custody of Tolkien's creation, and that they approach each license with exacting standards, and with love for the Professor's realm. He even hinted that he perhaps sometimes lurks in TORn's message boards or Discord chat!
We could have talked for much longer, both to the producers from Warner Bros. and the gents from Middle-earth Enterprises. But alas, time ran out. We're so grateful to all the guests who appeared on our panel, and who provided content. Special thanks to WB for providing some of the first official The War of the Rohirrim 'swag' for folks who were in the audience.
I am No Man: the Creative Women of Middle-earthThis panel took place on Saturday afternoon, in room 5AB - and rather than telling you about it, how about you watch it yourself? Moderator TORn staffer Kellie Rice was joined by women leaders from Weta Workshop, EA games, Wizards of the Coast, and Middle-earth Enterprises; hear what they had to say in this video of the panel:
https://youtu.be/gM1vigYzk5EPartyTheOneRing.net were honoured to co-host, with Prime Video, The Rings of Power Middle-earth Moot! Venue 808 was beautifully decorated, with photo opportunities and with stunning costumes on show. All of the rings of power (apart from the ONE ring) were on display to be ooh'd and aah'd over by party goers; and some lucky fans had an opportunity to meet the cast, and have a poster autographed.
Beautiful cosplay was worn by some attendees, and a good time was had by all. Enjoy some photographs (thanks for Ellen Monocroussos for taking some of these):
TheOneRing.net Booth We were delighted to be joined at our booth this year by Nerd of the Rings Matt Graf, and Jordan Rannells, creator of A Long Expected Soundscape. Fans were excited to meet Matt, and his shirts and caps sold out. The Long Expected Soundscape was perhaps unexpected for many fans - but folks loved having the opportunity to experience the atmospheric audio world created by Rannells. No less a person than Bear McCreary himself was wowed by what he heard! (Find out more about Rannells' amazing work, here.)
Composers Bear McCreary and Jordan Rannells at TORn's boothStaffer Kellie Rice, aka Happy Hobbit, was also at the booth - and her shirts, along with TORn's 'Gollum/Smeagol '24' election shirt, all sold out as well.
The maestro of Middle-earth, Jed Brophy, thrilled fans throughout the convention, with amazing tales of hijinks and heroics on set (for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit movies, AND The Rings of Power!) We were also joined by many other special guests over the course of the weekend; Knewbettadobetta worked with Matt to host a brilliant trivia session, and fans were delighted to chat with Tea with Tolkien and The Tolkien Professor.
And that was a wrap for SDCC 2024! Next stop, DragonCon; if you're hoping to snag one of our sold out 'Gollum/Smeagol '24' shirts, that will be your opportunity! We look forward to seeing our fellow fans there. Meanwhile, big thanks to all who partied, chatted, and celebrated the Middle-earth fandom with us in San Diego.
Don't forget, you can always hang out with your fellow fans at TheOneRing Discord - see you there!
Earlier this year, toy manufacturer Funko released a series of The Lord of the Rings figures in its 'Bitty POP!' format. Today they announced the expansion of this line to create a 'Bittyverse'. The manufacturers say, 'A refreshing extension of the core Bitty POP! line, Bittyverse focuses on enhancing the playability of the miniature Funko products by inviting fans to mix and match with new, IP-driven Rides, Towns and Displays.' In The Lord of the Rings line, this means their Frodo Baggins figure gets his own Hobbit hole.
Part of the 'Bitty POP Town' range, the Hobbit hole is released today and retails for $9.99. Official details:
Your favorite The Lord of the Rings POP! collectibles have been shrunk into Bitty POP! collectibles. Expand your collection with Bitty POP! Town Frodo Baggins™ with the Ring and the Shire! Bitty POP! figure is packaged in a hard acrylic display case with a detachable bottom lid. The detachable bottom lid doubles as an acrylic base, to which the Bitty POP! figure is adhered. Remove this exclusive Bitty POP! Frodo Baggins™ from his display case so he can step inside the Bitty POP! Town The Shire! Vinyl figures are approximately 0.9 and 2-inches tall.
A bit more information about the Bittyverse, from Funko's press release:
Taking the tiny figures to the next level of play, Bitty POP! Rides let fans take new Bittys on the “open” road with IP-specific Rides. Fans can also utilize new releases to drive into Bitty POP! Towns, which offer a variety of iconic IP-inspired buildings and locations. Each Town comes with a related Bitty POP! and case that can be placed within the Town. The latest releases allow fans to create endless combinations and run wild with their imaginations as they have the opportunity to place any Bitty POP! in a Bitty Ride or Town!
Funko POP! collectors will be delighted by these adorable additions to the Bittyverse. We wonder if eventually Frodo will get his own Bill the Pony 'Bitty POP! Ride'...?
Most hobbits grow their own fruit for baking and, if not, are certain to have a good relationship with their orchard-loving neighbors! Kili was hoping to bake her own delicious sweets when cherries started forming on the cherry tree at her hobbit homestead. Alas, the bluejays had other plans, and one by one, flew off with the ruby red treats! Thankfully, the market at Michel Delving was having a sale on frozen cherries (grown by a hobbit with plenty of scarecrows, no doubt).
This new episode of Happy Hobbit follows Kili as she bakes that quintessential symbol of summer every halfling enjoys on a picnic: cherry pie! Making tasty desserts from scratch means a fine hobbit like yourself gets to enjoy a multitude of flavors otherwise unknown, so what are you waiting for? Watch the video below to learn how you, too, can bake like a hobbit!
https://youtu.be/G0Nw7qNH_VEWhile you may expect to find Kili at home in the kitchen of her hobbit hole, she is actually currently attending San Diego Comic Con International! If you happen to be at the convention, please be sure to pop by TheOneRing.net's booth #1934 to say hello, grab a Happy Hobbit freebie, and check out the first ever Happy Hobbit shirt featuring Kili's artwork, amongst the many other fine offerings at the TORn booth this year (you can learn more about them and a multitude of other happenings to do with TORn at SDCC here).
This afternoon (July 27th) at 5:30 PM PST in Room 5AB, Kili (Kellie) is also moderating a panel on behalf of TheOneRing.net called I Am No Man: The Creative Women of Middle-earth! The panel features four fantastic women: Lisa Birchall of Wētā Workshop, Fredrica Drotos of Middle-earth Enterprises, Harless Snyder of Wizards of the Coast, and Margaret Mauvais EA Games, all of whom have helped bring Middle-earth to life. The panel promises to be an insightful, empowering discussion that you won't want to miss!
You can find out a bit more in the announcement video below.
https://youtu.be/1aNymEGIM_4Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers' daily lives since 2012! Learn other hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
At San Diego Comic-con this morning, Prime Video took over Hall H to reveal more goodies, to whet the appetite of fans who are eager for Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. A new, extended trailer (run time 3 minutes 39 seconds) was revealed. And it was itself revealing!
Here it is, for your viewing pleasure:
https://youtu.be/pzJDzIDv0mo?feature=sharedAnd here's the official press release that goes with it:
Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power* UnleashesEpic New Trailer for the Upcoming Second SeasonDebuting to thousands of excited fans during San Diego Comic-Con’s cast and showrunner panel, the trailer showcases never-before-seen footage of the legendary Rings, magical creatures, glimpses of battles to come, and the Dark Lord Sauron’s growing evil influence across Middle-earth*
The Rings of Power’s highly anticipated new season premieres on Prime Video August 29th
SAN DIEGO—July 26, 2024—San Diego was transformed into Middle-earth on Friday, as Prime Video showcased the highly anticipated second season of the epic series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay were joined on the iconic Hall H stage by over a dozen cast members for a lively and insightful conversation moderated by Emmy-nominated actress and renowned genre fan Yvette Nicole Brown (Avengers: Endgame, Community).
The ensemble cast thrilled the 6,500 fans who packed the massive convention center hall by unveiling a brand-new exclusive trailer for the upcoming season. The action-packed trailer focuses on the long-feared reemergence of the legendary villain Sauron, heralding the return of darkness and evil to Middle-earth after many years of hard-fought peace among all of its realms. The trailer also highlighted the creation of more of the titular Rings of Power, forged with the aid of Sauron’s powers of deception and manipulation.
Fans were also excited to see a glimpse of many of the fantastical, and sometimes frightening, creatures that will appear this season, including a young Shelob, an army of Barrow-wights, Hill-troll Damrod, a Sea Worm, and even Ents! The riveted crowd also enjoyed teases of several major battle scenes that will be pivotal to Season Two’s storylines.
The cast members who participated in the show’s Hall H panel were Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Maxim Baldry, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charles Edwards, Trystan Gravelle, Sam Hazeldine, Ema Horvath, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Megan Richards, Charlie Vickers, Benjamin Walker, and Daniel Weyman.
The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on August 29, 2024.
In Season Two of The Rings of Power, Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without an army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will. Building on Season One’s epic scope and ambition, the new season plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity. As friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good—Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots—will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all: each other.
The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison, along with co-executive producer and director Charlotte Brändström, producers Kate Hazell and Helen Shang, and co-producers Clare Buxton, Andrew Lee, Glenise Mullins, and Matthew Penry-Davey. Additional Season Two directors include Sanaa Hamri and Louise Hooper.
Some initial reactions from staffer greendragonI'm sure all fans will have thoughts and reactions. Here are a few quick reactions of my own - and questions which have me pondering!
0.01 My first thought was, 'Is he in an old fashioned elevator...?'
0.16 Peter Mullan is terrific as Durin III. Can't wait to see his character arc in this season.
0.40 Interesting to see the elves' reactions to their rings - Elrond's distrust will be a fascinating plot point.
0.43 Love any time we get a Middle-earth sweeping vista.
1.06 Is he Eowyn? (lol)
1.12 I am so excited to see wraiths/Barrow-wights. I was always sad that the 'Fog on the Barrow-downs' chapter didn't make it into Peter Jackson's movies.
1.36 Who are these guys? (Interesting sci-fi/apocalypse/dystopia movie feel...)
1.40 Nori looks older and wiser; I suspect we are going to see a big development in this character, from innocent/playful/childlike to stronger but perhaps also careworn. Markella Kavenagh is definitely equal to the task of showing us such growth.
1.41 Goodies or baddies? More sinister priestess type figures? Where is this taking place?
1.46 The Stranger has definitely grown more erudite. This is another character arc I am looking forward to see. Who will this Maiar prove to be?
1.52 The mighty Trystan Gravelle! He is epic as Pharazon; he brings such presence to the role. And - guess what? Another fascinating character arc lies ahead...
1.59 Still trying to work out which balrog this is, and why he's here in Khazad-dhum?
2.03 Durins head to head. In general, it is the actors who really make this show for me; Peter Mullan and Owain Arthur are exceptional, and their energy together is a force to be reckoned with. I think seeing Durin III overcome by his ring is going to be heartbreaking.
2.19 Can't wait to see Rory Kinnear's Tom Bombadil. We do need to see him sing and 'derry-dol' a bit; but it would be somewhat grating to have this character being jolly and skipping about the whole time. He's one of the biggest mysterious in Tolkien's legendarium; I hope he maintains some gravitas and mystique.
2.22 Poor Celebrimbor. His destruction is going to be like a Shakespearean tragedy; and Charles Edwards is capable of playing it to maximum impact.
2.26 I was sorry to see Joseph Mawle depart The Rings of Power, as I thought he was outstanding in Season One, as Adar. But I am confident that Sam Hazeldine is going to do an excellent job, stepping in to the role. I'm prepared to go with it, and enjoy seeing this character in the hands of another skilled actor, just as I would enjoy seeing someone new take on the part of Macbeth.
2.28 And speaking of Shakespearean characters - this is such an 'Et tu, Brute?' moment. If you seek to become a dictatorial ruler, we will kill you with your own crown...
2.40 I think I'm detecting an Entwife here...
2.42 LOVE the relationship between Elrond and Durin. Also is it just me, or is Elrond growing his hair out? By Season 5, maybe he'll be getting close to Hugo Weaving style tresses...
2.49 Spoiler!! Isildur Lives!
3.06 Pharazon and Eagle showdown - can't wait.
3.12 Love the way he says, '...the Nine.'
3.14 Look at those skulls on the troll's belt; nice detail. (Is this Damrod, mentioned in the press release?)
We all look at these things with our own interests at the forefront. Costumers and cosplayers will be looking at outfits; as a stage director, I realise as I write these notes how strong my focus on the acting is. There is much of beauty in The Rings of Power; I love Bear McCreary's music, and the stunning sets and cinematography. But for me, what really makes the show is the extraordinary ensemble cast and their profound portrayals of the characters. That is what I await most eagerly in Season 2 - seeing the journeys they will all go on, and enjoying being taken along for the ride.
With San Diego Comic-Con already started and a new Hall H trailer just around the corner, we have much to be enthused about for the sophomore season of Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” New reveals and equally exciting information comes our way almost daily now that the show’s full marketing apparatus has been put into motion. Here is a list of Top 10 Things To Be Excited About in TROP Season 2 as we get close to the Aug. 29 season premiere date.
Here we have collected some very keen characters and reveals from the marketing posters, trailers, and other items from print interviews that represent a significant furthering of the narrative in this Second Age series. This List is potentially littered with spoilers unless you’re already aware of these ads, trailers, and pre-release magazine articles, so be forewarned.
In no particular order (but be sure to check out the full List):
- Círdan the ShipwrightThe elf with the beard (!) is finally on the scene with his ship-building skills. Played by Ben Daniels, this remarkable character has much history behind him and big things to do in Middle-earth. He is older than Galadriel by eons, incredibly wise and perceptive, and will give a powerful gift to a certain Wizard when they first meet. We saw the forging of the Elven Rings in Season One; now with his character confirmed we know the ownership of Narya, the Ring of Fire, will go from Círdan ultimately to Gandalf.
The presence of Círdan gives rise to the possibility we could learn more of the family history of the Noldor; and see the Grey Havens being visited by the Númenoreans, as often happened during the Second Age. How soon before Círdan and He-who-is-still-called-the-Stranger meet up remains a tantalizing unknown. This assumes of course a known identity for the Stranger (see #3 on our List).
- Pharazon’s Intentions RevealedThe calculating chancellor Pharazôn certainly has a distinguished path in this story toward utterly tragic villainy. He is shown in a trailer at the court of Tar-Míriel, addressing the crowd and drawing a bright sword as a Great Eagle appears in the opening behind him. This is where the friendly voices in our Discord have shared thoughts and come to the conclusion that the appearance of a great Eagle at the same time Pharazôn draws a blade is NOT a good sign for the bird.
Following this hypothesis: IF the potential execution of this noble creature as a piece of terroristic theater; and is meant as a dreadful act of defiance against the Valar themselves, it certainly gives one chills. This revealing of Pharazôn’s nefarious intentions will certainly propel the story towards the utter Downfall that we know is coming to Númenor: a cataclysm that could very well be, years down the line, a mega-spectacle unseen in television history.
- Tom Bombadil in RhûnOf all lingering complaints the one that has lasted for years was that Tom Bombadil was the most overlooked of all Tolkien characters when it came to popular adaptations. Apologies to Glorfindel. But seeing Jolly Tom skipping and singing poetry while he carries many flowers to Goldberry would as likely cause an unexpecting newbie audience to check out as anything else. He was always the great anachronism in The Lord of the Rings, yet remained a beloved Fan Favorite. Now he gets his first ever appearance with Rory Kinnear playing the part!
Where in the distant East will Tom be residing and why? It seems Nori and the Stranger will meet him in the lands of Rhûn. It is possible he has heard of the missing Entwives, or is somehow drawn to this region merely by his inquisitiveness to see what’s going on; for something is indeed afoot in Rhûn. All bets are off, but a favorite theory is that the Stranger will not exit Season 2 without knowing his true identity, and that Tom Bombadil could be helpful in this quest of the Istari seeking his own name. However, star Daniel Weyman has hinted that the Gandalf-specific dialogue he uttered in Season One might not be all that it seems…
- Creation of All Those Other RingsScratch it up to general impatience, but many fans wanted to see more literal ‘Rings of Power’ in Season One, yet only the Three were made. Also there was the surprise at the creation being out-of-order. But here we see Seven Dwarven Rings in the new poster, and one especially bright sapphire jeweled Ring in the hands of King Durin III. The Showrunners seem to be revealing these Rings within the show’s narrative according to their mentions line-by-line in the famous Ring Verse, showing a unique linguistic dedication on their part. As we see a desperate Celebrimbor dumping a huge handful of Rings into a burning furnace, we ultimately know they are all destined for other hands.
Fans speculate that the Seven feature heavily in Season 2 and that the Nine Rings for Mortal Men will be shown a bit later. That means the One will be made very last of all. This leads us directly to #5.
- The War of the Elves and SauronInterviews with series Director Charlotte Brändström tell of a huge battle to be depicted this Season. The ultimate betrayal of Sauron is revealed to the Elves by his creation of the One Ruling Ring of Power. This causes a chain reaction of panic, mobilization, and warfare. No longer disguised as Halbrand, Annatar himself has very much been in the mix, working to deceive Celebrimbor in a mighty fashion (see #10 on our List). Celebrimbor by this time would have given Narya to Círdan, Vilya to Gil-Galad the High King, and Nenya to Galadriel. The poster of Morfydd Clark bearing her magnificent Ring is, well, magnificent. These Elves immediately remove their Rings, hiding them from the Dark Lord, leading him to take them by force of arms.
The city of Ost-in-Edhil is really in for it, and the images of Elrond (Robert Aramayo) in full battle armor are tremendously revealing in terms of where the story is now headed. In short, the aftermath of the battle will ultimately lead to the founding of Imladris. For those unfamiliar with the books, the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm come to Elrond’s aid while his forces retreat Northward, giving them time to escape. There are great casualties. The safest prediction here is that by the end of this Season Elrond and the survivors of the War will find themselves in a narrow protected gorge of the River Bruinen; a place that will become an all-time favorite location in Middle-earth.
- Is Cirián Hinds a Wizard?Dumbledore’s brother Aberforth was played by the remarkable Northern Irish actor Cirián Hinds; yet sadly he was underutilized. He even famously appears as another Character in Game of Thrones. If recent reports ring true, we shall meet an equally auspicious wizard in the eastern lands of Rhûn this Season. Fellowship of Fans (via Games Radar) reports that Mr. Hinds will indeed be playing an Istari searching for the Stranger, completing his Grand Trifecta of acting in the largest-ever Fantasy properties.
Will this be one of the infamous Blue Wizards (Alatar or Pallando chosen by the Vala Oromë)? Teasing an even crazier idea, could he be playing a very early Curunír (Saruman) who certainly traveled to the East?
- Adar’s BetrayalOne of the coolest new characters introduced last Season was Adar: he whom the Uruks call “Father.” Previously played by Joseph Mawle but in future Seasons played by Sam Hazeldine, this character caused significant buzz and conversation, perhaps more than other non-canon characters added to the series. It is easy to see why. He somehow betrayed Sauron in the distant past, a deadly treachery not easily forgiven by the Dark Lord. He held up a mirror to Galadriel that caused her to self-reflect on her revenge-driven impetus. Reports have surfaced saying that the opening of Season Two will show us a Shakespearean scene between Adar and Sauron à la “The Tragedy of Julius Cesar,” containing the most famous back-stabbing scene in English literature.
I can already hear the famous line: “Et tu, Bruté?” being modified by Tolkien fans to say: “Et tu, Adar?”
The Adar storyline tied up with the schemes of Sauron will cause discussion for a long time. We know that there is only one true Lord of the Rings, and he does not share power. That won’t stop Adar from trying to secure his place in the new power structure of Mordor and make things easier for his Uruks. Just a fascinating character!
- Intrigue in Khazad-dûmWhenever Season One spent time in the Halls of Khazad-dûm it was distinctly time well spent. The best and most uplifting friendship between an Elf and Dwarf was on full display, and it was marvelous. Elrond and Prince Durin IV shared scenes of empathy, willfulness, and deeply appreciated humor. Even the grand television stereotype of “an elevator conversation” actually happened between these two dear friends (best use of the old trope in ages).
Expect he worsening of relationships between Durin III and his son, as things got so bad at the end of Season One he actually excommunicated his own heir from the Royal Line. The intrigue continues apace as Prince Durin IV’s wife Disa (played by the lovely Sophia Nomvete) motivates her husband to stand his ground. Then an evil Ring will be distributed. This means things will only worsen within the Dwarven Halls of old. And yet Disa has been mentioned as a “Lady Macbeth” type character who motivates her husband behind-the-throne, which is tantalizing indeed.
- Narvi’s Friendship with CelebrimborLast Season, many wondered at the lack of the Doors of Durin, for there was nothing but a small nondescript opening without any ithildin engravings. We saw Elrond enter Khazad-dûm from there. The time compression of this series keeps things vague but we were indeed shown the face of the Silvertine before the existence of that Gate. Now the exclusive reveal from Entertainment Weekly confirms the most famous friend of Celebrimbor will indeed appear: Narvi the master craftsman!
Played by Kevin Eldon, this character along with Tom Bombadil comprise two of the most sought-for characters that have never been shown in a Tolkien adaptation. Celebrimbor and Narvi will befriend one another and ultimately the Doors of Durin will be built. Fans cannot wait to see this seminal moment depicted. It certainly reminds us of the conversation outside the Hollin Gate where Legolas says to Gimli:
“Those were happier days, when there was still close friendship at times between folk of different race; even between Dwarves and Elves.”
- No More Mystery Boxing!Sauron’s machinations were hidden from audiences in Season One, as he used the identity of Halbrand to fool Galadriel and bring her to a more “sympathetic position.” This caused no small degree of frustration at the “mystery boxing” approach of the character. That is all in the past.
Now that Saruon’s identity is fully revealed “The Rings of Power” series can move forward unencumbered by such a plot contrivance, and the audience is definitely the great beneficiary. Everyone sitting at home knows THAT’S SAURON, yet so many of the characters onscreen still do not. Yes, Elrond has yet to have a prickly conversation with Galadriel about how exactly Halbrand was brought into Eregion. Putting that aside, the story can only benefit from using the classic approach of Dramatic Irony to punch up the tension and dynamics. We will be rooting for our heroes to be smarter, more cautious, and to not let evil slip into their midst – and yet it surely will. This is much better and will allow the narrative in Season Two to breathe and expand.
This List shows how many exciting developments are in store for us, and gives distinct promise to the future of the series. We can assuredly see where the train is headed as J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay continue to lay down the tracks. Now is the time to tune in as “The Rings of Power” weaves more intricate storylines and a potpourri of Second Age lore into a heady mix of epic fantasy.
Much too hasty,
Clifford Broadway
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Clifford Broadway, longtime contributor and webhost for TheOneRing.net, is co-author of the bestseller “The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien” (2003) and co-writer/producer of the award-winning RINGERS: LORD OF THE FANS (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2005).
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TheOneRing.net @theoneringnet
Clifford Scott Broadway @Quickbeam2000
The post Top 10 Things to Get Excited About in “Rings of Power” Season 2 first appeared on Lord of the Rings Rings of Power on Amazon Prime News, JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit and more | TheOneRing.net.
If you're a fan, like I am, of the awesome figures our friends at Diamond Select Toys are doing, and you're going to be at Comic-Con this year, you'll want to make sure you get this.This year their exclusive collectible representing The Lord of the Rings, is a fantastic looking deluxe version figurine of Gimli. From the images we have been provided, a number of hands, weapons, and two head sculpts are included with the figurine.Con attendees will be able to grab this for $40 at the show, and, if any are left, you can get them on Diamond Select the Monday after the Con.
We're delighted to reveal a special collaboration we've worked on with our friends at Oscha: TheOneRing.net 25th Anniversary mug! Now available for pre-order.
This beautiful mug has on one side Oscha's own 'Doors of Durin' design, and on the other, TORn's special 25th Anniversary logo:
The mugs are only available as a limited edition. You can pre-order online direct from Oscha; and we'll also have a limited quantity of mugs available for purchase in person at DragonCon this year. (Sorry, we won't have the mugs at SDCC this week; but we will have pre-order information!) Please note, this pre-order is for a VERY limited period - it ends July 31st at 4pm BST (11am EST). So don't delay - order this mug and celebrate the 25 years we've had together so far. The road goes ever on....!
TORn is excited to announce that Jerry Vanderstelt has once again created the must have of San Diego Comic-Con Exclusive collectibles.Last year, lucky Con attendees were able to purchase one of Jerry's amazing The Lord of the Rings Trilogy print set collectibles. This year he's back with a beautiful trio of prints, as a set for Comic-Con 2024. The three prints consist of Aragorn, Arwen, and the beautiful symbol of Gondor. These 12x16 prints are limited to 300 pieces, and will come signed, as well as numbered. They're a steal as well for only $40. You'll need to get in early as these will not last the entire show![gallery ids="118891,118890,118889"]
Tolkien fandom will be prominent at San Diego Comic-Con this year, with exclusives from Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, New Line Cinema's The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, and the fan community here at TheOneRing.net. Get ready for a week of reveals from Middle-earth!
PanelsThree amazing panels happening this year for all The Lord of the Rings related adaptations!
- Hall H, Friday 11am - The Rings of Power comes to the biggest pop culture stage with a preview for Season 2 of the biggest show in TV history. Most of the cast and showrunners are expected, along with a new extended trailer.
- Friday 8pm, Room 25 ABC - TheOneRing.net "main" LOTR panel This is one not to miss! We'll be featuring exclusive footage from upcoming animated movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, plus official info on the future of LOTR from Middle-earth Enterprises, with some very special guests and some surprises!
- Saturday 5:30pm, Room 5 AB - "I Am No Man: Women in Middle-earth" Hosted by TORn staffer Kellie Rice and featuring women leaders from Weta Workshop, EA games, Wizards of the Coast, and Middle-earth Enterprises.
PartiesPrime Video and TheOneRing.net are celebrating the upcoming Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power with a Middle-earth Moot! We're honoured to be co-hosting this exciting event on Friday afternoon - but we're sorry to have to tell you that the tickets were all snapped up in record time, and the party is full! Looking forward to seeing folks with tickets on Friday afternoon!
- When: Friday 1:15pm
- Where: Venue 808 (map)
And don't forget, if you have a ticket, you can try your luck to claim one of the Autograph Opportunity Wristbands for this special event. Visit TheOneRing.net's booth (#1934) during the following times:
Thursday 25th July 10-11am; OR 12-1pm; OR 2-3pm
Ask for greendragon! Bring proof that you have a ticket to the gathering (either printed out or on your phone). A certain number of lucky folks who come to the booth, during each hour slot, with proof of their party ticket, will be given a special wristband, which will allow them access to meet the cast and get autographs at the event.
You must be there in person to get a lucky wristband, and you must already have a party ticket. People will not be allowed to claim wristbands for others who are not at the booth in person.
TheOneRing.net Booth 1934 and new LOTR Merch ExclusivesTheOneRing.net is partnering with the #1 Tolkien YouTuber (with over 1 Million subscribers) Nerd of the Rings! Alongside Matt's knowledgable expertise on the lore of LOTR, also joining us in the booth is the fabulous Jordan Rannells, creator of A Long Expected Soundscape. Step up to the booth to get an audio experience of original musical scores inspired by the books of Tolkien.
We're delighted to welcome the one and only Jed Brophy back to our booth! As many fans know, Jed is one of the most fun folks to meet; an actor who has appeared in all six of Peter Jackson's Middle-earth films AND in The Rings of Power, he's always delighted to chat with fans, and has some amazing stories. Come and meet him, and snag a signed photograph!
As if that wasn't enough, we'll have MORE friends joining us throughout the weekend, including some of your favorite LOTR influencers! Kili from Happy Hobbit will be there much of the time; people will be popping by throughout the con; and we can confirm the following specifically:
Saturday 27th at the booth:
11am-12noon Tea with Tolkien; 1-2pm Knewbettadobetta; 3-4pm The Tolkien Professor.
Come and meet some of the coolest folks in fandom! Win some amazing prizes in our trivia contests - including the newest published editions of Tolkien's books. Or treat yourself to some merch...
It wouldn't be Comic-con without brand new EXCLUSIVE merch from TheOneRing.net! For our 25th anniversary this year, we've made a commemorative silver shimmer "You Haven't Aged A Day" shirt, limited to only 100. Then to complicate the upcoming election even further, Gollum has announced his candidacy with our "Gollum/Smeagol 2024" shirt on vintage heather black.
Nerd of the Rings and Happy Hobbit have their first convention shirts ever this year! With these shirts, Happy Hobbit have sourced sustainable fabric and chemical-free printing for a better Shire. Here are the fun LOTR themed designs available only at the booth, not online, while supplies last.
Hot off a hugely successful kickstarter, Jackson Robinson has sent over packs of his officially licensed The Lord of the Rings playing card decks, featuring custom drawn 52-cards from both Fellowship and Two Towers. Shire Post Mint also returns to SDCC show floor inside our booth with their high quality coinage and jewelry. AND - we'll be revealing a special collaboration with Oscha, celebrating our Silver Anniversary, which will be available for pre-order throughout the con. Stay tuned for more on that...!
Looking forward to seeing all you shire folk in San Diego next week, July 24-28. Our booth is open all hours of the convention floor. One final word of warning: you'll want to get in line extra early for a seat at our 2 LOTR panels. Be sure to join TheOneRing Discord to get caught up on the excitement when things are revealed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsdzWkQpW1Y
Once again our friend Eirik Bull shares with us their exclusive interview, this time Eirik sat down to chat with Sir Richard Taylor of Weta Workshop. We think you will enjoy the journey they take, as they cover the early years of Weta, the making of the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Gollum, and much much more.How does one create a world? Do you start from scratch and proceed meticulously, one step at a time? Or does it usually come as a burst of inspiration, where everything happens all at once? Where does this creativity come from? Is it innate, or can it be learned? Can anyone do it, or is it a kind of everyday magic reserved for the chosen few?More than two decades ago, I found myself in the vast cinema hall at the Colosseum in Oslo, Norway, watching The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time. Little did I know this film would be the first of three to become my all-time favorites. They would literally change my life.What struck me most profoundly was the seamless blend of what felt utterly “real” and unmistakably “magical”. It was as if a tangible, enchanting form of sorcery had been wielded to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth to life on the big screen. And more often than not, when delving deeper into creations woven from formulas and magic, you will discover the true wizard at their core.In December 2022, I met the wizard I’m introducing today: Sir Richard Taylor, the esteemed (and quite nerdy) owner of Wētā Workshop in New Zealand. “Just call me Richard,” he insists, shrugging off formalities, including his knighthood. This laid-back demeanor is humorously showcased by a massive mural outside the wonderful public attraction “Wētā Workshop Unleashed” in Auckland, where he’s hilariously depicted in his underwear, astride a rocket Dr. Strangelove-style, and strumming a bass guitar. This knight remains refreshingly unpretentious.I have some pictures of the mural I took with my mobile phone while visiting Wētā Workshop Unleashed. They asked me not to share them online. The mural is so unique, so magnificently strange, that it really needs to be experienced with one’s own eyes. And you know what? I completely agree!So, in December, when I visited Wētā Workshop in Wellington, New Zealand, I had a chat with Richard in his office. Science fiction and fantasy figures were everywhere, and the walls were adorned with concept drawings - some discarded, while others had already made their way into major blockbusters or would do so in the future. Next to Richard, there was a chair where a small dog sat. Wētā Workshop is a “dog-friendly” workplace where 35 of man’s best friend roam freely in the corridors.The interview below is actually based on two interviews I’ve had with Richard. The first was on Zoom a year or so before I visited New Zealand, and the next was in the meeting I had with him at the Wētā Workshop in December of 2022. I’ve used one as a base and added details from the other to create what I hope you will find to be an insightful and entertaining deep dive into this wizard’s creative mind.What role did Tolkien’s books have in your childhood and growing up?Well, The Hobbit was the book that truly impacted me during my early years, when I was around 10-11 years old. At that time, I wasn’t a strong reader—I struggled with reading quite a bit. So, the epic scale of The Lord of the Rings was a bit too challenging for my reading level. My journey into Middle-earth began with The Hobbit, and it resonated with me profoundly.Interestingly, around the same time, I bought a print of The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch for two dollars at a library’s closing-down sale. I hung it above my bed. Until then, I hadn’t fully grasped the concept that a fantasy world could exist parallel to our real one.Growing up on a farm, life was very practical. My father was an aircraft engineer, and my mother was a science teacher. Our daily life was straightforward, lacking a sense of the fantastical. So, the combination of Bosch’s work—gazing into that painting and discovering the fantastical, demonic world he depicted—and reading Tolkien’s The Hobbit, which invokes similar conceptual ideas, especially when considering the darker aspects of Middle-earth, opened my eyes. I of course had other creative influences as well. The comic series 2000AD, the TV series, Thunderbirds Are Go, A wonderful book on Chinese sculpture that inspired me to sculpt, a copy of Faeries by Brian Froud and Alan Lee – and various other things that I found inspired me.Because of this, I began to realize that my mind could wander into a much broader spectrum of thought. This realization catalyzed and energized my understanding of the fantastical.What did it mean for you to be able to work on a project like The Lord of the Rings?It’s now a well-known story. Peter called us up and said, “You'd better come around. Bring Tania and the guys. Grab some fish and chips, and don't forget the Coca-Cola. I've got something to tell you." So, we went to his house, and the "guys" were the five concept artists working with us at the time. We had been working on King Kong in 1996, which, unfortunately, didn't go ahead, and Peter quickly needed a new project. He traveled overseas, intending to come back with something new. When we arrived at his house (after grabbing fish and chips from a shop just two minutes up the road here in Miramar, Wellington), Tania, myself, and the guys (two still working here today), people like Daniel Falconer, Jamie Beswarick, sat on the carpet, and Peter announced we were going to make two films of The Lord of the Rings with Miramax.I likened it to being teetering at the edge of a precipice. The weight of expectation at that moment was extraordinary. You're aware of the literature's pedigree and its importance to hundreds of millions of people. What we were about to do had to respect Tolkien's literature while fulfilling the preconceived notions of Middle-earth held by its readers. Interestingly, we did C.S. Lewis' work right after Tolkien's, as there's a notable comparison. Tolkien's writing is incredibly visual. He could draw what he wrote and often did. His descriptions are rich in visual imagery. In contrast, C.S. Lewis, for example, in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, has a battle that lasts just five or six pages without the same depth of description, necessitating a more inventive design to visualize the world. With Middle-earth, we could constantly refer to Tolkien's writing, almost like a blueprint.However, this meant that the audience would have strong preconceived images of the world. That came with significant expectations. We decided to focus on conceptual design for armour, weapons, creatures, miniatures, special makeup effects, and prosthetics. Five departments - a large task for a small group. Initially, we had 36 people, and ultimately of the 158 people we hired, only about 1/8 of them were experienced in working in film or TV. The rest trained from scratch. Seven and a half years later, they were all experts in their craft.So, you either step back from the precipice, thinking it's too hard, or you step over and free-fall. What catches you is the collaboration, first and foremost with your friends and colleagues, no one more so than the director, Peter Jackson. His core understanding of the literature, his faith in us all, his faith and grasp of digital technology, and his willingness to let us work independently were vital. But also, his recognition that we needed the help of top talent for the concept design of the films – and brought in Alan Lee and John Howe. Their inspiration and talent was invaluable. In the seven and a half years, I never doubted that this was the best thing for me and my colleagues to be doing. Despite the challenges, it was always enjoyable. The joy of what we were doing, with whom, and for what reason outweighed any difficulties.Being asked to work on it meant a phenomenal amount to me. And for Wētā Workshop to be entrusted with several departments was incredibly impactful and very special.How did Wētā Workshop start? Can you talk about some of the early productions with Peter Jackson?We began our journey a few years before meeting Peter. My wife and I ran a small FX shop from our flat's back room named RT Effects (Richard and Tania's Effects), mainly servicing local TV commercials. Our big break came with a New Zealand version of Spitting Image. I sculpted all the puppets in margarine, creating around 70 in total. During this time, Peter, unbeknownst to us, was completing Bad Taste, his first movie.We were introduced to Peter through a mutual friend. He had seen our satirical puppet show on television and seemed surprised to find someone else in the country, let alone our city, doing this kind of work. We quickly became good friends and spent a lot of time together. We didn't work on Bad Taste, unfortunately. I wish we had known him a year earlier, as I would have loved to contribute. However, he invited us to work on the initial Braindead. Tania and I handled the construction of models, miniatures, and props. But about 12 weeks in, the project fell through. Peter, ever resourceful, secured funding for a smaller movie, Meet the Feebles. Under the guidance of Cameron Chittock, a talented New Zealand creator and our mutual friend with Peter, we made puppets for six months. During filming, I built all the miniatures, and Tania managed the puppet wrangling.Then we returned to Braindead. This time, with half the original budget, Peter entrusted Tania and me with the effects instead of the Australian workshop initially planned. Working on such an intense and joyful project was an incredible experience. In those early years, we worked on Hercules and Xena, along with numerous TV commercials. During Heavenly Creatures, we handled physical puppetry, suit work, and miniatures. Peter, eager to adopt digital technology, wanted 14 digital effect shots for this Kiwi film. Pooling our financial resources, we all bought our first machine—a Silicon Graphics computer, the first in New Zealand and possibly the southern hemisphere.This computer was the cornerstone for establishing Wētā Digital. It enabled us to work on Contact and The Frighteners as we expanded our digital effects capabilities. Meanwhile, Tania and I remained focused on the physical effects side of our company. And from there, the rest is history—The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, and many more. Today, we no longer have ownership in Wētā Digital, having chosen to concentrate entirely on the practical FX aspects of our business.Why do you think New Zealand makes such a great Middle-earth? Is there something about the country's identity you can point to?It is, and I will speak to that. But I think first and fundamentally, it is always about the individual. It’s about the filmmaker. Middle-earth was created in New Zealand because of Peter Jackson, because of his indomitable spirit and his extraordinary filmmaking capabilities. Remember, this is a person who had made, a 14 million dollar movie in The Frighteners and then jumped to a 360 million dollar movie trilogy with The Lord of the Rings. And I don’t think at any moment Peter hesitated in his confidence that he could actually do The Lord of the Rings. Maybe there were others, producers and studio execs, that were less confident. But I never saw Peter falter in his confidence.So certain was he in his strategy on how he was going to make these films. But that’s not to take anything away from the incredible film industry that exists here. With a limited number of foreign experts (he brought in the First Assistant Director and Director of Photography from Australia, amongst others from around the world), it was wonderful, as it was crewed predominantly by New Zealanders.I’ve suggested in the past - that just a director didn’t make the movie. It wasn’t made by just a film company or just the New Zealand film industry. Our whole country made it! Because the whole of New Zealand literally got behind the making of these movies. And there was definitely a sense of pride in the fact that, as a country, this could be made due to the huge number of extras required and the huge number of people who got involved, both directly and indirectly. The army got involved. The government got involved. The people of New Zealand got involved. It was actually a very beautiful thing for our country.I’m sure a limited few would disagree, but I think, for the most part, it was a moment of extreme pride where our country was able to stamp our mark creatively on the world stage. Although we had a very dynamic film industry pre-The Lord of the Rings, making very beautiful films, our country's films had not really been witnessed by a large proportion of the world’s public. And so, The Lord of the Rings was our first chance to really show the world the creative capabilities of our country, and that pride and energy certainly enhance the filmmaking process.And then you have, of course, the people themselves. We have incredible talent in this country. Not just our cast and crew but the people who provide the services and support that we need, whether it be caterers, builders, or electricians. We have incredible service providers. We have incredible ingenuity. We have incredible inventiveness.And all of this is being done in this relatively small corner of the world. And it just so happens that it lined up very, very nicely. There are many other places that you could have gone in the world to make these movies, that would be magnificent in their own right. But it is difficult to know whether they would have been as easy or as forgiving or as magnificently beautiful as the landscapes of New Zealand were. It is not lost on me; believe me, how blessed we were to have this incredible resource at our disposal.Can you talk about some of the main breakthroughs, like Gollum, for example, that Wētā Workshop came up with while working on The Lord of the Rings?I think with respect to Gollum and also with respect to some of the other digital achievements, once again, acknowledgment has to be given to the fact that Peter, as a producer and creator of the movies, made early technical decisions that required him to be immensely confident that the technology would one day deliver. When you have to leave a hole in the movie where a major character is going to exist, and you choose not to shoot an alternative take using an actor with prosthetics for a character such as Gollum, and because you are betting everything that a small team of people within your digital effects division are going to develop a hyper-real and completely plausible actor that can play besides your flesh and blood world-class performers - now that’s a massive decision.And he did this multiple times when you think about the armies, other digital characters, and environments. Tolkien described armies of immense numbers of soldiers. And at the point we were making the movies, there was a very limited number of ways that you could have brought that to life convincingly. Obviously, you could have attempted to do what some directors have done. And it’s still prevalent in China, where you actually dress up thousands and thousands of extras. Or you composite small blocks of blue-screened extras into a scene again and again. But he knew that none of that was going to be satisfactory. So, one person with a computer and a small team around him developed the software Massive, which has now become so well-known and part of the folklore of Middle-earth.But watching that unfold monthly, as the very first tests were rolling out of Wētā Digital, no one really knew whether this approach was going to fulfil expectations. Then, seeing libraries of motion-captured movement being put into the computer, which would then randomly draw from these movements to create authentic performances on huge battlefields to give these sweeping, dramatic scenes, was mind-boggling. It was groundbreaking and brave. Brave for Peter. Brave for the producers. And it is very brave for the digital effects artists that did the work and pulled it off.At Wētā Workshop, we may not have been breaking massive new ground in the manner Weta Digital were, but still, for us, it was all so groundbreaking - just because of the mass production of armour and weapons, characters and creatures, miniatures and models. The quantities of prosthetics that were needed every day were staggering at times. So, we needed to come up with unique and clever techniques and iterate and invent on the fly almost daily.The most critical thing for our company is the ability to ‘innovate new methodologies.’ If we don’t innovate, but rather, keep on using the same old techniques that we’ve always used, we won’t be cost-competitive, and we won’t be able to run multiple jobs in parallel. The way we used to do it was all 100% handcraft skills; today, over 60% of everything we make is assisted through robotic manufacturing, 3D printing, milling, laser cutting and so on. So, the ability to innovate is a very critical part of what we do.Let's talk about Gollum. Did you ever consider any other methods or ideas for creating this important and iconic character?[caption id="attachment_117943" align="alignright" width="300"] Screenshot[/caption]We briefly considered it. We actually took one of our designers, a guy called Chris Guise, who, at the time, was incredibly slim. And we made prosthetics for his hands and the back of his head so we could shoot over his shoulder. I think it was only ever used in one scene. At the time, this caused a bit of a realization.It could be argued that, ultimately, you only want one reality for a film character. If you build a puppet or put an actor in makeup that you are going to use for some of your shots, the digital effects company is going to do the wide shots, the running shots, the action shots, and so on. It can become more difficult to replicate the reality you have created by physical means - which is an absolute reality since it has been filmed on set - than to create an alternate reality. Ultimately, it is often easier for the audience to buy into the one alternate reality, let's say Gollum, a digital character driven through motion capture and incredible animation, than trying to grasp two realities: our puppet version and the digital version.And it became very clear in those first few months that jumping between the two was going to be very hard to do. It wasn't going to look as good as we all hoped , and it was going to be less than perfect. So, the decision very early on was to trust the fact that one day they would solve complex issues required to create a photorealistic character such as Gollum, (such as subsurface scattering) so that the super clever folks at Wētā Digital would be able to create the authenticity of Gollum.At some point in the production, Joe Letteri joined Wētā Digital as the visual effects supervisor, and he ultimately collaborated with Gino Acevedo, a physical effects technician who had come down from the USA to work with us to do all the character paint designs in our workshop. Gino helped Joe and his team understand how to create a sense of translucent skin that looks terrific to the camera. So, in collaboration with the incredible digital artists who also worked on Gollum, there was this amazing transference of knowledge, ideas, and inspiration that went into the creation of what we saw on film.Looking back at The Lord of the Rings trilogy now, is there a physical set piece, costume, or similar that you are especially happy with?I'm going to give you a slightly multi-faceted answer. My favorite character that we created was Lurtz, who was played by New Zealand actor Lawrence Makoare. Ultimately, any prosthetic character you create is only as successful as the performance of the person inside the makeup. And Lawrence is one such person. Wonderfully, we have all remained friends with Lawrence. He's a huge guy, and he has such a powerful presence. So, Lurtz was, to me, the most special character we created amongst a huge number of very special characters.I have a great love for miniatures, and I lament the loss of miniatures from the screen industry. It's a very rare thing today to see miniatures. I think the last time we built them was for Blade Runner 2049. It was magnificent that the director was willing to shoot miniatures. On Ghost in the Shell, we also got to build miniatures, although these were photographed and used as digital overlays for the digital environments. But at least we got to build them.On The Lord of the Rings, we built 72 miniatures, if I can remember the number correctly. The beauty of Rivendell from Alan Lee's drawings was one of the most extraordinary things I got to build with my friends and colleagues. Our senior model makers, Mary MacLachlan and John Baster had built that miniature along with two other people and me. You can imagine having read about it and then one day getting to build it, and you're building it from Alan Lee's sketches! We never did a plan for it; we just literally used his pencil and water colour sketches, and it grew from these.That was when I really understood and appreciated Alan's creative brilliance. As I mentioned, the very first art book I bought was the one titled Fairies by Alan Lee and Brian Froud, and this inspired me hugely. Still, it wasn't until we built the miniatures that I really understood his ability to visualize on a near-savant level. He would do a series of seemingly disconnected drawings, but if you would wrap those drawings around a cone, they would perfectly marry up and give you a complete study of the environment.Likewise with Minas Tirith. Alan provided a series of sketches for us to build from. For this miniature, we literally piled a whole lot of cardboard boxes together, sprayed them with urethane foam, carved them back, and then started building onto them. Never could we think that this miniature would end up going on to be exhibited in a museum, having a life well beyond the movie. If we had known, we would have built it a little better. But we were building them so cheap, so fast, that I really was of the view that the only thing that mattered was that they just needed to hold up for the filming.The very last thing we ever built on The Lord of the Rings, five days before the film was sent off for print, was the docks from The Return of the King. It was filmed, it was edited, and it was composited into the movie in five days. I love that scene. I love the army of the dead flowing over the edge. I love the heroic moment of Aragorn leaping over the gunnel of the ship and running to shore. I think it's because of the last-minute nature of this build that I still think so fondly of it.And of course – the incredible inspiration that came from our creative relationship with John Howe – who taught us so much about medieval armour and weapons, the inventiveness of his creature design, the fantastical nature of his building and landscape work – all truly magnificent!!And finally, what is your fondest memory from the whole project of making* The Lord of the Rings*?Walking down the red carpet with my wife in Wellington for the premiere of the first film. The whole city had turned out, and the sense of overwhelming emotion and energy – I guess that's probably the most impactful.If I rephrase the question slightly, what is the most important thing for me to get out of these movies? It is the knowledge that we were able to take a large group of people who otherwise had never had the chance to work on something like this before. Through the infrastructure of our company and, hopefully, the inspiration of the project, a group of people were empowered to achieve things that they could never have possibly imagined before we got to work on these movies.I love thinking that young people join us and learn to make. The joy of making is often underrated today. I have a very strong view that the craftsmanship of any country is the road markers through history that define what was happening at that point in that country's history. The loss of craftsmanship is a huge loss for our world, and I, therefore, love that we try to keep that alive through the work we do every day on films such as The Lord of the Rings.To me, knowing that we were able to contribute to this really special trilogy of films for those seven and a half years and to engage the level of craftsmanship necessary to make our part of these movies with a group of creative technicians that came together passionately to do something special - that is what I remember, and that will always be the highlight of the project for me.
The new episode of Happy Hobbit takes a break from baking to explore fermenting food. While all hobbits love growing things, those with a vegetable patch are faced with an age-old conundrum: how to store what can't be eaten before it rots? That question may sound irrelevant to Shire-folk who are renowned for their ability to put away food, but even old Lalia Took, otherwise known as Lalia the Great because of her enormous size, can't eat several pounds of cabbage in one sitting (and we pity her already oft suffering relations if she were to do so)!
When a midwinter heatwave forces Kili to confront this problem, she decides to try her hand at fermenting some Napa cabbage into sauerkraut... with very mixed results! Watch the episode below to see how she made it, what color(s) it turned, and if she recommends this tactic to other hobbits!
https://youtu.be/rAltNz_WiXAAs stated above, many episodes of the webseries demonstrate baking or cooking. This past Independence Day, Kili discovered social media "tech" took down her post containing "behind the scenes" images of cinnamon rolls being made. She immediately grabbed her camera and filmed a fun, satirical video over the conspiracy which you can watch below.
https://youtu.be/wJOA6DllOyAThe tongue-in-cheek clickbait title is 💀Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers' daily lives since 2012! Learn other hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
Floodgates of new information, set visits, character reveals, and new details from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, while The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim gets official art books.
For easy reading, here are links to all the new set visit articles released this week, and the primary new details each one offers. Check out the first batch of articles from Monday's posts earlier this week - and if you want to potentially get spoiled, learn about the most recent Spy Report leaks for S2 here and here and here.
Cirdan the Shipwright in The Rings of Power, played by Ben DanielsDen Of Geek
- Part 1: Big muddy battled between orcs and elves in the first set visit from April 2023.
- Part 2: Numenor and the set up for “a civil war and a battle of ideologies... helped by how much the 360° set, which is an unusual luxury on a TV show, feels like a live theatre on the day of shooting."
- Part 3: Showrunners speak on Making Rings, and how many we may see in S2
Nerdist
- Part 1: How S2 opens and the connections between Adar and Galadriel
- Part 2: Círdan the Shipwright revealed, and how his boathouse was the first set built. EW and IGN also unveiled.
- Part 3: Showrunners speak on Sauron's influence, Stranger's identity, and pace of production.
- BONUS: Photo gallery for S2 including Durin's folk
Black Girl Nerds
- Part 1: Arondir exclusive pic and how S2 was written before S1 in "8 things we learned"
- Part 2: Set visit details the new make up and prosthetics team hired for S2's U.K. shoot
- Part 3: Exclusive interview with Cynthia Addai-Robinson on Queen Miriel's blindness
IGN
- Part 1: 50 new details we learned on set for Rings of Power S2
- Part 2: Trying to get the showrunners to reveal who the Stranger is
- BONUS: Exclusive reveal of Estrid, a new love interest for Isildur
Christian Post
- Part 1: On fierce love of the dwarves, nihilism, and stories of redemption, during their set visit
Collider
- Part 1: How audience response is shaping Rings of Power, "we read everything fans write" about the show.
- Part 2: Showrunners "weigh in" on the mystery box they created around the Stranger Meteor Man.
- Part 3: Pics & details about the primary story of S2 - Annatar & Celebrimbor
- Part 4: Long in-depth interview with Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Miriel) on how villains are the main protagonists of S2
TV Insider (part of TV Guide)
- Part 1: Set visits and interviews confirm S2 is all about the villians
IMDb
- VIDEO: Amazon-owned IMDb posted a video interview with Sophia Nomvete about singing as Disa.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9S5efvJ9luLOTR Musical is coming to NZSpeaking of singing, announced this week: Auckland will be hosting the incredibly fun, well-reviewed stage musical adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Details for the November 2024 performances here.
STRIDER/ARAGORN (Aaron Sidwell); Photography Pamela RaithSDCC 2024 activations revealed around LOTRTORN Tuesday revealed all the Lord of the Rings activities (that we know of!) coming to Comic-con in a couple weeks, including 3 panels, a bigger exhibit hall booth, 4 new officially licensed t-shirts, and 2 parties for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. More details coming soon on how to get tickets. In the meantime, you can chat with fans who are already coordinating lines, queuing and hotel-sharing in TheOneRing Discord here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni2JHILVVHkWar of the Rohirrim announces first merch!This week the biggest Anime Expo in the USA, held every July 4 weekend in Los Angeles, debuted a new image from the anime LOTR film featuring Hera riding on a horse.
The Tolkien Estate publishers also announced a pair of art books for The War of the Rohirrim. A coloring book, and an in-depth "Visual Companion" book showing the creative development of the movie. This is the first time we are seeing a snow troll for the movie! Pre-order on Amazon or your local bookstore.
Breaking News: The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, which is about to have its US opening of Paul Hart's staging (at Chicago Shakespeare Theater's The Yard), is going to be heading to New Zealand later this year.
(STRIDER/ARAGORN (Aaron Sidwell); Photography Pamela Raith)Here's what the press release tells us:
THE LORD OF THE RINGS - A MUSICAL TALE COMES HOME TO MIDDLE-EARTHTHIS NOVEMBER - IN A 5 WEEK BLOCKBUSTER SEASON AT THE CIVIC, AUCKLANDWAITLIST FOR TICKETS NOW OPEN!
“THE GREATEST SHOW ON MIDDLE EARTH’ - THE GUARDIAN
“AN EXTRAORDINARY RETELLING” - WHATS ON STAGE
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will play at The Civic, Auckland for a strictly limited season from November 5th, 2024. Join the waitlist NOW to secure your tickets.
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will premiere in Middle-earth when this eagerly awaited production opens for a strictly limited season at The Civic, Auckland from November 5th. Audiences are encouraged to act fast and join the waitlist for the first chance at securing tickets at www.LOTRonstage.com.
The highly anticipated production has its US premiere this July at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the prestigious theater that has launched productions such as SIX, Illinoise, and The Notebook ahead of their Broadway debuts. The Lord of the Rings - a Musical Tale had its initial production at The Watermill Theatre in the United Kingdom, receiving rave reviews with The Guardian calling it the ‘Greatest Show on Middle-earth’.
This journey to the magical realms of Middle-earth tells the story of The Lord of the Rings from the Hobbits’ perspective, as J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy of books is brought to life on the stage, performed by a stellar cast of multi-skilled actor-musicians.
Created under license from Middle-earth Enterprises (the owner of exclusive worldwide motion picture and stage rights for The Lord of the Rings), this adventure through the epic realm of Middle-earth has been beloved by generations of readers.
With book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna (Maddie, La Cava) and Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day) and original music by Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams, Slumdog Millionaire), Finnish folk band Värttinä, and Tony Award winner Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical), this theatrical event celebrates community, courage and camaraderie to create an unforgettable experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike. “Tolkien would have been so proud” (WhatsOnStage).
‘The greatest show on Middle-earth comes home to Middle-earth!” proclaimed Fredrica Drotos, Middle-earth Enterprises’ Steward Brand & Licensing. “We are very much looking forward to sharing the Hobbits’ epic re-telling with all our friends there; when The Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale, premieres in Auckland, New Zealand this November.’
As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday in the Shire, he gifts his nephew Frodo his most precious belonging - a gold ring. This fateful moment launches Frodo on a legendary and perilous quest across Middle-earth to the darkest realms of Mordor, to vanquish evil with his loyal Fellowship. The dynamic folk-inspired score is performed live by the company on stage, weaving together original music with storytelling. The New Zealand premiere comes fresh off the 70th anniversary of the publication of The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy which debuted in 1954.
“We are delighted to share Director Paul Hart’s imagining of The Lord of the Rings on stage with New Zealand audiences before it embarks on its journey to entertain audiences around the world.” said Kevin Wallace on behalf of the producers. “This production that originated in the English Shires, before its US Premiere in Chicago, comes to Auckland where we invite New Zealand to join us for Bilbo Baggins’ Long-
expected Party.”Annie Dundas, Director Destination at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited adds “We are thrilled to welcome The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. This production not only celebrates our unique connection to Middle-earth but also showcases Auckland as a vibrant hub for world-class theatre. We look forward to sharing this extraordinary experience with locals and visitors alike.”
Glen Crighton, Acting Director Performing Arts at Auckland Live continues. “I’m excited that The Civic will be hosting the Australasian premiere of The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale. The iconic status of Tolkien’s epic tale can’t be understated, and we look forward to welcoming local and international audiences alike into Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s own iconic venue to embark on what promises to be a remarkable theatrical experience.”
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is presented in Auckland by Kevin Wallace Productions, GWB Entertainment and Middle-earth Enterprises, in association with Tim McFarlane and People Entertainment Group. The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is produced in partnership with The Watermill Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. The Auckland season of the production is made possible by Auckland Council and the city centre targeted rate, and with support from Auckland Live.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS - A MUSICAL TALE
STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON AT THE CIVIC, AUCKLAND FROM NOVEMBER 5TH.WAITLIST OPEN NOW AT LOTRONSTAGE.COM
Based upon the Books by J.R.R. Tolkien.Written and produced under license from Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC (MEE).
You can read TORn staffer greendragon's review from the production at The Watermill Theatre last year, here. If you're going to see it in Chicago, let us know what you think; or maybe you can make a trip to New Zealand to experience the magic there?
https://youtu.be/NlcW8YxKr2I
Prime Video's The Rings of Power has finally uncorked its long embargoed set visits, which occurred over a year ago in April 2023, with many articles from various outlets sharing exclusive pics and details for Season 2 of the billion dollar TV show. Here are links to recent posts, plus some of the most interesting reveals that fans are buzzing about.
Quick hits:
- TV Insider https://www.tvinsider.com/1142065/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-season-2-battles-sauron/
- IGN https://www.ign.com/articles/the-lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-season-2-50-new-details-from-the-set-of-middle-earth
- Den of Geek https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/lord-of-the-rings-of-power-season-2-epic-battles/
- Nerdist https://nerdist.com/article/the-rings-of-power-season-2-image-gallery/
- Collider https://collider.com/rings-of-power-season-2-images-celebrimbor/
- EMPIRE https://www.empireonline.com/tv/news/rings-of-power-season-2-hill-troll-breaking-bad-mike-ehrmantraut/
Set Visits to war-torn Middle-earthTV Insider has a well written article in which they have a lot of fun visiting the unnamed secret battle sets for Season 2. "If there’s one word to describe this season, it’s “more.” More evil. More action. More rings (make that a lot more)." Seems that the leaks may be true that all the 17 remaining rings of power will be seen this season. TV Insider focuses on all the new department heads for Season 2, needed because of moving the production away from New Zealand. "We toured the tent and spoke with one Orc actor who has a special arc this season."
According to this article, "The roots of his current “Halbrand” form are explained in the season’s brutal opening scene, which showrunner J.D. Payne describes as “an Ides of March-esque” sequence that fellow showrunner Patrick McKay says will make you “pity” the dark lord." The Ides of March is famously the story of the political betrayal and assassination of Julius Caesar. They also confirm the premiere will be 3 full episodes. Read the whole thing - it touches on a lot of the themes going into S2.
IGN also visited the set and opens with a discussion with the showrunners. Explains McKay, “You know, it's really hip to be cynical and roll your eyes and, you know, be postmodern and winky, winky, winky. And we're just not gonna play that game.” Season 2's new stunt co-ordinator Ben Cooke "also mentioned a specific stunt for Aramayo where Elrond is cornered and jumps from a 50 ft. waterfall. What’s he running from?!" Season 2 has a whopping 120 physical sets, and the Khazad-dûm set is bigger in size. Read the written set visit by Amy Ratcliffe, then check out the whole bulleted list of official things.
Den of Geek joined the set visit festivities with a first person write up, putting the reader in the middle of the mud soaked action on set. "But while the weather may have helped pile on the authentic mud, that First World War vibe is very much a deliberate artistic choice as well. Once we’ve got back to the main studio and dried off, we are shown a miniature model used in designing Adar’s orc encampment for season two. This looks even more like the Western Front in World War I, as it’s full of trenches and ladders, and if it weren’t for the Orcs and the lack of tanks, it could almost be a historical set. Just across the table is a piece of armor with snake details., including the ouroboros symbol—a snake eating its own tail, symbolizing immorality and eternity. The Orc armor is an impressive mish-mash of influences, as the idea behind it is that the Orcs have looted it from other cultures and mixed that in with the bones of their enemies."
Nerdist focuses on the dwarves with their set visit, revealing the first pic of father and son Durin. Production Designer Kristian Milsted says, “We could look at what they did for Khazad-dûm in season one, and we could say, ‘Okay, now we’re going to give it a twist, and we’re going to make it more sinister, make it more dark.’ It’s about greed. It’s something that the dwarves are good at.”
Rings press tour brings culture to events and conventionsEssence Festival 2024 was in New Orleans over July 4 weekend and featured a dedicated panel for Prime Video's The Rings of Power and The Boys. Black Girl Nerds has the write up, featuring Cynthia Addai-Robinson and Sophia Nomvete.
Arondir and Isildur visited the IGN Fan Fest to debut the new character in their storyline: Estrid. Watch the 13 minute clip here.
SDCC is almost here and Deadline unveils what Prime Video is bringing to the biggest pop culture stage in the world. We will have more details soon!
Light and Dark colliding in ColliderOur pals at Collider.com have a series of articles around Season 2 of The Rings of Power. First, Steve Weintraub got to chat with the showrunners on how fans are shaping future seasons of the 5-season tentpole series. "Season 2 was largely written before Season 1 came out, but Season 2 has been produced after Season 1 came out. Part of the learning process for us on this is really seeing what people seem to respond to in the show. We also take in everything. We read everything. We read the reviews, we read what you all have written, we read what your colleagues have written, and we read what the fans are saying." Patrick McKay may be seeing all your Discord messages!
Next up was an effort to reveal who the meteor man 'stranger' is, but the showrunners are not revealing anything yet. "Despite what some folks might think, we're really not about a game; we're really not about a puzzle. But we also don't wanna take for granted where characters will end up. We want to see them grow and change along the way, and we hope that in the end, you look back and it feels inevitable, but in the moment… I’m trying to say it but not say it. [Laughs]" They do reveal that Season 2 will go to Rhûn, Pelargir, Grey Havens, older parts of Númenor, and deeper into Khazad-dûm.
Celebrimbor and Annatar get new pics revealed in Collider's third article of the day. J.D. Payne says, "Season 2 is gonna be all about the villains, and specifically all about Sauron. We're going to watch as he uses deception, manipulation, lies, coercion, cunning to start to set the chess pieces in motion . He's gonna go to this person over here and sort of set this group against that group over there and start using people's inherent trusts and mistrusts and fears against them to start to set up the situations that are all beneficial to him."
The huge EMPIRE magazine exclusiveBy far the most talked about piece of news this last week was EMPIRE magazine's multi-page exclusive for Season 2 of The Rings of Power. The main reveal was a focus on the first screen representation of the Barrow-wights. While exciting to see these skeletal ghosts finally come to life on screen, it's not without some concern from global fans who fear cultural appropriation and use of stereotypical tropes of "eastern = evil." But there's so much ground covered in EMPIRE it's worth finding an issue with the 3D lenticular cover at a bookstore or read free with an Apple News+ subscription.
EMPIRE also reveals the first named troll on screen since The Hobbit movies turned Tom, Burt and William to stone. The hill troll Damrod serves Adar in the upcoming season.
Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay talk about the critical feedback to mysteries of Season 1 saying, "The clues to the correct answer were there from the start. Literally in the first shot of Charlie [Vickers, as Halbrand] in Season 1, he looks back at the camera with one eye." Closing out the huge EMPIRE feature they talk about retooling after leaving Season 1 in New Zealand. "The big move from New Zealand to the UK was, McKay says on set, “a bit of a chance to in some ways reboot and rebuild — another opportunity to take another big whack at it” (in terms of the filmmaking process rather than the narrative choices, he later qualifies)."
Season 2 pictures!
Completing his journey through Tolkien's trilogy, artist Jackson Robinson's 52-card playing deck designed around The Return of the King allows fans to play Hold 'Em with their favorite kings of Middle-earth. Robinson chats with us about finding fresh new ways to be creative with the most successful and standardized tabletop game of all time.
These officially licensed playing cards feature original artwork designed by Robinson, based on and inspired by the books of J.R.R. Tolkien. Like adaptations in other media, he has full access to every word in The Lord of the Rings books to draw original inspiration from. The first deck in the LOTR series, based on Fellowship of the Rings, became one of his most successful crowdfunds ever, with over 8,000 fans taking it over 3,000% its funding goal in 2022. A year later, The Two Towers similarly exploded in popularity. For this third set, a beautiful new wood box and display case for the whole trilogy of card packs has been created.
The Road Less Traveled and following a new career pathHow does one start making official The Lord of the Rings cards? This all started with an idea and an artist's hand. "I lived in Los Angeles for a few years and was an art director for a game studio, trying to get into that kind of Hollywood world via toy packaging. King Wild Project, my playing card thing, really kind of happened by accident. I had never thought about doing playing cards before in my life, and I did a playing card Kickstarter that was a deck of cards that looked like money, that was called the Federal 52. This was in 2013, and it kind of just blew up and fell in my lap. My wife and I were like, uh, what's up with this? And so, it was literally, I'm gonna do this playing card thing until it breaks. I ended up quitting my full-time job to get started, and it hasn't broke yet. My story kind of went in a different direction from where I thought I wanted to go, but I'm kind of glad that it did because I was able to kind of go on a path that there's not very many people on right now. Even though the playing card world has kind of exploded over the past 10 years, it's still a very small world, and a very small niche, and I get the freedom to kind of do what I want with it. The excitement is getting able to do what I want, in terms of being able to make the Lord of the Rings characters!"
Robinson's company Kings Wild Project has since worked with Brandon Sanderson's MISTBORN, Frank Frazetta's estate, and created original playing card decks around other fun themes like the Founding Fathers and Arthurian legends. "Illuminated manuscripts is a big influence for me. A lot of my decks are based on classic literature so anytime I do a classic literature deck, I try to pair up the card style with a kind of art style that could have been around the same time period. So I did a deck of cards called the Arthurian, which is the King Arthur legend, and it's in the style of the Book of the Kells."
Even the lettering and fonts are all original, including The Lord of the Rings title on the card box. "All the artwork, from every letter to every line, that's all artwork that I do myself. I do have an incredible crew of about four people that work for me that have been with me the past few years. They're a great crew, but the artwork is all stuff that I do."
More than just 52 card decksRobinson is partnering with Shire Post Mint for buttons and a black walnut box adornment. "Something that's brand new that we haven't done before is for people that play poker, blackjack or whatever, they have this dealer button or card cover. It's basically something that you put over your cards to signify to the dealer that you don't want to take a hit or you don't want any more cards, or it also signifies that this person's the dealer as that dealer button travels. We call it the dealer medallion and it weighs close to half a pound."
Another option in this kickstarter is a tabletop puzzle. "We've done a jigsaw puzzle for each deck. We have a Fellowship puzzle, The Two Towers puzzle, and now the Return of the King puzzle. Because this is the third deck in the series, there's a lot of things that are kind of like the best-of, all-star thing. It doesn't just have the Return of the King characters on the puzzle, it has all of the cards from all three decks. Plus our jigsaw puzzles are two sided, so there's usually a photo of the playing cards spread out over a table to assemble."
Because these cards are made with the book license from Middle-earth Enterprises, there was a bit of a challenge to avoid hewing too close to the popular movies. "If Legolas starts to look like Orlando Bloom a little bit, we need to bring it back. Or looking at that little description of the eye ringed in flame, I was just kind of pulling on what the text said. Apart from the big eye on the top of the tower or that iconic helmet from the movies, it felt like I can't put spikes on anything that's gonna go straight up or it's gonna look like the movies. So, that was fun, but it was also nerve-wracking."
For the first time, we can reveal these officially licensed Middle-earth National Park patches designed by Robinson.
Telling a story through materialsIt's not just character designs that are considered. There are gorgeous borders, pips, filigree, and ornate details everywhere, on every card. "Going back to the storytelling aspect of it, that's something that I've tried to do. Going beyond not just portraying the character, but also trying to tell a kind of a meaningful story throughout. In the Fellowship of the Ring deck, the borders were all themed based on a season. Spring, Winter, Summer, Fall. The Two Towers borders were based on elements like fire, water, wind, and earth. Now, with Return of the King, they're all based on metals. Mithril, which is the spade border; Iron, that's the clubs; Gold, the hearts. It builds on the cohesiveness of it actually being a functional deck of playing cards where the spades are all this kind of red background with this ironwork, and the diamonds are all this to help to tell a story, but it gives more layers of storytelling."
The Lord of the Rings cards come in standard printing and foil printing, which also includes gilding of the side edges of the card. Check out everything and discover more details here.
Watch the hour long interview with Jackson Robinson on his The Lord of the Rings cards below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOg7ZPf5nH4
Time for another new episode of Happy Hobbit, the webseries that has brought Middle-earth into your daily life since 2012! For some time now, the YouTube series has threatened to become a cooking show, prompting the girls to joke they should rename it "Hungry Hobbit," and this episode is no exception!
Fili has had it with summer and wants a tasty reminder of wintertime, so it is up to Kili to find a way to lure her sister out of her summer blues by baking a Yuletide treat! Watch the video below for a fun DIY recipe that will hopefully inspire you to try your hand at making cinnamon rolls yourself!
https://youtu.be/GF7YyBx0T7EHave a bread machine? Ready to try this recipe yourself? Then you're in luck as you will find it below! Learn other hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
"Christmas Two" Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup margarine, melted
- 4 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons bread machine yeast
Filling:
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup butter, softened
Icing (Kili recommends doubling these quantities):
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Directions
- Prepare dough: Place milk, eggs, margarine, flour, salt, white sugar, and yeast in the pan of a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start.
- When the dough has doubled in size, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to a 16x21-inch rectangle. Kili likes to use her silicone mat on the countertop.
- Prepare filling: Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread softened butter over the dough, then sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over top.
- Starting at the longer end, roll up the dough; cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes (at least! Usually it takes about an hour).
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Bake rolls in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- While rolls are baking, prepare icing: Beat confectioners' sugar, butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt until creamy.
- Spread icing on warm rolls before serving.
Get even more hungry hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
TORn's good friend Donato Giancola is no stranger to the realms of Middle-earth. His book Middle-earth: Journeys in Myth and Legend is filled with incredible art inspired by Tolkien, and at 2022's exhibition of his work at the Huntsville Museum of Art, his giant 'Beacons of Gondor' painting took centre stage.
He now brings us word that he has completed his latest large-scale painting. This time the title is 'Bridge of Khazad-dûm'. Here's a video of the work:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbgS736cc6IIf you'd love to have such a masterpiece hanging on your wall, the good news is that prints are available - in limited numbers! Find out how you can get your hands on a print - and other Middle-earth goodies - here. And feast your eyes on 'Bridge of Khazad-dûm' in all its glory:
'Bridge of Khazad-dûm' by Donato Giancola
World-renowned and beloved thespian Sir Ian McKellen continues his recovery after treatment from NHS Doctors and Specialists; immediately after a stage accident that occurred during the current run of “Player Kings” in London’s West End. His fall from the stage and subsequent treatment has been widely publicized, however specific reports are quite wrong, and TheOneRing.net has exclusive information to help assuage any fears that Sir Ian’s injury was worse than it is.
The condensed versions of Henry IV, Part 1 & 2, constitute the critically acclaimed “Player Kings”We are hearing many reports that Sir Ian has fractured bones in his wrist, including this report from Deadline. This is factually incorrect.
Our dear Gandalf suffered no such bone fractures from his fall — indeed it was a sprained wrist. There are no broken bones. We have direct confirmation from our sources here at TheOneRing.net and we stand by our reporting. We expect other outlets to correct their record soon.
The accident occurred during last Monday’s performance of “Player Kings” on June 17th at the Noel Coward Theatre, wherein Sir Ian plays the familiar character of FALLSTAFF — a role he has been delighted to engage since reaching the right age to most appropriately portray him. Audiences have been thrilled not only by Sir Ian’s delightful characterization of this iconic role but also with his stamina at age 85; working lengthy hours on performances week after week.
Again, exaggerated reports of Sir Ian’s injuries are now countered by better information, as the entire LOTR fandom breathes a collective sigh of relief.
A full statement was released by his Publicist Clair Dobbs:
I want to thank everyone for their kind messages and support. Since the accident, during a performance of Player Kings last night, my injuries have been diagnosed and treated by a series of experts, specialists and nurses working for the National Health Service. To them, of course, I am hugely indebted. They have assured me that my recovery will be complete and speedy and I am looking forward to returning to work.
Sir Ian McKellen
A statement from the Noel Coward Theatre assures audiences that the play will resume its schedule in two more days, with shows continuing on June 20, 2024, however it was not immediately clear that the role of Falstaff would be played by Sir Ian’s understudy or Sir Ian himself. Their statement reads: “We look forward to welcoming audiences back to the Noel Coward Theatre on Thursday 19 June. We are delighted that Ian is recovering well, and look forward to him returning to the production as soon as he is ready.”
This last sentence allows for Sir Ian to take further time to heal and adjust, as much as needed, and seems to suggest “the show will go on” even if he takes a little longer for recovery. All very sensible indeed.
TheOneRing.net will continue to closely monitor the situation and bring updates to you via our social platforms and also here on the main site.
Quickbeam
The post Exclusive: Sir Ian McKellen Recovering Nicely After Stage Fall: NO BONE FRACTURES first appeared on Lord of the Rings Rings of Power on Amazon Prime News, JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit and more | TheOneRing.net.
Intrepid reporters caught up with Andy Serkis at Annecy Animation Festival in France and surprisingly got an answer.
According to podcaster & blogger Alexandre Loos, when asked about Peter Jackson directing a sequel to The Adventures of Tintin, Andy Serkis replied:
“Peter Jackson is definitely working on it.”
Andy Serkis
https://twitter.com/AlexLoos/status/1800631530642931851Released in 2011, The Adventures of Tintin grossed $374 Million worldwide with an expectation that a sequel would be immediately put into production. According to Steven Spielberg, who directed the first film with Peter Jackson producing, they would switch roles for the sequel and Jackson would direct the second film. Andy Serkis stars as Captain Haddock in the all-CGI animated film.
The first trailer for The Hobbit movies debuted attached to the release of The Adventures of Tintin.Back in 2018, Spielberg kept the Tintin flame alive by confirming Jackson would still do Tintin 2. The first movie under-performed in USA, in part because Tintin isn't a household name nor part of the American youth media zeitgeist. We just didn't grow up with it, so the movie served as an introduction to the world of Tintin. The series is hugely popular in Europe and other locales.
Shout out to World of Reel for spotting the tweet.
Peter Jackson got distracted by other high-profile award-winning projects in the meantime: They Shall Not Grow Old, a World War I documentary, and The Beatles doc "Get Back" which premiered on Disney+.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UocEGvQ10OE&pp=ygUIZ2V0IGJhY2s%3Dhttps://twitter.com/Tintin/status/1802707432088518761With Peter Jackson committed to only producing the next wave of LOTR films, the first one being The Hunt for Gollum directed by Andy Serkis, could this mean he is clearing his directing schedule to put time into Tintin, finally? Discuss with other fans on the daily-active Discord.
Time for a new episode of Happy Hobbit, the webseries that has brought Middle-earth into your daily life since 2012! As gardeners and farmers, hobbits not only live off the land but in tandem with the changing seasons. Kili's hobbit homestead in the mountains of California is no different! In the latest video, Kili (Kellie) shares one of her favorite springtime recipes using seasonal ingredients from her garden and chickens.
https://youtu.be/uv7WWDjoC1YDo you have a wee kitchen garden, or have you thought of starting one but don't know what to do with the small harvests? Learn such tips and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit so that you don't miss out!
Get even more cozy content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
We now have our first released art for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Not concept art, but final stills of animation that gives us a concrete idea of the visual style and tone that Kenji Kamiyama and his team have settled on.
And I like it.
It seems to me that it hits an aesthetic that straddles the eastern and western animation.
There’s a naturalistic feel to the character designs that feels very grounded and without exaggeration. Eyes aren’t distractingly wide, chins aren’t overly pointed, limbs and heads all feel well-proportioned. The colours are solid and rich, but not distractingly glossy or saturated.
Perhaps it helps that the expressions say “serious business” (we’ll return to that, too).
Perhaps that says more about my own tastes in anime than anything else.
I’ve also seen a couple of people who were at Annecy reference Castlevania as an animation touchstone. I don’t really see it, but perhaps I need to watch more Castlevania.
So I love the character designs, but now I really want to see how they move.
Before I delve into each of the images in more detail, if you have yet to read Staffer Greendragon's interview with Philippa Boyen's, don't forget!
The War of the Rohirrim animation still: Héra
HÉRA voiced by GAIA WISE in New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Animation’s epic anime adventure “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.Okay, so first because I can see the name complainers arriving en-masse already: go read my interview with Philippa Boyens – the name is “not so much based on the Greek [goddess] Hera, but a nod to the Anglo-Saxon [word].”
Héra is ourpoint-of-view character. Makes sense given everyone frigging dies. But what’s going on here? Where is it? Let’s attack that second point first.
Location
It's a dark scene. Perhaps sometime in the evening? It must be winter (or approaching it) because of the snow. Maybe the lighting is torchlight.
There’s a ramp and a wall which makes me wonder if it could be (what shall be known in the future as) Helm’s Deep. But the rope and the wooden structure on the ramp behind Héra don’t match. PJ’s Hornburg had a gate, but not a drawbridge. PJ’s ramp/causeway was also quite steep and curved.
Ultimately, I think we can dismiss it being before the gate to the Hornburg.
Maybe it’s further out – Helm’s Dike. I think Tolkien described Helm’s Dike as a ditch and a rampart, with a breach in it for the stream and the road to pass through. There’s a map on Tolkien Gateway that shows where it would be located.
If it were Helm’s Dike that might better explain the wooden structures. And the hutlike structure behind Hera might be a guard hut on the roadside. It would actually be quite a neat (read “nerdy”) detail if it were Helm’s Dike.
However, it might also be Edoras.
PJ doesn’t give Edoras a lot of quarried stone — notably the foundation of Meduseld itself, and the base of the outer defensive fence (topped with a wooden palisade).
That makes the stone wall we can see behind a puzzle to explain.
However, from a certain angle at the top of Edoras, but just below the Hall itself, you should be able to see the valley cliffs in the distance. That fits with the transition from the wall edge to the cliff that we in our animated still. Hopefully the images below help convey that. I wasn’t able to find the exact same angle though.
But Edoras has a dirt path with concluding stairs, not a stone ramp. And the hut isn’t there on that angle. Instead, it’s a wooden lookout tower.
Architectural details might change over time though. Especially after a siege/sacking — and, spoiler, Edoras is set to cop it in WOTR. So I don’t know if these are significant objections.
But if it is just below the Golden Hall, why is the horse in the background? The stables are not directly attached to the Hall and there’s no room for additional buildings on the Hall plinth. It’s a puzzle.
It could be lower down in the town somewhere, perhaps. The outermost fence seems difficult though because I think the wall would always obscure any wide panorama that would reveal the valley cliffs.
I can’t find any image that suggests that PJ chose to place an inner wall anywhere in Edoras.
I don’t think it could possibly be either Isengard, or Dunharrow. There are probably no other options within the context of WOTR.
Action
Héra is challenging someone, but it doesn’t seem to be a life-or-death situation: the blonde fellow behind her is watching, but not alarmed. There’s a dog at the top of the ramp, but it doesn’t seem frightened either. The figures to the left do seem wary about whatever is happening, but aren’t moving to attack. The bonemasks that obscure their faces bear some resemblance of the helms of Isengard’s orc berserkers — as though they’re some primitive antecedent.
Orcs would probably be a scene of great violence, though. This seems more like a standoff/negotiation.
So perhaps they are actually Dunlendings. Yes, PJ’s Dunlending are universally bareheaded. But they’re also pretty rough and ready looking, and carry very primitive spears. I see one of our bonemask fellows bearing a similarly primitive spear.
So maybe they are accompanying Wulf/Freca to Meduseld at the beginning of the film. Perhaps the individual whom we cannot see is either Freca or Wulf, pressing an unwelcome suit before the all-important council meeting that kicks everything off?
Weapon
Finally, there’s the sword that Héra wields.
I wonder if it might be Éowyn’s sword, mostly based on the way the blade narrows from hilt to tip. Also, it just seems kinda apt. My learned colleague ( :) ), Staffer Greendragon, thinks it’s Theoden’s sword — Herugrim — because of the hilt shape and the double horse motif. And it’s an heirloom sword. Both options seem possible to me in the absence of a definitive comment from production, or alternate angles to examine.
The War of the Rohirrim animation still: The Gathering in Meduseld
(L-R) HÉRA Voiced by GAIA WISE, HELM HAMMERHAND voiced by BRIAN COX, HALETH Voiced by BENJAMIN WAINWRIGHT and HAMA voiced by YAZDAN QAFOURI in New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Animation’s epic anime adventure “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.Character design observations
I suspect this one is supposed to give us a feel for character art style, as well as Helm’s family. In some ways this is all a family affair.
- Helm is a little less grim-looking than I expected. He looks quite noble, and is powerfully built. His hands, formed into fists, could probably break Orthanc itself.
- Haleth looks about Eomer’s (Karl Urban) age. Looks very serious.
- Héra actually seems older than Éowyn and maybe the eldest, even. She sits at the right hand of Helm, traditionally a more important position than the left? Right-hand man and all that.
- Hama seems a late teen. Something about his manner suggests that He’s probably the reckless one/has something to prove which explains his death during a “sortie” while Helm’s Deep is besieged.
- Helm’s children are all older than I expected as well – except Hama, perhaps.
Action
It looks as though they are receiving an embassy. Initially I thought it might be that of Freca, but having read some reports on the content of the Annecy footage, I now wonder if it’s the emissary from Gondor that’s been mentioned in some places.
The War of the Rohirrim animation still: Wulf
WULF voiced by LUKE PASQUALINO New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Animation’s epic anime adventure “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.Character design observation
Knowing it’s Wulf takes the fun out of guessing, but the dark hair is typical of Dunlending ancestry. I do wonder how he gained the scar over the right eye. There must be an explanation for that at some point, for sure. Who, or what, was he fighting?
Location
Stonework in the background could be Edoras, or it could be Helm’s Deep (besieging it). Really hard to say. The ropes around the wooden structure behind Wulf seem like some sort of temporary structure however. They could be siege-works. The concept art for the fall of Edoras (now well over two years old!) seems more indicative of a short, brutal siege led by the Mumakil not an extended one that requires siege-works.
Also it is winter though and it is snowing, and the siege of Helm’s Deep occurred during the Long Winter that was notably harsh.
Detail
I like the blurring on the snowflakes. It makes me wonder if they’ve filmed a snowfall and slipped that footage in – it doesn’t look like animation motions smears to me. But perhaps I’m wrong.
Today in Annecy attending press were treated to glimpses of the upcoming film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. TORn didn't have anyone present there, but the good folks at Warner Bros. were kind enough to share with us some of the first movie images being revealed; and we had a chance to sit down again, before Annecy, with producer Philippa Boyens, to chat some more about this hotly anticipated movie - and other returns to Middle-earth, coming in the future.
Feast your eyes on the images! And enjoy the conversation between Boyens and staffer greendragon.
GD: Hi Philippa, thanks for taking this time - and it's very, very exciting to see some images. We all just can't wait to see it and are excited for what's going to be revealed at Annecy - and these three images that we have to look at. So, I have a million questions but can we plunge straight into the images?
PB: Absolutely.
HÉRA voiced by GAIA WISE in New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Animation’s epic anime adventure “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. PicturesGD: Great. I'm looking at the first one that was sent to me, which presumably is Hera, our heroine. And the first thing I have to ask you - and I don't know if you're going to be able to answer this question: is that Herugrim that we see in her hand there? Is that the 500-year-old heirloom of Rohan that ends up with Theoden?
PB: Well, given some of the concept artists that were involved in this film, I would say that's probably a pretty good guess. You know the attention to detail that those guys go into. So people like Daniel Falconer and, of course, John Howe, Alan Lee, you know. And then the brilliant Japanese concept artists, not just animators but concept artists as well, have worked on this. We've just been spoiled, honestly, absolutely spoiled.
GD: I can well imagine! Talk to me a little bit about this character Hera, because I've been fascinated by some of the things I've read that you've said in other interviews, about her being inspired somewhat by the Lady of the Mercians, Aethelflaed. And your talk of that reminded me also of Matilda, the daughter of Henry I, who was known as Lady of the English. So we've got these early medieval women who did not end up ruling, but who kept the country together in these powerful, strong ways. And clearly in this image, Hera is being very fierce. It looks like her sword is touching someone's shoulder that we're just seeing in the edge of the picture. Tell me a little bit about this strong female character that I'm very excited to see.
PB: Yes, she is a strong female character; but what I really love about her, she's a very real female character - which I think is a strength of what Professor Tolkien did with the Rohirrim, and we've drawn on that. Eowyn was drawn so beautifully. I mean, you know, of course, with Galadriel and Arwen, you're dealing with immortals, you're dealing with the quality of, I was going to say the fae, but I won't say that, but that otherworldly quality that is inherent in the elves. With Eowyn, I always felt that she was drawn in a very real way. And so we've kind of tried to continue in that tradition.
She's not named in the books and we do point that out - I won't tell you how! - but I do think it's interesting that often women remain unnamed. There's an unnamed daughter in Beowulf, for example. That was immediately intriguing; but what i do say is i don't feel in any way that Professor Tolkien was slighting that character in not naming her. I think he hadn't gotten around to telling that part of the story; and i do believe that if he had told that part of the story, given that he was a Mercian of sorts himself, how could he not perhaps have drawn on alfred the great's daughter? And so she felt authentic. Although, having said that, I know he also said that the Rohirrim were not pure Anglo-Saxon derivatives, you know, there's a lot of other facets to them - including his own imagination that he drew upon.
But I'm so glad you mentioned Matilda, because I think in the same vein, you're absolutely right, that somehow they had the facility to hold their people together without necessarily having the title of ruler. They were leaders because they showed leadership and courage when it was needed. It's resilience, you know, often time and time again, they show something special and save their people. , I think that that was one of the things that drew us to her.
And we wanted to make sure that she was as authentically human as she could be. So she's not without doubts. She's not without fears. She is constrained by the strictures of the society in which she's been brought up. She's beloved by her father - we know that from the very beginning of the storytelling. This is what we've come up with, you know; because we have known brothers. We have Haleth and Hama. And we can imagine who they are. And so when it came to Hera, we thought it would be interesting that just as Théoden had that relationship with Éowyn, that kind of the interesting thing following that thread through with Helm. First he loses Haleth, he loses Hama, he loses all his sons.
And although Hera is, you know, growing up - we killed off the mother, by the way, because she's not named either. So we imagined her growing up, raised by a warrior king, alongside two brothers who, you know, there would be a genuinely tomboyishness to her nature, that she was allowed to have a bit of a free reign when she was younger. But when it comes down to it, especially now that she's getting older, she comes face to face with the fact that, you know what, there are strictures in this society and there are roles for women in this society that her father still expects her to fulfill.
So, sure, he let her have a bit of a free reign and she was a bit of a wild child growing up,but never once did Helm think she would do anything other than that. and fulfill her duties and so it's really interesting that that is part of his journey of his character to sort of suddenly discover that his daughter is stronger than he knew, which is really interesting. I love the relationship between those two characters that we've managed to find in there.
(L-r) HÉRA Voiced by GAIA WISE, HELM HAMMERHAND voiced by BRIAN COX,
HALETH Voiced by BENJAMIN WAINWRIGHT and HAMA voiced by YAZDAN QAFOURI in New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Animation’s epic anime adventure “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. PicturesGD: And great actors voicing those two characters. [Brian Cox and Gaia Wise]
PB: Oh, my God, wonderful. Honestly, I don't think anyone else genuinely could have played Hera, but Gaia Wise, she was perfect. She has all of the elements that you want. She's got so much life in her, and she has that tomboyishness to her, but she also has a kind of, she's full of curiosity. She's very intelligent. She's got a great sense of humor, and so she's quick, and she's got a ready laugh, and I can imagine a little bit of wildness about her, but she's got a heart. You know, that was the thing that got her - she's got a huge heart.
She fell off her bike. (I hope she doesn't mind me telling you this!) She got, because she was biking to the ADR session to do some recording, and she actually came off. She got knocked off her bike. She had a big graze on her leg, and I was appalled. I was like, oh, my God, we've got to do something. It was absolutely determined to just keep going because I think she was focused. Of course. She was in the zone. She felt, no, look, it's going to be fine. I'm not, you know, nothing's broken. And she just got straight into it, and I was just looking at her thinking. Oh my God, you are Hera. The warrior.
GD: I'm looking at the third image we saw, of Wulf outside. He certainly looks like a Dunlending, with the dark hair. I’m looking at that sort of darkness. And you were just saying before about how the Rohirrim are people, they are humans and they have a reality to them and a human quality that, of course, we don't get in the immortals, the Maiar, the Elves. This is a tale of men.
WULF voiced by LUKE PASQUALINO New Line Cinema’s and Warner Bros. Animation’s epic anime adventure “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. PicturesPB: What's fascinating is the choices that Wulf makes. There is a moment, I think, where he could have, you know, conquering Edoras, if he'd settled down and become a good and wise ruling king, none of this history would have been spoken of. You know, it would have been a challenge by one lord to a lord whose time had potentially passed.
And, given the culture, (which, again, we set up very early on), this is a people who, although he is a king, they are subservient to Gondor, that in itself creates certain levels of tensions; and that although he is a king, he rules by consent, not by right. And so Wulf, if he'd made the right choices, it would have been a different story.
He doesn't. He makes other choices, and they're very interesting choices - and where those choices come from is really fascinating. He's one of my favourite characters ever that we've ever created. He and Hera are so strong. They're wonderful.
And, of course, Brian Cox is just brilliant as Helm. I have to say, no surprise! Unsurprisingly brilliant, which is fantastic for us and for the fans. I think they're just going to love him.
GD: So with Annecy coming up – which is very exciting... Of course, we're all reeling with excitement of the news of the 'Hunt for Gollum' movie. And I see that Andy Serkis is going to be there to host a panel with you, at Annecy. I noticed looking back on last year's Annecy that in an interview there, you said that this movie and this story, this animated film, would be ‘a good way back into’ the world of Middle-earth. Did you have an inkling then that this (The War of the Rohirrim) was, to quote Gandalf, the falling of small stones that would start an avalanche? Did you think there was going to be more coming?
PB: Yes, I did. I did. I myself personally felt up for it. It was one of those things where you go back to something that, I mean, you know, you can lose yourself sometimes in making a film. And you kind of lose, you know, I've always found that the books were my comfort read. They were the thing that I always had that I could fall into. And in a way, doing the films destroyed that to a certain level.
What was interesting is going back into this and going back into a part of the story that was so fresh to me. And I think it's going to be fresh to the audience and yet familiar, which is also brilliant. It re-energized me. I don't know what it was, but it made me think, you know what – I do love telling stories within this world. It feels like a natural fit.
And I love the passion of the fans. I genuinely mean that, absolutely. You can tell all the members of the Torn community of TheOneRing that they're always sitting on my shoulder.
GD: But in a good way!
PB: In the best possible way. Because, you know, you've got to have such respect for the passion that's involved there. And I think it's entirely appropriate and we should be held to a really high standard. And I think Kenji Kamiyama has not only met that standard, he's smashed it. He had the bar and then he smashed his way through it and set it somewhere even higher. So it's fantastic. Can't wait for you guys to see it.
GD: We can't wait to see it. It's so exciting. You know, this year, TheOneRing.net is 25 years old. It's our silver anniversary! Who would have thought we would be not only still going, but here having the chance to talk to you about new projects. It's the gift that keeps on giving! Our staffer Demosthenes [who chatted with PB before] asked me to just casually ask you, are we going to see Saruman?
PB: [laughs] I can neither confirm nor deny that! I really can't. I think he's, I have to tell you, he's very acute and perceptive - and some of the things that he was supposing were very much on the money in terms of when he saw the mumaks and things like that. And I thought that was really interesting. But that one I'm not giving him. Tell him I'm sorry!
GD: I'll tell him! Well, it's so great to talk, Philippa. Have a great time in Annecy, and I hope we can connect again; and we just can't wait for everything that's coming up. Thank you so much.
PB: I'm always happy to talk to you guys, absolutely.
Huge thanks to Philippa Boyens, and to Warner Bros. for affording us this exclusive interview. A closer look at these first images is coming soon!
The Annecy Film Festival “second look” at The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim has just concluded and reactions are starting to trickle out.
It sounds like a lot of people were quite impressed. Variety described the footage as "epic" and stated that the showing received "thunderous applause".
Screendaily probably has the most comprehensive report so far and has the news from Philippa Boyens that Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson are on board as executive producers.
“They’ve been huge supporters of this film from the very beginning; they’ve stayed in the background a little, but I’m proud to reveal that they’ve been with us all along and are in fact our executive producers.
“They wanted to stay in the background because Peter in particular wanted to give Kenji the space to find his own way into the film,” added Boyens, who produces The War Of The Rohirrim with Joseph Chou.
Warner Bros/New Line screened 20 minutes of the film to the Annecy audience. It was followed by a panel hosted by Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in Jackson’s Rings trilogy, with Boyens, Kamiyama, Chou and executive producer Jason DeMarco present.
“We did not want to make an animated version of a Peter Jackson film,” said DeMarco. “We wanted to make a Kenji Kamiyama animated feature film that lives within that world. That’s a difficult task that requires a lot of delicate balancing between two types of filmmaking that haven’t collided like this before.”
Here's a quick selection of instant reactions and good ol' hot takes.
A super exciting event and incredible audience reaction. Six months to go! #waroftherohirrim @stephengallaghermusic
@Pin3hot on Instagram
By Ilúvatar, THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM looks stellar.
@RafaelMotamayor on Twitter
Seen 20 minutes of #WaOofTheRohirrim. Reservations about the animation. hot for the story. It comes out in December, the old-fashioned way.
@CloneWeb on Twitter
Had the pleasure of seeing a sneak peak of The Lords of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Honestly it’s absolutely stunning and I can’t wait for it to be released in cinemas. #JosephatAnnecy #AnnecyFestival #LOTR #Anime
@JosephYoung on Twitter
Animation style of ‘THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM’ is very much like Japanese anime & ‘CASTLEVANIA.’
@NexusPointNews on Twitter
I'll continue to update these as more information comes in.
It’s not long until Warner Bros. Animation unveils its long-awaited second look at Kenji Kamiyama’s The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim at the 2024 Annecy Film Festival.
The 90-minute presentation, hosted by Andy Serkis (Hunt for Gollum tie-in, anyone?), will feature the first 20 minutes (or so) of Kamiyama’s 130-minute-long feature anime. People with good memories will recognise how this mirrors their appearance at the same event this time last year.
Source: War of the Rohirrim Producer Jason DeMarcoIt will be interesting to hear if they show it all in single sequence, or as a series of snapshots as they did last year. It will also be very interesting to hear about the progress the animation team has made on the raw, rather-unfinished footage that they screened last year.
The Annecy presentation will also finally bring some support to the lonely promotional furrow that composer Stephen Gallagher has been ploughing this year.
On our Discord channel dedicated to all things WOTR, we’ve been closely following the trail of hints he’s been leaving on his Instagram account but I’ve long thought his efforts deserve a wider audience. So I’m going to take a thousand words or so to update you all on what’s been happening on the musical front!
Gallagher, in case you’re unaware, is a New Zealand composer and award-winning music editor. He is probably best-known to Tolkien fans for his work on The Hobbit where, as well as working as music editor on all three films, he composed the songs ‘Blunt the Knives’ and ‘The Torture Song’ for An Unexpected Journey. Read up on him in our backgrounding post here.
He obliquely revealed on his Instagram account around the end of February that The War of the Rohirrim production had shifted to scoring and recording music.
On February 25 he posted a tiny snippet of score from a piece titled “2. M03 Business” with a simple caption “Time for business…”, showing parts for at least Cor Anglais (otherwise known as English Horn), bass clarinet, (probably bass) bassoon and crumhorn. Additional, unknown, instruments are obviously further down.
Despite the absence of a key signature, TORn Discord moderator Lasswen promptly placed the score snippet into notation program Musescore4 to gauge what it might sound like, working on the assumption that it was scored in concert pitch.
We’d like to emphasise that this is our approximation based on the score provided with the notation inputted into a program to recreate the sheet music we could see, then exported as an mp3 — it’s not the *actual* thing. You can have a listen below.
- M03 BUSINESS
Lasswen notes that
“… aside from what other instruments are in that piece, let alone missing from that sample (eg. there's two bars after the contra bassoon that we don't know if it's silence or something else lower on the score is filling in), I think it's also interesting to note that typically if piccolo, flute, oboe or trumpets were in it they would have been in that section we saw. Most of what's there are low bass instruments.”
We like the creepy, unsettled sound.
Now, that might indicate a monster theme since both Executive Producer Philippa Boyens and Producer DeMarco have mentioned we should expect monsters — that there are things lurking in the White Mountains.
But there are other possibilities — particularly if, as we suspect, the numbers indicate that “Business” is a piece that arrives early in the film.
The initial, fatal conflict that arises between Helm and Freca is underpinned by an enormous amount of unease. Further, Freca, is there on his own business — the business of marriage.
'To one of these councils Freca rode with many men, and he asked the hand of Helm's daughter for his son Wulf. But Helm said: "You have grown big since you were last here; but it is mostly fat, I guess"; and men laughed at that, for Freca was wide in the belt.
'Then Freca fell in a rage and reviled the king, and said this at the last: "Old kings that refuse a proffered staff may fall on their knees." Helm answered: "Come! The marriage of your son is a trifle. Let Helm and Freca deal with it later. Meanwhile the king and his council have matters of moment to consider."
The Lord of the Rings. Appendix A: The House of Eorl.
The “business” of the title may well be the attempt to arrange a match between Wulf and Hera. It seems an excellent fit. Could it be as Freca enters the Golden Hall and approaches Helm’s throne?
The “courtly” tone of the crumhorn could be a good fit for such an event:
The seemingly extensive use of horns also makes us wonder whether, at some point we will hear the famed Horn of Helm resounding through the Deeping Valley.
Gimli blows the Horn of Helm in PJ's The Two Towers. Watch here.
Helm had a great horn, and soon it was marked that before he sallied forth he would blow a blast upon it that echoed in the Deep; and then so great a fear fell on his enemies that instead of gathering to take him or kill him they fled away down the Coomb.
The Lord of the Rings. Appendix A: The House of Eorl.
Gallagher’s Instagram posts indicate that he spent some time in Wellington finalising the musical score at Stroma FilmWorks and has been working with noted sound producer and mixer Pin3hot who was previously Supervising Music Editor for Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
In a perhaps-weird coincidence, Pin3hot’s credits also include Ultraman. Ultraman, of course, was overseen by The War of the Rohirrim director Kenji Kamiyama (alongside Shinji Aramaki), and produced by Sola Entertainment — Joseph Chou’s company that happens to be handling production and animation for The War of the Rohirrim.
As near as we can tell scoring seems to have been finalised on or around February 26.
A few days later, on March 2, Gallagher posted another snippet of score labelled “Helm Hammerhand Still Stands” with a simple message: “What a week!”.
Lasswen, on TORn’s Discord server, offered some analysis, observing that:
- This time all the instruments were concealed.
- Although there is no tempo or clefs, the bottom stave changes to bass clef, suggesting the others are in all treble, and that there are fewer bass instruments present than in Business.
- Since the five visible staves are grouped together (by the bar lines extending down across them) what we can see there is probably woodwinds (unless there are no woodwinds and these are treble brass such as trumpets and french horns).
- There might still be crumhorns, just maybe not the bass ones as in Business.
- Business had seven woodwinds, with a lot of bass ones, so this is likely a very different piece.
- There is only one visible note at the start, though you can see that the instrument on the second staff is also playing; and it’s a lower note than in the second bar (from the curve of the slur line), but difficult to guess precisely what it would be.
- The dynamic markings indicate it being quiet, at least at the start, but with some swell of sound and then a fade-away.
Like with Business, Lasswen also dropped this piece into a music editor, this time using piano as a 'neutral' instrument, to create two versions —the first assuming all those instruments start in treble clef, and the second with the bottom-most instrument starting in alto clef (that would mean the sound is not at all discordant for the second bar).
HELM HAMMERHAND TREBLE.MP3
HELM HAMMERHAND ALTO.MP3
But what is it about?
Well, the title alone Helm Hammerhand Still Stands feels like a strong nod to what is probably the most iconic scene of the short Helm tale in Appendix A, when the Dunlending have Helm and his retainers trapped in the fortress that would later bear his name.
We think the much higher numbering (M38) also supports that it’s from somewhere far later in the film than we believe Business will be.
One night men heard the horn blowing, but Helm did not return. In the morning there came a sun-gleam, the first for long days, and they saw a white figure standing still on the Dike, alone, for none of the Dunlendings dared come near. There stood Helm, dead as a stone, but his knees were unbent.
The Lord of the Rings. Appendix A: The House of Eorl.
Coincidentally (or not), it’s also one of only three scenes for which Warner Bros. has already revealed initial concept art.
Concept Art for The War of the Rohirrim. In a bit of a wrap post, Gallagher revealed that in the first week they recorded approximately 82 minutes of wind and string instruments.
About 82 minutes of winds and strings recorded this week with the amazing @stroma.ensemble featuring orchestrations by the excellent @hammckeich and @harrybrokensha , engineered by the one and only @soundjohn69 , produced by the best of the best @pin3hot , we have the splendid @janet.grab and #alanajanssen handling edits and programming as well as our wonderful intern @caoimhesadventures . We had it all super co-ordinated by the brilliant @katemulls with the lovely @_robyn_bryant_ .
Looking out for us all were the incomparable @musicgirl44 and @pbroucek , @joeyg3 , @clarknova @phobear @artypapageorgiou
It was a privilege to work with these amazing people to bring the score to life for #kenjikamiyama ‘s extraordinary film.
Surround yourself with a great team and anything is possible.Stephen Gallagher Instagram
Kenji Kamiyama and Joseph Chou also happened to drop by and check things out.
At this point, the soundtracking relocated to London to record other instruments — particularly brass and percussion — in London’s Angel Studios and at Air Edel.
Should be able to catch up on sleep the next 24 hours of travel - when you live in London, New Zealand really is the other side of the planet. Looking forward to @stephengallaghermusic arriving this weekend for our next batch of sessions. You didn’t think it was only strings and winds did you?!
Pin3hot Instagram
As well as brass, we know that they recorded Taiko (a traditional type of Japanese drum).
On his Instagram, Pin3hot referred to it specifically as an Odaiko (listen to one here). A little research is intriguing:
The odaiko was once used as a battle signal, and now features in Kabuki theater (a popular form of theater that has evolved from 17th-century aristocratic theater), Zen Buddhist ritual, and traditional dances.
Instruments of the World
Who might use war drums? Corsairs? Haradrim, perhaps?
After that, recording shifted to Air Edel for more intriguing instruments: shawms and crumhorns, what we believe are Tibetan Singing Bowls, RAUSCHPFEIFE (Pin3hot: "all-caps to reflect its character"), and curtal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4-TeN8UvyIAt the beginning of May, Gallagher was back in Wellington for even more recording working with conductor Hamish McKeich (principal conductor in residence for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra).
This most recent, and perhaps last, batch of recording seems to have involved choral singing. And weeping. Whatever could that be about? A funeral, perhaps? Time will tell.
Coming soon to consoles, mobile, and PC, Tales of the Shire introduces a new vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved Hobbit landscape as a cozy, comfortable place to return to in a more personal interactive way.
TheOneRing.net's Justin and Kellie recently caught up with the producers on Tales of the Shire, and you can read her report here. The game is being developed internally at Wētā Workshop in New Zealand and published worldwide by Private Division. After the recently released first-look trailer, fans wanted to know more how about this project came about, and why the Oscar winning design studio decided to start making games based on The Lord of the Rings.
Justin: Thank you for chatting with TheOneRing.net. Please introduce yourselves to the fans!
Morgan: I'm Morgan Jaffit. Executive Producer on Tales of the Shire.
Calliope: And I am Calliope Ryder, the lead producer on Tales of the Shire.
Building on the Legacy of The Lord of the RingsJustin: Talk about the legacy of Wētā Workshop. You’re making a video game, but there's a whole legacy of building a world class Shire on film and in physical spaces in Matamata. So where do you even start with a new form of adaptation?
Calliope: We are very fortunate that a lot of people on the team have been working in, well sort of living in, the Middle-earth environment for quite a long time. There's our art director who worked on The Hobbit and actually many people on the team who've worked in concepting in departments on various Lord of the Rings things. It's sort of a natural extension of what has happened in the past, but with a really new brushstroke. Sort of a fairy tale lens, everything is rose tinted: how can we make this Shire a really, really cozy place? How can we sort of give a new visual expression of what Wētā has done, like leaning on the experience that we've got, to make something that looks unique but is still very clearly of Middle-earth?
Morgan: It just runs through the veins of every Wētā Workshop project. Dan Falconer is just up the road. And when Darren, our narrative lead, says, “I wonder about this? Let’s ask Dan.” Dan wanders down and gives this insight during a build review. Fans all know Richard Taylor, who has the finest eye for visual detail that I have seen in a human, and has lived in this world forever. He will look at something and say, “No, the way that sword hangs is incorrect! We need to make a nine-degree change to the tilt of the tip of the sheath.”
That sort of detail and that sort of precision is there every day. It's there in focused ways, in members of the team, and it's there in just the framework of the organization that we draw on. It’s the people working it through every day. I’ll look around and think, that person knows more about this than anyone else in the entire universe. It's been a real privilege to be involved in that.
Calliope: I think it's pretty rare for a studio to make this commercial game and have access to so many experts in so many different fields. Morgan mentioned the leather working thing earlier, but across the board is just so much wealth of knowledge to draw from every direction.
Morgan: Plus, there is support and elevation for excellence. I actually don't think you can get to excellence through pressure. You can only get there through support, camaraderie, and teamwork. It's a muscle they've been training every day. And it's a filter as well. When you know Daniel Falconer or Richard Taylor comes by and says, "Oh, this is what would make it better,” -- they tend to be right. So we need to go make it better. It's all very easy while also being the hardest thing in the world.
Justin: Speaking of this team of experts, what do the demographics look like on the development team?
Morgan: There's a good and diverse team making the game. Except for the fact that it's overwhelmed with New Zealanders!
Calliope: Actually, I would say Commonwealths, so lot of Kiwis and a lot of Australians. We’ve got a few Brits. We’ve got a Canadian, specifically a New Zealand Canadian expat. It's changed quite a bit lately, and like all game studios, it ebbs and flows. I'm sort of the person on this project where if a question comes up for a particular thing, they are told to 'make Cal happy'!
Justin: How did Wētā Workshop decide to start making games, and building out a game development team?
Calliope: Before my time, Wētā Workshop was working on an augmented reality project for a game based on our own IP, Dr Grordbort's: Invaders – however this was never released. So there was already the foundation for making tech, making video or experimental tech, and video games and gamified experiences. When the project ended, we still had a bunch of devs around and accessible to us. So they got to work trying to figure out what the next step was. Making something that was a bit more easily accessible for a wider audience was a pretty high priority.
Morgan: I think the Wētā DNA is: have amazing people, look at how to apply them to problems that haven't been solved before, and find people who want to partner up and do things right. I think they have a game studio because that was the right solution to the question of what to do with amazing people. It’s sort of a symbiotic relationship when you talk about the growth. There's this push and pull, and I think part of the reason that we're seeing gaming success in New Zealand is from the sorts of things that are going on, as well as a quicker development time for work. Yeah, it's just a really great ecosystem.
Justin: With the two different companies collaborating on this game, how have you divided the work between Wētā Workshop and Private Division? What does that relationship look like?
Morgan: It’s a really traditional publisher-developer relationship, with a slight difference. It wouldn't be unusual for a publisher to have an IP like Middle-earth with a game in mind, where they were talking to developers and getting developers lined up. But obviously Wētā Workshop itself has a long relationship with Middle-earth Enterprises. So Wētā Workshop went to Private Division and said this is a game we really want to make. Private Division said we think that's a great idea. They've helped with resources, marketing support, and distribution. They've been really great partners from a production standpoint and helping to manage. There are an enormous amount of different wheels to turn to get a big game made. But when it comes to the game, when it comes to what goes into the game, that is all Wētā Workshop. The team are on site (or in some cases remote), but it's Wētā people, making a Wētā game, the Wētā way, and working with Private Division to get that out to the world.
Calliope: One of the really good things about Private Division, when you look through their portfolio of previous titles, is that they place a really high value on artistic expression and creatives. I think that's a pretty good match for us because if there's anything that we want to do really well, and own more, it's the artistic expression of the Shire.
Making Games in New ZealandJustin: It seems like there's a huge game development scene in New Zealand, with the CODE program where the government supports game developers with funding.
Calliope: I have to give credit where credit's due. CODE Center of Digital Excellence is a government funded grant program with the aim to start more indie gaming studios in the region. Just being in New Zealand, we're a long way away from GDC and the rest of the world. Obviously with COVID the climate's changed a bit, but it's hard for us to pitch new games. It costs a lot of money to go to gaming industry events for people who don't have backing. With CODE starting things up in Dunedin, and now nationally across New Zealand, it had this huge boom and a lot of gaming devs are now doing really well. It feels very nice for gaming to finally be recognized. For a long time, games were kind of lumped into sports, which we're not, then we were always lumped in with the screen (filmmaking) initiatives, which we are not. So it's really nice to feel like gaming is being recognized by and supported by the New Zealand government to bring New Zealand's game development scene up.
Justin: Did this NZ indie gaming scene influence the creative decision to make a small cozy game, versus making a AAA-level game right out of the gate?
Calliope: I mean, for us, we have to sort of be a bit realistic, right? It would be incredibly hard to go from no game experience to a AAA game. We had to figure out what’s right for Wētā Workshop. What can we make to give back to the world? What can we make that is something that we really want to work on?
Morgan: It really was Wētā Workshop driven. Way more organic than you think. It’s an organic place. Just have the world's best people, and then work out the problems with chewing gum. I mean, that is the sense I get from Richard and Tanya, and the rest of the crew all the way down.
The other thing I'd say is that, you know, we are aware that this is a game that different people will turn up to for different reasons. And it's really important to us that all of them are welcomed with open arms and given the sort of experience that they want to get out of it. In terms of motivations, and in terms of demographics, that’s really how we've been thinking about it from the opening. But it's also a part of the reason that, you know, Cal’s been such a great lead for this project - because she lives in that world, as do the other women on the team. Which is really important.
Justin: How much of pressure is there to be excellent at creative output? Is there pressure coming from the legacy at Wētā Workshop, that you're building upon?
Calliope: What pressure? (sarcastic laugh) We recognize the opportunity that we're given to build this game. We recognize - and we love - that we really care for the lore, we care for the IP, we really care for Middle-earth. We are a studio that is growing within a much older legacy of excellence, especially artistic creative excellence. I don't think you could be at Wētā Workshop and not make an incredibly beautiful project, and hold yourself to the standard that you see around you every day.
What games the developers are playingJustin: What are some of your favorite games? What do you play?
Calliope: This is not particularly cosy in this case, because in a way, I love Frostpunk, I adore Frostpunk. I can't wait for number two to come out. I think there's something that is actually really cosy about storms, winter, deep dark. The existence of a really harsh environment sort of creates that cosy feeling. I've been playing a little bit of Dreamlight Valley. I love games like Firewatch. I like tourism games, right? Like games where you get to explore, not so much action adventure, but in not quite walking sense, but just exploring beautiful environments.
Morgan: I'm ancient, so my tastes fossilized 100 years ago. Favorites would change from one day to the other, but Dungeon Master or Ultima IV. Space trading game Elite was very, very impactful on me, it had a huge impact. Device 6 is a mobile game by the studio that did Year Walk. Device 6 is like the old British television series Prisoner of War, which is kind of a surrealistic 60s mod text adventure on mobile, that's just super my jam. I'm playing tons of Marvel Snap recently because I move around a lot and have kids. I love the first Arkham game. I think it represents a really significant point in the way development changed from one place to the other. System Shock 2 is hugely influential on me, and the Ultima Underworld games were remarkable at the time as they kind of exposed what 3D systemic gaming could be. I've always had a soft spot for everything that's come out of the Looking Glass alumni. Deathloop is probably the most recent.
Justin: Helldivers 2 has really captured the imagination of everybody, because of the co-op and the fact that developers are like, "We're leaving something in the game just because it's fun.”
Calliope: For that type of game, it's one of the more approachable ones that I've experienced, right? There's some games that I play for social, and that's games like Helldivers. And that's because it feels good to do things with friends. Then there's games where the purpose for me is to settle down, to have a nice little list that I can check off every day. I go around and do mining and watering different things, and Dorfromantik is one that I'm obsessed with, and keep returning to relax as a therapeutic game. Obviously Stardew Valley I’ve put an inordinate amount of time to – more than I put into Skyrim, and that's saying something.
Justin: How do you manage that balance of adding things that are fun to play, but maybe are not accurate to the lore?
Morgan: I don't think anywhere that I can think of where we had a fun-versus-lore question. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, it just hasn't. We've been committed from early on to a pretty high degree of verisimilitude but because of that, we are grounded. We are in the world of the lore. I don't think anybody's been like, I'd love to have a flamethrower mini game.
Calliope: laughs But a Balrog rising mini game could be fun!
Morgan: We understand that the interface layer and the in-game layer are separate. You wouldn’t have a backpack to put things in, but with tiny little boxes as a UI concept. That’s not a breach of lore issue. The people who know the lore are regularly like, “But NO!” about certain things, but not about fun game mechanics. When we look at fun ideas, like what if we had those type of characters turn up? Lore team would say, “No, those peoples are documented to have never come to the Shire. So, no you can’t!” It's that simple.
We try to be consistent with the lore at all times because somebody is going to find an example and make our lore guys sad, but we are very consistent. We're very, very conscious of it but it's never felt like a restriction. There's plenty of places to color in, plenty of places to enrich, and plenty of richness from the page.
Justin: What’s the primary platform: Switch, Xbox, Playstation, or PC? Can you talk about the expected lifecycle of the game?
Morgan: All the ones! We have no favorite children. We have developed and designed from the very beginning with an integrated experience on PC and very great experience on consoles. We expect people to have a long and enjoyable experience with this, and we expect to have a long and enjoyable experience ourselves.
Postscript: NETFLIX just announced that Tales of the Shire is coming to iPhone and Android via Netflix Games.
That’s it for our Tales of the Shire Producer Q&A! Also check out Kellie's report on the creative process of the game here. Pre-order or wishlist the game at all the usual places, and prepare to settle into some cosy🇬🇧 or cozy🇺🇸 gaming later this year.
On a blustery March afternoon in San Francisco, when the clouds skirting past the tall buildings threatened showers of rain amidst the bashful bouts of sunlight, a handful of wanderers tucked into an office nook for a chat about a game of special significance. Three had come all the way from New Zealand to attend the Game Developer’s Convention (GDC) for the week, while two of the travelers were California locals. It was a merry meeting indeed, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to ask some questions about the upcoming video game Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game™.
Hailed as the first “cozy” game set in the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien, Tales of the Shire is highly anticipated by fans of the gaming genre and The Lord of the Rings afficionados alike. Made in partnership with Private Division, Wētā Workshop are creating a Tolkien experience unlike any other, centered on the quaint, quiet lives of Hobbits in the Shire.
“This is our love letter to Middle-earth,” said Calliope Ryder, the lead games producer for Wētā Workshop, “looking at it through really cosy eyes. We wanted to build something that was about the Shire, that was about Hobbits, with a visual look no one had seen before. There’s a strong narrative and strong elements of gameplay, but the most important part is that it's peaceful. It's about slow Hobbit living.”
Hobbitcore delightAnyone who has followed my webseries Happy Hobbit on YouTube knows that my sister, family, and friends have been all about “slow Hobbit living” and celebrating a simple life for over a decade now. This game was music to my ears. “It sounds like it’s pure Hobbitcore,” I gushed.
“We are very keen to make all the Hobbitcore people happy,” said Morgan Jaffit, Executive Producer, with a broad smile. “That's very important to us.”
“Hobbitcore” refers to an aesthetic similar to Cottagecore, highlighting slow living, simple food, friendship with the earth, gardening, cozy settings, and of course, quaint adventures: in short, anything that falls under the umbrella of living like a Hobbit in a romanticized fashion.
While Tales of the Shire is far from the first game set in Middle-earth, its gameplay is unique. Previous games such as the wildly successful Shadow of Mordor (2014) produced by Monolith Studios and Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, and its sequel Shadow of War (2017) involve gameplay centered on violence, stealth, and killing. While there is a place for such slasher games, having an alternative focused on Hobbits, food, and community is a wonderfully therapeutic accompaniment.
Diversity in gamingPerhaps it is the female-dominated realm of Cottagecore content giving this impression, but I had a preconceived notion that cozy games, such as my current favorite Wylde Flowers by Studio Drydock, were largely the realm of female gamers, which isn’t the case. As Ryder explained, “If we think about it in demographic terms, the stats that I've seen previously say that cosy is roughly 60% women. I think you'd be surprised by the diversity in the cosy setting; It's more about what motivation that player has to be there, and that's what we try to deliver.”
These assumptions are not without merit. For decades, gaming was a male-dominated realm, filled with games made by boys for boys. While the gaming industry is still a notoriously toxic space for women, progress is being made, and Ryder’s career is living proof. While plenty of women enjoy slasher games, cozy games have the appeal of being simpler in nature so that, while perfectly suited to longer gaming sessions, one may dip in for 20 minutes between other responsibilities and still feel satisfied having achieved a bit of soothing escapism.
Therapeutic escapeThis need for therapeutic virtual spaces became prominent during the global pandemic. The concept for the game was born out of a desire to escape into the Shire amidst the uncertainty and fear of 2020.
“That's one of the initial inspirations to make Tales of the Shire,” explained Ryder. “It sort of sprang up around that time, and there was this big cosy Cottagecore boom at the time because people want to connect with nature. This was our version of looking at what we know, which is The Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth, [and asking], how can we create something that really gives back, and gives people an escapist experience in a place that they would really want to go to, and leans into that Cottagecore and Hobbitcore aesthetic?”
Make no mistake, this is the game I have been waiting for nearly all my life. “To me, it sounds therapeutic.”
“Exactly,” Ryder replied. “I play cosy games to relax or to process things. And this is a game in which we want people to feel like they can unwind and chill in the Shire.”
Lingering in the ShireBefore the announcement of Tales of the Shire, the closest Tolkien gamers could get to cozy virtual Hobbit content was The Lord of the Rings Online (LOTRO) produced by Standing Stone Games and Middle-earth Enterprises, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. While segments of LOTRO take place in Hobbiton, and there is certainly much Shire exploration in the open world of the MMORPG, the gameplay centers around quests and is lovingly loyal to the novels, where little time is spent in the idyllic countryside dotted with Hobbit holes and kitchen gardens.
“The engine that drives everything when you look at the journeys across both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings is this love of time and place, and it came from Tolkien's passionate reminiscing of the world that he grew up in,” explained Jaffit. “We don't spend much time in the Shire on the screen or in the novels, but it's always there because it's the thing that drives the engine of everything else. It's the special thing about which you have a sense of loss, and a sense of wanting, and a sense of home. The Shire is the place that you actually don't spend much time in but is constantly romanticized. So why not build something there? Everyone's talking about it all the time. Live there? Yeah!”
Childhood inspirationJaffit’s enthusiasm is palpable and doesn’t just originate from a love of a fictional locale. Growing up on a farm in Victoria, Australia, he and his large family, “worked on the land and worked with horses in a small country town. Certainly, my upbringing is about rural town living and what that means. And this is a game about rural living and what that means, and it means something very special because it’s also progressively fading away.”
“Not to make my childhood sound incredibly idyllic,” Ryder added, “but I also grew up on farms in White Hall, in the Waikato region of New Zealand which, if you know much about The Lord of the Rings films, is in the same region the Shire was filmed. Something that would make me really happy is if players can feel just a little bit of what I felt when I was growing up feeding chickens, when I was only this big,” Ryder paused to hold her hand a few feet up from the floor. “They were actually terrifying dinosaurs!”
Having likewise grown up with a family garden, chickens, horses, and other livestock, I have a keen connection with the land and forest surrounding my home. Many people are not as fortunate to have had the same experiences as we three, and providing a digital space for others to connect with an agricultural lifestyle, the cycle of the seasons, and living in friendship with the Earth is a means of keeping a fading way of life alive and accessible.
“I really want our players to get a sense of the best bits captured in my memory of what it was like growing up in White Hall, New Zealand,” said Ryder.
“As we lose our living links to the past, we see that resurgence in interest as we realize that we have to ask for those stories from our parents or else miss the opportunity to hear them,” explained Jaffit. “You have to ask about the stories of the people you meet, otherwise you miss the living link.”
Return to a pre-industrialized worldThe irony of discussing how Tolkien created the Shire out of nostalgia for the pre-industrialized world of his childhood, as we shared our mutual love of farm life in that room in San Francisco, against the backdrop of the Silicon Valley, surrounded by skyscrapers representing “big tech,” was not lost on anyone. “We live in such a busy world,” I offered, “and in a world where there's so much negativity being crammed down our throats from every angle. I think that the timing couldn’t be better for a game like this.”
“It's a bit bleak that ever since we started, we were being like ‘oh, the timing couldn’t be better,’ but it's still like that. Now the timing really couldn't be better,” agreed Ryder. “People need this cosy game. People need cosy things and people need that link [to the natural world] you are describing, and I really hope that they will get a little taste of that experience.”
While not everyone can have access to idyllic spaces like the Shire in real life, a virtual experience brought to life by Wētā Workshop is the next best alternative.
“Wētā Workshop is better at place than anybody on the planet,” said Jaffit. “What this game is about is building a place that is warm and gentle and beautiful, that you can get to visit and be inside and understand and appreciate. I think it's really special.”
Handcrafted with care“This game in particular feels very handcrafted,” Ryder elaborated. “So even though we have this enormous IP that is beloved world over, it's a very handcrafted, loving take on an experience that feels more indie. Many of us working on the game haven't come from film, or haven’t had other experiences with LOTR, but we do come from the indie scene, and we really infuse that love and care and the closeness that we want to build with community in an organic way.”
“It is a very ‘creativity first’ approach,” I offered, and both Ryder and Jaffit agreed. As a former Wētā Workshop crew member myself (helping pen Middle-earth from Script to Screen with Daniel Falconer), I greatly admire the way the Company not only honors but celebrates the creative process and collaboration. The team behind Tales of the Shire was able to draw upon Tolkien experts Daniel Falconer and Sir Richard Taylor for feedback as the game was developed, to ensure attention to detail and accuracy; both of which are incredibly important to a fanbase known for its love of lore.
Well-known characters - and a mystery duckSet in the Third Age of Middle-earth, Tales of the Shire promises to have some familiar faces appear. While we seem to have already glimpsed the Wizard Gandalf in the teaser trailer, Tolkien fleshed out a great many of the Shire locals, and gamers can expect to encounter them. “We have some more [obvious characters] I think most people will recognize from the world they know, and then we have a lot of subtler ones for the hardcore fans who are really deep into the lore… and you’ll have some moments with them.”
One seemingly original character who caught the imagination of fans from the very first images released from the game is a duck wearing a Dwarven helmet. TheOneRing.net’s Discord and broader social media in general has been alive with speculation over the mystery duck. “Yeah, she is in herself a bit of a tease of something to come that we haven't seen yet,” shared Ryder. “She's a hint. She's the Easter egg. She's got a name. I won’t give you a name right now, but she has one.”
While the identity of this Mystery Duck remains a closely guarded secret for now, the presence of other fine-feathered friends didn’t escape my Hobbit senses. “In both teasers, the sound effects of chickens are featured heavily,” I said, before going in for what is likely the burning question all fans want answered. “Can we expect chickens to be integral to the game?”
“They will,” Ryder laughed. “Maybe not as much as we've hinted, but they are definitely there. Yeah, we have had quite a bit of fun.”
The full trailer for the game and release date have yet to be announced, so I remain in suspense amidst my fellow gamers as to the role of chickens and the identity of the Mystery Duck in Tales of the Shire.
Tales of the Shire will be available on PC and consoles, with a mobile version to be released via Netflix. Watch the announcement trailer below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pu71Wyk2HAKellie is known as "Kili" on Happy Hobbit, but also writes Fantasy novels and hosts a podcast under her pen name, K.M. Rice.
In unrelated posts on Instagram, Evangeline Lilly and Nazanin Boniadi announced they are stepping away from acting after being in high profile, but separate, Middle-earth franchise projects.
Tauriel finds her dharmaEvangeline Lilly played Tauriel in The Hobbit trilogy of films, becoming a fan favorite and inspiring some of the best cosplay of that era. She had lines around the block for her SDCC signings at the Weta Workshop booth and became a champion for the fangirl experience.
She parlayed the success of The Hobbit into a title role as The Wasp in the MCU Marvel Cinematic Universe. But being a part of two giant franchises bears a heavy burden. Lilly was on the receiving end of much online criticisms about those movies. As the only main female character in The Hobbit - a book that does not feature any women - she stepped up into a creative situation with everything to prove. Tauriel is now generally appreciated by fandom, but it was a hard-earned.
Instead of wanting to be the people I admire, I now find myself rooting for them. Instead of wanting to compete with my peers, I now want to see them succeed. Instead of seeing little merit in the young, I want to invest in them.
Evangeline Lilly, on IG
On instagram, LOST fans found an old video from her breakout role describing where she wanted to be in 10 years - "Retired."
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7wtTLbJt0eBronwyn chooses an activist lifeNazanin Boniadi, an accomplished Iranian actress who fans were excited about in the lead up to the debut of Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, posted on Instagram about her reasons for leaving the show.
To everyone's surprise, THR broke the story that Boniadi would not be returning for Season 2 of ROP. Sources in the article claimed she was leaving acting and the show to commit full time to her activism work on behalf of Iranian women. But hours later, Boniadi posted to IG to correct the record, stating "This was unrelated to my subsequent decision to prioritize my advocacy," and that leaving the show was intentional.
The values I have held most dear are honesty, empathy and integrity. My character Bronwyn was committed to these same ideals in striving for a fairer world, which is why I connected so deeply with her.
Nazanin Boniadi, via IG
The casting process of Prime Video's The Rings of Power was met with celebration - and some small but loud online vitriol. It's been no secret that actors of non-white descent received a large amount of negativity directed toward them -- including death threats and phone hacking, creating an unsafe environment. There have historically been those dark corners of internet discussion, even going all the way back to Ian McKellen being accused of ruining Tolkien's story because he was a gay actor playing Gandalf. McKellen eventually responded to the online trolls in his personal blog. But true devotees of Tolkien's writings understand the core themes of The Lord of the Rings: there is strength in diversity of experience and variety of personhood. LOTR fans continue to embrace the ever-growing casts of these adaptations with open arms. To this blogger, Nazanin's exit from The Rings of Power is a huge loss to the show.
Deadline reported that the role of Bronwyn has not be recast, unlike the recasting of Adar and - during filming of S1 - of Celebrimbor. Then eagle-eyed fans watching the recent ROP trailers spotted a funeral pyre and Bronwyn's son Theo crying.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7pRoZLynCu/?utm_source=ig_embedJoin the biggest, most active LOTR Discord where fans celebrate all things Tolkien here.
The fallen elf and leader of Uruks has a new vibe, thanks to a new actor named Sam Hazeldine.
Entertainment Weekly got an exclusive interview with the actor taking over the role of Adar, the main antagonist for the first two seasons of The Rings of Power. Hazeldine comes fresh off the huge success of AppleTV+ show Masters of the Air (he's in the final three episodes as the leader of the Air Force troupe) and it seems that he's relished the opportunity to play in the fantasy world of J.R.R Tolkien.
“The hardest thing was I had to go straight into speaking Black Speech on day one,” the actor says. “It is hard on your throat, and it is hard to remember because it doesn’t really follow the elvish languages, which have roots in real languages like Welsh and Finnish." He even had the show’s Tolkien lore experts rewrite some of his lines from English into Black Speech, in order to give Adar the proper gravitas.
EW, quoting Sam Hazeldine for S2
Staffer Demosthenes here. Just quickly, there's another quote from Hazledine that is ridiculously thought-provoking.
Viewers will also see how previous confrontations between Adar and Sauron unfolded.
“There was an offer for power and for something else, which you'll find out later on in the show, and Adar willingly took the deal,” Hazeldine says of Adar’s origin. “It's kind of like he took a red pill and was duped. He was horrifically tortured and maimed.”
EW, quoting Sam Hazeldine for S2
What is that "something else"? Is it the chance to redeem all orcs? Would that be enough to convince Adar to follow Sauron? Is Adar one of those mentioned in The Rings of Power and the Third Age who believed Sauron had "abjured his evil deeds"? What sort of power would be a lure for Adar anyway?
We're hoping to explore these questions and provide some grounded speculation over coming weeks. Anyway, back to Justin!
We previously shared a Tolkien scholar's opinion on the invented character Adar with this post after Season 1. Overwhelmingly, fans embraced the character and this new interview has generated a ton of hype going into Season 2, and even Adar fan cams!
https://twitter.com/amaureacosplay/status/1791875800368550049https://twitter.com/DailyRoP/status/1797662341359874323https://twitter.com/DailyRoP/status/1797718359120941463https://twitter.com/teawithtrop/status/1797662953275293781https://youtu.be/UNwldrOx7hc?t=4706Watch TORN Tuesday explain the Adar news (from 1:18:30 on) then join thousands of fans who talk Tolkien daily in our Discord!
This little community of hobbits, elves, dwarves and special beings is celebrating 25 years of being by and for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, so we want to bridge the virtual and real world fan communities with a commemorative t-shirt design, crowdsourced from fans of J.R.R. Tolkien!
While all convention related activities around The Lord of the Rings will be announced later, we can confirm that TheOneRing.net will be returning to SDCC with a big booth featuring some of your favorite community creators, fans and of course some cool merch. We'll also be at DragonCon, and may pop up at New York ComicCon! There have been many fun shirt designs over the years, and we still see some of the most vintage ones being worn at the latest events. Now's the chance to show your quality. We'd love to turn one fan's design into one of our convention shirts this year!
SUBMIT your Shirt Design here.
If you do not have a google account (to upload the design with) or run into issues submitting, as a backup please send to webmaster+design@theonering.net
Some guidelines:
- Original drawings and artwork only
- Multiple colors OK
- LOTR names, words, phrases and places OK
- Quotes from the LOTR books OK
- Minimum 12"x12" at 300 dpi
- NO copyrighted remixes from WB or Prime Video (basically, no editing screenshots from movies or TV show, nor images clearly inspired by WB or Prime Video sources)
Winner(s) will be chosen by our volunteer staff who will be managing the convention activities, and notified via the contact email submitted in the form.
TheOneRing.net is a not-for-profit organization that donates to children's literacy charities. Conventions are expensive endeavors, and we use t-shirt sales to help offset the significant costs to bring the fan perspective to the biggest pop culture events. Your design supports the community efforts here - and we are of course happy to send you a couple shirts if your design is selected.
We look forward to seeing the amazing designs folks come up with. Thanks for being TORn fans!
A spy report sent in by a fan confirms, for the first time, that Tolkien's great antagonist of the Second Age will have the name that fans have been hoping and waiting hear -- Annatar.
Annatar arrives for his adaptation debutThe July 2024 issue of EMPIRE Magazine hits newsstands this week featuring an exclusive new interview with Lindsey Weber, Executive Producer of The Rings of Power on Prime Video. Grab a copy (or two!) if you can find one (Ed: you can subscribe online). But let's not bury the lede: for the first time in official marketing or messaging, Prime Video has let loose the heralded name of Sauron's alter-ego that has fans on edge of their seats:
Meanwhile, Sauron still has (counts fingers, runs out) 16 more rings to usher into being, not including the One that will in the darkness bind them. It's taken him eight episodes just to get to three. He needs to get cracking. And that's certainly what he does in Season 2, adopting a new identity as blond-locked elf Annatar and becoming besties with the worryingly pliant Celebrimbor. (emphasis mine)
Empire Magazine, July 2024
There are a lot of juicy tidbits from Lindsey Weber in this piece so let's highlight one of the most important storylines for Season 2:
"The relationship between those two characters -- and those two actors Charlie Vickers and Charles Edwards -- is something we're so proud of. It is a spectacular performance from both of them and a really compelling story that's very much at the heart of what we're doing this season. Sauron wants to control all of Middle-earth, and he knows he needs rings to do it. And he needs the greatest of elven smiths to make those rings."
Lindsey Weber, EP of TROP
Fans immediately took to twitter after seeing the exclusive reveal during TORN Tuesday this week.
https://twitter.com/BerekTheHorse/status/1798175754011955561https://twitter.com/RingsOfPowerEra/status/1798172986656031182https://twitter.com/teawithtrop/status/1798176752138924460https://twitter.com/rukiasbankaii/status/1798207392351736187and finally...https://youtu.be/UNwldrOx7hc?t=5916Watch the reveal happen at 1:38:30 in the middle of the show, or watch the whole episode which has so much MORE news about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and other adaptations.
Join the most active LOTR and ROP daily discussion on our Discord at https://discord.gg/theonering
On May 14 we got a (long-anticipated) first-look at Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power from Amazon Prime Video. TORn has already posted a staff trailer reaction and some from-the-hip analysis. There’s still much to dissect from both teaser trailer and the accompanying behind-the-scenes video.
Today, however, TORn Discord regular Webcrawler is eager to analyse some scenes from the teaser trailer that hint at the S2 plot of Númenor, starting with one question...
Why is Pharazôn standing in front of an Eagle with a drawn sword?by TORn Discord Regular Webcrawler
Some here at TORn have speculated this doesn’t bode well for the eagle, nor for Númenor. After all, Pharazôn isn’t one of the Faithful, and wouldn’t hold them in the same sort of respect. But connecting some dots through other scenes and the lore may provide a clue about what’s truly occuring.
Pharazôn draws his sword in front of an Eagle of Manwë.The Eagles lived in the northern regions of Númenor, in the northern cape of Forostar. Up until the time of Tar-Ancalimon, there was also a nest of golden eagles at the summit of the tower in the King’s Palace. This would be the same tower where Tar-Palantir was held in The Rings of Power Season 1. Plus, there were three Eagles, known as the Witnesses of Manwë, that lived near the peak of the Meneltarma.
“The Forostar was the least fertile part; stony, with few trees, save that on the westward slopes of the high heather-covered moors there were woods of fir and larch. Towards the North Cape the land rose to rocky heights, and there great Sorontil rose sheer from the sea in tremendous cliffs. Here was the abode of many eagles.”
The Fall of Númenor
The peak of Meneltarma is visible from the city of Armenelos.Map of Númenor as drawn for The Rings of Power. Places said to be inhabited by Eagles are circled.We have seen the King’s Tower in Season 1 of The Rings of Power, and there was no indication that any eagles currently nested atop the tower. This is because in Season 1 the Númenoreans no longer hold faith in the Valar and had let go of the old ways. So this could mean the Eagle comes from either the far north, or from the summit of Meneltarma.
“To the great eagles that were held sacred to Manwë, and never afflicted, until the days of evil and the hatred of the Valar began. For two thousand years, from the days of Elros Tar-Minyatur until the time of Tar-Ancalimon son of Tar-Atanamir, there was an eyrie in the summit of the tower of the King's palace in Armenelos; and there one pair ever dwelt and lived on the bounty of the King.”
The Fall of Númenor
The King’s Tower in S1E8 with no sign of an Eagle’s nest to be seen.In S1E3, “Adar”, Miriel makes a passing reference to the ban of elves by Tar-Atanamir. This would have marked the beginning of Númenor’s rejection of the Valar. The text above indicates that starting from the time of the reign of Tar-Atanamir’s son, there would no longer be an Eagle’s nest in the King’s Tower as well as a ban on the elves.
So, does this mean that Pharazôn means to take it one step further, and kill an eagle? To answer that we need to examine another moment revealed in the behind-the-scenes video.
Miriel, dressed in a white gown, and with either a circlet or a crown on her head, descending down the stairs in the palace court in Armenelos.Upon closer inspection of the picture, it seems like Miriel is wearing the same circlet she wore in Season 1. Clearly, upon returning to Númenor from the expedition, she hasn’t lost her status as Queen Regent, nor as possibly the future Queen. The white outfit however is new, and looks quite ceremonial. A brief description in The Fall of Númenor explains that the King would wear a white ceremonial outfit when it came to offering prayers at the Meneltarma.
“Thrice only in each year the King spoke, offering prayer for the coming year at the Erukyermë in the first days of spring, praise of Eru Ilúvatar at the Erulaitalë in midsummer, and thanksgiving to him at the Eruhantalë at the end of autumn. At these times the King ascended the mountain on foot followed by a great concourse of the people, clad in white and garlanded, but silent.” [Ed.: emphasis added]
The Fall of Númenor
This is the same royal court we see in Season 1, and we have another picture of Pharazôn in this location wearing his new red outfit. All these images are from the same single scene. Clearly, these seems to be a ceremonial event taking place; instead of at the Meneltarma, the show has decided to do it in Armenelos. The text also tells us that three eagles circle the Meneltarma during the prayer offerings, and this is seen as a sign of a blessing from the Valar.
“If anyone approached the summit, at once three eagles would appear and alight upon three rocks near to the western edge; but at the times of the Three Prayers they did not descend, remaining in the sky and hovering above the people They were called the Witnesses of Manwë, and they were believed to be sent by him from Aman to keep watch upon the Holy Mountain and upon all the land.” [Ed.: emphasis added]
The Fall of Númenor
However, the text also says the eagles do not descend during the prayers, so why does it do so here? We know from the lore that Tolkien’s eagles are wise, and are messengers of Manwë. So is it possible it’s come down to give the Númenoreans a message?
One major plot point that could be covered in Season 2 of The Rings of Power is the Battle of Gwathló, or the arrival of the Númenoreans in Middle-earth to aid and defend Lindon after the Siege of Eriador. We’ve mentioned previously that set leaks have shown the Siege of Eregion is happening in Season 2. We see images of the siege of Eregion in the teaser trailer. In the text the siege and further attack on Eriador by Sauron’s forces takes place long before Elendil’s time, but obviously for the show the timeline has been rearranged and condensed.
1697 Eregion laid waste. Death of Celebrimbor. The gates of Moria are shut. Elrond retreats with remnant of the Noldor and founds the refuge of Imladris.
1699 Sauron overruns Eriador.
1700 Tar-Minastir sends a great navy from Númenor to Lindon. Sauron is defeated.
1701 Sauron is driven out of Eriador. The Westlands have peace for a long while.The Lord of the Rings. Appendix B. The Tale of Years.
So it’s quite possible, given that the elves of Middle-earth and Lindon have no communication with one another, that the eagle of Manwë is used as a messenger to call Númenor to arms once again. There is another leak by Fellowship of Fans that mentions a “Telperiën Bay” as a location.
Fellowship of Fans "Telperien Bay" rumour.There is no Telperiën Bay in the Legendarium, but there is a Tar-Telperiën, the tenth ruler of Númenor and the second ruling Queen. Here is what it says about here rule in the Unfinished Tales:
X Tar-Telperien
She was the second Ruling Queen of Númenor. She was long-lived (for the women of the Númenóreans had the longer life, or laid down their lives less easily), and she would wed with no man. Therefore after her day the sceptre passed to Minastir; he was the son of Isilmo, the second child of Tar-Súrion. 8 Tar-Telperien was born in the year 1320; she ruled for 175 years, until 1731, and died in that same year.Unfinished Tales: The Line of Elros: The Kings of Númenor
It was during her rule that Tar-Minastir sent the Númenorean forces in 1700 to help Lindon against Sauron’s forces. So it is quite possible this “bay” is a sly hint to Tar-Telperiën's actions in lore. Thus we could infer the formation of a Númenorean naval force to come to the aid of Lindon.
And who could lead this force? Well, maybe, the person drawing the sword.
We know that eventually Pharazôn arrives with an army at Umbar to assail Sauron. At this point, Sauron surrenders himself. But that happens long after Tar-Minastir’s time. And so, having condensed the timeline of the show, what seems most likely is that the show is moving Pharazon’s fleet arriving in Middle-earth to right after the Siege of Eregion, during the War of the Elves and Sauron just as Sauron’s forces assail Lindon.
So why does Pharazôn draw his sword? If he meant to attack the Eagle, he would draw it towards the eagle; but he draws it while facing his fellow Númenoreans with the Eagle behind him. Lindon calls for aid. And well...
About the author: Webcrawler is a full-time data analyst and a part-time Tolkien aficionado who frequents the TheOneRing.net Discord Server. When he’s not working or in the discord, Webcrawler is horsing around on Twitter.
New episodes are back!
To prepare for a hike with Bard and a friend the following day, Kili bakes some adorable hobbit sized pies! Find out why the berries are "fairy berries" and see some beautiful sights amidst the redwoods... or is it Mirkwood?
https://youtu.be/hko56B_w_JUStay up to date by subscribing to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok!
Vanity Fair revealed earlier this week that Prime Video’s second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power would have a very particular magic, with British actor Rory Kinnear taking on the iconic role of Tom Bombadil. We provided some speculation as to how Master Tom might contribute to the continuing Second Age saga here, and we are also feeling pretty good about our speculations last January around Tom’s potential appearance this coming season, which premiers on August 29.
Along with this article, VF and Prime Video also offered some early images of Middle-earth’s Eldest in an apparently dry and barren land of Rhûn. Fan reactions to the photos have been predictably mixed, from “perfect!” to (in kinder iterations) “huh?”. That’s nearly always the case whenever a favorite character gets distilled to a single look, costume, or actor (even with the initial Peter Jackson trilogy). Here at TheOneRing, we love some spirited debate, especially when we all remember to be kind.
We also love to take closer looks at these kinds of announcements, in this case, of the four photos included in the Vanity Fair article. There are some details which caught our attention!
Tom Bombadil in The Rings of Power played by Rory KinnearJolly Tom Sports Some Iconic Costuming“So where are the yellow boots?” was one of the most widespread expectations, and reactions, to the Vanity Fair reveal. Many of VF's photos involved strong backlighting and darker shadows, and it was challenging to nail the true hue of Tom’s footwear. We did get one exterior shot, though, which indeed displayed a dusty yellow tinge on those iconic boots: maybe not canary yellow, but certainly in the same spirit as the classic Hildebrandt Brothers illustration from their 1976 calendar.
We also got a blue jacket, though perhaps not as “bright” as Old Forest Tom sings about along the Withywindle. Remember, this is Second Age Tom, and perhaps he'll acquire more than one coat for his closet. We’re not even sure whether he’s taken up residence yet on the border of the someday-Shire, nor met his lifelong love and likely fashion consultant Goldberry.
Interestingly, there are some costuming details which already hint at Bombadil’s deep connection to nature, including tree-like embroidery on his tunic, and a be-flowered belt, fashioned seemingly in the shape of stars. That resonates with the same stellar theme which drove Season One's Stranger to travel eastward.
And then there’s Tom’s hat. Besides the fact that it sports a muted suggestion of a dark, and hardly flamboyantly placed feather (is it peacock – a notion which Tolkien abandoned – swan, “blue”, or something else entirely?), Second Age Tom’s hat seems strikingly wizard-like: wide-brimmed and fittingly pointy. Might we be seeing a further Gandalf-like embellishment, should Tom choose to offer his headgear as a gift to a certain visiting Stranger?
We See Some Curious Environmental EmbellishmentsIt’s also worth taking a closer look at the location where we find this budding Council of the Wise. There are a few things that stand out:
The environment is largely bone-dry and desolate. The surrounding hills seem treeless, and even the cactus houseplants are withering. The interior floors are dusty enough to scream thirst. This is the anti-Old Forest, and about the most non-Bombadillian landscape one can imagine. That’s probably why Tom is looking pretty sober in these stills. It’s a situation demanding intervention, not celebration.
And yet, there are still hints of a potential oasis. Just as we saw the Stranger restore a fruit tree to life in Season One, perhaps Tom’s work has already begun here with the flourishing of flowers and a lemon tree in the exterior shot we’ve been given. Or maybe Tom is simply a limoncello fan. And perhaps as a nod to another refuge long in the future, or simply to fans of the Hobbit, we even see that Tom is a beekeeper! Plus his furniture looks like it would match well with the Beorn aesthetic.
It’s clear that Tom’s house in Rhûn has been lived in for a long time. The candles are melted down to near nubs, and the pottery and furnishings seem well-worn. This is not Tom’s first rodeo in Rhûn, even if he’s been wandering as far and wide around Middle-earth as your friendly Harfoots.
Probably most mysterious of all, there appear to be star and/or planetary maps embellishing the ceilings in the Second House of Tom Bombadil. These constellation symbols have been central to numerous story lines in Season One – for the Harfoots, the Stranger, and the Three Mystics seemingly banished in last season’s final episode. Perhaps Tom will shed a bit more light on exactly what these star signs mean.
It’s useful to remember that we’ve only seen these four pictures, and know precious little about the full extent for how and where Tom Bombadil will be integrated into the second season of the Rings of Power. We each bring personal expectations for this story line. For some, Tom has been somewhere between a complete mystery and an annoying speed bump in the larger LotR saga. For others, he looms large on our list of favorite characters, which increases the risk, of course, should he be mishandled. We’ll simply have to wait another 13 or so weeks for a the full Bombadil experience.
Hey dol! Merry dol! This will be a challenge!
For those that may have missed it, here's the Bombadil-focused content from Prime Video's press release on May 29. You can find the entire release here.
CULVER CITY, California—May 29, 2024 — Today, Prime Video revealed that Laurence Olivier Award-winning actor Rory Kinnear (James Bond films, The Imitation Game), who, as previously announced, joined the Season Two cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, will portray the fan-favorite J.R.R. Tolkien character Tom Bombadil. The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will premiere exclusively on Prime Video on August 29, 2024.
This announcement comes after much online speculation, as the timeless, mysterious, and jovial Tom Bombadil has been beloved by Tolkien fans for decades. Given his hand in so many key moments of the larger story, the character’s absence from other on-screen depictions of Middle-earth has often been the topic of robust conversation. The news was revealed through brand-new images from the series, and an interview in Vanity Fair that was released online earlier today.
The series’ showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay are excited to bring this new element to the story, and are thrilled that the gifted Kinnear is bringing this iconic character to life. “He’s whimsical and magical, and almost verging on silly. But also has the wisdom of the ages and the music of the spheres and deep emotional wells of ancient history and myth, and his conception and function are tied to Norse myths and have deep roots in European fairy tale,” McKay says. “So weirdly, he’s kind of the most Lord of the Rings thing in Lord of the Rings.” Payne adds, “Tom is sort of a curiosity within that structure because while it is darker, Tom Bombadil is singing and saying lines that could be nursery rhymes from children’s poems. So, he sort of defies the tonal shift of the rest of the season and is a real point of light amidst an otherwise sea of darkness.”
Kinnear embraced the opportunity to jump into the famed yellow boots, elaborating that while the description of Tom Bombadil was well-known to readers, he relished the opportunity to portray the voice and mannerisms of the enigmatic being for the first time in a filmed iteration of Tolkien’s work. “There’s this sense of huge experience, huge openness, huge empathy, and having gone through so much that he [Bombadil] knows it’s the small things that are important. That felt actually quite domestic, felt quite reachable in terms of my understanding of who he was.”
Character Description:
- Rory Kinnear plays “Tom Bombadil” a figure of unknown origin in Tolkien’s works who projects a timeless wisdom, often propelling characters in a direction to see things more clearly and helping them better understand the wide world around them. In the lore, he claims to be as old as Middle-earth itself, possessing wisdom far beyond the reaches of others. Essential to the spirit of discovery and of the search for meaning, Bombadil is famously clad in yellow boots, blue jacket, and a feathered hat, and prone to enigmatic expressions in singsong verse.
Additionally, Chris Smith, Tolkien Publishing Director at HarperCollins, revealed in Vanity Fair that the book titled The Adventures of Tom Bombadil will be re-released in paperback by HarperCollins on August 20, 2024, just ahead of the streaming series’ return to Prime Video. Smith said, “It’s my hope that, with the introduction of Rory Kinnear’s portrayal of Tom Bombadil in The Rings of Power, audiences are inspired to learn more about this unique character beloved of generations of readers around the world, and will delight in sharing in his many adventures in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth.”
Hey Dol! Merry Dol! Bombadil is Coming!
Vanity Fair have today revealed that one of Tolkien’s most beloved characters to ever hit the cutting room floor will finally make his on-screen debut, courtesy of Prime Video’s second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The Age of Iarwain Ben-Adar, Oraid, and Forn is finally upon us!
Old Tom Bombadil is a merry fellow! Bright Blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow! Now let his song begin! But what is he after? Fighting off some barrow-wights? Or a masked ring crafter?
Tom Bombadil in The Rings of Power played by Rory KinnearTo this point, Jolly Tom’s fandom footprints have been largely limited to readers’ imaginations, audio book embellishments, an iconic Hildebrandt Brothers 1976 calendar (seen below), and an occasional illustration on collectible card games. He’s even made a Weta-crafted live action appearance that only made it as far as a long out-of-print Decipher CCG card.
All of that is about to change as Rory Kinnear steps into the role of Middle-earth’s Eldest and Master. An Olivier Award-winning English actor and playwright, Kinnear is perhaps best known for his roles in the Imitation Game, Penny Dreadful, the Daniel Craig era of James Bond movies, and most recently as Churchill in the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Vanity Fair’s article also includes an interview with the man about to fill these large yellow boots.
Rory Kinnear (left) | Tolkien Calendar Feb 1976 Tom Bombadil - Brothers Hildebrandt (right)Just quick read of the VF article offers some insight, as well as more mystery, pretty typical of Bombadil himself. We see a character with a more muted color palette, and interacting with another Rings of Power mystery man, or Mair. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay seem to understand the narrative challenges that drawing Tom into their universe entail: he's an observer without an agenda, a deep well of knowledge delivered in poetry, a natural pacifist who tends to stand alone, a quixotic Master and force of Nature. And he apparently has a second home far to the east of the Withywindle in the now desert wasteland of Rhûn, convenient for meeting up with our intrepid Stranger and his Harfoot companion, Nori. Apparently the forests of Lindon are not the only realms vulnerable to Sauron's creeping blight, and Old Tom may have some work to do, and allies to recruit, to prevent its westward spread. So much potential! So many questions! You can find some earlier OneRing speculation on Tom's appearance in Rings of Power here.
So just as with befeathered Bombadil, that is where the clarity ends and the mystery begins. An actor of Kinnear’s stature must mean that Tom is more than a fleeting tip of the hat to diehard book fans. What will be the impact of his presence? Where will he appear, and how will this force of Nature contribute to this Second Age story of the emergent Sauron and his Rings of Power? The clues may be rooted in what we know about Tom.
Tom Is EldestHe has literally seen everything.
“Eldest, that’s what I am. Mark my words, my friends: Tom was here before the river and the trees; Tom remembers the first raindrop and the first acorn. He made paths before the Big People, and saw the little People arriving. He was here before the Kings and the graves and the Barrow-wights. When the Elves passed westward, Tom was here already, before the seas were bent. He knew the dark under the stars when it was fearless – before the Dark Lord came from Outside.” (The Fellow of the Ring, In the House of Tom Bombadil)
Besides his general expositional potential, Bombadil offers a wonderful, and likely cryptic, opportunity to advance the plot. As Eldest, Tom could bring deeply wise counsel, reveal unforeseen connections, surface hidden sources of power, and summon surprising allies as elven, human, and dwarven allies battle emergent evil. (Ents, anyone?) Will we see desperate embassies searching for a new and powerful ally somewhere in hills and forests of ancient Eriador?
Tom is MasterTom is also, of course, one of the most powerful beings in Middle-earth. Perhaps he’s destined for a more dynamic, less reclusive appearance here in the Second Age.
“Tom Bombadil is the Master. No one has ever caught old Tom walking in the forest, wading in the water, leaping on the hill-tops under light and shadow. He has no fear. Tom Bombadil is master.” (The Fellow of the Ring, In the House of Tom Bombadil)
Nothing phases Brother Bombadil: not the worst Willow in the Wood, the specter of deadly barrow-wights, not even the One Ring. He is a being beyond all these Powers, more than Maiar. In some ways, Tom is a virtuous counterpoint to the consuming evil of Ungoliant, who frightened even Melkor. In this coming season, might we see Tom’s power more proactively unleashed? It seems more likely that such a direct conflict would counter Sauron’s (or Melkor’s) minions, rather than Bombadil facing the Dark Lord directly. Could this mean a Second Age barrow-wight battle? Tom’s natural domain lies in the North of Middle-earth, the historic home to the evils of Morgoth, his lieutenant Sauron, and the ultimate chief of the Ringwraiths, the Witch-king of Angmar. Though the Ringwraiths and their King’s story lie far in the future (we’re still waiting to see the rings which ultimately corrupt them to even be crafted), and though the Barrow-wights are connected directly to the Witch-king, we have never learned the origin of the bones which lie in those Barrows. Some are surely ancient. Could there have been “proto-Wights” of an earlier kind loitering in this same region in the Second Age? Galadriel has already discovered signs of Sauron’s necromancy skills early in Season One. Perhaps we’ll get a backstory on those perilous mounds that ensnared four befuddled hobbits north of Tom’s forest home, and see Bombadil’s mastery revealed on a larger scale.
Tom Bombadil in The Rings of Power played by Rory KinnearTom is a RescuerIn his 1954 letter to Naomi Mitchison, Tolkien describes Tom Bombadil as a “natural pacifist”:
“…if you have, as it were taken a ‘vow of poverty’, renounced control, and take delight in things for themselves without reference to yourself… then the question of the rights and wrongs of power and control might become utterly meaningless to you, and the means of power quite valueless.” (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, #144, 25 April 1954)
The Rings of Power have no influence over Tom, in part because he exists entirely outside of the need for such power. He is the antithesis to Sauron’s (and Saruman’s) essential driving desire for order, control, and domination. Bombadil lives “without reference” to himself, which makes him the perfect source of rescue for those in desperate need. Tom is always appearing, whether “accidentally” or upon summoning, at points of near catastrophe for our intrepid hobbits, whether they’re about to be squeezed in two by a malevolent tree, or ceremoniously beheaded by a creeping undead hand. Bombadil is the walking, singing embodiment of one of Tolkien’s favorite themes: eucatastrophe, or the “good catastrophe”. Like the great eagles, will Tom also be integral to an unexpected happy turn beyond hope, seemingly out of the blue? (It is a color that looms large in his fashion choices.) Bombadil defies control, carefully laid stratagems, and scripted plots. He simply appears, with inherent Power and Joy. I hope this is how we see him in Rings of Power: unexpected, at a moment of desperate darkness, fearless, irresistible, beyond explanation and manipulation of any who would oppose him. And singing poetry, of course! It is his natural idiom!
Which means, I hope, that Rory Kinnear has a good voice!
VentureBeat sat down with the head of Freemode Embracer, which in 2022 bought the swag of Middle-earth rights long-held by Saul Zaentz, in a wide-ranging conversation about the past, present and future of The Lord of the Rings. In recent weeks, it was announced that Embracer would be split into three companies with one of them temporarily called "Middle-earth Enterprises and Friends" -- a nod to the importance of LOTR to this publicly traded standalone company.
Lee Guinchard is wide-eyed and excited about the future of Rings. In the interview he explains the combative legal history of Rings and The Hobbit, where nearly everyone was suing everyone else. But now that bad blood is settled and there is a business effort to allow everyone to play nice, collaborate and create adaptations of Tolkien that are premium.
Also, fans get a couple shout-outs! We here at TheOneRing.net are excited to be included in any discussions that bring the fan perspective to the table.
During the past 18 months or so, Guinchard started quietly talking to the different parties that matter for The Lord of the Rings franchise, including Peter Jackson’s team, the Tolkien Estate, Warner Bros./New Line and Tolkien fans themselves at places such as The One Ring. Guinchard felt a need to build bridges -- as many of the parties fell out with each other at different times in the past -- and do his own homework about the market.
He was always a Tolkien fan, but he dug deeper into it than ever before, looking at things Tolkien himself said. And he was not coming at it from the approach of a conglomerate.
“Part of the due diligence was understanding what the map was,” Guinchard said. “Once you get under the hood, the actual rights are easy to understand. I started thinking. Oh God. This opportunity is way bigger than people realize. But it’s not an instant opportunity. You’ve got to look at this for a long time. Look at who the players are. And what can we do, as stewards of it? I had to get my head around what people are playing in and around our sphere.”
- Excerpt from GamesBeat
Its a long and worthwhile read to get a sense of where adaptations of The Lord of the Rings could be headed. Read it at Venturebeat.
Peter Jackson and other luminaries from all quadrants of the Film Business celebrate the life of Sir Christopher Lee (who played Saruman in both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit) in a new feature-length documentary. We caught up with the director of the film, Jon Spira, to get the real story on Lee's personal mythology.
The new documentary is completely finished, and pre-orders for the DVD and Blu-ray editions are available on Kickstarter now. With self-distribution, the documentary bonus features will include the full, unexpurgated Peter Jackson interview as well as many other goodies. See a clip here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiprQzPlWE4Director Jon Spira talks with QuickbeamQuickbeam: When we were making Ringers: Lord of the Fans, we were just walking around and asking all kinds of people, would you like to share your reflections on the the whole Lord of the Rings fandom. Everybody from David Carradine right on down to Peter Jackson and everyone in between was very happy to say yes. The stories just profusely came out of people. Did you find that people were just really eager to talk about Sir Christopher Lee?
Jon Spira: People really wanted to talk about Christopher Lee because he left an indelible mark on everyone he met. He was loved and admired; and and I say that as two very separate things. The people who knew him truly loved him, and the people who maybe didn't know him as closely, truly admired him. One of the things that I found really kind of heartening and fascinating to learn was that he was somebody who was completely egalitarian. He would talk to anybody, he treated everybody as his equal, and he would sit down. He loved being on film sets, and he was just as happy talking to a runner as he would be talking to the director.
Christopher Lee didn't differentiate between people he really didn't see differently from someone who came from genuine aristocracy. He didn't see that divide in people. And so he he left a legacy of genuine affection. And that was something which really kind of came out in the film.
Allowing Sir Christopher to be His Own VoiceQuickbeam: I love that that you can discover new insights into your subject without knowing you're going to arrive there. You you begin as a filmmaker, as a documentarian, you start somewhere and you always surprise yourself and ending up with new places and new information you've discovered that actually does recontextualize what you're trying to present (as a filmmaker).
Jon: There's some apocryphal stuff out there, but most of those crazy lists are completely true. Really weird stuff. Like, he met Rasputin's killers and he witnessed the last-ever guillotined person in Paris. You know, all that strange stuff is true!
I trust the process now. I don't always know going into it. I don't always know what I'm making. One thing that I really knew was that I wanted Christopher Lee to narrate this film somehow. Like, I knew that he had to be the narrator of the story, because I knew that he was the unreliable narrator.
https://twitter.com/theoneringnet/status/1023243646760439808(Editor's Note: Jon helped us clarify that Sir Christopher was indeed NOT related to Gen. Lee)Sir Christopher's Deep Fascination with TolkienJon: He was completely obsessed with Tolkien. He read Lord of the Rings when it first came out, like, you know, chapter by chapter. And he read it every year. He would read the whole of Lord of the Rings cycle once a year. He was completely obsessed with it. When it was announced that Peter Jackson was going to make the films, he basically grabbed hold of his son-in-law, who was, to a degree, his defacto manager at the time, and basically said: "You have to get me in these films, no matter what. You have to get me in these films--so get online." Because he personally was a very early adopter of the internet as well, and using it for his fan base, he was like, "Get online, make sure all the fans are talking about this, and make sure that these people know that I need to be in these films!"
I think one of the greatest parts of the documentary is a part that I didn't direct. Throughout the film we use lots of animation and lots of kind of crazy stuff to tell his stories, and we got a guy called Dave McKean.
Quickbeam: (shocked) Dave McKean of The Sandman fame!!?? The Dave McKean, who does those extraordinary multi-disciplinary, multimedia covers for all of Neil Gaiman's books and graphic novels?! The Dave McKean who got pulled into the Netflix series to do those weird and beautiful multimedia closing credits sequences?
Jon: Yes! The crazy thing is, I said to him, "You don't need to consult with me on this." Without much time, I was expecting kind of a series of slightly moving images like an animatic. But his animatic was really good. How is he going to do it better than this? He ended up doing a whole studio shoot. He created full masks for people. He created a set. And he composed a score for it.
The best part is, Dave Mckean chose to animate the moment where Christopher Lee met J.R.R Tolkien!
The filmmakers express gratitude to @archmodelstudio for their great assistance creating this puppet!On the Future of SarumanJustin: For these recreation scenes, now there's A.I. where you can do voice duplication.
Jon: We went even better than that. Have you heard of Peter Serafinowicz?
Justin: Darth Maul?
Jon: He was our first choice. And he was absolutely amazing. He's very famous over here as a comedian. Had his own comedy show, and he was on a lot of other kind of shows. And he actually does great work.
Justin: With new Lord of the Rings coming from Peter Jackson and Prime Video, is the technology advanced enough to digitally recreate Christopher Lee's Saruman? Or do you think recasting Saruman in these new tales is a better path?
Jon: I think recasting. I've talked to a lot of people and I've looked at deepfakes a lot, but he has qualities that can't be echoed. I always think back to Rogue One where they kind of tried to do Peter Cushing, and you just go: "But it's not him!" And at the end they did Carrie Fisher and you just go: "But it's not her." It feels off. You can't recreate life. Not close up. Not that kind of thing. You can't. The human eye is something which can't be replicated because it's the window to the soul. Everything that's ever happened to someone is kind of behind their eyes.
It's great for creating creatures and it's great for creating original things. But if you're trying to replicate a human being, I honestly don't think it'll ever get there. I think there is an anarchy in organic chemistry which will never quite be replicated.
Order the Compete Documentary on Blu-rayYou can watch the entire 90-minute conversation with the director of The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee on YouTube. Clifford "Quickbeam" and Justin dive in deep with Jon Spira about the myths and legends about Lee, his core drives in life, and how much LOTR fandom really meant to him. Order your copy of the full documentary + bonus features, including interviews with Peter Jackson and Lee's family, on Kickstarter now.
It's Friday 17 May 2024 - and a seismic shift in The Lord of the Rings adaptations has been felt around the world. Here's all the news you may have missed:
Rings of Power S2 gets a trailer, a date, and a BTS videoPrime Video unveiled season 2 of The Rings of Power at their UPFRONTS, an advertising industry event designed to lure more advertisers to buying commercials during shows. Prime also updated the show's social media handles from LOTRonPrime to @TheRingsOfPower and released a 3 minute Behind-the-scenes look at S2.
Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power debuts Thursday August 29, 2024 with a 3-episode premiere, then settles into weekly episodes for the remaining 5 weeks.
LEGO Barad-Dur tower date and priceThe 5,471 piece set is available June 1 for $459.99.
https://twitter.com/lego_group/status/1790370354680021324?s=61&t=-DN8XEaurZWyQXm961x-Tw@Andy Serkis to direct The Hunt for Gollum movieThe first movie in the new WB LOTR license is The Hunt for Gollum, directed by Andy Serkis, who also will play the character again. Produced by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, with a screenplay by The War of the Rohirrim writers Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou. Read more about how they landed on this particular story in the Legendarium.
In a technical slip up, the automated YouTube and WB copyright system temporarily took down the 15-year-old fan film The Hunt for Gollum, which was back up within hours and is still free to watch.
Rohirrim preview in June while scoring continues remotelyExec Producer Jason Demarco announced a "big chunk of the film" will be screened at Annecy animation festival in June, and shared a new logo for the movie.
Composer Stephen Gallagher continues to post updates on the scoring of the new Anime LOTR movie coming this December.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C7DZ3wLrYvk/?igsh=OGVicmM2a2hqZjg=Other LOTR newsMiddle-earth Enterprises owner Embracer Freemode shared an in-depth interview with CEO Lee Guinchard, where he lays out the strategy going forward to build The Lord of the Rings into a premium, high quality brand that is collaborative and fan-first.
LOTR Executive Producer Mark Ordesky has teamed up with the Blair Witch creators to launch a new fantasy project: an omni-channel disc-world universe with a dice game on Kickstarter.
Black Milk Clothing has finally restocked its official LOTR apparel, including this Arwen dress.
Christopher Lee feature-length documentary, featuring a brand new interview with Peter Jackson, enters its final Blu-ray pre-order days with a Dracula inspired premium box set.
The Hunt for Gollum Producer Peter Jackson has opened up to Deadline on why this story, and this character, are right for this crucial moment to extend a Middle-earth resume that's reaped $6 billion at the box office. It is a follow-up discussion to the Middle-earth shattering announcement of two new The Lord of the Rings movies from last week.
There's so much to digest from Deadline's extended conversation with Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens and Andy Serkis.
“The Gollum/Sméagol character has always fascinated me because Gollum reflects the worst of human nature, whilst his Sméagol side is, arguably, quite sympathetic. I think he connects with readers and film audiences alike, because there’s a little bit of both of them in all of us. We really want to explore his backstory and delve into those parts of his journey we didn’t have time to cover in the earlier films. It’s too soon to know who will cross his path, but suffice to say we will take our lead from Professor Tolkien.”
Peter Jackson, via Deadline
The new feature film, The Hunt for Gollum (tentative title), seems to be a natural follow up from the writing and producing team behind The War of the Rohirrim. Newcomers Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou wrote Rohirrim under the watchful guidance of Oscar winner (and Phoebe's mother) Philippa Boyens, and the results have been impressive enough that they are already been engaged to work on this second Middle-earth film.
Peter Jackson and partner Fran Walsh are not officially involved in Rohirrim, but the activity around Weta from all their old collaborators may have been enough inspiration to get back into the game. Just as his original plan for The Hobbit was to hand off directing duties to someone else, Jackson has brought in Gollum himself Andy Serkis. "Their search for excellence never ends, and now I get to help reach that bar again. It was Philippa who first called me actually and said, look, this is what we’re thinking. And I was just flushed with a sort of, oh my God, I’m going back in there," says Serkis.
Andy was already shooting his shot early last year, telling BroBible he was ready to come back on one condition: that Jackson is involved.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhiw2kqqPXcThe Imaginarium production company, founded by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish, will help bring The Hunt for Gollum to life. They previously made Mowgli on Netflix and have three state-of-the-art motion capture studios in London, used on everything from Planet of the Apes movies to Napoleon. Andy is excited to film Gollum with complete mobility and freedom that the latest technology from Apes and Pirates movies now allow, and he is hyping up a more expressive full-body performance for this new iteration of the character.
Andy Serkis has kept busy directing feature films Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, Breathe, and Animal Farm. Fans who have watched PJ's The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Appendices will of course know Serkis was Second Unit Director on The Hobbit films. He has also received accolades playing Caesar in the recent Planet of the Apes movies, setting a new standard for digital character performance.
How does The Hunt for Gollum fit with the LOTR trilogy?"We don’t want this film to be just the fourth film in the trilogy. This film has to work in its own way," Jackson tells Deadline. "I know there’s plenty of people out there who will be like, oh no, why are they doing this? Why are they going back in? Well, that’s our job. Our job is going to have to be to prove why we think that it’s a good idea.”
So it’s absolutely thrilling to be able to go back and do a deep dive into his world again, and specifically into Gollum's psychology. I know we’re all interested in investigating on a deeper level who that character is, and on top of that, to be able to direct and hopefully create a film which has its place within the canon, but also something that’s fresh and new and a different approach.”
Jackson confirms the films will shoot in and around New Zealand.
What characters will be in The Hunt for Gollum?"We are just literally having very early state script discussions and ideas of exactly where and how we’re going to drop anchor with [Gollum] and his journey and how he is or comes into contact with other characters, and the characters that we know and don’t know. So still, I would hate to say anything that’s going to commit us at this point, because it’s literally all up for grabs.”
“We have the right to The Lord of the Rings and the appendices, and that’s it,” says Philippa Boyens. “Fans always get nervous that there’s only so much story that is in there. But look at War of the Rohirrim. It’s a page and a half at first glance in the books. But there are lots of threads in there throughout the book."
But really, why Gollum?“Gollum’s story is one of the most compelling to us in terms of a character that we couldn’t go as deeply into as we wanted to before, which sounds strange when you say that, given how familiar he is to everybody,” Boyens told Deadline. Gollum had 34 minutes of screen time in the LOTR trilogy, just above Legolas and Gimli who both have 31 minutes, plus he's featured in The Hobbit in a big way. According to LOTRProject Gollum is the most-mentioned antagonist in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books. Only eight characters receive more mentions across all the books, and they are all the main heroes. Of course, the data may be skewed because he always coughs his name twice.
Read the whole interview with Andy, Peter, and Philippa at Deadline.
Headline Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic (Getty Images)
Prime Video released the first trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power second season. And TORn staff have thoughts! Take a look at the trailer, and read our reactions below...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCwmXY_f-e0greendragon says:
0.08 - is Durin talking about Sauron, or could he be referencing the Balrog?
0.11 and 0.26 - seems Sauron can take on all kinds of forms; worms, butterflies, even a very pretty Elf...
0.20 - do Elves ever draw a weapon without a flourish?!
0.38 - Celebrimbor and Sauron - the two great forgers of rings, going toe to toe?
0.46 - cool to see Sauron in his Annatar form
0.54 - is this the sea monster we encountered in S1? Who is in the water?
0.58 - what is causing destruction in Khazad-dum? Surely it's not the Balrog already?
0.59 - Yay Elendil! One of my favourite characters from S1. Lloyd Owen does a fantastic job.
1.07 - dwarven rings! So are these the rings we will see forged in S2, having seen the Elven rings in S1?
1.12 - the eagles are coming! Also, Trystan Gravelle (Pharazon) is SO good.
1.16 - pretty good job for Adar continuity, given that it's no longer Joseph Mawle in the role, but is now Sam Hazeldine. And what is he flanked by here? The creature on his right looks very skeletal; a Barrow-wight, perchance...?
Overall - lots to think about, and it's pretty compelling. I'm excited for August 29th!!
Look closely, there are Numenoreans halfway down that cliff
Garfeimao says:
The final scene from Season 1 of Sauron arriving in Mordor opens the trailer, showing that not a moment has passed between the two seasons.
Durn IV is first narrator, speaking of the return of an Ancient Evil
The Black Mass that is moving on the ground looks like a pile of deadly worms or vipers and emanates evil
Whose hands have blood on the palms, is this one of the Mystics using blood magic?
Tree roots reaching for someone (Celebrimbor maybe) in the dark before we see a bunch of orcs marching through the woods with torches
A portal opens in Celebrimbor's chambers, is someone walking through?
Galadriel's narration says "he's been among us all along"
Sauron as an Elf in a black-feathered outfit walking calmly as other elves are running
A black-haired woman in the water and a sea monster, could she be a version of Sauron, a human sacrifice, or a nightmare?
A cataclysm in Khazad-dum with parts of the stone ceiling crashing on one of the bridges in the city.
Elendil struggles through a mob of people
Gil-Galad, Galadriel and CirdanThe Three Elven rings on the hands of Gil-Galad, Galadriel and is the third Cirdan?
Durin III with a Ring (oh crap)
Arondir, doing the awesome Elf acrobats, shows up to help Isildur
A Giant Eagle lands behind Pharazon, who then unsheaths his sword, this doesn't bode well
Theo is crying, gotta wonder what has happened to make that happen
A cascade of fire bombs heading toward a city (Eregion?)
The Stranger is standing by a well in the middle of the desert and pounds his staff on the ground for power and a windstorm
Someone is holding onto a rope trying not to fly away in strong winds full of dust (are these two scenes connected or just red herring editing?)
A bloodied elf dropping a handful of rings into a fire, is it Celebrimbor injured? Is it a version of Sauron? Is it just a random elf? Are they trying to destroy those rings, or will they land next to the fire and not in the fire?
WeeTanya says:
My initial reaction:
Thematically, it's picking up exactly where it left off. Sauron is overlooking his realm. The Harfeet are still a-wandering, the mystical cults from the East are still mystically culting, and a lot of this feels the same. But there's also a time shift -- Durin recognizes that the Balrogs have awakened, and Galadriel and Action Elrond are in a sickly green forest fighting some unseen foe, Numenor seems to be on the way to falling, and the rings are very definitely being forged. I wonder if this backtracks a bit into season 1 to pick up some of Celebrimbor's story with Halbarad -- we hear Celebrimbor saying, "He worms his way inside your mind, and the rest of him slithers in."
But then there's blond, long-haired Sauron who has been "there all along" with...Celebrimbor? Creating the rings? I mean, canonically he does this, and Galadriel is suddenly confused by it -- does this mean Sauron has been playing several roles throughout Season 1, but we just never saw him in his fair Elven form? Also, at one point Elf-Sauron flexes his arms and something goes "boom" -- does he reveal that he's been turning Ost-in-Edhil into his own evil fortress all along, or does darkness descend all at once?
I think we see the start of the fall of Moria, which is confusing -- shouldn't this be much later in the 3rd age? Will the dwarves begin to disperse, will we see their exodus? Anyway the dwarven king accepts his dwarven ring. Will TROP go with the thread that this ring poisons the dwarves and makes them blind to the evil in the depths of Moria, and a lot of them stay? I am very curious about this plotline.
Numenor is Numenoring! Why does Ar-Pharazon have a pet eagle? Shouldn't he want absolutely nothing to do with eagles, as emissaries of the Valar?
Elessar says:
I love that we’re seeing from the jump in this trailer that Sauron’s power is being built in a way that really will emphasize his threat. Hopefully that’s not a trick of the trailer. I also love that we’re going to see Annatar as well and that it’s the same actor from last season. Does Celebrimbor survive season 2?
I’m also excited to see more of what the some love show to the Númenóreans in this. I cannot wait to see all that goes with these folks. Working towards the formation of Gondor is something I’m very much looking forward to. I’m also excited see more of the Dwarves. Was that the fall of Moria? Am I getting more Balrog? (Please :) )
All in all I’m looking forward to things.
Kili and Bard say:
My sister was out of town so I filmed a reaction video with my boyfriend Rónán!
Rings of Power S2 Teaser Trailer Reaction https://youtu.be/lHfH0jNDuAk
Justin says:
Prime Video has released ANOTHER 3 minutes video BTS, which seems equally as thrilling.
The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power - A Look Inside Season 2 | Prime Video
And you can see the full trailer breakdown on TORn Tuesday from last night for more analysis!
Edited to add reaction to the Behind-the-Scenes video
Garfeimao - Season 2 BTS video:
Morffyd says that Galadriel feels more connected to the peoples of Middle-earth and that it will drive her even more
Gil-Galad looking very somber
Sauron is out in the open, making everything happen
The new Adar is less deathly looking, but then, that might just be the fact it was BTS cameras and not FX treated film showing him.
Durin IV is adrift, his relationship with his dad is gone and his pride has taken a hit
Ismael says that Arondir has taken a blow to his spirit (there is a funeral pyre, could Bronwyn be dead?) Is that why Theo is crying in the trailer?
Miriel marches down the stairs in an elaborate gown, has her sight returned, or is she just that good at faking it?
Emma states that, at least in Numenor, the chess board has been set and the pieces are moving
Ben states that the Gloves have come off in season 2, as far as the Elves are concerned
Gil-Galad orders a watch at every crossing, he must not escape (the search for Sauron is on)
I was wondering who the old, grey-haired elf was, but I can now see the chest armor and it's Adar, but it looks like this might be a flashback scene because his hair is so different.
The Stranger appears briefly and Markella says it's great to be back, both continuing their journey
Celebrimbor tells Galadriel that he's had an unexpected visitor? It appears to be an elf coming through the open portal
Gotta love the comedy duo of Durins III and IV
John Howe is excited by the prospect of new places and territories in Middle-earth to explore
Elendil and other Numenoreans down by the rocky shore, what is everyone looking at?
Maxim talking about how the set is almost too scary to go into, tunnels filled with spider webs and orcs caught in those webs. Is this Shelob's Lair? It is one way out of Mordor. . .
Incredible set design shown, and Bear McCreary talking to the singers about how when they are on this set and in costume, they are going to discover more things to do
And then we see Disa and her trio singing to the stones.
Robert talks about doing new things that plunge you into the story, as we see him and other Elves in full armor in a battle.
We see Celebrimbor and Durin IV together in what looks like a part of Khazad-dum (I want Narvi)
Maxim says it's been a long wait, some bad things have happened and some good things have happened, but we are Back in Middle-earth.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power returns with Season 2 on August 29 and we have our first official glimpse with a teaser trailer and a behind-the scenes preview.
TORn Discord Moderator DrNosy has the lowdown on what it all could mean.
April showers bring May flowers and, with it, the much-awaited return of the second season of Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power (TROP). The official marketing has kicked-off with an enticing teaser and a captivating behind-the-scenes look. Brace yourselves, as the series is set to return on August 29th of this year.
Stealing the spotlight and the most intriguing development is the return of our Lord-and-not-Savior, Sauron, portrayed by the talented Charlie Vickers. Sauron's appearance in this teaser unveils Vickers in a dual role, as both Halbrand (Sauron disguised as a Man) and a character that die-hard Tolkien fans have long yearned for, the Annatar, where Sauron takes the form of an Elf and infiltrates Eregion.
The arrival of Annatar and his relationship to Celebrimbor is one of Tolkien's greatest stories, but it was never entirely penned as a literary epic. The little we know of Annatar comes from the Letters of Tolkien, Unfinished Tales, and a short essay in The Silmarillion, "Of the Rings of Power."
From today's teaser, the Annatar makes his appearance after the events of "Alloyed" (S1.E8), where Sauron as Halbrand reveals himself to Galadriel. Though this encounter momentarily stifles Galadriel, she and the others proceed with the creation of the three Elven rings: Vilya, Nenya, and Narya.
Following the TROP storyline, Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards), the genius and talented maker of the Elven rings and the others (lesser) that followed, has now become Lord Sauron's prime target. The threat he faces from Sauron is imminent. Unbeknownst to Celebrimbor, when Sauron comes knocking on your door, he always comes bearing gifts.
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Annatar.
Annatar, who?
Annatar. I am an emissary of the Valar. I have come bearing gifts.
(If you were expecting a knock-knock joke, I have deceived you. The Annatar on your doorstep is not a laughing matter.)
The siege of Eregion, led by Adar (Sam Hazeldine) and his army of Orcs, will be catastrophic to the city and its vast forests. Will Galadriel, Elrond (Robert Aramayo), and the other Elven warriors be able to defend this Elven kingdom? Will King Durin (Peter Mullan) and the Dwarven warriors of Khazad-dûm come to their aid? Well, those answers probably depend on whether or not the ring the Dwarves have received is already tainted with Sauron's evil influence. Compared to what I expected the last season, there are now more rings to keep track of than ever before.
What I find pretty delightful to observe is the three Elven rings that have made their way onto the hands of the first-ever Ring-bearers: the High King of the Elves, Gil-galad (Benjamin Walker), Galadriel as the Commander of the Northern Armies, and the wisest Elf that ever Elfed and his lovely beard we have yet to witness, Círdan (who will be portrayed by Ben Daniels).
We also witness other moments with rings, particularly with King Durin caressing a massive blue-crystal jeweled gold ring that might rival the Arkenstone. Also, what appears to be a consequence of the siege's mayhem, we are teased with a moment where Celebrimbor seems to be destroying rings in a furnace. We also see him missing a hand. (That probably has many Silmarillion fans wondering if this is something to do with the Silmaril-mithril connection (S1.E5), how Beren lost his hand, and... Alright, alright, I won't go there!)
With these rings and the return of Sauron, now comes all the things I find myself scratching my head over. As a horror genre fan, I could not ignore the highly spooky vibes of this teaser. I've often said that to understand the eucatastrophe described by Tolkien, you must also (sometimes) recontextualize what he wrote in the framework of existential nihilism. For a Tolkien-inspired television series, this recontextualization can translate to the screen as (seemingly) unrelated horror moments. As far as this teaser goes, I have no Tolkienian clue what is happening with the tar creature, the Rhûn moth witch, the creeping vines, and the horrifying Cthulhu-shark. All I can say is that I'm disturbed, unnerved, and distressed, and this is precisely the feeling I want when Sauron comes to visit.
The image of an Orc-licking a blood-soaked dagger... BRING IT ON, HERUMOR! DEAAAAAAATTTTHHHH!
Finally, I would like to make a statement. Fans of fantasy television can debate ad nauseam about which show is better, The Rings of Power or The House of Dragon. Regardless, I would like it settled once and for all that there is only one Lord (of the Wigs), and he does not share fashion power!
An addendum. For the few who know me and my fondness for Númenor and Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle). There is much I can speculate about Númenor, but I will not do so. (I'm still sore about Season 1.) What I do offer, however, is one hypothesis that Pharazôn will most definitely be riding an eagle this season. He absolutely has no ill intentions toward any of Manwë's beloved creatures. Given his beard, I'm sure that makes him look ultra-friendly to the giant birds, who have always loved helping out other bearded dudes in the Third Age.
The artist behind Pharazôn Rides An Eagle is Stickybeebae. You can follow (and tip) her on Instagram.
About the author:
DrNosy is a scientist (physical science), scholar, and Tolkien enthusiast. Her primary interests lie in review and analysis of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. She is an active contributor and Moderator on TheOneRing.net Discord where she also hosts live open-forum panel discussions on The Rings of Power, The Silmarillion, and a variety of Tolkien-related topics. You can reach her on Instagram.
Prime Video have just released the first glimpse of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power second season. They have also announced that Season Two will debut on August 29th. Below you can watch the new trailer - featuring Durin, Disa, Galadriel, Elrond and more, plus Sauron in his beautiful form...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCwmXY_f-e0They've also released a short behind-the-scenes vid as as a companion piece.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL02_uTRBKwAnd here's what the official press release tells us:
Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power* Returns for Season Two with Official Teaser Trailer Debut and Key ArtSeason Two will debut on Prime Video on August 29, 2024*The new season sets the stage for J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendary villain, Sauron, as he darkens Middle-earth’s Second Age
NEW YORK — May 14, 2024 — Attendees at Amazon’s inaugural upfront presentation this morning in New York City were transported back to Middle-earth as Prime Video unveiled a first look at the upcoming second season of the hit series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The series’ first season was an unprecedented global success and one of the top original series for Prime Video, viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, and driving more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than any other previous content to date.
Prime Video also announced that Season Two will debut globally on Thursday, August 29, 2024, in more than 240 countries and territories in multiple languages.
Stunning new Season Two key art was also revealed today, featuring the return of Charlie Vickers in the role of Sauron, one of the world’s greatest literary villains, appearing in a new form - one that will aid him in deceiving the denizens of Middle-earth.
The debut teaser trailer takes viewers on an action-packed journey back to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age, and shows the ascending evil presence of Sauron as he continues his vengeful quest for complete power. Showcasing the cinematic splendor that the series is known for, and heralding the return of many fan favorite characters, including Galadriel, Elrond, Prince Durin IV, Arondir, and Celebrimbor, this first-look also reveals the much-anticipated creation of more Rings.
In Season Two of The Rings of Power, Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will. Building on Season One’s epic scope and ambition, the new season plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity. Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots… as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all … each other.
ABOUT THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
The first season of The Rings of Power has been an unprecedented success, viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, with more than 32 billion minutes streamed. The highly anticipated series attracted more than 25 million global viewers on its first day, marking the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video, and also debuted as the No. 1 show on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart in its opening weekend. The show has driven more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than any other previous content to date. The season finale also created a global cultural moment, with multiple series-themed hashtags, including #TheRingsofPower and others, trending in 27 countries across Twitter for over 426 cumulative hours throughout the weekend.
The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison, along with co-executive producer and director Charlotte Brändström, producers Kate Hazell and Helen Shang, and co-producers Clare Buxton, Andrew Lee, Glenise Mullins, and Matthew Penry-Davey. Additional Season Two directors include Sanaa Hamri and Louise Hooper.
All eight first season episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are now available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in multiple languages.
The eagles are coming! We'll bring you staffer reactions to the trailer soon! Plus join us on TORn Tuesday this evening to discuss.
Footage of the highly anticipation LOTR anime film debuts at Annecy, for a second year in a row. Special guests include Andy Serkis, Philippa Boyens, Kenji Kamiyama, Joseph Chou and Jason DeMarco.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim preview will take place 12 June 2024 at 4pm local time. Link to the event page. But first: a new logo treatment for the movie!
Executive Producer from WB Feature Animation, Jason DeMarco, says it's more than a trailer - a "nice big chunk of the movie."
https://twitter.com/clarknova1/status/1790067030017847485?s=46Warner Bros. Feature Animation sends word of their plans for the big French animation industry event.
WARNER BROS. ANIMATION, CARTOON NETWORK STUDIOS, HANNA-BARBERA STUDIOS EUROPE ANNOUNCE PROGRAMMING SLATE FOR ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL
Andy Serkis to Host Filmmaker Conversation and Extended First Look of the Highly Anticipated New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation’s
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Inside Look at the Upcoming DC Studios/Max Original Animated Series Creature Commandos
World-Premiere Screening of The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, First Look at The Amazing World of Gumball, Sneak Peeks, and More!
- Warner Bros. Animation (WBA), Cartoon Network Studios (CNS), and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe (HBSE) will return to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with a showstopping slate of animated content showcasing the studio’s rich history, diverse styles, and world-class artistry.
- Programming highlights include first looks at the highly anticipated New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation’s original anime feature The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, the upcoming DC Studios/Max Original Creature Commandos, The Amazing World of Gumball, and the World Premiere of The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.
Full Annecy programming slateThe Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – Filmmaker Conversation and Exclusive Extended Look with *Special Guest Andy Serkis*
Oscar winner Philippa Boyens (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies), award-winning filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama (the Blade Runner: Black Lotus and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex TV series) and producer Joseph Chou (Blade Runner: Black Lotus TV series) return to Annecy to unveil the first footage from the highly anticipated original anime feature, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. In a special appearance, Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings trilogies) will join filmmakers as they reflect on their creative journey in translating the cinematic wonder of Middle-earth through the visually sweeping lens and artistry of anime.
From New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim explores and expands the untold story behind the fortress of Helm’s Deep, delving into the life and bloodsoaked times of one of Middle-earth’s most legendary figures; the mighty King of Rohan - Helm Hammerhand.
Animation work is currently underway at Sola Entertainment. The film will be distributed theatrically worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures on December 13, 2024.
Creature Commandos - Making of Session
From Executive Producer and writer James Gunn, Creature Commandos is the upcoming Max Original animated event series, based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation which follows Amanda Waller as she forms a black ops team out of monstrous prisoners. Prepare for an in-depth look from Rick Morales (supervising producer) and Balak Yves (supervising director) into the artistry and creative processes behind this highly anticipated series kicking off a new era of storytelling in the DC Universe.
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie - World Premiere Screening
That’s not all folks! Porky Pig and Daffy Duck, one of the greatest comedic duos in history, are making their hilarious return to the big screen in the sci-fi comedy adventure, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.
From Warner Bros. Animation, director Pete Browngardt, and the creative team behind the award-winning Looney Tunes Cartoons, The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Moviestars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck as unlikely heroes and Earth’s only hope when facing the threat of alien invasion. The movie unfolds a rich Porky & Daffy story that fans have never seen before: In this buddy-comedy of epic proportions, our heroes race to save the world, delivering all the laugh-out-loud gags and vibrant visuals that have made the Looney Tunes so iconic, but on a scope and scale yet to be experienced.
The Amazing World of Gumball – Making of Session
More Gumball! The comedic misadventures of Gumball, Darwin and the quirky residents of Elmore continue in The Amazing World of Gumball (wt). Join Ben Bocquelet (Executive Producer), Matthew Layzell (Executive Producer), Emma Fernando (Series Producer), Xav Clarke (Composer), Sarah Fell (SVP, Series, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe) for an inside look at the long-awaited return of these beloved characters.
Spotlight on Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe - Studio Focus
Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe showcase their high-profile slate of current and upcoming film and series projects. Learn how these three storied studios aim to be the broadest purveyor of animation in the world, producing content that touches every audience group and every platform. Grab industry insights, exciting news, and exclusive first looks from the always original Cartoon Network Studios, the iconic characters of Warner Bros. Animation, and the whimsical world of Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.
Adult Animation at Warner Bros. Discovery - Studio Focus
Adult Swim, Max, and Warner Bros. Animation spotlights their strategy and efforts in the booming adult animation space. Michael Ouweleen (President, Adult Swim), Suzanna Makkos (Head of Adult Animation, Adult Swim), and Peter Girardi (Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, Warner Bros. Animation) preview current and upcoming projects and share their team’s strategies to ensure Warner Bros. Discovery remains the destination for adult animation.
100 Years of Shorts - Annecy Classics Screening
A curated program celebrating the proud legacy of short form at Warner Bros. Animation, Hanna-Barbera, and Cartoon Network Studios featuring animated shorts from Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, William Hanna & Joseph Barbera, Chuck Jones, Genndy Tartakovsky, and more!
#
About Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) is one of the leading producers of animation in the entertainment industry, producing and developing projects for multiple platforms, both domestically and internationally. WBA’s current series include Batman: Caped Crusader, Bat-Family, Batwheels, Bugs Bunny Builders, Creature Commandos, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Harley Quinn, Jellystone!, Kite-Man: Hell Yeah!, Looney Tunes Cartoons, Merry Little Batman, My Adventures with Superman, Teen Titans Go!, Tiny Toons Looniversity, and Velma. The studio is currently in production on two feature films – The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie and the upcoming original anime feature film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, with New Line Cinema. WBA’s full-length theatrical film Teen Titans GO! to the Movies was released in summer 2018. As home to the iconic animated characters from the DC, Hanna-Barbera, MGM and Looney Tunes libraries, WBA also produces highly successful animated films — including the DC Universe Movies — for DVD, Blu-ray® and digital media. One of the most-honored animation studios in history, WBA has won six Academy Awards®, 40 Emmy® Awards, the George Foster Peabody Award, a BAFTA Children’s Award, an Environmental Media Award, a Parents’ Choice Award, the HUMANITAS Prize, two Prism Awards and 21 Annie Awards (honoring excellence in animation).
About Cartoon Network Studios
Established in 2000, Cartoon Network Studios (CNS) is a global animation and interactive studio recognized for its innovative approaches to IP development and world-building. Fostering a creator-driven environment, CNS is home to hundreds of visual artists who have been a part of the studio’s many critically acclaimed and groundbreaking animated series, including Adventure Time, Craig of the Creek, Steven Universe, Regular Show, The Powerpuff Girls, and We Bare Bears. CNS has also produced notable Adult Swim hits such as Genndy Tartakovky’s Primal, Samurai Jack, and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law. CNS has been honored with multiple awards and accolades, including Emmy®, Peabody, GLAAD and Annie Awards. Internationally, the studio also garnered the BAFTA Children’s Award, Italy’s prestigious Pulcinella Award and Annecy Festival’s Cristal Award.
About Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe
Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe is Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagship animation studio within EMEA. Based in London, the studio is home to quality local productions distributed worldwide, including The Amazing World of Gumball, The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe, and Elliott from Earth. Its content has been honored with BAFTA, Emmy, Emile, Annie, Prix Jeunesse, Rockie and Annecy awards
Discussion is fired up for a teaser trailer
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As fans in the US no doubt already know, this summer Fathom Events are screening the Extended Editions of The Lord of the Rings movies! June 8, 9, 10, and then again June 22, 23, 24, Peter Jackson's trilogy will be screened in AMC, Cinemark and Regal theatres across America.
If, like us, you never miss a chance to see these epic films on the big screen, then we have good news for you: we have 60 pairs of tickets to giveaway! That's 20 pairs for each of the three movies, to be given away at random to lucky winners in the United States.
To be in with a chance to win, all you need to do is fill in the form below, letting us know which film (and date) you'd like, and your local participating theatre where you'd like to attend. Complete the form by 8pm EST May 15th, and we'll be in touch if you're a lucky winner!
The giveaway is now closed; thanks to all who entered! Winners chosen at random will be contacted soon.
BREAKING NEWS: it seems that Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Andy Serkis are all going there and back again, as Warner Bros. today issued an astonishing press release:
WARNER BROS. PICTURES AND NEW LINE CINEMA ARE SET TO REUNITE WITH THE OSCAR WINNING LORD OF THE RINGS AND THE HOBBIT* TEAM PETER JACKSON, FRAN WALSH, AND PHILIPPA BOYENS FOR TWO NEW FEATURE FILMS FROM J. R. R. TOLKIEN’S MIDDLE EARTH, TWO-DECADES AFTER THE NEARLY $6 BILLION DOLLAR FILM FRANCHISE WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO AUDIENCESTHE FIRST FILM LORD OF THE RINGS: THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM (WT) WILL BE DIRECTED BY AND STAR LORD OF THE RINGS ALUMNI ANDY SERKIS*JACKSON, WALSH, AND BOYENS WILL PRODUCE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE HUNT FOR GOLLUM (WT), WITH WALSH AND BOYENS SET TO WRITE THE SCREENPLAY
Burbank, CA — May 9, 2024 – Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group’s Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy announced today the Oscar-winning team behind the nearly $6 billion blockbuster Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyensare reuniting to produce two new films from Tolkien’s Middle Earth for Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema.
The first of the two films Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum(WT)will be directed by and star Andy Serkis (Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle), with Walsh and Boyens set to write the screenplay, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou (Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim)*. The film will be executive produced by Ken Kamins, with Serkis and The Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish.
Said De Luca and Abdy, “For over two-decades, moviegoers have embraced the Lord of the Rings film trilogy because of the undeniable devotion Peter, Fran and Philippa have shown towards protecting the legacy of Tolkien’s works, and to ensure audiences could experience the incredible world he created in a way that honors his literary vision. We are honored they have agreed be our partners on these two new films. With Andy coming aboard to direct Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum(WT), we continue an important commitment to excellence that is a true hallmark of how we all want to venture ahead and further contribute to the Lord of the Rings* cinematic history.”
Said Jackson, Walsh and Boyens, “It is an honour and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker - Gollum! As life long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”
Said Serkis, ““Yesssss, Precious. The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa,” said Serkis. "With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our film making family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”.
...
The announcement of the new films follows the previously announced New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Animation’s anime feature film Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim opening this Christmas. Directed by Award winning filmmaker Kenji Kamiyama (Blade Runner: Black Lotus and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series), the film is produced by Boyens, Joseph Chou (Blade Runner: Black Lotus), and Jason DeMarco.
The writing team of Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou penned the Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim screenplay based on a script from Jeffrey Addiss & Will Matthews. The Lord of the Rings returning creative team also includes Oscar winners Alan Lee and Richard Taylor, along with esteemed Tolkien illustrator John Howe.
It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Bernard Hill, who brilliantly embodied King Théoden of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He passed away today, May 5, 2024, at the age of 79. Hill's portrayal of Théoden is etched in the memory of us all, expertly capturing the noble and transformative journey of the Rohan king, from despair to heroic resurgence.
His performance delivered lines that have resonated deeply within all of fandom. Potentially most memorably on the Battle of the Pelennor Fields..."Ride now, ride for ruin, and the world's ending!" Bernard Hill holds a rather unique record in that he has starred in not one, but two films that grossed over $1 Billion and won 11 Academy Awards each.
While Hill also famously appeared as Captain Edward John Smith in Titanic, his legacy is particularly revered in our community for his role as Théoden, which brought to life a beloved literary character with profound respect and fidelity to the source material. Bernard Hill's artistic contributions have left an indelible mark, ensuring his memory will live on through his significant impact on film and particularly within the Tolkien legendarium.
The staff at the OneRing.net extend our deepest condolences to Bernard Hill's family, friends, and colleagues around the world. The cast of the LOTR films are known to be a close-knit family, so here are a few photos of those happy times.
The Cast of The Lord of the Rings won the SAG Ensemble award. The Return of the King premiere in Westwood, CA in December, 2003 outside the Bruin Theater.
April 22, 2024 - This week in LOTR news, big business moves and huge reveals. Tales of the Shire Trailer reactions, Embracer rebrands as Middle-earth, Rings of Power cast reunite, LOTR returns to cinemas.
Tales of the Shire gets a teaser trailerAfter three years of secret development, Weta Workshop and Private Division finally revealed the look and feel of their new cozy video game Tales of the Shire. Watch the whole trailer on YouTube and see the full announcement in an early post.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAQQVGwzrj0Reactions were swift coming in from Happy Hobbit (watch) and Nerd of the Rings (watch). Speaking of, Matt got an exclusive tour of the Weta Workshop games office in NZ, which you can watch below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj62CDRim8EEmbracer splits into three separate unitsEmbracer Group, which acquired Middle-earth Enterprises a couple years ago for $395 million (see the deal announcement here) have decided to split the company up into three unique entities, each publicly traded on Swedish NASDAQ.
- Asmodee Group -- board and card games
- Coffee Stain & Friends -- publishing & development for live service / indie / AA games
- Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends -- franchise management and AAA game development
"Friends" of Middle-earth include Embracer-owned Tomb Raider and Dark Horse Comics, as well as many other established big game developers and franchises. While these company names are temporary/holding per the press releases, there is clear positioning to put LOTR rights at the forefront. This will also be the first time regular fans will be able to buy and trade stock in Middle-earth Enterprises. Read more about why this is happening with this interview with the CEO.
Rings of Power cast reunite in London Ismael Cruz Cordova, the breakout star of season one as Arondir the elf, posted pics with Tyroe Muhafidin, Owain Arthur, Sophia Nomvete and other cast members in London. Could marketing for Season 2 finally be about to start?
It's really charming to see the cast of LOTR shows and movie grow to be ongoing friends in life.
DUNE Part Two Cinematographer chat with TORN!Oscar-winning cinematographer Greig Fraser chatted with TORN Tuesday about the Australia and NZ film industry, the legacy of Andrew Lesnie, and recent work on The Batman, The Mandalorian, and Dune. Plus, a wild story about Peter Jackson on set for the Darth Vader scene in Rogue One. Watch on YouTube or below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcKy-rPq2oQDune Part Two is back in IMAX cinemas and available to buy/rent VOD.
The Lord of the Rings Extended Editions coming to U.S. CinemasFathom Events are bringing the 3+ hour long Extended Editions of all three The Lord of the Rings movies to cinemas across the USA June 8, 9, 10. Check your local AMC / Cinemark / Regal or local theater for tickets.
The annual TORn event in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park is slated to take place on Saturday, September 23, starting at 11:30 a.m. in the Mineral Wells location we’ve been using for years.
One note for those driving in from the Valley. The North entrance to the park from the 134 freeway, past Forest Lawn and the Travel Town Railroad has major closures, so make sure to drive around to the 5 freeway, head south, and follow the directions into the park. The FB event page has directions, just visit the event page https://www.facebook.com/events/795815945664608 Simply click on the About button, then See More at the bottom of the brief description to see the full description, and driving directions.
We don’t quite know what the weather will be like, but there is usually lots of sunshine, so a popup tent, sunscreen, a hat, etc. is always a good idea. The Potluck is back, so read through the description on the FB event page for more details. If everyone brings at least enough food and drink for their party, and maybe to share with at least 3-4 other people, we should have more than enough food. But it doesn’t stop at food and drink, we will also want a supply of paper plates and cups, ice chests with ice in them, trash bags, plastic utensils, and paper towels. Beverages should be in bottles, if possible, in the case of yellowjackets, cans just can’t keep your beverage safe. There will be fun and games, as usual, with trivia and possibly some Golfimbul fun to be had. Costumes are welcome, and we will be doing the Middle-earth-themed Cake and Cupcake contest, so start considering your epic design and yumminess factor. There will be prizes for many of the games, cakes, and costumes.
To RSVP and let us know what food or supply items you intend to bring, please post on the facebook event page linked above, or email Garfeimao@TheOneRing.net.
The post Annual LA’s Baggins Birthday Bash is coming first appeared on Lord of the Rings Rings of Power on Amazon Prime News, JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit and more | TheOneRing.net.
DragonCon begins today - and of course TORn will be there! You'll find staffers deej and greendragon at TORn's 'fan table', in our usual location: in the Hyatt opposite the entrance to the Art Show. We'll be there from Friday on, until the very end of the con! This year we have three new shirt designs and a new button, as well as some former designs, and other fun goodies at the table. Drop by and see us!
There are some exciting celebrity guests for Middle-earth lovers this weekend; read on for highlights of events of interest to Tolkien fans during DragonCon this year:
Friday 1st 10am The Wit and Wisdom of Samwise GamgeeGardener; friend; husband; potato enthusiast. We all need more Sam in our lives! Marriott room L401-403
Friday 2nd 8.30pm An Evening at BreeAs ever, TORn will be joining the High Fantasy track to host this long standing DragonCon tradition. Party like a Hobbit! Once again, our live acts will be fan favourites The Brobdingnagian Bards, Beth Patterson, and Landloch'd. We'll also have the Elf Choir, and the costume contest - with a fabulous panel of expert cosplay judges. We're thrilled that Charles Conley, Joshua Duart and Lacey Santos will be lending us their skill and judgement for the evening! If you'd like to enter the contest, please remember to sign up in advance of the evening, at the TORn fan table or the High Fantasy track room (Marriott room L401-403).
Find us at the inn of the Prancing Pony (aka Hilton Grand West)
Saturday 2nd 1pm The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King RetrospectiveIt's been 20 years (gasp!) since the final part of Peter Jackson's trilogy was released. Join TORn staffers to look back and get nostalgic together! Marriott room A601-602
Saturday 2nd 4pm Rings of Power discussionA look back at Season 1, and speculation as to what may be coming in Season 2 of Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings show. Marriott room A601-602
Saturday 2nd 5.30pm Elijah Wood and Sean Astin in conversationMarriott Atrium Ballroom
Saturday 2nd 10pm The Tolkien Renaissance What makes Middle-earth such an enduring favourite with fans? With more shows, movies (and maybe even a theme park) in the works, we'll explore why Tolkien's works are evergreen. Marriott room L401-403
Sunday 3rd 10am Hobbits, Harfoots, and More! Exploring the origins, characteristics, and significance of our favourite hairy-footed folks. Marriott room L401-403
Sunday 3rd 1pm Andy Serkis and Elijah Wood in conversationMarriott Atrium Ballroom
(There are also photo sessions with Astin, Serkis, and Wood throughout the weekend. Their appearances are fully in line with SAG-AFTRA guidelines, enabling actors to attend conventions but not to promote work.)
Sunday 5pm Hobbit Drinking Songs!Join The Brobdingnagian Bards and party like a Hobbit! Hilton Grand West
Sunday 10pm Dance Magic DanceTORn's own deej shows us how she got her name, as she djs this 1980s themed dance party. Put on your best 80s/fantasy cosplay and come and dance the night away!
There are many more High Fantasy Track events which are Middle-earth related, and other events across the con which will appeal to Tolkien fans. Check out DragonCon's app for all the details. Hope to see you here for all the fun - come and say hi!
Since 1973, The Tolkien Society have hosted a gathering to celebrate the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and this weekend they're doing it again - for the 50th time. This coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Professor's death, on September 2nd. Fans are gathering in Oxford from around the world for this special event; here's what the society's press release tells us:
350 Tolkien fans from around 25 different countries are meeting in Oxford next weekend to celebrate the life and works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
The event, taking place at St Anne’s College, Oxford from Thursday 31st August to Sunday 3rd September, has sold out due to the increasing popularity of Tolkien’s works. The event follows the recent publication of The Fall of Númenor and the release of the Amazon TV-series The Rings of Power set in the Second Age of Middle-earth.
The event itself will include talks from leading Tolkien scholars – including Brian Sibley, editor of The Fall of Númenor, screenwriter of The Lord of the Rings radio series and biographer of Peter Jackson – quizzes, workshops, an art exhibition, a masquerade, a Hobbit bake-off, a party and even theatrical performances. The weekend concludes, as always, with Enyalie, a ceremony of remembrance at Tolkien’s grave in Wolvercote Cemetery on Sunday afternoon. With attendees from 25 different countries, this year's Oxonmoot takes place following the publication of the Sunday Times bestseller, The Fall of Númenor, proving the continuing popularity of J.R.R. Tolkien as author relevant in the 21st Century. Tolkien’s best-known work was The Lord of the Rings, which has been translated into over 50 languages and estimates put sales at over 150 million copies worldwide.
Founded in 1969 by Vera Chapman, The Tolkien Society is an educational charity and literary society with the aim of promoting the life and works with J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien himself supported the organisation and gave it his seal of approval by agreeing to become The Tolkien Society's President. On Tolkien's death the family recommended he stay as President, so, to this day, he remains The Tolkien Society's Honorary President in perpetuo. The Society has 4,000 members and hosts events up and down the country every week.
Shaun Gunner, Chair of The Tolkien Society, said: "Tolkien is as popular as ever as we’ve packed out St Anne’s College to have a celebratory weekend like no other! Not only will we be joined by Brian Sibley, but Bear McCreary – composer of the score of The Rings of Power – and other Tolkien scholars are joining us. People are coming over from 5 continents to share their love for Tolkien and their passion for his works. Oxonmoot has been going for 50 years and provides an excellent opportunity for hundreds of fans from around the world to come together for a weekend of fun and fellowship in Oxford, a location so important to Tolkien." He added, "This year’s Oxonmoot is particularly special: the world’s longest-running Tolkien event reaches its 50th anniversary, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Tolkien’s death."
We hear via Deadline that Warner Bros. Animation is putting back the release of its animated feature film The War of the Rohirrim to December 2024. The new release date is December 13. Previously it was to open worldwide on April 12.
The seven-month delay is seemingly part of a cascade started by the shift of the release of Dune: Part 2 to March 15 -- a slot previously occupied by Godzilla X Kong. GxK's one-month delay has subsequently forced WOTR into a new date.
Deadline notes that the only other movie set for a December 13 2024 release is Sony’s The Karate Kid.
However, other reasons both sentimental and practical might have contributed to WOTR being pushed back seven months.
First, for Warner Bros. and New Line Cinemas, releasing films from the Middle-earth milieu is virtually a tradition now. That ought to play well with the fandom. Producer Jason DeMarco certainly seems to think it's a lucky one.
Source: Jason DeMarco twitter account. Supplied by TimB Second, it's no secret that the last several years have seen numerous well-credentialled anime series experience production crunches that have caused substantial release delays. Animator overwork and schedule slippage now seem so regular that insiders are asking themselves whether this situation is simply "the new normal".
Further, film director Kenji Kamiyama and Sola Entertainment (the animation studio) CEO Joseph Chou commented recently at Annecy Film Festival about the weight of work that remained on The War of the Rohirrim and that they were seeking additional talent to help with the film.
While they mostly seem done, Kenji and Joseph have a lot more to do, they’re still deep in the production process. Kenji seemed stressed! “Probably the biggest film he’s ever worked on”. Kenji kept talking about the challenge of it, and was clearly still thinking deeply about “how he’s gonna finish this film.”
Joseph jokes about how the crew is going to have to work nights and weekends to finish this movie, which really bummed me out. Can we not normalize the brutal working hours in animation? I expect better tbh.
TORn Annecy Film Festival first look report
In that context, an extra seven months might also have been a prudent production decision.
About the author: Staffer Demosthenes has been involved with TheOneRing.net since 2001, serving first as an Associate News Editor, then as Chief News Editor during the making of the Hobbit films. Now he focuses on features and analysis. The opinions in this article are his own and do not necessarily represent those of TheOneRing.net and other staff.
We've made it to Episode 10 of this very fun podcast; and for our tenth episode, we have a super special guest. I've had the chance to chat with him over the years at Comic-Con, but having the amazing Sir Richard Taylor sit down for almost 90 minutes to talk about collectibles was beyond anything for Jim and me. We had a blast chatting; and in the episode, there is even a tease for a new collectible coming. We hope you have as much fun watching this episode as the two of us had filming it.
Kili recently entered a pie-baking contest in our corner of the Shire, and now you can vicariously join her in the festivities! Will she win a prize? Have you ever seen a pie-eating contest? This feels like an event straight out of Michel Delving!
https://youtu.be/70POzaOeYQo
Stay up to date by subscribing to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok!
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Oxonmoot, an annual event hosted by The Tolkien Society in Oxford, UK. The event will be available to stream live from Thursday, August 31 through Sunday, September 3.
Bear McCreary Bear McCreary will join Oxonmoot for an exclusive chat on Friday, September 1st at 4:40pm UK-time (8:40am PDT / 11:40am EDT / 5:40pm CET), and the session will be available live to online attendees.
McCreary, a lifelong Tolkien fan, composed the 37 tracks that make up the score for Prime's Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power. His work for the show received acclaim from fans and critics alike. The gorgeous themes he developed for the show were completely new yet still reflective of the scores that Howard Shore composed for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings. McCreary is also know for his work on Battlestar Galactica, The Walking Dead, and Outlander, among other films. McCreary is articulate in speaking about his methodology, and he is just plain fun in an interview.
Brian Sibley Brian Sibley will also be a guest at Oxonmoot. His session is called "'The Fall of Númenor': An Editor's Journey." As the title of the event implies, Mr. Sibley edited the volume of J.R.R. Tolkien's writings titled The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth, which was illustrated by Alan Lee. Sibley will speak about the "pleasures and pitfalls" in editing the book.
Sibley has written extensively for radio dramas such as BBC Radio 4's adaptation of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia. He is well known for authoring many "making of" books about films, including those for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, as well as the Harry Potter series. He is incredibly knowledgeable about Tolkien and fascinating to listen to.
You can register for online attendance to Oxonmoot at https://www.tolkiensociety.org/events/oxonmoot-2023/oxonmoot-2023-online-bookings/
As you no doubt know by now, there is a new production of The Lord of the Rings musical currently playing at The Watermill Theatre; it opened July 25th and runs until October 15th. Last week, staffer greendragon ventured into the Berkshire countryside and found herself in the Shire. Here's her review of the production:
Sam - Nuwan Hugh Perera - and Frodo - Louis Maskell - with Gollum - Matthew Bugg - sneaking in the background... (Photography Pamela Raith) The Lord of the Rings restaged When The Lord of the Rings musical first appeared, in all its (at the time) 'most expensive musical ever' glory, I went to see it in London. I was not convinced. The extravagant, elaborate staging could not conceal the fact that the songs were not particularly memorable, and it just seemed like Tolkien's story wasn't really suited to this kind of telling. It was not surprising when the show was not the hoped for success.
Rediscovering the piece, in its new, MUCH smaller and more intimate staging, I am closer to being convinced. First of all, the setting is stunning. The audience arrive in a beautiful, bucolic location, where food and drink can be enjoyed by a slowly winding river. A large ring of woven willow decorates the front lawn of the venue. As show time approaches, everyone heads to behind the building - following signs to the 'birthday party'. So the performance begins outside - where we are all guests at a Long-expected Party. (Though for some reason, it was referred to as a 'long awaited party'. Perhaps this was a slip of the tongue? As this production is fully licensed by Middle-earth Enterprises, they certainly have the right to use the Professor's phrase.)
The Shire is the perfect place for music, and so the show gets off to a very strong start. We are swept up in the party atmosphere; I delighted in seeing the Sackville-Bagginses looking suitably annoyed when they learned that Bilbo was making Frodo his heir, and Bilbo's disappearance was very well handled. As the Shire-folk rushed around, wondering where he had gone, we joined them in their search - heading inside to the rustic wooden theatre.
This very small auditorium - with just under 100 seats downstairs and about the same again upstairs - is brilliantly used in every way possible to tell the epic story. The staging is incredibly inventive, with cast moving through the auditorium - and even climbing over it. Stunning puppets create suitably terrifying Ringwraiths and an astonishing Shelob. Elrond causes the river to rise, the doors of Moria glow, even the Balrog appears; every theatrical trick and device is called into play, including impressive lighting and projections, to create Middle-earth in front of and around the audience - and those watching the night I was there were clearly loving it.
Gimli - Folarin Akinmade - sings a lament in Moria. (Photography Pamela Raith) An outstanding cast The cast were mostly excellent. Stand outs for me were Nuwan Hugh Perera as a funny, warm, pitch-perfect Samwise; John O'Mahony's charming Bilbo; and Matthew Bugg, whose astonishingly athletic and aggressive Gollum managed to be fully his own embodiment of the character, rather than being trapped in an Andy Serkis impression. I loved Folarin Akinmade's Gimli, and wished the script allowed more time for his relationship with Legolas (Yazdan Qafouri) to be played out; one very touching moment between them towards the end of the show made me want more of these characters. Peter Dukes (Boromir) and Aaron Sidwell (Aragorn) were particularly moving in Boromir's death scene. Louis Maskell didn't entirely convince me as Frodo, being perhaps slightly overwrought; but it's a demanding role which carries much of the show, and overall he proved himself equal to the task. Peter Marinker as Gandalf seemed to be still finding his way into the role, in the early performance I saw.
Condensing the plot If you're a Tolkien purist, you'll may find fault with this version of the story. To fit the entire plot into one evening of theatre naturally requires much pruning and condensing - poor Tom Bombadil and Celeborn don't make the cut, again! Denethor and Theoden are blended into one, as are the battles of Helm's Deep and the Pelennor Fields. I think the condensation of the story is skilfully handled; I was more bothered, in a picky purist sort of a way, by the Hobbits wearing sandals - though I do understand the need for safety for actors' feet!
The costuming - with influences of Bollywood in the elven outfits - is similar to the original production, and the revolving stage is still there (albeit in much smaller form). The show looks and sounds stunning; the cast are also the band, and though it may sound like a strange idea, somehow it works seamlessly when Pippin (the charming and highly energetic Amelia Gabriel) picks up an accordion and starts to play. Certainly in the Shire and at Bree, the songs work wonderfully. I'm still not sure about the rest of the music. Retelling such an intense, literary tale in musical form is not easy; Les Miserables comes to mind as the most obvious, successful literature-to-musical transformation. The writers of The Lord of the Rings musical haven't quite pulled off this difficult transition, for me. It just doesn't seem entirely plausible when Arwen and Aragorn sing a (rather Disney-ish) love duet on the eve of battle; but perhaps I'm just cynical.
A climax, and a tearjerker ending The one song which stayed with me from the original production was Now and for Always - and that is still the high point of the show, beautifully and movingly performed. As the show approached its end, and the Hobbits returned to the Shire, to clear up the damage caused by Sharkey and his ruffians, we headed back outside with them. A sail was now unfurled where once a party banner had been; and I was moved to tears as Frodo made his farewells, and left Sam to carry on the story.
The lights in the party tree... (Photography greendragon) In spite of my few misgivings, overall this is a beautiful, moving evening of theatre, and a wonderful chance to immerse yourself in Tolkien's great story. It's worth the price of admission just to be transported to the Shire. I imagine the producers may be hoping this production will transfer elsewhere after its run at the Watermill Theatre; but even if it does, this is the perfect setting in which to see it. Do go, if you can.
The Lord of the Rings will play at the Watermill from Tuesday 25 July until Sunday 15 October 2023. Tickets are on sale via watermill.org.uk/The-Lord-Of-The-Rings.
August 4-6 saw LeakyCon happening in Chicago, and various cast members from Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies were there. (LeakyCon fully supported SAG-AFTRA members appearing at the con, stating, '... we have removed direct reference to their projects that fall under TV/Theatrical Contracts so that they can continue to appear without promoting these projects.') So the fun was able to go ahead - and staffer Entmaiden attended for TORn. Here's her write up:
ELIJAH WOOD AND SEAN ASTIN AT LEAKYCON
Since 2009, LeakyCon has been a community-focused fan event that provides opportunities to celebrate magical movie franchises with creators, artists and fans. TORn staffer Entmaiden was able to attend this weekend’s event in Chicago. LeakyCon originated with a focus on the Harry Potter movie series, but recently the organizers invited cast members from The Lord of the Rings movies. Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Miranda Otto and Kiran Shah participated this year.
Entmaiden was delighted to attend the spotlight sessions with Elijah Wood and Sean Astin on Saturday. In support of the on-going strike by members of SAG/AFTRA actors and WGA writers, Elijah and Sean did not speak specifically about their filming experiences. While we might not have been able to explore the behind-the-scenes film stories, the spotlight sessions gave the audience a chance to learn how Elijah and Sean became actors, and uncover a couple secrets about their personalities. Some elements of the journey for both Elijah and Sean are well-known: both started acting very young, and their early acting experience helped prepare them for the enormous success of LOTR films.
It’s been 20+ years since the first film was released, and both Sean and Elijah have seen changes in their lives. Sean’s youngest daughter is about to turn 21 and he is NOT READY! He reflected on his own childhood, where even as the son of famous parents (Patty Duke and John Astin), Sean was able to play Little League like the other kids. His daughters also had to navigate childhood with a famous father, with the complication of social media. Did you know that Sean is a ferocious Monopoly player? He has a thorough understanding of the rules, and applies them rigorously. Sean takes no prisoners when it comes to Monopoly, and some friends and family members avoid playing with him!
While Sean was married with children when filming in New Zealand, Elijah was single. He recently revealed he has two children with long-time partner Mette-Marie Kongsved, a Danish film producer. He didn’t speak much about his children at LeakyCon, but he frequently referenced how his life has changed now he’s a father. But some of the things long-time fans know are the same: Elijah is still a massive music lover, and a big-time foodie. He even gave the fans tips about good frozen pizza, which he confessed to eating as often as he can.
Thanks to LeakyCon for inviting TORn, and for such a fun event!
As you all know, the Magic The Gathering The Lord of the Rings cards have been a massive hit among fans. The collector booster boxes are going for a nice sum of cash on the market. Right before Comic-Con, I snagged a box and opened it. In this video, you'll see all the cool cards I got - including a $200 Bag End Foil! I will definitely be tracking down another box.
As you saw at their booth during Comic-Con 2023, our friends at Diamond Select Toys have two new Deluxe Action figures up for pre-order. Fans can now add to their collections the loveable Samwise Gamgee, and Saruman the White. Both figures looked amazing in person! You can snag these individually for $29.99 or $59.98 as a set, with a release date of quarter 1 of next year. Check out our Middle-earth tour from Comic-Con to see all the goodies DST had at the show.
In this episode, the gang gets back together to chat about how our guesses from the last episode went, what we thought of the awesome stuff announced, and what we hope to see the rest of the year. We hope you enjoy watching and listening to our thoughts as the episode plays out.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlFu6z-YGDI&w=560&h=315]
This year, instead of a booth tour, we're going to go on a tour of the things you could see at Comic-Con 2023 that were Middle-earth related. During this video, we stop at Jerry Vanderstelt's booth to see the unveiling of Weta Workshop's Master Collection piece as well as Jerry's print that can be paired with it. We also stopped by the Diamond Select Booths to see the goodies both they and Weta Workshop had at this year's show. We hope you enjoy the tour!
The brand new production of The Lord of the Rings musical is almost here! The show opens next week, Tuesday July 25, at The Watermill Theatre, near Newbury in Berkshire. To whet appetites, a musical video has been released - and it's an absolute delight, sure to transport you back to the Shire. Take a look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW5LlaFiat8
Don't miss the chance to see this charming and moving re-tellling of the beloved story; grab your tickets now!
The Lord of the Rings will play at the Watermill from Tuesday 25 July until Sunday 15 October 2023. Tickets are on sale via watermill.org.uk/The-Lord-Of-The-Rings.
The folks at Mischief Management have just announced that Frodo Baggins himself, actor Elijah Wood will be joining Sean Astin and others at LeakyCon next month! Here's the official press release:
FILM STAR ELIJAH WOOD JOINS LEAKYCON SPECIAL GUEST LINEUP New York, NY (July 19, 2023) – Film star Elijah Wood has joined the special guest lineup for LeakyCon 2023, the fan convention celebrating fandom, fun, and some of our favorite magical worlds. LeakyCon 2023 will take place at McCormick Place South in Chicago, Illinois, August 4-6, 2023. Tickets are available now at LeakyCon.com
Wood will appear on panels and programming on Friday, August 4, and Saturday, August 5, as well as participate in autograph and photograph sessions with fans. A joint photograph session with Wood and Sean Astin is also available.
LeakyCon has also announced the addition of the Heroes’ Journey Pass ($625) which includes Friday and Saturday access to LeakyCon, a priority duo photograph session with Elijah Wood and Sean Astin, a priority autograph session with Elijah Wood, a priority autograph session with Sean Astin, and guaranteed reserved seating in individual spotlight sessions with Elijah Wood and Sean Astin.
Wood joins fellow actors Sean Astin, Miranda Otto, Tom Felton, Sean Biggerstaff, Miltos Yerolemou, Ellie Darcey-Alden, Rohan Gotobed, James Payton, Chris Rankin, Stanislav Yanevski, Walles Hamonde, Kiran Shah, and Flick Miles, fandom creators Chanel Williams (TikTok: @chanwills0), Trey Beachum (Instagram: @iamblackharry), and Em Wallbank (Instagram: @emwallbank), and fandom podcasts Potterless, Pottercast, Mugglecast, and more.
LeakyCon stands in solidarity with the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. In coordination with SAG-AFTRA members appearing at LeakyCon, we have removed direct reference to their projects that fall under TV/Theatrical Contracts so that they can continue to appear without promoting these projects.
The current programming schedule can be found at LeakyCon.com/schedule. For more information, please visit LeakyCon.com.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LeakyCon / Twitter: @LeakyCon
Instagram: @LeakyCon / TikTok: @leakycon
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on July 19th:
- Bilbo's lost in the caves (1341)
- Riddles in the dark (1341)
- Bilbo finds the dwarves and the wizard (1341)
- The Company is trapped in the trees (1341)
- The funeral escort of King Théoden sets out (1419)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
July 19, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. Bilbo's lost in the caves.
(from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
"Suddenly without any warning he trotted splash into the water...."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 78 Hobbit)
2. Riddles in the dark.
(determined from text)
"Deep down here by the dark water lived old Gollum..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 79-95 Hobbit)
3. Bilbo finds the dwarves and the wizard.
(determined from text)
"And here's the burglar!" said Bilbo stepping down into the middle of them, and slipping off the Ring."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 98-100 Hobbit)
4. The Company is trapped in the trees.
(determined from text)
""Must we go any further?" asked Bilbo, when it was so dark that he could only just see Thorin's beard wagging beside him..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 103-113 Hobbit)
July 19, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The funeral escort of King Théoden sets out.
(from the appendices)
"At last the day of departure came, and a great and fair company made ready to ride north from the City."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 113 RotK)
San Diego Comic Con is upon us yet again. After a huge return last year where The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power dominated the show with badges, parties, and a Hall H concert, the fans are in the driver seat this year to celebrate all things fandom.
By Popular Demand - Magic of Middle-earth Party! TheOneRing.net, Weta Workshop, Diamond Select Collectibles, Nerd of the Rings and more are teaming up for a party of hobbit magnificence featuring food, drinks, libations, goodie baggins, artwork by Jerry Vanderstelt and a cosplay contest hosted by Weta Workshop's Richard Taylor and Daniel Falconer!
- When: Thursday July 20
- Time: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
- Where: Storyhouse Spirits, downtown San Diego
- Cosplay Contest: 7:00 pm
- Family: Friendly (kids allowed)
- SDCC Badge: NOT required
- Tickets: Required
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Thursday July 13 at 12pm Noon PT. Last year's party sold out in 3 minutes. Link will be published on all our socials, and its highly suggested you join the TORn Discord for earliest access.
TheOneRing.net Booth 1220 - Signings and Exclusives Find us again in the book publishers area of the show floor with new Exclusive Merch and Shirts! Limited quantities have been produced and will not be sold online. Shirt sizes available from XS - 3XL
Shire Post Mint returns to TheOneRing.net booth with officially licensed coinage and pins. We will have a selection of the most popular products.
EXCLUSIVE new secret Weta Workshop Mini Epic will be unveiled Thursday morning and we will have limited quantities available each morning of Comic-con, while supplies last.
SIGNING at the booth Thursday July 20 from 12pm noon - 2pm is Weta Workshop's Richard Taylor and Daniel Falconer! Bring your favorite treasure (like Middle-earth Script to Screen) or rush to purchase the exclusive new Mini Epics and get them signed free.
More Signings - Jed Brophy The man of many faces in Middle-earth returns to celebrate 20 years and counting of performing in LOTR adaptations. Pick up signed headshot from one of his many memorable characters, or just shake his hand and share a smile! He'll be around all weekend.
Also hanging at the booth all weekend is the friendly volunteer staff from your favorite Tolkien community plus friends like Matt from Nerd of the Rings, Kaitlyn from Tea with Tolkien, and author K.M. Rice.
Tolkien Panels! Here's a list of panels LOTR fans may be interested in. Things have been in flux due to Hollywood union negotiations and strikes, but these panels are confirmed:
- Friday 2:15pm, Room 6A - Weta Workshop Presents... you won't want to miss this! Surprises abound
- JUST ADDED! Saturday 1:00pm, Room 23ABC - Dispatches from Middle-earth with TORn and Nerd of the Rings
- Saturday 4:30pm, Room 10 - Costumes of Rings of Power with Kate Hawley
- Saturday 5:30pm, Room 7AB - No Man Am I: Women of Middle-earth, Hosted by TheOneRing.net with Cathy Udovch, Tea with Tolkien's Kaitlyn Fascita, and Happy Hobbit's Kellie Rice.
Looking forward to seeing all the Ringers there at San Diego Comic Con 2023. While many anticipated a preview of new movies or TV shows from The Lord of the Rings, many fans understand and support the efforts of WGA writers and SAG actors to get the best deal that allows the best work. Future adaptations of Tolkien depend on the very best! See you in San Diego!
In our newest episode of the Collecting The Precious Podcast we sit down with Ben and new guest Ryan aka The Cyber Hobbit to talk about Comic-Con 2023. We chat about some recent releases and things we'd like to see come out during Comic-Con. As always, we hope you enjoy the episode!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uy1SaxHuNxQ&w=560&h=315]
Today, the 75th annual Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were announced. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power received 6 nominations in the following categories:
Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes
Hocus Pocus 2Salvador Perez, Costume Designer; Elizabeth Shelton, Assistant Costume Designer; Gala Autumn, Costume Supervisor
House Of The Dragon • The Heirs Of The Dragon
Jany Temime, Costume Designer; Katherine Burchill, Assistant Costume Designer; Paul Yeowell, Assistant Costume Designer; Rachel George, Assistant Costume Designer; Joanna Lynch, Costume Supervisor
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power • A Shadow Of The Past
Kate Hawley, Costume Designer; Libby Dempster, Assistant Costume Designer; Lucy McLay, Assistant Costume Designer; Jaindra Watson, Assistant Costume Designer; Pip Lingard, Costume Supervisor; Jenny Rushton, Costume Supervisor
The Mandalorian • Chapter 22: Guns For Hire
Shawna Trpcic, Costume Designer; Elissa Alcala, Assistant Costume Designer; Julie Robar, Costume Supervisor; Julie Yang Silver, Costume Supervisor
Obi-Wan Kenobi • Part I
Suttirat Anne Larlarb, Costume Designer; Stacia Lang, Assistant Costume Designer; Lynda Foote, Costume Supervisor
What We Do In The Shadows • The Wedding
Laura Montgomery, Costume Designer; Barbara Cardoso, Assistant Costume Designer; Judy Laukkanen, Costume Supervisor
Outstanding Main Title Design
Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities
Mike Schaeffer, Creative Director; Chet Hirsch, Director; David Rowley, Art Director; Akshay Tiwari, Designer
Hello Tomorrow!
Ronnie Koff, Creative Director; Lexi Gunvaldson, Editor; Christoph Gabathuler, 3D Artist; Juan Monasterio, Animator; Lindsey Mayer-Beug, Illustrator; Fernando Lazzari, Animator
The Last Of Us
Andy Hall, Creative Director; Nadia Tzuo, Creative Director; Gryun Kim, 3D Artist; Min Shi, Designer; Jun Kim, 3D Artist; Xiaolin (Mike) Zeng, Designer
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power
Katrina Crawford, Director; Mark Bashore, Director; Anthony Vitagliano, Creative Director; Fernando Domínguez Cózar, Animation Director
Wednesday
Aaron Becker, Creative Director; Joseph Ahn, Designer; James Ramirez, Animator; Lee Nelson, Animator; Eric Keller, 3D Artist; Hsien Lun Su, Animator
The White Lotus
Katrina Crawford, Director/Creative Director/Photographer; Mark Bashore, Director/Editor; Lezio Lopes, Illustrator; Cian McKenna, Animator
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup
Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities
Sean Sanson, Special Makeup Effects Department Head; Shane Zander, Special Makeup Effects Artist; Kyle Glencross, Special Makeup Effects Artist; Mike Hill, Prosthetic Designer; Megan Many, Prosthetic Designer
House Of The Dragon • The Lord Of The Tides
Barrie Gower, Prosthetics Designer; Sarah Gower, Prosthetics Makeup Co-Dept Head; Emma Faulkes, Key Prosthetics Makeup Artist; Duncan Jarman, Prosthetic Makeup Artist; Paula Eden, Prosthetic Makeup Artist
The Last Of Us • Infected
Barrie Gower, Prosthetics Designer; Sarah Gower, Prosthetics Makeup Co-Department Head; Paul Spateri, Key Prosthetics Makeup Artist; Nelly Guimaras Sanjuan, Key Prosthetics Makeup Artist; Johnny Murphy, Key Prosthetics Makeup Artist; Joel Hall, Key Prosthetics Makeup Artist; Lucy Pittard, Key Prosthetics Makeup Artist
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power • Adar
Jason Docherty, Prosthetics Designer; Dan Perry, Key Prosthetics Makeup Artist; Mark Knight, Senior Prosthetics Makeup Artist; Simon Rose, Senior Prosthetic Makeup Artist
Star Trek: Picard • The Last Generation
James Mackinnon, Makeup Department Head and Prosthetics; Hugo Villasenor, Key Prosthetic Makeup Artist; Bianca Appice, Key Prosthetic Makeup Artist; Kevin Wasner, Prosthetic Makeup Artist; Afton Storton, Prosthetic Makeup Artist; Kevin Haney, Additional Prosthetic Makeup Artist; Neville Page, Prosthetic Designer; Vincent Van Dyke, Prosthetic Designer
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
Andor
Nicholas Britell, Composer
Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet Of Curiosities
Holly Amber Church, Composer
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power
Howard Shore, Composer
Ms. Marvel
Laura Karpman, Composer
Wednesday
Danny Elfman, Composer
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
Andor • The Eye
David Acord, Co-Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer; Margit Pfeiffer, Co-Supervising Sound Editor; Richard Quinn, Dialogue Editor; Jonathan Greber, ADR Editor; J.R. Grubbs, Sound Effects Editor; John Finklea, Music Editor; Shaun Farley, Foley Editor; Shelley Roden, Foley Artist; John Roesch, Foley Artist
The Boys • The Instant White-Hot Wild
Wade Barnett, MPSE, Supervising Sound Editor; Chris Kahwaty, MPSE, Dialogue Editor; Ryan Briley, Supervising ADR Editor; Jeffrey A. Pitts, Sound Efffects Editor/Sound Designer; Pete Nichols, Sound Effects Editor; Christopher Brooks, Music Editor; James Howe, Foley Editor
House Of The Dragon • The Black Queen
Al Sirkett, Supervising Sound Editor; Tim Hands, Dialogue Editor; Adele Fletcher, Supervising ADR Editor; Paula Fairfield, MPSE, Sound Designer; David Klotz, Music Editor; Timeri Duplat, Music Editor; Mathias Schuster, Foley Editor; Barnaby Smyth, Foley Artist; Paula Boram, Foley Artist
The Last Of Us • When You're Lost In The Darkness
Michael J. Benavente, Supervising Sound Editor; Joe Schiff, Dialogue Editor; Christopher Battaglia, Sound Designer; Chris Terhune, Sound Designer; Mitchell Lestner, Sound Effects Editor; Jacob Flack, Sound Effects Editor; Matt Yocum, MPSE, Sound Effects Editor; Maarten Hofmeijer, Music Editor; Randy Wilson, Supervising Foley Editor; Justin Hele, Foley Editor; David Aquino, Foley Editor; Stefan Fraticelli, Foley Artist; Jason Charbonneau, Foley Artist; William Kellerman, Foley Artist
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power • Udûn
Robert Stambler, MPSE, Co-Supervising Sound Editor; Damian Del Borrello, Co-Supervising Sound Editor; Ailene Roberts, Dialogue Editor; Stefanie Ng, Dialogue/ADR Editor; Paula Fairfield, Sound Designer; Chris Terhune, Sound Editor; James Miller, Sound Editor; Michael Baber, Music Editor; Jason Smith, Music Editor; Amy Barber, Foley Editor; Jonathan Bruce, Foley Artist
Stranger Things • Chapter Nine: The Piggyback
Craig Henighan, MPSE, Co-Supervising Sound Editor; William Files, MPSE, Co-Supervising Sound Editor;
Jill Purdy, Dialogue Editor; Lee Gilmore, Sound Effects Editor; Ryan Cole, MPSE, Sound Editor; Korey Pereira, Sound Editor; Angelo Palazzo, MPSE, Sound Editor; Katie Halliday, MPSE, Sound Editor; David Klotz, Music Editor; Lena Glikson-Nezhelskaya, Music Editor; Ken McGill, MPSE, Sound Effects/ Foley Editor; Steve Baine, Foley Artist
Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Season Or A Movie
Andor
TJ Falls, Visual Effects Producer; Richard Van Den Bergh, Special Effects Supervisor; Neal Scanlan, Creature Effects & Droid Supervisor; Liyana Mansor, Lead Visual Effects Editor; Scott Pritchard, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor; Joseph Kasparian, Hybride Visual Effects Supervisor; Jelmer Boskma, Scanline Visual Effects Supervisor; Jean-Clément Soret, Colorist
House Of The Dragon
Angus Bickerton, Visual Effects Supervisor; Nikeah Forde, VFX Producer; Thomas Horton, VFX Producer; Sven Martin, VFX Supervisor; Mark Spindler, VFX Co-Supervisor; Mark Dauth, Virtual Production Supervisor; Sebastian Meszmann, VFX Producer; Mike Bell, VFX Supervisor; Tobias Graa Winblad, VFX Producer
The Last Of Us
Alex Wang, Overall Visual Effects Supervisor; Sean Nowlan, Overall Visual Effects Producer; Joel Whist, Production SFX Supervisor; Stephen James, Visual Effects Supervisor, DNEG; Nick Marshall, Digital Effects Supervisor, DNEG; Simon Jung, Visual Effects Supervisor, WETA FX; Dennis Yoo, Animation Supervisor, WETA FX; Espen Nordahl, Visual Effects Supervisor, Storm Studios; Jonathan Mitchell, Visual Effects Supervisor, Distillery FX
The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power
Ron Ames, VFX Producer; Jason Smith, VFX Supervisor; Nigel Sumner, VFX Supervisor, Industrial Light & Magic; Ara Khanikian, VFX Supervisor, Rodeo FX; Dean Clarke, SFX Supervisor; Ken McGaugh, VFX Supervisor, Wētā FX; Tom Proctor, VFX Supervisor, DNEG; Greg Butler, VFX Supervisor, Method Studios; Joe Henderson, Visualization Creative Supervisor, The Third Floor, Inc.
The Mandalorian
Grady Cofer, Visual Effects Supervisor, Production; Abbigail Keller, Visual Effects Producer; Paul Kavanagh, Animation Supervisor, Production; Cameron Neilson, Assoc. Visual Effects Supervisor; Scott Fisher, Special Effects Supervisor; Hal Hickel, Animation Supervisor, Production; J. Alan Scott, Legacy Effects Supervisor; Victor Schutz IV, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor; Bobo Skipper, Important Looking Pirates Visual Effects Supervisor
Yesterday, Rings of Power also received 2 nominations from the Hollywood Critics Association in the following categories:
Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Drama Series
- Bradley Whitford – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
- Brent Spiner – Star Trek: Picard (Paramount+)
- Chace Crawford – The Boys (Prime Video)
- Edi Gathegi – For All Mankind (Apple TV+)
- Ismael Cruz Córdova – The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Prime Video)
- Jensen Ackles – The Boys (Prime Video)
- Jonathan Pryce – The Crown (Netflix)
- Max Minghella – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)
- Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat (Netflix)
- Stellan Skarsgård – Andor (Disney+)
Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Costumes
- House of the Dragon (HBO)
- Andor (Disney+)
- The Mandalorian (Disney+)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Prime Video)
- Wednesday (Netflix)
- The Boys (Prime Video)
Congratulations to the cast and crew of the series on all their nominations!
So as you're all aware, the MTG The Lord of the Rings cards are all the rage and getting fans excited as can be. Well, I am no stranger to this and have purchased a few things myself. In this first video, this newb will be opening up and going through my Food and Fellowship Commander deck. This is just the first MTG video you'll see from Collecting The Precious. I'm addicted to the art of these cards, and will be getting more for sure.
The 2023 Australian Production Design Guild (APDG) announced their award nominees today. The awards will be handed out on August 26 in Melbourne, Australia.
The awards recognise outstanding achievements and excellence in design for works that have been broadcast, screened or performed annually and celebrate the wonderful work of the Australian production design community.
Source: Art Departmental
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power received 1 nomination:
Production Art Department Concept Art Award
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: “Udûn”
Jason Smith, Ron Ames, Nigel Sumner, Tom Proctor, Dean Clarke
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Season 1)
Daniel J Burns – Concept Artist
Jonathan Lee – Production Designer
Three Thousand Years of Longing
Annet Mackie – Concept Artist
Last February, Bear McCreary was nominated and won several awards for his Rings of Power score from the International Film Music Critics Association. McCreary won for Composer of the Year, and Best Original Score for Television. He also won Score of the Year, over fellow nominees John Williams and Michael Giacchino. It was the first and only TV score to not only be nominated, but to win over the nominated film scores in this category.
Next up, the 75th Primetime Emmy Award nominations will be announced on July 12. Prime Video has been campaigning hard for Rings of Power, which is likely to receive recognition in various craft and music categories.
Back in March we let you know that a new production of The Lord of the Rings musical was in the works. It will be performed at The Watermill Theatre, near Newbury in Berkshire, July 25 to Oct 15 this year. Tickets for this highly anticipated production are available now! Here's the latest information on cast and crew for this exciting production, from the official press release:
THE LORD OF THE RINGS FULL CASTING AND CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED 25 JULY – 15 OCTOBER
BOOK ONLINE AT WATERMILL.ORG.UK OR VIA THE BOX OFFICE ON 01635 46044
Newbury’s The Watermill Theatre is thrilled to announce the full cast of their upcoming musical; a brand-new production of THE LORD OF THE RINGS, a musical tale based on the classic trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and music by A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams, Slumdog Millionaire), Värttinä and Tony Award winner and Grammy nominated Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical).
With the production set across both the Watermill auditorium and gardens, audiences will be immersed in the magical landscape of Middle-earth, joining an ensemble cast and large-scale puppets on an epic journey celebrating the power of friendship and common goodness to conquer unimaginable evil.
The full cast are Folarin Akinmade (Perfect Show for Rachel – The Pit, Barbican) as ‘Gimli’, Matthew Bugg (Zorro the Musical – Charing Cross Theatre) as ‘Gollum’, Reece Causton (Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man – UK Tour) as ‘Ensemble’, Kelly Coughlin (Avenue 5 – HBO/Sky) as ‘Ensemble’, Geraint Downing (A Christmas Carol – The Old Vic Theatre) as ‘Merry’, Peter Dukes (Brief Encounter – Empire, Haymarket) as ‘Boromir’, Amelia Gabriel (Ride – VAULT Festival) as ‘Pippin’, Tom Giles (Miss Littlewood – Royal Shakespeare Company) as ‘Elrond/Saruman’, Charlotte Grayson (Whistle Down The Wind – The Watermill Theatre) as ‘Rosie’, Nuwan Hugh Perera (Life of Pi – Wyndham's Theatre, West End) as ‘Sam’, Bridget Lappin (The Rhinegold – English National Opera) as ‘Ensemble/Dance Captain’, Georgia Louise (Tammy Faye – Almeida Theatre) as ‘Galadriel’, Elliot Mackenzie (Whistle Down The Wind – The Watermill Theatre) as ‘Ensemble’, Peter Marinker (Judge Dredd, Love, Actually, Labyrinth) as ‘Gandalf’, Louis Maskell (The Grinning Man – Bristol Old Vic & Trafalgar Studios, West End) as ‘Frodo’, Aoife O’Dea (Innocence – Royal Opera House) as ‘Arwen’, John O’Mahony (Fisherman’s Friends the Musical, UK Tour) as ‘Bilbo’, Yazdan Qafouri (The Band – Theatre Royal Haymarket, West End) as ‘Legolas’, Sioned Saunders (Amélie - Criterion Theatre, West End & The Watermill Theatre) as ‘Ensemble/Onstage Musical Director’ and Aaron Sidwell (EastEnders – BBC, Wicked – UK Tour) as ‘Aragorn’.
The Lord of the Rings will play at the Watermill from Tuesday 25 July until Sunday 15 October 2023. Tickets are on sale via watermill.org.uk/The-Lord-Of-The-Rings.
As the Hobbits celebrate Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday, he gifts his nephew Frodo his inheritance – including his most precious belonging – a gold ring. Little does he know that his legacy will confront Frodo with an immense and impossible task; a perilous journey across the darkest realms of Mordor to foil the Dark Lord’s quest for total dominion.
Paul Hart said, “Welcoming the cast and creative teams into rehearsals this week has been hugely exciting. The Lord of the Rings is one of the most epic stories ever written, and our production will hopefully bring audiences closer to the heart of this story than ever before – both figuratively and literally in our intimate 200 seat theatre. What’s central to this production is that we’re telling it through the perspective of the Hobbits and hopefully audiences will experience our depiction of Middle-earth with the same awe and wonderment. We’re so fortunate to be working with an incredible creative team and a truly multi-skilled group of performers and we’re determined to make a piece of theatre that will live long in the memory of all who see it!”
Claire Murray said, “For twelve weeks, we are welcoming audiences to experience this incredible musical in our very special corner of West Berkshire. We’re so excited to welcome new audiences to the theatre, coming from far and wide to visit our beautiful grounds for the first time, as well as our wonderful and loyal audiences who have visited us many times before, to see us using our space in a new and exciting way. With the design of the show spilling out from the theatre across our gardens, audiences will be welcomed into the Shire for dinner and drinks in our Restaurant or Garden Café on the lawn, before joining in the celebrations for Bilbo’s birthday which marks the start of the show. Any production is a team effort, and we’re so grateful to our wider community for their support, particularly those who are so kindly hosting our thirty-strong company this summer, and all those who are sharing in our excitement.”
Fredrica Drotos, Director of Brand and Licensing at Middle-earth Enterprises added; “Middle-earth Enterprises along with our good partners at Kevin Wallace Ltd can’t imagine a more fitting locale for the live staging of the Fellowship’s epic adventures from the Shire to Mordor, and back again, than at the Watermill Theatre, set in the bucolic Berkshire countryside.”
The Lord of the Rings will be directed by Paul Hart with design by Simon Kenny, Musical Supervision and Orchestrations by Mark Aspinall, Choreography by Anjali Mehra, Lighting Design by Rory Beaton, Sound Design by Adam Fisher, Projection Design by George Reeve, Associate Directed by Sibylla Archdale Kalid, Puppet Design by Charlie Tymms, and Puppetry Direction by Ashleigh Cheadle. The stage management team are Cat Pewsey (CSM), Katie Newton (DSM), Natalie Toney and Fern Bamber (ASMs) with -Leila Stephenson (ASM Placement).
The Watermill is a 200-seat regional powerhouse, with an unparalleled reputation for producing bold, world-class theatre with local and national reach from its home in West Berkshire. It also has an extensive programme of community outreach, and schools touring work, and a firm commitment to inclusion, environmental sustainability and talent development.
Con season is well underway, with many exciting reveals and insights for Tolkien fandom. (Recently we brought you the latest info about The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim from Annecy International Animation Film Festival; and TORn will be representing at San Diego ComicCon in July - look out for news soon about a possibly fan party!)
August sees LeakyCon happening in Chicago, and the good folks behind that event recently confirmed that actor Kiran Shah will be joining fellow The Lord of the Rings cast members Miranda Otto and Sean Astin as guests. Here's the official press release:
THE LORD OF THE RINGS ACTOR KIRAN SHAH JOINS LEAKYCON SPECIAL GUEST LINEUP
LeakyCon welcomes television and film veteran Kiran Shah to LeakyCon 2023, the fan convention celebrating magical worlds like The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and more. LeakyCon 2023 will take place in Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, August 4-6, 2023.
Shah is best known for his roles in blockbusters like The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit trilogy, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and many Star Wars films. Shah will appear on panels and programming on Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6. He will also participate in autograph and photograph experiences with fans. Tickets are available now at LeakyCon.com.
Shah joins The Lord of the Rings actors Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee) and Miranda Otto (Éowyn), Harry Potter film actors Sean Biggerstaff (Oliver Wood), Ellie Darcey-Alden (Young Lily Potter), Rohan Gotobed (Young Sirius Black), James Payton (Frank Longbottom), Chris Rankin (Percy Weasley), Stanislav Yanevski (Viktor Krum), Walles Hamonde (Auror), and Flick Miles (stunt double), fandom creators Chanel Williams (TikTok: @chanwills0), Trey Beachum (Instagram: @iamblackharry), and Em Wallbank (Instagram: @emwallbank), and fandom podcasts Potterless, Pottercast, Mugglecast, and more. Additional guests will be announced at a later date.
About LeakyCon
LeakyCon is a fan convention celebrating fandom, fun, and magic. From August 4-6, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois, join some of the biggest fans, actors, and creators to celebrate the world’s most popular magical franchises. LeakyCon will feature panels, interviews, discussions, workshops, and more, all packed into an epic three-day weekend. LeakyCon is produced by Mischief Management.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LeakyCon / Twitter: @LeakyCon
Instagram: @LeakyCon / TikTok: @leakycon
Late last year we brought you news of the incredible artistic feat which is composer Paul Corfield Godfrey's series of operas, telling tales from The Silmarillion. Already available at that time were Fëanor, Beren and Lúthien, The Children of Húrin and The Fall of Gondolin. Last week, the fifth and final part, The War of Wrath, was released.
These stunning and suitably epic operas all use text taken directly from Tolkien's writing (with full permission from the Tolkien Estate). You can order your copies from Volante Opera's website. Check out this video (really way more than a trailer!) to give you a taste of this labour of love:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FR6F0jwoCs
Here's the official press release: The War of Wrath - Paul Corfield Godfrey The cycle of “epic scenes from The Silmarillion” by Paul Corfield Godfrey, drawn from the posthumous writings of J R R Tolkien, was the largest-scale work of classical music written in Wales in the twentieth century, and has been recorded by Prima Facie over the course of the last five years. We are now pleased to release the concluding section of this work, written as recently as 2019-20, to bring to an end Tolkien’s description of the history of Middle-earth in the First Age. The text, as before, employs a wide variety of posthumously published texts by the author with the permission of the Tolkien Estate. It not only features the return of roles and singers familiar from earlier parts of the cycle, but also introduces new characters such as Elrond, Galadriel and the great mariner Eärendil who will be familiar to readers of The Lord of the Rings. All the singers are professional artists from Welsh National Opera.
Reviewing last year’s recording of Fëanor, Marc Medwin in Fanfare magazine commented “Heretofore I have been entirely ignorant of Paul Corfield Godfrey’s work. More’s the pity. This is an operatic recording whose singers and the music they perform are completely in tune with the nature of the story and its themes, making me want to hear the other instalments as soon as possible.''
CAST (In Order of Singing)
ELBERETH (VALA): Emma Mary Llewellyn
CÍRDAN (ELF): Julian Boyce
ULMO, LORD OF WATERS (VALA): Martin Lloyd
MELIAN, QUEEN OF DORIATH (MAIA): Helen Jarmany
GALADRIEL (ELF): Angharad Morgan
THINGOL, KING OF DORIATH (ELF): Martin Lloyd
MAGLOR, SON OF FËANOR (ELF): Michael Clifton-Thompson
CURUFIN, SON OF FËANOR (ELF): Huw Llywelyn
ELWING (ELF): Sophie Yelland
MAEDHROS, SON OF FËANOR (ELF): Stephen Wells
EÄRENDIL, SON OF TUOR AND IDRIL (ELF): Simon Crosby Buttle
EÖNWË, HERALD OF THE VALAR (MAIA): Philip Lloyd-Evans
ELDER KING (VALA): George Newton-Fitzgerald
MANDOS (VALA): Julian Boyce
SAURON, LIEUTENANT OF MORGOTH (MAIA): Jasey Hall
MORGOTH, THE ENEMY (VALA): Laurence Cole
ELROND, SON OF EÄRENDIL AND ELWING (ELF): Simon Crosby Buttle
CHORUS:
SOPRANO: Rosie Hay & Emma Mary Llewellyn
MEZZO: Stella Woodman & Helen Greenaway
TENOR: Huw Llywelyn & Simon Crosby Buttle (Scenes 7 & 9 - Michael Clifton-Thompson)
BASS: Julian Boyce & Jasey Hall (Scenes 7 & 9 - Philip Lloyd-Evans, Stephen Wells & George Newton-Fitzgerald)
Production and engineering: Volante Opera ©2023
Music published by Zarahustra Music ©2023
Illustrations 'Beren: Song of Parting' & 'Taniquetil' by kind permission of Ted Nasmith ©2023
Synopsis and notes: Volante Opera Productions and Paul Corfield Godfrey ©2023
All artists appear by arrangement with Welsh National Opera
Don't miss the entire cycle: PAUL CORFIELD GODFREY Epic Scenes from The Silmarillion after the mythology of J R R Tolkien These settings for soloists, chorus and orchestra survey the whole mythology of J R R Tolkien’s writings on the First Age of Middle-Earth and beyond, using the author’s own words with the kind permission of the Tolkien Estate and HarperCollinsPublishers. As such it is the largest scale musical work ever written using Tolkien’s texts, and is designed for performance over five evenings: Fëanor, Beren and Lúthien, The Children of Húrin, The Fall of Gondolin and The War of Wrath The scores were written over a period of forty years from 1981 and 2021 and this first complete performance by singers from Welsh National Opera (with an orchestra prepared from live samples) was recorded over a period of six years from 2017 to 2023. Production and Engineering: Volante Opera Productions ©2023 Texts: Used by kind permission of the estate of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien and HarperCollins Publishers ©2023 Artists appear by arrangement with Welsh National Opera Artwork: “Beren and Lúthien are Flown to Safety”, “Beren: Song of Parting”, “Lúthien”, “Morgoth and the High King of the Noldor”, “Taniquetil”, “The Slaying of Glaurung”, “Tuor reaches the Hidden City of Gondolin”, “Turgon Recieves Tuor and Voronwë”, “Túrin Discovers Niënor at the Mound of Finduilas” & “Ungoliant and the Two Trees” by kind permission of Ted Nasmith ©2023 Music published by: Zarathustra Music ©2023
Social Media Links:
Facebook: The Music of Paul Corfield Godfrey, Volante Opera Productions
Twitter: @TheCorfield @OperaVolante
Discord: https://discord.gg/J6bQFHygr7
After months of hype and fantastic artwork reveals, The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth cards are officially available at most major stores - and selling out fast.
Magic: The Gathering (MTG) has created a Willy Wonka style Golden Ticket race to find a rare 1/1 foil card of the one ring of power. It's only available in Collector Boosters (says COLLECTOR right on the box). MTGxLOTR has crossed over into "mainstream" pop culture with this chase for the ring.
Tons of YouTubers, Twitch streamers and TikToks are posting videos opening packs of Magic: The Gathering's new LOTR crossover cards. xQc, one of the biggest twitch gaming stars in the world with millions of followers and a recent $100 million streaming deal (you read that right), was seen opening Collector packs this weekend. Much of it is driven by the search for THE ONE RING 1-of-1 foil card, written in Elvish font, and currently worth $2 million on the open market. Other serialized & numbered "Sol Ring" cards, as the magic ring is called in this card set, are being valued at over $10,000.
Over the weekend, Nerd of the Rings teamed up with TORn staffer Justin to split the cost of a box of Collector Boosters, which currently retail for around $400, and streamed opening half a box each. The results were surprising! Thanks to the superchat donations, another box of these cards will be opened on Nerd of the Rings' live stream next Sunday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMnNbbaCtag
We did some homework to try to figure out what you should be buying, with so many packs available. The basic rule is, if you are simply chasing great artwork and collecting the valuable cards for display or resale, you'll want to buy Collectors Packs. Those have the best chance to get great cards.
A listing at TCGPlayer.com has a rare "Sol Ring" One Ring card serialized (with xxx / xxx) for $11,000.
Here's the official press release from Wizards of the Coast / MTG:
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™ Now Available Gather the Fellowship on Tabletop, Arena, Local Game Stores
RENTON, Wash. — June 26, 2023 — Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), has released the highly anticipated Magic: The Gathering set. This Universes Beyond card set combines Magic’s deep and strategic gameplay that players love with characters and settings from the classic trilogy from J.R.R. Tolkien for a one-of-a-kind experience in Middle-earth.
With The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™, players will join the Fellowship and relive or create their journey through Middle-earth. Each game is a new adventure, and players will decide whether they bear the burden of The Ring to save Middle-earth or claim its power and cast the realm into shadow.
“Much like The Lord of the Rings, Magic: The Gathering is about fellowship,” said Bill Rose, global play lead for Magic: The Gathering. “We can’t wait for Magic fans and new players to come together on the journey there and back again through the thematic gameplay that Magic fans all over the world have come to love and appreciate.”
Iconic scenes from the Third Age of Middle-earth are brought to life through stunning original art. Each card is a mini masterpiece, providing a new interpretation of the beloved characters, lands, and relics that Tolkien brought to life in his classic trilogy. Some adventures just can’t be contained in one book or one journey.
The pivotal moments of The Lord of the Rings are so powerful, it took multiple cards to depict them in their entirety. Collectors can assemble special combinations of Magic cards to recreate climactic scenes in larger tableaus, like the Battle of the Pelennor Fields at Minas Tirith or Bilbo’s Birthday party.
With thematic gameplay, like having any creature become a Ringbearer, this nostalgic tale has been seamlessly integrated into Magic: The Gathering. The story may play out very differently, and the effects of the Ring on your Ringbearer will linger even if someone else claims it.
- One of One Ring
The One of One Ring Promotion is an extraordinarily rare promotion only for The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™. The card is mechanically identical to other versions of the card with English text, but this one copy of this premium foil card with raised gold foil will be inserted into an English language Collector Booster pack and printed with 1 of 1 numbering and with Elvish script. The precious One Ring could fall into the hands of any player, presenting a unique opportunity for collectors and fans of the franchise
- Sol Ring
Additional collectable opportunities continue with new Sol Ring art cards featuring the Elven, Dwarven and Human Rings of Power, each with Elvish script and unique framing on the card. As a staple in the Commander format, Sol Ring is one of Magic’s most famous and used cards, making these unique versions highly desirable for collectors and players alike.
- Ringbearer
As the Ringbearer, the One Ring changes the abilities of a creature that has been tempted by its power. It immediately becomes legendary and can't be blocked by creatures with greater power. In time, The Ring's other abilities will provide valuable combat bonuses, increasing in power as The Ring Tempts You mechanic enters into the game through other cards.
- Celebration Weekend and Arena Play
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth ™ is available now. Local game stores in the Wizards Play Network (WPN) will be hosting key events to celebrate the launch. Participating game stores will welcome new players into the fellowship in a celebration event weekend on July 7-9, so anyone can learn to play Magic in a relaxed environment. All WPN events can be found using the Wizards Store Locator.
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth ™ is also available now on Magic: The Gathering Arena in Alchemy and Historic formats. ARENA is the online playable version of MTG, with apps on iphone and android.
Join TheOneRing on Discord for daily active discussions, or on our tried and true messageboards!
The awesome folks at Asmus Toys sent us the very cool Gollum and Smeagol Luxury Edition 2-figure set to check out.
This set gives you multiple arms, legs, hands, and goodies so that you can create the way you want your two figures to look when displaying them. That to me is just the cherry on top of things when it comes to this set because the Gollum and Smeagol figures are so well done. You can get this set from Asmus Toys directly or from our Friends at Sideshow Collectibles.
Our friends at DST have been very busy themselves with new items and new lines of items for Middle-earth fans.
The first two items we saw on display last year during Comic-Con, and they're part of the Deluxe Action Figure Set line. These superb-looking figures of Boromir and Lurtz are now available to purchase individually at $24.99 or as a set at $49.98. As I've said before if you loved your Toy Biz line these are great additions to that scale. I am very much looking forward to adding these to my collection.
DST are also adding a larger-scale Diorama line of statue collectibles. The first in this line is Aragorn as we see him at Helm's Deep. Aragorn with sword will be roughly 12 inches tall and will be available with a price tag of $59. You can expect to see him towards the end of 2023.
[gallery ids="116701,116702"]
Our friends at Weta Workshop have been very busy since the start of 2023 with several new collectible items, both big and small, coming up for release. Today we're going to talk about the collectibles coming from the 1:6th line of statues in both the limited and classic series line.
As you are aware the Last Alliance sequence has been getting some love with the amazing Sauron and Elendil collectible that is available for fans to purchase. Now we can add the fantastic-looking Gil-Galad collectible to the list of must have LOTR collectibles.
Weta has announced that Collectors can place their pre-order for Gil-Galad right now till July 5th at 2 pm PDT. This collectible of Gil-Galad, like many other items from Weta, will be a timed pre-order. You can pre-order this awesome-looking Elf for $699 with an estimated shipping date of quarter one of 2024.
If you're a fan of the classic series of statues then you have two great options to place a pre-order for. As long time collectors would be aware, the classic series are 1:6 statues, but they're open editions, so these will be available for a little longer so fans can make sure they have their funds ready.
The two new additions both come from the Amon-Hen sequence of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The first is a beautiful Frodo Baggins statue, where he is standing, hand open with the The One Ring lying on it, before he gets in the boat to leave The Fellowship. You can snag Frodo right now for $349 with an expected release date of 2024.
The other classic series collectible also from the same sequence in the film is Lurtz in that menacing walk we see him doing. Lurtz is a little more expensive than Frodo at $399 and has a release date of the end of this year.
[gallery ids="116696,116697,116698"]
Earlier this year we sat down with Leonard Ellis of Weta Workshop to talk about the process of creating Middle-earth collectibles. Leonard was very generous with his time and shared with us what it's like to take something we saw on screen and then turn it into something, that we, as collectors, would love to purchase. We mainly focus on the process of dealing with different environments and items that are already available for purchase.
We hope you enjoy hearing all the wonderful information that Leonard shares with us during this episode.
Please note that there are occasional audio issues and we apologise for these.
After presenting their work-in-progress on The War of the Rohirrim at Annecy last week, Kenji Kamiyama, Philippa Boyens and Joseph Chou also stopped off to give a 15-minute sit-down interview with one of the festival's staffers.
They talk about their approach, the challenge and the reception from the Annecy audience. Thanks to Lasswen on our Discord for the find.
Join the discussion: If you'd like to weigh in with your thoughts on The War of the Rohirrim, feel free to join our Discord server or the currently active thread on our forum message boards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY2e5o9mnSw
Annecy interview transcript Note: I have lightly edited the transcript to remove some of the more redundant speech without, I hope, affecting the fundamental meaning.
[0:05] Interviewer
There was once an age without Annecy Animation Film Festival. There was also an age before J.R.R. Tolkien. But lucky for us, we live today. And we have both. With us today we have Mr. Chou, producer of the film, Kenji Kamiyama, Director, and Philippa Boyens producer, also... known for screenwriting a lot with Peter Jackson. So you might be the most experienced of us on the Middle-earth and…
[0:44] Philippa Boyens
For Middle-earth. Not for anime. But for Middle-earth. Yes.
[0:49] Interviewer
Well, you're just behind. You're just after, sorry, a behind-the-scenes presentation with Annecy audience. How did it go? Can you give us your impression for each of you?
[1:04] Philippa Boyens
I mean, I could feel the energy in the room. And I think it was amazing. I think the crowds here are really knowledgeable, which is great. And I respect that. And actually, the biggest cheer was when Joseph asked some of the guys who are actual animators who we're attempting to kill with the amount of work they've got to get done, to stand up. And the audience went wild. And that was amazing to see. It was such a good thing to do. Yeah.
[1:38] InterviewerHow did you feel the moments you two?
[1:42] Kenji Kamiyama[Answers in Japanese]
[2:04] Joseph ChouTranslating for KK: It's the second time for him being in Annecy and… but just, just a warm welcome from the audience, and it's just wonderful for him. And he really is very appreciative of, you know, them just being being so supportive in the moment. And just to see them, you know, in their direction. It's very good for him. Yeah.
[2:26] InterviewerAnd for you?
[2:27] Joseph ChouOh, yeah. I mean, I guess. I mean, they already said it. But I think just being in Annecy, you just, it just feels so nice, because of the warm welcome. I mean, I think the community of animation is a little different from, you know, other artistic communities. But, but, you know, we come here, we do feel like we're at home and just just being -- just seeing the reaction, though, from the, you know, the fans and then in life, actually, you know, just to see their live reaction. It's something that we don't get to see when we're working. So it was wonderful. And it really did give us a huge, huge encouragement, just because we're not done with the film yet, you know.
[2:34] Interviewer
It's quite amazing because we are in an in an animation film festival, and you are coming today to present a lot of work, but which is not animated yet. So it has this interesting equation in which you present a non-animated work. And this is Annecy's audience with its reaction that tells you what's going to be animated or not. Is it a part…
[3:38] Philippa Boyens
Of being able to feel what they're responding to? You mean? Yeah, you definitely got that. I think I could feel the murmur when Helm walked into the room. He's played, voiced, by Brian Cox. And I think they just they were just swept into it, you could kind of feel it, which was, which was great. So I don't know whatever you're doing, keep doing it.
[4:04] Joseph Chou
[Translates Philippa's words into Japanese for KK, who nods and smiles.]
[4:09] Interviewer
Philippa, you've been following the Lord of the Rings, since its rebirth with Peter Jackson. It's been an unexpected journey if I may say…
[4:20] Philippa Boyens
I like it. Nice. Very good.
[4:22] Interviewer
What's the following part of the journey? Because it seems there was the first part and now it's the beginning of the second…
[4:29] Philippa Boyens
Yeah, this has been such a good way back into the world. I've don't think any of us could have faced jumping into a huge, massive epic trilogy, which was going to take seven years. But it wasn't -- it's not just about this being, you know, maybe a little smaller in terms of the scale, but it's still a big film. But it's been a joy because it's fresh, and it's different. And everything that anime is bringing to the story is working really, really well with Professor Tolkien's world.
Actually, I tell you something that not many people know. And that is that when -- I'm not sure I've told you guys this -- when…
Professor Tolkien, he loved to draw; he was an artist as well. And he was very poor. And he got a scholarship to Oxford University. And that was the first time he had a little bit of money to spend. So he went to his what they called digs in Oxford, his room in Oxford. Guess what one of the first things he bought was? Some Japanese prints, some Japanese woodcuts, to put on his wall.
So I think that it's, you know, he obviously loved that visual style. And I think weirdly, that sort of must have influenced him in some way. And it's definitely working. It's working beautifully.
[6:01] Interviewer
And, actually, I'm not sure, as you say, that a lot of [people] know that Tolkien might have been influenced by the Japan way of…
[6:13] Philippa Boyens
No! I remembered it, and I went and checked it. It's a reference that was made in his biography [ed: by Humphrey Carpenter]. And I thought, yeah, that makes sense. It makes, it makes sense, right? And I gave Kamiyama a book of his artwork, that Professor Tolkien actually drew, as a present...
[6:40] Interviewer
And it's, it's really interesting, because as a very young reader of Tolkien, and I remember that there was those drawings, always. It's, it was not a novel, but it was a novel with hints of imagination.
[6:56] Philippa Boyens
For The Hobbit, yes. Yes. [It was] his work. Absolutely. Yes.
[7:00] Interviewer
And now that The Lord of the Rings is coming back to, to the drawings, to animation, there is a lot to explore, actually. A new Middle-earth to draw…
[7:13] Philippa Boyens
There is. And, also, we need to remember that Professor Tolkien would only have conceived of any kind of film being animated, that he would have had no conception really have it any other way. And, actually, the very first Lord of the Rings films that ever existed, were both animation, you know. So it feels, it feels right. And I know that Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh were, you know, hugely supportive of this project. Because they, they knew that this was, you know, a good direction to go. And instead of retreating old paths to do something exciting like this. So yeah, it's really, it's been great so far. So far.
[8:00] Interviewer
You are mentioning the previous animated version of The Lord of the Rings. I can think of Ralph Bakshi in 1978…
[8:10] Philippa Boyens
and the Rankin Bass [film].
[8:12] Interviewer
And is this a huge influence on what you are doing today with The Lord of the Rings?
[8:20] Kenji Kamiyama
[Answers in Japanese]
[8:36] Joseph Chou
Translating for KK: So, not particularly in terms of style, but, but really just trying to render the world in animation. I mean, [that] you've got to render it into drawings and the challenge of it. And so maybe that … is something that influenced him. Well, it is a huge challenge, and that there are all these things that you've got to learn -- there is a lot to do. And it's a huge challenge. And that's something he took away from those titles.
[9:04] Interviewer
When you give birth to new parts of a legend, how do you manage to write the new chapters? We know that there are a few books in Tolkien's work. And one, one title is tickling me. It's Unfinished Tales. How do you get to finish the tale actually with authority says okay, that's the good end. Is there a Christopher working with you?
[9:36] Philippa Boyens
[Christopher] was very responsible, I think, for preserving -- not just the integrity of his father's work -- but also I think he was responsible for pulling together the threads of his father's unfinished work. And he put out some beautiful… So, after Professor Tolkien's death, Christopher was able to take all those papers, take all those writings and give us more, which was to everybody's benefit. The world's benefit, I think.
But, for us, I think we… you have a responsibility, obviously, to the source material. But you also have a responsibility to the film. And we have a responsibility to the studio too -- they put a lot of money into this. So, you know, that's always been a bit of a conflict there. But, you know, we've got to somehow make that … story work on film. First and foremost, it needs to work on film. With this story and why it works so well, I think, is because we only have about three or four paragraphs that are really, really relevant to the story. We know a bit about the characters. We know about Helm, we know that he had two sons, we know that that he was challenged by one of his nobles called Freca who suggested Wulf marry his daughter.
And here's the interesting thing. We know there's a daughter, but we don't know her name. We know nothing else about her, which was actually a gift for us. Because we could then take her, take what we knew from the way Professor Tolkien wrote other female characters like Éowyn, and draw upon some history that was very relevant to the Rohirrim and create her and tell her story. So, hopefully, it's a mix of being as faithful as we possibly can to his original works.
But there was a quote that Professor Tolkien himself said, and he wrote it in one of his letters (to, I think it was a fan) that he hoped other lines would come to this mythology he had created, wielding music and drama, and art, which is perfect. So I think he was open to that idea. Because if you're going to keep a story alive, if you're going to keep a mythology -- because he didn't just write stories, he wrote a vast world of imagination -- then you need to, you need to let other people in. And, nothing we do can take away from the magnificence of what he's done. All we can do is share our interpretation. It's just like Shakespeare can be reimagined a million times.
And, you know, it doesn't take anything away from him. So hopefully, our little morsel that we're dropping into -- he called story "a pot of soup". So we're checking in our morsel into the pot of of soup of story.
And we'll see if people want to drink it!
[12:57] Interviewer
Thank you very much for Thank you. Mirror of the meeting. We are really glad to have you here in Annecy and we cannot wait for you coming back with the rest of the work.
The War of the Rohirrim Annecy panel. Source: Jason DeMarco.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on June 22nd:
- Bilbo returns to the Shire with the Ring (1342)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
1. Bilbo returns to the Shire with the Ring. (That same year, Sauron returns in secret to Mordor)
(determined from text)
"...a day came at last when they were in sight of the country where Bilbo had been born and bred..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 284 Hobbit)
In the latest annual financial report from Swedish holding company Embracer Group, the purchase price for its newly acquired Middle-earth IP has been revealed as US $395 million. This is nearly double what Amazon paid for the TV rights to LOTR, and includes everything outside those TV rights -- movies, music, merch, games and theme parks.
According to Variety, Embracer also reports “several world-class products” from The Lord of the Rings are in the works. These include the already announced new Warner Bros / New Line Cinema deal for several new films, and an original online MMO RPG persistent world game set in the Third Age from Amazon Games.
It should be noted that Middle-earth Enterprises (MEE) were already making big moves before the acquisition. The newly licensed Magic: The Gathering card game The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, five new video games including Gollum Game and a new Weta Digital LOTR game, as well as merch trademarks for Rings of Power were all in process before the Embracer acquisition of MEE from The Saul Zaentz Company.
Interestingly, the Embracer annual report says there was a cash payment of $267 million for Middle-earth Enterprises, implying that the extra $130 million could be performance-based rewards or stock in the new owner. Saul Zaentz, the enterprising filmmaker, music producer and deal maker, owned the rights that enabled all the films and games over the last 50 years. Rumors last year had the rights valued at $2 billion, nearly 5x the actual acquisition price. This may be how much Embracer expects to make from Middle-earth. For comparison, Peter Jackson's Hobbit and LOTR films have made nearly $10 billion in box office, home video, games and merch.
Our anime-insider has brought us this exclusive report from the Warner Bros. panel at Annecy in France that presented an exciting "first look" at The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
Be warned: depending on your knowledge of the Helm Hammerhand story and what you've been reading of our coverage so far, there may be spoilers below!
Source: WB SVP Jason DeMarco. Panel members:
Kenji Kamiyama - Japanese director
Philippa Boyens - writer/producer (Philippa shared shoutouts from Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Andy Serkis.)
Joseph Chou - producer and owner of Sola Studios
Jason DeMarco - studio creative exec with WB. (Described as being “made in a lab to make this movie” because he’s an anime and Lord of the Rings nerd.)
Making of the film: WB raised the idea of an animated film. Philippa felt the question was “Do we want to see familiar characters from the live action films animated?” Her kids love anime, which is her connection to the medium.
She talked about the need for a level of realism, to bridge the gap between live action and animation.
They wanted to tell a complete story that was separate from either of the trilogies, and a story without the direct influence of the Ring or the shadow of Sauron.
Wanted to find a story in Middle-earth that “fit with anime, culturally.”
Kenji Kamiyama is also a writer, so Philippa found it was an easy collaboration -- he’s really good at keeping the story together, understanding place and scale, and keeping Philippa on track when she went down rabbit holes.
The writing process began with Will Matthews and Jeffrey Addiss [Editor's note: they recently won an Emmy for their Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance] who have comedy chops but were not versed in the lore of Middle-earth. And Philippa didn’t want to write it: “I felt too old, honestly.” So she brought in her daughter Phoebe and her partner Arty Papageorgiou. Phoebe literally grew up on the sets and most importantly, she understands the rhythm of Tolkien’s language. Kenji was so excited to have a young female writer onboard.
They collaborated with many people from the live action film. We saw concept art from John Howe, Alan Lee, Richard Taylor, and Mark Wilshire were also involved. They also worked with WETA closely, and literally used their models of Edoras. It fully takes place in the world of the film trilogies and many of the images will look very familiar to fans!
When Kenji was approached with this idea, he thought it was “impossible”.
Adapting the world to animation was a struggle. They worked with Daniel Falkner (sp? Editor's note: Dan Falconer, I think!) who was an art director on the live action films and “knew where the bodies were buried” -- [he] could help them find old assets and consult about the history. They talked about the number of horses -- so many! -- and how hard horses are to animate. But that’s a huge part of the story. Kenji said they needed to use all their tricks to pull this off. They sent the animation crew to horse barns to film, ride, and “be scared”.
Animation process: they used detailed CG models of the characters and layouts, some from WETA, and assembled a layout in Unreal. They would choose shots and cuts from this and assemble a rough cut. This served as a base for the mocap director who would film actors. Then it all went to the animators, who used that to do the animation. Kenji stressed that this is NOT ROTOSCOPE -- it’s an interpretation/translation.
Kenji said that usually, a character animator will take a lot of time to learn a character. They really need to understand them. But this movie had a tight timeline, hence the motion capture.
I don’t think Howard Shore is composing the music, but they are using his score -- so cool to hear it!
Philippa said it’s been “a joy” to work on an animated project. She also talked about working with Jason DeMarco, and how he made sure to get some “monster vs. monster” moments in the film.
I talked with Philippa later and she wanted me to share a detail: in Carpenter’s Tolkien biography, when Tolkien first had a room in college he decorated it with Japanese prints. She found that really cool to now be doing this distinctly Japanese take on animation.
While they mostly seem done, Kenji and Joseph have a lot more to do, they’re still deep in the production process. Kenji seemed stressed! “Probably the biggest film he’s ever worked on”. Kenji kept talking about the challenge of it, and was clearly still thinking deeply about “how he’s gonna finish this film.”
Joseph described it as “a huge privilege” to work on this. They want to do Japanese animation proud, and they are very aware of all the fans who are watching and want this to be done right. Also this is the first time he and Kenji met Philippa in person! This was started during Covid.
Joseph jokes about how the crew is going to have to work nights and weekends to finish this movie, which really bummed me out. Can we not normalize the brutal working hours in animation? I expect better tbh.
They ended with saying that they are currently recruiting talent for the film. Presumably in Japan. (Editor's note: I wonder if that means additional animators ... or Japanese voice talent?)
Finally, the movie will be out 4/12/24 in theaters only!
Spoilers below - you have been warned!
Story details: There may be “a character or two we recognize” from the live action films. (Editor's note: Saruman, Saruman, Saruman and Saruman.)
It’s about the failure of Helm Hammerhand, the war that results from it, and the characters who stepped up in the wreckage. Edoras is destroyed at the end of act 1 -- we saw some beautiful art of a burned Meduseld -- and the rest of the movie as about “the wreckage of war”.
Discussion of the Rohirrim culture as being based by JRRT on the Mercians -- a warrior culture with a code. Family-based power structures and struggles, with honor and loyalty being more important than wealth and riches.
Alluded to a “ghost story” and a “surreal story” within this movie -- all suited to the medium of animation.
We saw concept art images of Oliphants and orcs (I think -- maybe they were wildmen) surrounding Edoras. We saw a rider with long yellow hair and a horn riding in front of an Oliphant. The art style reminds me of some 90s anime. We saw art of Isengard on its own, and surrounded by tents and wildfires. We saw a lot of background art of Meduseld -- really beautiful translation in my opinion, and so familiar.
Lots of consultation with experts to figure out what Middle-earth would look like 260 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings.
The movie begins with a voiceover from Éowyn -- Mirando Otto herself! She talks about Héra, how she is a rebellious child and how she is not named in the old tales. We got to see a rough cut of this beginning, with a combination of CG models and hand drawn animation. Héra rides across the plains, rides to the top of a bluff, and tosses a huge hunk of meat into the air, where it’s snatched by a giant eagle. She almost touches the eagle -- but it flies away before she can.
We saw another scene in Meduseld, where a herald talks to Fréalaf about heraldry, and then Héra comes in to explain the shieldmaiden herald and what it means. She and Fréalaf are cousins i think? Reminiscent of Éomer and Éowyn. Helm comes in, commanding the attention at the room, and sits at the throne.
We saw a still image of Helm frozen in front of the Edoras gates, knee deep in enemies. Again I’m not sure if they’re orcs or Wildmen or both. (Editor's note: maybe the concept art below? Which is more likely to be the gates of the Hornburg (then called Súthburg), not Edoras)
The Characters: Héra (VA: Gaia Wise) - female main character. Not named by Tolkien, but Helm’s daughter is mentioned and she was the character they wanted to explore. Wanted to explore a female POV in Middle-earth, but she’s not a warrior princess per-se -- she doesn’t become king. For her character, they they drew on the historical figure of Æthelflæd -- the Lady of the Mercians, who defended her people.
We saw expression sheets and designs for Hera. She reads very 90s anime girl -- kind of reminds me of the Rankin Bass Éowyn. She has red hair in a messy braid, leather armor, and a sword. We also see designs of her in formal dress. They describe her as “vulnerable and wild”, a tomboy type character. She has a growth in the film -- maybe tied to needing to lead her people in a time of chaos. Philippa loves that her hair is never perfect.
Wulf (VA: Luke Pasqualino) - the other main character, the main antagonist. I think he’s from the Wildmen? He’s a big muscly dude with long hair, scruffy, an axe and furs and a ragged cloak. A scar over one eye. They solicited “lots of ideas from the female staff” in the studio. The note they got was “he does bad things, so make him beautiful”. And he is.
Helm Hammerhand (VA: Brian Cox) - daddy vibes. he’s got a big beard and a crown, we saw an expression sheet and a polished design. Red and blue clothing with beautiful intricate gold details.
Freca (VA: Shaun Dooley) - He’s the leader of the Wildmen, and he offers his son’s hand in marriage to Héra. That’s the inciting incident of the movie and leads to “Helm’s big mistake”. He’s wide with leather armor, a cloak, and some kind of bearpaw maul on a chain. He has facial tattoos. “Helm doesn’t take him seriously.” He’s trying to take over Rohan with this marriage. He’s strong and tragic, but also a comedic figure. Philippa quoted a line from the movie: “fat and prosperous is when men are at their most dangerous”.
Fréalaf (VA: Laurence Ubong Williams) - I think he’s Héra’s cousin, he “wins everything in the end” and becomes king.
Thank-you WB and Philippa Boyens for all your kindness and generosity. We look forward to seeing The War of the Rohirrim next April.
Join the discussion: If you'd like to weigh in with your thoughts, feel free to join our Discord server.
The Annecy Film Festival "first look" at The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim has just concluded and reactions are starting to trickle out. While we wait for fuller reports from our own Crebain, here's a selection of thoughts from the internet.
(It does seem quite positive and I am personally very excited by that.)
@RyanGrobins
Just finished the work in progress talk for the new #LotR film #WaroftheRohirrim, and I have to say that the marriage between Lord of the Rings and #anime never looked so good! The world and characters looked very authentic. I can't wait to see this in theaters next year.
@GuillameGas
Art-books, chara-design and extracts enriched this exclusive presentation of the future "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" in the company of his team, including Kenji Kamiyama (director) and Philippa Boyens (screenwriter of the LOTR saga ).
@RafaelMotamayor
LordOfTheRings War of the Rohirrim is already shooting to the top of my most anticipated movies of 2024. The (very short and unfinished) footage shown at #Annecy2023 looks fantastic. This is 100% in line with the original trilogy while also very much an anime. Can't wait.
@CloneWeb
I'm drying my wet eyes, I'm cleaning up all these pages of notes and I'm telling you, but #WarOfTheRohirrim is in very good hands.
This is beautiful 2D from new drawings by John Howe and Alan Lee. It's full Rohan and the story, based on three paragraphs, is led by a young woman, Hera, the daughter of Helm Hammerhead [sic. i think that should be "Hammerhand".]
@mpmorales
Two scenes were shown (one of them, the opening, not finished) and the producers commented on the importance of trying to unite the world of Lord of the Rings movies with anime ones. And it really was an interesting combination. It reminded me a bit of Castlevania.
Castlevania! That's interesting. I've not watched it (Netflix jail something something), but I understand it's well-regarded. Two scenes is also interesting, and accords more or less with my expectations of what they'd reveal.
@RyanGrobins
For #WaroftheRohirrim, a lot of Unreal and motion capture is being used to help figure out the shots. But no rotoscope is being used, it is only for reference. Then it is all getting the traditional anime treatment for the final look. It looks amazing! #LotR #AnnecyFestival
It is only for reference: right now, I'm interpreting that as meaning for fight scenes pending further clarification. I do think they are trying to not scare/alienate people who've seen Bakshi's rotoscoped LOTR treatment with that clarification.
@MatteoSapin
I saw the first images of the (Japanese) anime "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" To be honest, not particularly convinced for the moment, I was hoping for something else BUT we really find the style of PJ's films and the sets seem successful.
The first fence-sitter! And more for the adherence to PJ-style than anything else? Interesting.
@RyanGrobins
There was a really early layout of what looked Ike [sic] the opening sequence: starting from a map fly through to a sequence with Hera on a horse with some great eagles. Then a talk scene in I assume Edoras with Hera talking about the shield Maidens. #LofR #WaroftheRohirrim
A little bit more detailed information about the scenes that were shown.
@RyanGrobins
Some work in progress footage, and then at the end a montage of completed shots. It really looks like a lot of care is being put into it.
Aaah, wish I'd been there to see!
KEY UPDATE French publication Allocine comes in with the first extended report on the "first look". I've used the googlemonster's auto-translate to pull out some key details, but you should peruse the original article in French here.
This animated prequel set 260 years before the cult trilogy is inspired by the Appendices provided by JRR Tolkien at the end of The Return of the King (Appendix A, Chapter II: The House of Eorl).
This is a curious one since earlier publicity material has stated events occur 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films. Even factoring in the canonical delay between Bilbo's party and Frodo setting out for Rivendell, something still seems wrong. It's also ... well... trivial, so I'll return to this weirdness when I have time.
The film features a female character Hera, "neither a princess in distress nor a warrior" , the daughter of King Helm whose hand is coveted by Wulf, himself the son of Freca the leader of the clan of wild men.
I really like the neither/nor. It feels more complex and open to a nuanced presentation. By-the-by it also accords with the vibe I got from my discussion with Philippa Boyens last year.
"The attraction of this film was to tell a film that follows neither the story of the Ring nor that of Sauron" summarizes the New Zealand producer, who also hinted that some characters well known to fans of the trilogy could appear in this film.
The Helm story is a very human one, and on the face of it, remarkably unmagical. No elves, no dwarves, no wizards. Except Saruman at the very end. They really want to say Saruman, but they're only willing to tease it.
To explore Tolkien's universe using anime codes, several different animation techniques were employed, ranging from CGI to more traditional 2D animation as well as the employment of performance-capture techniques . For the sake of realism, the animators of the film were asked to study horses and practice horseback riding.
As I wrote yesterday (completely stealing the line from the incredibly smart anime art anaylsts over at Sakuga Blog), "horses populate the nightmares of animators". It makes a lot of sense -- Rohirrim as Tolkien outlined in Letter 144 is a Sindarin name meaning "the host of the Horse-lords". Kyoto Animation had people on their staff who knew Kyudo (Japanese archery) for their series Tsurune. The results of that practical knowledge applied to their work speaks for itself.
Three non-finalized excerpts were broadcast in exclusive preview during this panel. The opening sequence, introducing the character of Hera, a dialogue scene in King Helm's throne room, and finally a short teaser announcing the film's main action scenes.
No Eowyn seemingly? Kinda surprsing, but I'll take a cookie for guessing Edoras would feature. Hera and Helm suggests to me that the familial relationships will be critical. Hera may end up our viewpoint character. Why? She survives wheras all her close kin -- Helm, Haleth and Hama -- perish.
Big ups again to Allocine for the summary!
IMPORTANT (because i know a lot of people will wonder): Producer Jason DeMarco clarified about the status of the footage shown to attendees -- "We presented work in progress for attendees of the festival but it won’t be widely released."
NOTE: I'll keep updating this as more reactions come in (hopefully with more details), so be sure to check back!
The Annecy first look at The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is nearly here and I am vibrating with anticipation. So, to save myself from exploding with anticipation as we wait for reports to begin trickling out of France, I thought I might (self-indulgently) revisit some of the interesting highlights from my 45-minute chat with Philippa Boyens around this time last year.
I’ll also try to include a few snippets from our chat that never quite made the final article.
Saruman. Will he appear, or won’t he?
“I can neither confirm or deny the presence for Saruman. I saw your article about it. Very clever.”
Philippa Boyens.
It can be disconcerting when your interviewee tells you that they’ve been reading your thought-bubble waffle. Right now, I still maintain Saruman will appear somewhere near the conclusion of the film in a cameo and take up residence in Isengard. Put it on your bingo card.
Helm, Haleth, Hama … Héra
“Someone suggested another name and I went: ‘Nope, it's gotta start with “H”, sorry’ And, actually, Fran Walsh named her. I told her we were stuck. It's actually Héra [ed: pronounced more like hair] that's why it has the accent. Not, not so much based on the Greek Hera, but a nod to the Anglo-saxon.”
Philippa Boyens.
For the record, Boyens told me that Fran Walsh and Peter Jackson have occasionally been serving as unofficial sounding boards for ideas, but are not actually involved with the project.
Héra and the Lady of Mercians
“Where we turn to [for an insight into Héra] … is to Aethelflaed, the lady of the Mercians. Alfred the Great’s daughter. She never ruled as a queen per se; she's known as the Lady of Mercians. But she seems to step in when her people needed her. So it was a natural leadership role. It was a leadership role that: all the men were slain [so] she stepped up.”
Philippa Boyens.
Boyens says that their creation of Héra very much draws from historical sources fit the historical inspiration that Tolkien himself drew on for his stroytelling.
Legitimacy and Dunlending grievances
“One could almost say that Wulf taking Edoras was a legitimate challenge. If it had ended there, perhaps [history] would have been written in a different way. He would've been the victor, [and] maybe people would've seen that as legitimate. I mean, he did have a claim -- a very tenuous claim – through Freca to one of the Kings of the first line of Rohan.”
Philippa Boyens.
Anyone who’s read beyond the main text of The Lord of the Rings will get the sense that the Dunlendings of southern Eriador were treated badly by the Dunedain. First Numenoreans denuded southern Eriador in a quest for lumber and drove out or oppressed the Dunlending’s ancestors. Then, later, Gondorians granted the Rohirrim the lands of Calenardhon which effectively pushed the Dunlendings out of the Gap of Rohan. I’d be aggrieved, too, but I also wonder if Wulf may end up using the Dunlendings (and their anger) for his own ends.
Edoras besieged
“You get to go and visit things that you know [from the books]. Fans of the film will get to see, you know, Edoras besieged. It's quite a shocking moment. Cause you know, we didn't see that in [Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings].”
Philippa Boyens.
Per book, one of Helm Hammerhand’s sons meets a grim end at Edoras, and I think it’s likely this will prove a pivotal moment for Helm himself. He’s hard man for sure and becomes even harder by the end of his life, but why is he like that? It seems Kamiyama is intent on exploring this.
We like it darker
“There's a moment in the film, which is incredibly gut-wrenching and powerful where Wulf commits himself to a course of action he cannot turn away from. And once he does that, the story darkens.”
Philippa Boyens.
I … I still can’t think what this moment might be. Bringing in the Corsairs of Umbar? Some underhanded deal with the mysterious Lord Frygt character who we’ve heard (so little) about?
A ghost story
“It begins with these quite large-scale battles, but it actually becomes more intense and more claustrophobic almost. And the nature of the film changes almost into a ghost story.”
Philippa Boyens.
This is a purely personal opinion, based partially on what Philippa said and on what I know of the tale. I think Helm is the ghost in question. Both haunted by his inability to protect his land as king, and haunting (terrorising) his enemies with his nightly ventures out from the Hornburg.
The Mumakil at Edoras
“Was it you who wrote the article on TORn about the Mumakil? A lot of your supposition was right in that article from our viewpoint. It was why Gondor was not coming [even though they were Rohan’s] ally. [So], yes, because of the reasons you suppose. The only other, the only other hint, I think, in terms of the Mumakil is the notion that, of course these were in the south. And, also, the notion of mercenaries. I'll just say that.”
Philippa Boyens.
Oh dear. Now I kinda know how it feels to be on the other side of the fence.
About the author: Staffer Demosthenes has been involved with TheOneRing.net since 2001, serving first as an Associate News Editor, then as Chief News Editor during the making of the Hobbit films. Now he focuses on features and analysis. The opinions in this article are his own and do not necessarily represent those of TheOneRing.net and other staff.
The Annecy Film Festival -- which is hosting a "first look" at The War of the Rohhirim on June 13 -- has updated its site listing to reveal that the length of Warner Bros. Animation's (WBA) forthcoming feature anime will be 130 minutes.
That's actually substantial for an animated film and will place it among the top 50 longest animated films of all time. Length is no indication of quality, but good animation is time and resource intensive. WBA's committment to a long feature indicates confidence in the story they have to tell.
It also helps explain the long development -- the project was first announced in June 2021, and will not premiere until April 2024. For comparison, the newest Makoto Shinkai anime Suzume, began production in March 2020 and only debuted in cinemas earlier this year.
WOTR's director, Kenji Kamiyama, has also been busy directing other projects: Ultraman, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, and Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045.
Animation techniques: 2D/3D blending The other thing of note in Annecy's overview of the presentation is the animation techniques listed.
Much, of course, has been made that The War of the Rohirrim is being animated in 2D -- because everyone panics mightily as soon as the words "3D animation" are even whispered. But 2D/3D blending -- typically for effects or backgrounds -- has become a staple in even some of the most popular anime, and can look non-intrusive and seamless when executed with skill. Apparently even Hayao Miyazaki's Mononoke Hime contained a small amount of 3D CG rendering -- something I was not aware of until I began looking into just how prevalent the use of CG effects has become in modern anime productions.
Just so long as they avoid horrors such as Golden Kamuy's notorious CGI bear.
Animiation techniques: rotoscoping Rotoscoping is another surprise, although Staffer Justin tells me TORn Tuesday reported industry talk that that WETA was using the "Avatar mocap technology" for The War of the Rohirrim.
It seems that talk was on the mark.
When I saw that I instantly thought that it might be used for animating horses, because as people who know far more about the art of animating than me point out, "horses populate the nightmares of animators". And I think it would be foolish to not expect a film about the Rohirrim to not feature a lot of horses.
That's not to say it can't be done, mind.
I can already sense readers who have seen Ralph's Bakshi's animated The Lord of the Rings recoiling in terror. Yet it's important to acknowledge the time- and money-pressures that Bakshi and his crew worked under: effectively filming then animating the same film twice in a two-year period with a budget of approximately $4 million. (That's a touch over $18.5 million in 2023 dollars -- much less than many modern Disney animations.)
By comparison, Kamiyama and his crew have three years for development and production, they won't be rotoscoping everything, and they have the substantial benefit of digital animation methods. And, one guesses, they have a larger budget.
One of our Discord regulars also smartly suggested that rotoscoping could be employed for battles, and pointed out a rotoscoped fight sequence (warning: this clip is quite gory and not suitable for children) that popped up in a recent episode of the anime Vinland Saga. It's impressively natural and I could see something like that in a story as grim as that of Helm.
Just to further illustrate that rotoscoping can look great in the right hands given sufficient resources, check this character acting scene from Attack on Titan. Or this stunning piece of sakugafrom Kaguya-sama: Love is War that gained both popular and critical acclaim back in 2019.
Anticipating Annecy: going behind-the-scenes for 75 minutes Kamiyama will be joined at Annecy by executive producer Philippa Boyens and producer Joseph Chou for a 75-minute behind-the-scenes presentation into their adaptation of the Helm Hammerhand story that is found in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. The session will be moderated by fellow producer Jason DeMarco.
Right now, WBA is being very quiet about what they'll be showcasing.
However, here's a quick bit of speculation/guesswork that you're free to take with a grain of salt.
I think the length of the presentation means those attending (not yours truly, sadly) will be treated to a slab of finished animation. I couldn't see them filling a 75-minute session with just more concept art and character designs.
That animation might be a teaser, or it could be several small segments that the presenters then discuss. I recall that Peter Jackson did this for The Desolation of Smaug and, mostly due to the choice of clips focusing on Martin Freeman's Bilbo, it was really quite effective at raising anticipation.
I'd expect dialogue and perhaps even music. Stephen Gallagher was revealed as the composer for the score back in February and must have been appointed to the role much earlier.
If it was me, I would choose scenes from places familiar to viewers of Peter Jackson's films -- both fans and casuals -- to encourage the mental connection. That suggests Edoras or Helm's Deep. But the latter might be a bit too far along in the story and reveal too much of the story, so I lean to Edoras. You could show some dramatic scenes with all the key cast -- Helm, Wulf, Freca, Héra -- that are root to establishing the conflict. The initial concept art that WBA put out showed Edoras being attacked so Kamiyama might tease some of that as well to show how much progress they've made.
Since we're familiar with the location, it's also possible that we could see Isengard (although, canonically, Freca's seat of power seems to be another location at the surce of the River Adorn). This could also help set up that there are two sides to the conflict -- something that Boyens emphasised was integral to the story they were telling when we spoke this time last year.
This is in addition to more concept art, and, I expect, our first look at some character designs.
Regardless, we'll very soon know more. It's been a long wait to get something tangible but it's nearly over!
About the author: Staffer Demosthenes has been involved with TheOneRing.net since 2001, serving first as an Associate News Editor, then as Chief News Editor during the making of the Hobbit films. Now he focuses on features and analysis. The opinions in this article are his own and do not necessarily represent those of TheOneRing.net and other staff.
Tolkien Collector's Guide has spotted something very interesting -- a new and revised edition of Humphry Carpenter's The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien is coming out this November (Nov 9 to be precise).
This revised edition is already available for pre-order on Amazon (30 quid for a hardcover book; 20 quid for a kindle version). Looks like it's going to be a beast of a book, too: 700 pages versus the 463 of the 1981 edition.
In this revised and expanded edition of The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, it has been possible to go back to the editors’ original typescripts and notes, restoring more than 150 letters that were excised purely to achieve what was then deemed a ‘publishable length’, and present the book as originally intended.
Enthusiasts for his writings will find much that is new, for the letters not only include fresh information about Middle-earth, such as Tolkien’s own plot summary of the entirety of The Lord of the Rings and a vision for publishing his ‘Tales of the Three Ages’, but also many insights into the man and his world. In addition, this new selection will entertain anyone who appreciates the art of letter-writing, of which J.R.R. Tolkien was a master.
Thanks to TimB and DurinDeathless on our Discord for the heads-up.
In 2024, Worldcon - the World Science Fiction Convention - will be taking place in Glasgow (August 8-12). In anticipation of this exciting event, the Glasgow organisers have scheduled various online events for this summer - and we here at TORn are delighted to be joining them for an online panel!
Staffers Tookish, Madeye Gamgee and greendragon will be joined by our good friend KnewBettaDoBetta, as well as staffers from Glasgow 2024, to discuss the perennial appeal of the Professor's works. Just what is it about Middle-earth which keeps us coming back, again and again? What is it about Tolkien's work which inspires so many 'subcreations' from such a wide variety of artists, performers and readers?
Sign up at Eventbrite - free!The panel will begin at 7pm (BST - that's UK time!) on Thursday 8th June, and will run for an hour and a half. There will be time for questions; if you'd like to be able to ask a question, you'll need to join the Webinar audience; you can sign up for free Eventbrite tickets here.
Or, just join the YouTube live stream on June 8th, here. Start your countdown to Glasgow 2024 with this virtual panel - hope to see you there!
Middle-earth returns to card decks worldwide with the new officially licensed The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth sets. Wizards of the Coast, owners of Magic: The Gathering, streamed a first look at many of the LOTR cards, mechanics, characters and artwork arriving in June.
It's time to embark on a different sort of journey as Magic presents characters, locations, and epic moments from the epic fantasy novels of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™ is packed with exciting new cards and a few marquee keywords and mechanics to review. So, gather your Fellowship, pack your lembas, and let's head out to learn more about the new set.
Wizards of the Coast
In addition to having a ton of Legendary creature cards, the mechanics of the One Ring in gameplay allow the ring to grow stronger with every use. Magic has an entire page discussion the new mechanics worth checking out: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/the-lord-of-the-rings-tales-of-middle-earth-mechanics
For old fans returning to Magic: The Gathering, many will appreciate this announcement - Wizards has licensed artwork from Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings, as "Secret Lair" variant cards!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuV6B3vOn6MFrodo himself, Elijah Wood, got a sneak peek at the cards!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KaGQ99tkfQSome of our favorite Tolkien fans - Don Marshall, Trisha Hershberger, and Nerd of the Rings!Some of the cards have generated immense conversation on social media, which is a signing of increasing popularity. These LOTR decks are selling extremely well on pre-orders, and tons of fans can't wait to get their hands on them. Wizards of the Coast provided this quote to Kotaku about the fresh artistic interpretations of Middle-earth:
Diversity: The Lord of the Rings is about the different peoples of Middle-earth coming together to fight Sauron, finding strength in their diversity. Fans of all backgrounds have been enjoying these stories, characters, and locations for decades, and we wanted this set to reflect on that broad inclusion.
Originality: The goal of this set is to express the story and setting of The Lord of the Rings through Magic: The Gathering Countless prior efforts have painted vivid pictures of this world, but our goal is a modern take on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, lovingly crafted for an ever-expanding fandom.
Get Aragorn with Anduril, and the rest of The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth card packs, everywhere June 23, 2023. Support local game shops and pre-order with them.
Back in 2022 we told you about composer and sound engineer Jordan Rannells' amazing project - to create 'an immersive audio soundscape' of music and ambient sounds, to be listened to whilst reading The Lord of the Rings.
For Tolkien Reading Day (March 25th) this year, Rannells teamed with the folks from ArdaCraft to create a live stream event, where parts of The Fellowship of the Ring were read over the corresponding chapters of Rannell's A Long-Expected Soundscape.
The Towers CollectionNow, The Towers Collection (for The Two Towers) is available - and we have some promo codes for TORn's followers! Read on below to find out more...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCc_pAyu6aAThe Long-expected Soundscape is designed to be listened to whilst reading Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (and is timed specifically to sync up with the Andy Serkis audiobook recording). It is created with Dolby Atmos for full 3D immersion in headphones, and includes an original score, ambient nature and environment sounds, and designed and recorded sound effects. The soundtrack is downloadable at https://jordanrannells.com/ - and can also be accessed very easily through all usual podcast apps.
Ways to listenRannells suggests various ways to enjoy his creation:
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Simply experience the atmosphere alone, without the books
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While reading Tolkien's works (yes you might read a bit faster, but all you have to do is wait and enjoy the music and sound effects for a bit until you hear the next significant sound or cue, and then keep reading)
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Synced up (perfectly!) with Andy Serkis' audiobook so you can enjoy them together (step by step process on how to do that on Discord)
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Just as background for DnD, Lotro and so on...
Exclusive promo codes If you'd like to get your hands on this wonderful soundscape, you can use the code TORN25 (for a discount on the whole collection), or TORN10 (for a discount on an individual book). These promo codes are good only until June 10th, so don't delay!
Once you've experienced this beautiful aural world, you're definitely going to want more! So you'll be glad to know that Rannells has plans for The Hobbit and The Silmarillion soundscapes! He'll be launching a Kickstarter for these, this coming December; if you're interested in getting involved, and perhaps even having a small voice or performance role on one of those projects, join the Long-expected Discord. Happy listening!
The Hollywood Reporter in conjunction with Prime Video recently posted a series of behind-the-scenes videos focusing on the set design in the Prime Video series "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power".
The "Building Middle-earth" series of videos show details that can be missed while watching the series at home. The commentary by set designers, actors, and craftspeople reveals insights and secrets about the decisions that went into the direction the series took and how it was made. The craft and care that went into the sets is truly amazing! It's the type of stuff Ringers everywhere are trying to spy out about the Season 2 of the show.
You can watch the series here:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/building-middle-earth/
Varking Runesong here!
I was blessed enough to receive a PC and PS5 key to test The Lord of the Rings: Gollum early on behalf of TheOneRing.net. My goal here is to describe my play-through scenarios, what type of system I run the game on, what I liked, what wasn’t for me, and ultimately… how much I actually enjoyed playing the game.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is developed by Daedalic Entertainment and is also published by them as well as Nacon. The game is available or will be available on multiple platforms such as Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC. You will need to make sure your system is compatible and the game has released on it in order to play.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOTst26DktoPC experience and PS5 performance experienceI play on a fairly high end gaming PC that was built about two years ago for over $2,000 USD. I also played the game on my PlayStation 5. Right off the bat I do have to tell you folks that while the game ran well for me on PC and I didn’t encounter many bugs or anything game breaking, this was not my experience on PS5. And I prefer gaming on my PS5 as it’s hooked up to a 65-inch OLED television and surround sound speakers.
On my PS5 I was able to play the game over the weekend and all throughout the first chapter of the game I encountered crashes. I would interact with objects and crash. I would try to skip some of the story by holding down circle on the PS5 controller to avoid crashing and I would still crash. It would reset my progress a decent bit and I would have to complete the same objectives multiple times waiting for a time where it actually finishes and I get the credit for it. I was playing the game with the higher graphics setting on and when I switched to performance mode and turned off the Gollum hair animation/physics it fixed the majority of the issues I was having.
During the weekend we did receive an email update letting us know that the Gollum hair setting was the culprit and there would be a day one patch for the game to fix this before players started playing. This was great to hear. The rest of my play time went through Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 to completion. The only other bug I encountered was toward the end of Chapter 1 after a cutscene. Once it was done playing, I no longer had a cave or anything around me and any direction I chose to move Gollum I would fall about 1,000 feet to my death which did give me a chuckle. And it gave me an achievement!
Like an old-school Assassin's CreedThe game plays like an old-school Assassin’s Creed with much less focus on combat. Gollum would rather knock an enemy over or choke them long enough to get away from them than try to actually fight most foes. You spend most of the game doing parkour, climbing over, crawling under and trying to remain unseen or undetected.
The buttons are easy to learn and I had no problems completing the tasks. There are items to collect on each map so sometimes you will want to play through multiple times if you are being a bit of a completionist. There are times where Gollum has dialogue choices. Sometimes the dialogue choices are in response to an NPC and other times it’s Gollum trying to convince his other half to do something.
I didn't have time to find out, but I would love to know whether the story changes based on the decisions you make. If it does change parts of the story then I would probably play through each chapter to beat it, then to get all missing collectibles and achievements, and then again to make sure I got to experience the full story.
Present and pastOn the story front, you see many characters, both friendly and foe, who you will know immediately. The game flashes back often, at least early on, between current day Gollum who is imprisoned for questioning, and the flashback Gollum who is sharing his side of the story of the events of what has happened to him during this period.
Fans of the books interested in playing the game will have a good idea of where the story intends to go immediately. Newer folks to the fandom might be taken on a nice joy ride where if this is an enjoyable experience for them they may find themselves more interested in picking up Tolkien's books to see what is says in there, and understand where Daedalic had the freedom to tell their story.
I know some lore purists will have issues with different parts of the story but I am open to adaptations and I honestly do have fun when playing the game when its not crashing.
I am looking forward to the Day 1 patch to continue my playthrough. The crashes were very frustrating and I think most folks can understand that. When the game wasn’t crashing it was genuinely enjoyable for me.
That being said I know most people won’t read the full review. They just want a TL:DR and score, right?
In conclusionTL:DR: The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a fun game to me as a fan of the material that comes from Tolkien. I enjoyed playing the bits that I could play and while I am at work I do think about playing the game different ways when I get home. However, I did encounter one major bug and I experienced a series of major crashes early on related to a setting that I am told would be fixed on Day 1 of release. If that is the case I give the game a 7 out of 10.
When the game is playable I am definitely having fun. When it’s crashing I want to pull my hair out to match Gollum.
I would be buying this on day one regardless because I am a mark for all things Tolkien and Lord of the Rings but my advice to folks who are going to part with their hard-earned cash is wait for more reviews to come out after the day one patch and see if it fixed the issues that myself, and I am sure, others, will tell you about.
SCOREWhen playable: 7/10
If the Day 1 patch doesn’t fix the crashing players might experience: 5/10
About the author: Varking Runesong is the lead mod of the LOTR On Prime sub-reddit and a writer for Fellowship of Fans. You can often find him on the TORn Discord!
It's an exciting time for Middle-earth fans who are gamers, as rumours and discussion abound of possible future video games. But forget what may come in the future: Daedalic Entertainment's The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is here! Release day for this long-expected game is tomorrow, May 25th; and the good folks at Daedalic have given TORn an exclusive video to share, in anticipation!
Some of the designers behind the game discuss level design, diving deeper and giving insight into the world building process. Take a look:
https://youtu.be/GGyGclNvk5gYesterday Daedalic released another video, looking at the music of the video game; and TORn's friend @nerdoftherings1 is showing exclusive game play footage later today. All to whet the appetite for this incredible game; coming tomorrow!
Amazon Games, developers of the acclaimed New World online RPG game, are heading development of a new multiplayer The Lord of the Rings video game.
Embracer, the fresh new owners of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, are licensing the Middle-earth MMO gaming rights to Amazon Games, whose first and only game, New World, was a big bold swing into a crowded massive-multiplayer-gaming space against Grand Theft Auto, Minecraft, World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, No Man's Sky, and of course LOTRO.
This new LOTR MMO game will be a persistent open world Middle-earth set in the third age, but not based or connected to Amazon's billion-dollar The Rings of Power TV series. Development is currently planning to launch on PC and console.
Reviews for Amazon's New World currently sit at 6/10 on Steam with 200,000+ reviews, and a Metacritic score of 70. Metacritic is basically Rotten Tomatoes for video games, averaging review scores from professionals and the community. From what we have read, New World was praised for good modern graphics and multiplayer engagement, but with a limited set of innovative game mechanics.
This new game is unrelated to the cancelled LOTR online MMO game that was being developed in China. Amazon is building this in-house with its team from an earlier acquisition of Double Helix, a successful studio responsible for many franchise spinoff games like Enter the Matrix, Star Wars Episode III, Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb, Killer Instinct, G.I. Joe, Silent Hill, and more.
Fans may welcome a next-gen Lord of the Rings MMO experience, as one of the common knocks on the hugely successful (and still updating) LOTRO is the dated graphics. Amazon Games will have their work cut out for them to differentiate from Peter Jackson's cinematic world, Standing Stone Games' deep lore gaming in LOTRO, and the future secrets from The Rings of Power. LOTRO is still one of the best reviewed MMO games, even after 16 years of fresh expansions.
Many Middle-earth fans will be familiar with the spectacular work of artist Donato Giancola. His art has graced the covers of Tolkien editions as well as calendars, and last year saw a fabulous exhibition of his work at the Huntsville Museum of Art. Visitors there were lucky enough to see his massive new painting, 'Beacons of Gondor' - a breathtaking, gigantic rendering of sweeping scenery and drama.
If you live in the New York area, this Saturday you could see that painting - and more - for yourself. Giancola is holding an Open Studio in Brooklyn, 11am to 6pm, May 13. This is an incredible opportunity to meet the artist himself, as well as seeing many of his amazing pieces up close. Not only that, but the first 25 visitors will receive a fabulous gift - a signed copy of Giancola's now out of print first edition art book 'Middle-earth: Visions of a Modern Myth'. Copies will also be embossed with the sigil of the Kings of Gondor!
Giveaway for those unable to attend in personThose visiting the open studio could WIN a Giancola original painting; AND there is even an online giveaway which can be entered by folks who can't visit in person! So there's something for everyone. Here's all the info you need:
Donato Arts OPEN STUDIOSaturday May 13, 2023
11am - 6pm
397 Pacific Street
Brooklyn, NY 11217
This May will see the return of the annual hosting of an Open Studio here at our place in Brooklyn. We will showcase an abundance of new oil paintings, drawings, and projects as well as scores of classics from my 30+ year career as an illustrator. Come eat, drink, and commingle with fellow artists, professionals, and fans of the genre as we plow our creative paths forward in these changing times.
The massive Middle-earth canvas The Beacons of Gondor will anchor the studio at 78" x 114". This is my largest work ever and was created for the exhibition at the Huntsville Museum of Art in Alabama this past winter. I am excited to share this with the New York area audience.
Also back from traveling shows are a couple of my favorites, ‘I threw down my enemy’ of Gandalf defeating the Balrog on Zirak-zigil, and the intimate ‘Shadow of the Past’, as well as The Walls of Moria and the Fellowship in Hollin. There are also numerous pages around the home from David Wenzel’s graphic novel of The Hobbit!
A dedicated Wall of Magic displaying over thirty recent Magic: The Gathering oil paintings and preliminary sketches as well as a handful of my earliest works for Wizards of the Coast will be set up in the studio.
New fantasy works will be shown from the cover of Kristen Britain's forthcoming novel The Spirit of the Wood to interior illustrations for the new novel King-Killing Queen by author Shawn Speakman of Grim Oak Press . The latest Empathetic Robot painting in now finished titled, Remembering, and Portfolios filled with large, preliminary drawings and studies will also be available to peruse through.
Visit Giancola's website for all the details - and to enter the online giveaway.
We got to ask Wizards of the Coast artist and art director Ovidio Cartagena about the new officially licensed The Lord of the Rings expansion cards for Magic: The Gathering.
Was there any particular aspect, creature, or perhaps landmark of Middle-earth that you haven't seenfrom other artists, and have always wanted to bring to life through your own art?The Scouring of the Shire and the Battle of Bywater were very interesting to me. The whole plot involving Old Toby, and the discovery of trade between Saruman and the Shire, always caught my attention.
Naturally, the destruction of something so warm and innocent like the Shire appears to be, and the corruption of many hobbits, is something that I wanted to show in detail in Magic’s adaptation of the books.
Has Tolkien's own artistic style been an influence for you in your work?Oh yes. We looked at Tolkien’s artwork during the development of The Lord of the Rings. I was very lucky to work with artists who were also influenced by these works. Tolkien’s work is incredibly clear and has a definitive shape language that is unmissable: you’ll know whose hand made it if you look at the work.
What other Tolkien artists inspire you?The Hildebrandts were very influential for me growing up. Their talent seemed endless, and I was a big fan of their work on the LoTR calendar and the Marvel Masterpieces cards from the '90s. It’s incredible that I get to say that I’ve worked in a set that also features the art of the Hildebrandts. I remember making illustrations for a Lord of the Rings calendar of my own, back when I was 18, a college art project, so it’s fair to say that LoTR and many of the Tolkien artists were a pretty big influence to what I do.
How much freedom were you all given to work on these characters?We had a fair amount of freedom at the beginning. Interestingly, we didn’t have limitations placed before working on concept art. We had a lot of freedom to develop characters, environments, motifs and so on. At the end of the concept art process, we put together a guide that would help artists illustrate our vision for The Lord of the Rings, and Middle-earth Enterprises reviewed the guide and gave us their feedback. I was very nervous at first, but their reaction was positive and that began a great creative partnership between us. Most of the art you see in cards was based on that guide.
What was the process for the artist to submit work, to get to work on these cards?Artists were selected on their capacity to deliver on one or all of the four parameters I set for the set’s visual direction: Epic (scale and scope), Legendary (attention to lore), Storytelling (attention to characters and their relationships), Pastoral (what our heroes are fighting to protect). Ekaterina Burmak, Magali Villeneuve, Tyler Jacobson, Jesper Ejsing, and many other greats lent their enormous talents and unique styles to create Magic: The Gathering’s Lord of the Rings.
What pressures are there to depict Bilbo in a world where two actors defined the character so
thoroughly?
Bilbo is a very interesting character. And eccentric, too! I remember reading the Council of Elrond, and Bilbo initially volunteers to take the ring to Mount Doom… this is a true adventurer (who also happens to be attached to “his” ring) even after all these years. The design for the character was done in a card illustration by Anna Pavleeva, and we tried to put in his years of lived experiences, a bit of mischief and, of course, the confidence of a daring adventurer who wouldn’t shy away from an epic quest at 111!
How exciting is it to be in this new phase of Middle-earth adaptations? How do you consider your work alongside spheres of TV and new films?
It is hard for me to speak of a “revival” of The Lord of the Rings, because it seems like something that has had relevance for most of my life. But it is fair to say we’re seeing an increased focus on LoTR in the mainstream. I am, however, very excited about seeing different takes in media for The Lord of the Rings. There are so many things to explore in Middle-earth! The work we did for the Magic: The Gathering set was an epic endeavor in itself, and I’m very proud of how it holds up to the literature and the adaptations done in other media. I got to live in the time and place of the War of the Ring for a while as I directed the set, and the project gave me a chance to keep coming back to the books I love so much.
We paid attention to a lot of details and there are more than a few easter eggs to consider! The whole team pitched in with lore knowledge, and the passion we poured into the project will definitely show in the card set!
How do you apply more modernized styles of art/composition to illustrate the works of a writer like
Tolkien, who dealt mainly with antiquities?
I think Tolkien’s work will endure a lot of cultural changes, way beyond our lifetimes. There have been modern crane shots and dutch angles in the interest of dramatizing the events in the War of the Ring. We’ve used the skills and tricks of illustration to bring ourselves inside Tolkien’s rich world, as if we had been there. One of my conceits at the beginning of this massive project was that every illustration was a frame or painting commissioned right after the War, to document the events therein. Since culture hasn’t stopped, and techniques have evolved along with widespread visual language resources, our approach is to let the worldbuilding draw the viewer in.
Who is your favorite Middle-earth character, and why?It is between Boromir and Denethor. It is easy to dislike these characters, but it is often missed that these were strong and great men with a great deal of knowledge. They’d been fighting and witnessing the rise of Sauron’s power, and were desperate to regain the greatness that Númenor once had. Denethor gave almost the air of a wizard due to his sharp intelligence, and wore chain mail under his elegant robe which meant he knew the importance of strength. It is interesting to speculate what Boromir would have achieved in better times - but he did not choose to be born at the edge of a Great War.
What's your favorite piece for this new collection?It is very difficult for me to pick a favorite piece because every artist gave us great work. I’ll just give a couple of shoutouts to folks who added personal greats to their portfolios:
- Gray Highsmith, who was one of the concept artists - they helped design the costuming and motifs of hobbits.
- Tyler Jacobson, whose epic ambition and incredible abilities gave the world a Battle of the Pelennor Fields painting worthy of a castle wall. He was also the designer of our Sauron, a truly unique take!
- Magali Villeneuve, whose massive talent embodied the soul of The Lord of the Rings, and her vision brought these awesome characters to life.
- Alexander Mokhov, who really came into his own as a Magic illustrator with his work in this set.
About the new The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™ arriving June 23, 2023
The Lord of the Rings has come to Magic: The Gathering, and it's time to take familiar favorites on a whole new journey there and back again. In the upcoming set The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™, players have the chance to join the Fellowship in adventures filled with valor, courage, and second breakfast. Play your favorite moments of the third age or turn Middle-earth on its head and surrender to the temptation of the Precious. Either way; Middle-earth is in your hands.
The set has two primary launch windows—June 2023 and a holiday launch in November 2023—and is the first full set release as part of Universes Beyond, bringing the iconic world of J.R.R. Tolkien to life within the Magic frame. The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth is modern legal and comprised of Draft, Set, Collector, and Jumpstart Boosters, four Commander decks, a Starter Kit, a Bundle and Gift Bundle, Scene Boxes, and Secret Lair drops. For more information on which specific products are coming in June 2023, check out this article on DailyMTG.
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth will also come to Magic: The Gathering Arena with all of the same cards as the tabletop release. The set will be legal in Alchemy and Historic formats and receive the same support as a full release, including a preorder, Mastery Pass, and cosmetics.
Just unveiled at MagicCon Minneapolis is the new multi-card panorama artwork of Bilbo's birthday party for Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, a new card game from the makers of Magic: The Gathering.
Created by artist Livia Prima, the series of 6 randomly-packed cards can be collected to reveal a whole party diorama. Details of the character cards include in-game stats and play actions.
Above: Birthday party cards available in random pack card sets.
Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™ Arrives June 23, 2023
The Lord of the Rings has come to Magic: The Gathering, and it's time to take familiar favorites on a whole new journey there and back again. In the upcoming set The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™, players have the chance to join the Fellowship in adventures filled with valor, courage, and second breakfast. Play your favorite moments of the third age or turn Middle-earth on its head and surrender to the temptation of the Precious. Either way; Middle-earth is in your hands.
The set has two primary launch windows—June 2023 and a holiday launch in November 2023—and is the first full set release as part of Universes Beyond, bringing the iconic world of J.R.R. Tolkien to life within the Magic frame. The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth is modern legal and comprised of Draft, Set, Collector, and Jumpstart Boosters, four Commander decks, a Starter Kit, a Bundle and Gift Bundle, Scene Boxes, and Secret Lair drops. For more information on which specific products are coming in June 2023, check out this article on DailyMTG.
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth will also come to Magic: The Gathering Arena with all of the same cards as the tabletop release. The set will be legal in Alchemy and Historic formats and receive the same support as a full release, including a preorder, Mastery Pass, and cosmetics.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on May 1st:
- Gandalf and Bilbo reach Rivendell (1342)
- Sarn Ford where Gandalf and Aragorn met (1418)
- Crowning of King Elessar (1419)
- Elrond and Arwen set out from Rivendell (1419)
- Samwise marries Rose (1420)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
May 1, 2942 (S.R. 1342)
1. Gandalf and Bilbo reach Rivendell.
(from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
"It was on May the First that the two came back at last to the brink of the valley of Rivendell, where stood the Last (or the First) Homely House. "
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 279 Hobbit)
May 1, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Sarn Ford where Gandalf and Aragorn met
(not from the appendices)
"Strider looked grave. 'I do not know,' he said. 'I came west with him in the spring. I have often kept watch on the borders of the Shire in the last few years, when he was busy elsewhere."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 234 FotR)
May 1, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. Crowning of King Elessar.
(from the appendices)
"...upon the White Tower of the citadel the standard of the Stewards, bright argent like snow in the sun, bearing no charge nor device, was raised over Gondor for the last time."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 302-304 RotK)
2. Elrond and Arwen set out from Rivendell.
(from the appendices-no text)
On the day Aragorn entered the City to claim his kingship, a great Company departed from Rivendell to journey to the south.
May 1, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. Samwise marries Rose.
(from the appendices)
"'It's Rosie, Rose Cotton,' said Sam. 'It seems she didn't like my going abroad at all, poor lass…."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 376 RotK)
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on April 26th:
- The unexpected party (1341)
- TheOneRing.net is officially registered (1999)
- TheOneRing.net celebrates its 10-year Anniversary.
- TheOneRing.net celebrates its 15-year Anniversary.
- TheOneRing.net celebrates its 20-year Anniversary.
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here!]
April 26, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. Wednesday. The unexpected party.
(from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
"Bilbo rushed along the passage... ...He pulled open the door with a jerk, and they all fell in, one on top of the other. More dwarves, four more! And there was Gandalf behind, leaning on his staff and laughing."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 23-31 Hobbit)
April 26, 1999
- TheOneRing.net is officially registered (1999)
April 26, 2009
- TheOneRing.net celebrates its 10-year Anniversary.
April 26, 2014
- TheOneRing.net celebrates its 15-year Anniversary.
April 26, 2019
- TheOneRing.net celebrates its 20-year Anniversary.
In 1953, J.R.R. Tolkien visited the University of Glasgow, to give a lecture on the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Later this month, the university's Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic will celebrate the anniversary of the event - and you can join them, in person or online!
With an illustrious panel of speakers, chaired by Dr Dimtra Fimi, the event includes a pop-up exhibition featuring a handwritten letter from the Professor.
Here's what the University's official press release tells us:
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW TO CELEBRATE LORD OF THE RINGS AUTHOR JRR TOLKIEN A selection of books by JRR Tolkien including Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (above)
Today he is remembered as the “father” of modern fantasy literature and the author of two of the best-loved and biggest-selling books of all time.
When JRR Tolkien visited the University of Glasgow 70 years ago, he had written The Hobbit to great acclaim and was on the cusp of publishing the 1st volume of The Lord of the Rings.
In 1953, Tolkien, then Oxford University Merton Professor of English Language and Literature, was in Scotland to give a lecture on late 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight - a key text in the Arthurian tradition featuring young King Arthur himself, the knight Sir Gawain, a mysterious green knight, and the sorceress Morgan le Fay. The poem is itself a source text for modern fantasy and was an inspiration for Tolkien in his Middle-earth mythology.
But it was obvious Tolkien’s popularity as a fantasy writer was on the rise in 1953, as the ticketed WP Ker Memorial Lecture was at its capacity with 300 people in attendance.
Now academics at the Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic are celebrating Tolkien’s Glasgow connection with a special event to mark the 70th anniversary of Tolkien’s Sir Gawain and the Green Knight lecture.
Dr Dimitra Fimi, Senior Lecturer in Fantasy and Children’s Literature at the University of Glasgow and the Co-Director of the Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic, said: “It was a thrill to discover more about Tolkien’s lecture at Glasgow and this fascinating connection to the city, including the venue it was held, and the handwritten letter by Tolkien in our archives.
“Today 70 years later at the University of Glasgow, Tolkien’s own work is on the curriculum of our Fantasy MLitt programme, and we have various PhD students working on Tolkien.”
Dr Andoni Cossio, Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic, said: “As a schoolboy, Tolkien had a great affection for Sir Gawain and the Green Knight poem, which even led to occasional recitations of certain passages for his friends.
“By the time of the Glasgow lecture, Tolkien had a deep knowledge of the poem that he put to good use in his university teaching, supervision and lectures. Tolkien had also prepared and published an edition of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in 1925 (together with his colleague EV Gordon), which is remains today an important textbook for students studying the poem and helped establish it as a canonical text in medieval studies.
“During his 1953 W. P. Ker lecture, Tolkien quoted from his own Sir Gawain translation, which was later broadcast by the BBC. The University of Glasgow lecture was only accessible much later to a wider audience when it was published in 1983.
The Tolkien Sir Gawain lecture 70th anniversary event is hybrid – both in person at the University of Glasgow and online. For those attending on-campus, there will be an opportunity to see a pop-up exhibition with documentation related to Tolkien’s appointment as the 1953 WP Ker Memorial Lecturer (including a hand-written letter by Tolkien), in collaboration with Archives & Special Collections, University of Glasgow.
Tolkien and GlasgowOn 15 April 1953, Tolkien delivered the WP Ker Memorial Lecture, on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, to an audience of 300 at the University of Glasgow. The essay was published posthumously, in 1983, in The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays, edited by Christopher Tolkien.
Join us at Glasgow on Thursday 27 April 2023, 5-6:30pm, on-campus (Joseph Black Building) or online, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the lecture and its significance, Tolkien's links to Glasgow, and the importance of the Sir Gawain poem in Tolkien's creativity.
Our panel of speakers will feature:
- Professor Jeremy Smith, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, University of Glasgow
- Dr Lydia Zeldenrust, Lecturer in Middle English Literature, University of Glasgow
- Dr Andoni Cossio, Postdoctoral Fellow, Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic
- Chair: Dr Dimitra Fimi, Senior Lecturer in Fantasy and Children’s Literature, and Co-Director of the Centre for Fantasy and the Fantastic
It's free to attend this event - either in person or online - but you do need to book via Eventbrite.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on April 12th: Gandalf reaches Hobbiton (3018) * [Join us on the Discussion Boards here*]
April 12, 3018 (S.R. 1418) The Great Years1. Gandalf reaches Hobbiton.(from the appendices)"...after a late breakfast, the wizard was sitting with Frodo by the open window of the study. A bright fire was on the hearth, but the sun was warm...Gandalf was thinking of a Spring, nearly eighty years before, when Bilbo had run out of Bag End without a handkerchief...."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 78-80 FotR)
Update to our story of April 7th - such has been demand for tickets to screening of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, that new dates have been added. The folks at Fathom tell us:
Due to overwhelming fan demand, Fathom Events and Warner Bros., along with Legion M and Lost Odyssey, are adding more dates to celebrate 20 years of “The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King” featuring special screenings of the film’s acclaimed extended edition.
In addition to the sold-out dates of Thursday, April 13 and Wednesday, April 19 in the U.S., as well as a screening set for Thursday, April 20 in Canada where tickets are still available, new dates include:
- Friday, April 14
- Saturday, April 15
- Sunday, April 16
- Monday, April 17
- Tuesday, April 18
- Thursday, April 20
Tickets for the 20th Anniversary of “The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King” can be purchased at Fathom Events or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theater locations are subject to change).
These are the special screenings of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition, to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary, presented by Fathom Events. Originally on April 13th and 19th - April 20th for fans in Canada, and now with all these extra US dates added - Ringers can gather together to bask in the glory of Middle-earth on the big screen once more.
Any opportunity to see part of Peter Jackson's trilogy in cinemas is a cause for celebration. To make these screenings even more special, they will also include a recorded introduction from the Ring-bearer himself, Elijah Wood! He'll be sharing his insights and reflections on the movie's legacy, in a special message made possible by Legion M and Lost Odyssey.
From the official press release:
Prior to each screening, attendees will be treated to a special introduction by franchise star Elijah Wood, as he discusses the lasting impact of the “Lord Of The Rings” universe and the rich worlds and beloved characters that keep viewers coming back for more. Fans will also be treated to exclusive coverage of the new “Lord Of The Rings” tabletop game, as a celebrity panel embarks on their own adventure into Middle-Earth to raise support for Extra Life For Kids, in conjunction with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
(Fans may be interested to know about the Extra Life Charity Marketplace with eBay, where games and collectibles can be bought and sold to raise money for charity!)
And don't forget - Fathom Events have given TORn pairs of tickets to either of the USA screenings, to give away to some lucky fans! To enter the giveaway and be in with a chance to win tickets to a theatre near you, simply click below:
Enter to win a pair of tickets You have until 5pm EDT TODAY to enter! If you don't want to rely on luck, you can purchase tickets to screenings near you here. Gathering with fellow fans, watching The Return of the King on the big screen, with special messages and previews? It's like it's 2003 all over again. My friends, this will be a night to remember...
Field of Cormallen by Tolman CottonThe following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on April 8th:
- *The Ring-bearers are honoured on the Field of Cormallen (3019)*
- *The Ring-bearers revisit fair Ithilien* (3019)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
1. The Ring-bearers are honoured on the Field of Cormallen.
(from the appendices)
"When Sam awoke, he found that he was lying on some soft bed... ...All the air was full of a sweet mingled scent.
He remembered that smell: the fragrance of Ithilien."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 282-288 RotK)
2. The Ring-bearers revisit fair Ithilien.
(not from the appendices)
"Orcs, and talking trees, and leagues of grass, and galloping riders, and glittering caves, and white towers and golden halls, and battles, and tall ships sailing, all these passed before Sam's mind until he felt bewildered."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 288-289 RotK)
Feast your eyes on the new gameplay trailer for the free-to-play mobile game The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth - coming May 10th.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elj7do86Tx0Here's the official press release, from our friends at EA Mobile:
The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth™ Set for May 10 Release, Reveals New Gameplay TrailerPre-Registration Available Now, Full Launch on iOS and Android on May 10, 2023
EA and Capital Games, experts in RPG mobile gaming based on beloved franchises, announced the upcoming launch date for The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth, releasing a new gameplay trailer in celebration of the news. The latest video provides an extended look at the turn-based strategy combat for the free-to-download mobile RPG based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit works by J.R.R. Tolkien. The game will be launching on May 10, 2023 on Apple devices via iOS and Android-based mobile devices, but fans and players can pre-register now.
Showcasing the first official gameplay footage for The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth since the game’s reveal last year, the trailer gives fans and mobile game players a sneak peak into a stylized realism art style. Wanderers, warriors, wizards, and others show how the game leans on the existing lore to capture the essence of The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit; creating new stories from the Tolkien universe while also expanding it to create a more diverse and inclusive Middle-earth. The video also demonstrates Story, PVP, and other gameplay modes.
Pre-registration for The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth is currently open here for players looking to be the first to know more about the upcoming launch, receive behind-the-scenes content, exclusive offers, and more!
As the player discovers a mysteriously abandoned new Ring of Power, visions of their potential journey flash before our eyes – battles and adventures feature beloved and classic characters. Glimpses of the player menus detail hero preparation, team building, and exciting campaign selections. Customization, leveling, the turn-based combat, and much more is in store.
More on The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth:
The upcoming mobile game from EA Mobile and Capital Games will present new ways for fans and new players alike to experience beloved elements of the IP while creating their own novel experiences comes via the re-imagined “styled realism” The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-earth art style – highlighting the animated, fantastical and magical elements of our characters and world while remaining grounded in reality; and also allowing players to experience the stories “between the lines” of the original canon to expand on Tolkien’s texts.
Includes optional in-game purchases (includes random items). © 2023 MEE. The Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle Earth, The Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit and the characters, items, events, and places therein are trademarks of Middle-earth Enterprises, LLC used under license to EA.
As many of you will know by now, Fathom Events are bringing us special screenings of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Extended Edition, to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary. On April 13th and 19th, Ringers in the USA - and April 20th for fans in Canada - can gather together to bask in the glory of Middle-earth on the big screen once more.
Any opportunity to see part of Peter Jackson's trilogy in cinemas is a cause for celebration. To make these screenings even more special, they will also include a recorded introduction from the Ring-bearer himself, Elijah Wood! He'll be sharing his insights and reflections on the movie's legacy, in a special message made possible by Legion M and Lost Odyssey.
From the official press release:
Prior to each screening, attendees will be treated to a special introduction by franchise star Elijah Wood, as he discusses the lasting impact of the “Lord Of The Rings” universe and the rich worlds and beloved characters that keep viewers coming back for more. Fans will also be treated to exclusive coverage of the new “Lord Of The Rings” tabletop game, as a celebrity panel embarks on their own adventure into Middle-Earth to raise support for Extra Life For Kids, in conjunction with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
If that isn't enough good news - Fathom Events have given TORn pairs of tickets to either of the USA screenings, to give away to some lucky fans! To enter the giveaway and be in with a chance to win tickets to a theatre near you, simply click below:
Enter to win a pair of tickets You have until 5pm EDT April 11th to enter! If you don't want to rely on luck, you can purchase tickets to screenings near you here. Gathering with fellow fans, watching The Return of the King on the big screen, with special messages and previews? It's like it's 2003 all over again. My friends, this will be a night to remember...
After two weeks of discussing, debating, and voting, the original 64 characters from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power who began in the four categories of Middle-earth March Madness 2023: Rings of Power Edition have been whittled down to just one. Who is our Champion for this year?
Looking back on past tournamentsBefore we reveal this year's winner, let's take a look back at previous competitions. TheOneRing.net started creating this Tolkien-centric version of March Madness back in 2012, making this year's the 12th tournament. In that time, we've had a variety of themes, including book vs. movie, heroes vs. villains, Middle-earth's best dressed, and even locations in Arda. You can read a recap of the contest 2012-2019 here.
2020When we were all stuck in lockdown, our theme for the Middle-earth March Madness Quarantine Edition was scenes from Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. The categories were 'Tearjerkers', 'Laughter', 'Scenic', and 'Drama/Action'. The Final Four that year were 'You bow to noone', 'Lighting the Beacons', 'Would you like me to find you a box?' and 'The Charge of the Rohirrim'. This last scene, in the end, was declared Champion.
2020 was also the first year that we began having 'results show' live streams. What else did we have to do, during those pandemic days?! Since then, we've continued streaming to discuss each round, whenever possible; this year was no exception, with shows to reveal results for five of the six rounds.
2021In 2021, we had a battle for the 'Best Dressed' in Middle-earth: a closer look at costumes from the movies. This theme was designed to encourage cosplayers to send us pictures of their own versions of these outfits - and we were not disappointed. That year also saw the 'Wild Card' round, when voters at home had the chance to decide on one of the placements in the starting 64.
Fan Roger Perzan in his Sauron cosplay2022Last year, as Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power show drew near, we thought we'd take a look at the ages of Tolkien's realm. We didn't know which stories from the Second Age we might see in the television show - or how they would be told - but we did think a revision of the ages might be helpful!
Staffers wrote very helpful recaps of various key events in the Pre-First Age, the First Age, and the Second Age - we felt that PJ's movies could serve as a reminder of the Third Age, and events from each period were competitors in the four brackets. The final showdown was between the first event - Eru Ilúvatar’s Creation of Arda - and one of the final events, when the One Ring was destroyed in TA 3019. By the narrowest of margins (50.8% to 49.2%) the act of creation overcame destruction.
This year's Grand ChampionSo we come to 2023, and our battle of characters who appeared in Season One of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Tens of thousands of votes were cast throughout the contest, with the final battle seeing Galadriel take on Elendil. We can now reveal this year's winner:
Though the Númenorean put up a brave fight, Galadriel won the day, taking 58% of the vote. This is the Lady of Light's second time as Champion, having previously won the contest in 2016.
Here's how the entire contest played out through the four brackets:
If you're a fan of Middle-earth March Madness, and you'd like to support TheOneRing.net, you might like to check out some merch we have available, featuring the MeMM logo. (TORn is entirely not-for-profit, run by a volunteer team; any support for the site helps us keep our servers going!)
Thanks for playing along this year; if you have suggestions for themes for future years, you can always email spymaster@theonering.net. See you same time, same place, for more Middle-earth March Madness next year!
We come to it at last - the great battle of our time... Just twelve days after it started, with 64 characters from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power divided amongst four categories, Middle-earth March Madness 2023, Rings of Power Edition is drawing to a close. Only two remain - and only one battle. Here's how the Final Four played out.
Semi Final 1: Elf versus ElfThis first match-up featured one of the most popular characters from Tolkien: a High Elf, daughter of Finarfin; niece of Fëanor; ruler of Lothlórien; bearer of Nenya, the Ring of Water. Some of that, however, lies in her future: in this competition, we're considering Galadriel of the Second Age, as seen in The Rings of Power. A fierce warrior, living under the rule of Gil-galad but chaffing against his commands, this leader of fighters seems yet to find her role as a wise and calm ruler. Her strength of will, however, is undeniable.
Facing her was a being about whom we know very little. Arondir is a Silvan Elf from Beleriand, who is stationed as a soldier in the Southlands when we meet him in The Rings of Power. (He is a non-canonical character, created for the television show.) We know almost nothing of his past; but we witness his passion as a warrior, his compassion for the humans he watches, and his skill with bow and arrow.
It seemed unlikely that a Woodland Elf would have much of a chance against one of the Noldor; and perhaps equally unlikely that a newly invented character would put to the test one of Tolkien's beloved creations. So, indeed, it turned out: Galadriel took the lead early on, and Arondir never threatened to overtake her. In the end, our Elf maiden claimed two thirds of the vote, to emerge victorious.
Semi Final 2: Man versus MaiaIn the second dual of this penultimate round, Elendil the Tall, faithful Elf-friend, native of Númenor and (spoiler!) future High King of Middle-earth, and bearer of Narsil - but currently, in The Rings of Power, a lowly sea captain - faced an enigmatic foe.
Just who is the Stranger? He fell to (Middle) earth in a comet, being found by the Harfoots in a fiery - yet cool to the touch - crater, unclothed. We have seen his power to bring life - but also to bring destruction. The three hooded figures in pursuit of him, believing him to be the ruler they sought - Morgoth's second in command - realised in the season finale that he was not the one they desired. He is, they fear, one of the Istari.
So is he a created character? Are the screenwriters imagining that there might have been another of the Maiar who came to Middle-earth as wizards? Or is he in fact someone we already know well: a befriender of Halflings? His words, 'When in doubt, Elanor Brandyfoot, always follow your nose,' would seem to suggest that he is.
However the plot of the Stranger will unfold in Season Two of The Rings of Power - and however faithful the show's Elendil may in future be to Tolkien's writing - voters had just a couple of days to make a choice between these two powerful characters. And it was a tough decision! The lead went back and forth between them, with often only a handful of votes separating them. In the end, however, the win was claimed by the Númenorean, taking that crucial - but narrow - majority, 52% to 48%.
Now, two characters step into the arena for the last time this year: Galadriel squares off against Elendil. Both are creations from Tolkien himself - though deviating somewhat from canon, in their roles in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Will discrepancies between script and book sway your vote? Are you influenced by the actors playing the parts? As ever, it's up to you how you make your choice; both of these characters have a chance of becoming Champion of Middle-earth March Madness 2023. But there can be only one! And it's up to you to decide - VOTE NOW.
How does it work, you ask? Simple! Click on the orange button below. Then click the 'Vote Now' option that appears in the top left. And place your votes! Below, you'll find a reminder of the entire bracket thus far.
Vote in the Grand FinalYou have until the end of the day Tuesday April 4th to vote in this Grand Final. The winner will be revealed on TORn Tuesday - and then announced on the homepage after. This is the 12th Middle-earth March Madness tournament TORn has held; who will claim the crown this year? You decide - VOTE NOW!
Just when we thought casting had been finalized for season two of Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Amazon insiders have revealed an unexpected surprise.
Los Angeles, CA - Amazon Studios has announced that Orlando Bloom, break-out star of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, will appear in the next season of the The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Credit: Samir Hussein, WireimageDevelopers J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay confirmed that Bloom will appear in the second half of the season as Oropher – the grandfather of Legolas.
“J. D. was chatting with Orlando at an industry event and Orlando said that he wished he could step back into Middle-earth because he’d had so much fun the first time around,” said Patrick. “We put our heads together and came up with a way to have him play his own grandfather. This actually works well as Orlando is 25 years older than he was when the Fellowship of the Ring was filmed. Therefore, he’ll bring more depth and gravity to Oropher.”
Oropher was a Sindarin elf who led his people north to lands around the Mountains of Mirkwood. His motive was to move out of range of the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm and avoid the threat of Mordor. If the series continues through to the Battle of Dagorlad, we’ll get to see Oropher’s final battle and death.
Patrick wouldn’t give details of Oropher’s story arc but a source told TheOneRing.net that the character will be involved in the Silmaril storyline.
A separate source claims that Elijah Wood has also been approached for a cameo. However, John Rhys-Davies has flat-out refused to be involved in The Rings of Power because he “wouldn’t wear those bloody prosthetics again for all the jewels in Moria. Ishkhaqwi ai durugnul!”.
Since it was announced in February of this year that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema had secured a deal with Embracer Group to create more Middle-earth movies, fans have been waiting eagerly to hear what would be the first movie on the slate. (We already know, of course, about The War of the Rohirrim, due April 2024.) As it turns out, the next feature to be set in Tolkien's realms is not what one might have expected - though it does stay in the world of animation (and of course we did just see the release of the Rivendell LEGO set). We're thrilled that TORN has been given the exclusive to reveal: Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have announced today that a new Lord of the Rings LEGO movie is set to be released in 2025.
Here's the official press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW LINE CINEMA AND WARNER BROS. ANIMATION’S “THE LORD OF THE RINGS: A LEGO ADVENTURE' ARRIVES IN CINEMAS ON APRIL 1, 2025The Studio behind the cinematic blockbuster “Lord of the Rings” trilogy returns with an original animated film, bringing the legends of Middle-earth into the world of LEGO
BURBANK, CA, April 1, 2023 – Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that the animated movie 'The Lord of the Rings: A LEGO Adventure', from New Line Cinema and in partnership with The LEGO Group, will release in theaters on April 1, 2025.
This whimsical animated adaptation of the beloved, epic tale is set to hit theaters April 2025, bringing together fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary saga and LEGO enthusiasts alike, for an unforgettable journey through Middle-earth as it's never been seen before.
Esteemed actors Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis will both return to their respective roles as Gandalf and Gollum. The all-star voice cast also includes:
- Jim Broadbent as Bilbo Baggins, the eccentric and adventurous hobbit who sets the stage for Frodo's journey
- Austin Butler as Frodo Baggins, the courageous and unexpected hero on a quest to save Middle-earth
- James D'Arcy as Samwise Gamgee, Frodo's loyal gardener and self-appointed guardian
- Simon Pegg as Meriadoc Brandybuck, the wisest of Frodo's three Hobbit companions
- Nick Frost as Peregrin Took, the youngest of the Hobbits on this quest, mission, thing
- Chris Pine as Aragorn, the mighty and charismatic heir to the throne of Gondor
- Genevieve O'Reilly as Galadriel, the fierce and fabulous Elven queen, with unmatched power and style
- Michael Shannon as Denethor, the troubled steward of Gondor whose descent into madness is as captivating as it is chilling
A playful reimagining of the classic story, 'The Lord of the Rings: A LEGO Adventure' comes more than 22 years after the culmination of Sir Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy based on the iconic books by J.R.R. Tolkien. The films are among the most successful and acclaimed of all time, winning seventeen Oscars including eleven for “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,” tying the record for a single film. This new movie promises to be a blockbuster adventure that captures the heart and spirit of the original story, while adding a touch of humour and creativity that only the world of LEGO can provide.
"With Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis reprising their iconic roles as Gandalf and Gollum, we wanted to sew a thread of familiarity into this particular production," said Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. "At the same time, we wanted to bring new and surprising voices to the other characters to give them a fresh and unique take. We're confident that this talented group of actors will breathe new life into this classic tale, and we can't wait for audiences to experience this new journey through Middle-earth."
Animation work has been underway since last year; more exciting voice casting will be announced imminently. The film will be distributed theatrically worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema.
From sixty-four to just four: Middle-earth March Madness 2023, Rings of Power Edition has reached the Semi Final stage. Which are the characters who make up our Final Four? Let's take a look at how each bracket closed out.
Elves, Dwarves and MonstersOnly Elves remained from the trio of beings which started out in this bracket! Galadriel and Elrond, long time friends and supporters in The Rings of Power, came up against each other in the final round within the group, having conquered Durin and Disa in the Sweet Sixteen round.
Galadriel took the lead fairly early on in this dual, and she held her future son-in-law at bay throughout, claiming victory with 55% of votes.
Southlanders and MordoriansThe final showdown in this bracket was between Arondir and Halbrand, aka Sauron himself. One might have expected the Dark Lord to defeat the woodland Elf, and for a while indeed things looked to be heading that way. Elf fans surged to the polls late in the day, however, and Arondir emerged victorious, claiming 57% of the vote.
Harfoots and VisitorsAnother close battle took place in the Elite Eight in this bracket, with none of these first three pairs seeing victors who could get voting numbers up to 60%. Here we saw the Stranger go to battle against his ally 'Nori' Brandyfoot. The Harfoot never looked like she would be able to take the lead, and sure enough, in the end, the Stranger claimed 58% of the vote.
NúmenoreansThis bracket saw by far the easiest win in Round Four. Miriel, queen-regent of Númenor, was no match for sailor and warrior Elendil - and he showed no mercy on his liege lady, defeating her with 76% of the vote.
Now we leave our brackets behind, as the conquerors of each group move into the Final Four. The first Semi Final is another Elf against Elf match, as Galadriel squares up against Arondir. Surely a woodland Elf has no chance against one of the Noldor? In the second Semi Final, Elendil of Númenor faces an enigmatic foe - the Stranger. YOUR VOTE will decide who is defeated, and who progresses through to our Final, with the chance to become Champion for 2023.
How does it work, you ask? Simple! Click on one of the orange division buttons below. Then click the 'Vote Now' option that appears above the divisional bracket. This year you get to vote in each divisional match-up in one convenient and visual interface. Note - you need to click each division to vote in their respective brackets. So let's get voting!
Vote in the Final FourYou have until the end of the day Sunday April 2nd to vote in this Final Four round. Our grand Final then takes place at the start of next week; who will take home the crown this year? You decide - VOTE NOW!
On April 1, 2023, Twitter is sunsetting Verified blue checkmarks from the previous 15 years. Many actors, writers and production people were verified to prevent spoofing and shenanigans, so fans could be safe and secure knowing they are following the real person and not a fake or bot. Since most are expected not to pay for a bluecheck going forward, here's a handy list of all (we believe!) the official Twitter accounts of people involved with The Lord of the Rings:
- https://twitter.com/IanMcKellen
- https://twitter.com/bearmccreary
- https://twitter.com/MarkellaKavengh
- https://twitter.com/RobertAramayo
- https://twitter.com/karlurban
- https://twitter.com/LOTRonPrime
- https://twitter.com/leepace
- https://twitter.com/EmaHorvathh
- https://twitter.com/SeanAstin
- https://twitter.com/elijahwood
- https://twitter.com/DomsWildThings
- https://twitter.com/StephenJHunter1
- https://twitter.com/andyserkis
- https://twitter.com/RCArmitage
- https://twitter.com/TheRealLukevans
- https://twitter.com/CynthiaAddaiRob
- https://twitter.com/IsmaelC_C
- https://twitter.com/FindtheWalker
- https://twitter.com/SophiaNomvete
- https://twitter.com/NazaninBoniadi
- https://twitter.com/calamlynch94
- https://twitter.com/maximbaldry
- https://twitter.com/wetaworkshop
- https://twitter.com/brophyjed
- https://twitter.com/nicholashoult
- https://twitter.com/lilycollins
- https://twitter.com/domekarukoski
- https://twitter.com/Clarknova1
- https://twitter.com/LennyHenry
LOTR fans started to embrace twitter as a community platform during The Hobbit years, ultimately helping #VoteBilbo win an MTV Movie Award. Twitter became the default social network for many fans over the years, including the most recent focus on (and disagreements over) The Rings of Power. Billionaire Elon Musk bought the website in 2022 and spent the first 6 months downsizing the company and free features, making blue-check verification pay-to-play instead of on merit. Many celebrities deal with imposters on social media, tricking fans into giving money to fake accounts. It is generally expected that with the removal of "fame" verification, there will be more copycat accounts showing up. As Gandalf would tell us, 'Be on your guard!'
https://twitter.com/KarlUrban/status/1640725207986872321?s=20If we missed anyone, let us know in Discord and this post will be updated with the official accounts of our favorite LOTR people.
Already we are at the Elite Eight stage of Middle-earth March Madness 2023, Rings of Power Edition - just eight characters from the original 64 remain. Who is still in with a chance of becoming 2023's Champion?
Elves, Dwarves and MonstersIt was Elves versus Dwarves in the Sweet Sixteen round in this bracket, with the monsters already defeated. Galadriel faced Durin IV, while his wife Disa took on Elrond. We were expecting these battles to be real nail-biters; but in fact, the Elves had a reasonably easy time of it. Galadriel defeated Durin by taking 57% of the votes, and Elrond claimed almost two thirds of the votes in his dual with Disa. Sorry, Dwarf fans; Aulë's children are out of Middle-earth March Madness for this year.
Now the Elven friends face each other, in the final match within the bracket. Does the Halfelven have any chance against the daughter of Finarfin? Which of them will continue on to a potential battle against Sauron himself, in the Semi Finals? You decide - place your votes now!
Farewell to Durin and DisaSouthlanders and MordoriansThis one is perhaps a surprise; we were predicting that Adar would be the victor in this bracket. He's been defeated, however, by the archer Elf Arondir, in a 60/40 split of votes. Elves proved very popular in the Sweet Sixteen round!
The object of Arondir's affections, Bronwyn, was on the other side of a 60/40 split, with Halbrand aka Sauron conquering her, and thus lining up a confrontation with Arondir in the Final Four. (It would have been fun to see Adar and Halbrand battle it out; alas, it was not to be...) Elf against the Lord of the Rings himself; surely there is no contest? Unless the voters get behind the sylvan Elf; rally the troops if you want to see Arondir in the final!
Arondir and Halbrand once seemed to be on the same side; now we know otherwiseHarfoots and VisitorsIt seemed somewhat inevitable that this bracket would unfold as it has. The central story of the Harfoots in The Rings of Power is that of Elanor 'Nori' Brandyfoot and her friendship with the Stranger; so perhaps it is not surprising that those two should go all the way through the group, to face off against each other in the Final Four. Nori took three quarters of the vote in her victory over Sadoc Burrows. Poppy Proudfellow was able to put up a bit more of a fight against the Stranger, ultimately defeated but keeping him down to only 69% of the vote.
Who is the Stranger? Some kind of Istar? If so, how could a Harfoot possibly compete with him? But - if he is the Istar we think he might be, would he have the heart to overcome one of the ancestors of the Hobbits? Only you can decide!
Can Nori overcome the Stranger?NúmenoreansTwo political leaders of Númenor faced off in the Sweet Sixteen round: Miriel, daughter of the King, came up against the scheming Pharazôn. We thought the cunning fellow might just manage victory in this dual; but a little over two thirds of the votes went Miriel's way, so she remains undefeated.
Elendil's battle was a symbolic one, the White Tree itself standing between him and the Final Four. He took a metaphorical ax to the tree, claiming almost three quarters of the tally. How will the Númenorean captain do against his ruler in the Semi Final? That's up to you - vote now!
Will Elendil have the heart to overcome his Queen?By now you know what to do (but should anyone be just joining the game at this stage, we still have instructions below!) Only eight characters remain, and this round is the final one within the four brackets. It gets harder and harder to choose who stays in the contest; that's why we leave YOU to do the choosing!
How does it work, you ask? Simple! Click on one of the orange division buttons below. Then click the 'Vote Now' option that appears above the divisional bracket. This year you get to vote in each divisional match-up in one convenient and visual interface. Note - you need to click each division to vote in their respective brackets. So let's get voting!
Elves, Dwarves & MonstersSouthlanders and MordoriansHarfoots and VisitorsNúmenóreansYou have until the end of the day Friday March 31st to vote in this Quarter Final. The Final Four round will take place over the weekend - but who will be in it? You decide - VOTE NOW!
Middle-earth March Madness 2023, Rings of Power Edition moves into the Sweet Sixteen stage! Who is still standing, after two hotly contested rounds? Let's take a look...
Elves, Dwarves and MonstersRight out of the starting blocks, we're kicking off with an epic dual - Galadriel took on the Balrog! We were expecting to see this one be pretty tight, but in fact the Elven warrior defeated our winged (or not...) demon quite easily, with just over three quarters of the vote. Elrond had an even easier time of it, defeating Finrod Felagund with 82% of votes. The widest margin of victory in this bracket, however, was claimed by Durin IV, who raced home with 87% of the vote, conquering his father, Durin III.
The only close contest amongst these four was between Disa and Gil-galad; just over one hundred votes divided them, but the Dwarf was victorious in the end. She now faces her husband's good friend Elrond in the next round; whilst Durin himself comes up against Galadriel. Two Dwarf vs Elf match ups; which race will dominate?
Sophia Nomvete as DisaSouthlanders and MordoriansEvery dual in this bracket had a victor who romped home in a easy win. The widest margin was claimed by Arondir, who took 90% of the vote to defeat the Uruk Grugzak. Both with percentages of the vote around the 85% mark, Adar and Halbrand/Sauron conquered Revion and Vrath, respectively. Even Bronwyn showed no mercy to her son Theo, knocking him out of the competition by taking 83% of votes.
Now Bronwyn and Arondir must reenact some of the battling we saw from them in Season One of The Rings of Power, as they take on Halbrand and Adar. Can the Tirharadian healer defeat the Dark Lord in disguise? Will the sylvan Elf overcome the enigmatic Adar? You decide - vote now!
Nazanin Boniadi as Bronwyn; Ismael Cruz Córdova as ArondirHarfoots and VisitorsIt will come as no surprise to know that Malva Meadowgrass was not able to put up much of a fight against The Stranger; over 90% of the vote went to the wizard-ish character, who now takes on one of the first people he met in Season One - Poppy Proudfellow. She was facing her friend Nori's father in Round Two; Largo was sent home with less than a third of the vote.
That was the closest pairing in this bracket; but almost the same margin separated Largo's wife and the Harfoot elder Sadoc Burrows. Marigold joins her husband in defeat; in Middle-earth March Madness, if not in the show, Sadoc lives to fight another day!
Nori herself was up against her younger sibling Dilly, and she was ruthless in victory, taking 93% of the vote! Will she win so easily against Sadoc, in Round Three? That's up to you, as you place your votes!
Daniel Weyman as The StrangerNúmenoreansElendil was the character who claimed the highest single vote tally across all brackets in this round (with Durin III second, and Elanor Brandyfoot third). Valandil could only muster 6% of the vote against the Númenorean captain. Miriel also had a fairly straight forward match up, defeating Ontamo to send out the second of Isildur's friends.
Isildur himself put up a decent fight, but he joins his friends in defeat; the White Tree, with a little more than half the votes, managed to continue on into Round Three. It now faces Isildur's father; will Elendil prove to be a tougher foe for the icon of Númenor?
Finally in this fourth bracket, Pharazôn came up against Elendil's daughter, Earien. She put up more of a fight than might perhaps have been expected from this character; but in the end, Pharazôn won by a margin of 8%. He will now take on Miriel in Round Three - as, we suspect, he will in Season Two of The Rings of Power.
Cynthia Addai-Robinson as MirielSo now it's time for you to vote, in this Sweet Sixteen round! Pick your winners how you wish - toss a coin, throw a die, consult the oracle, read the runes... it's up to you. Vote however you like - but DO VOTE!
How does it work, you ask? Simple! Click on one of the orange division buttons below. Then click the 'Vote Now' option that appears above the divisional bracket. This year you get to vote in each divisional match-up in one convenient and visual interface. Note - you need to click each division to vote in their respective brackets. So let's get voting!
Elves, Dwarves & MonstersSouthlanders and MordoriansHarfoots and VisitorsNúmenóreansYou have until the end of the day Wednesday March 29th to vote in Round Three! Who will become the Elite Eight? You decide - VOTE NOW!
Middle-earth March Madness 2023, Rings of Power Edition is well underway. Round One closed yesterday, after thousands of votes were cast; today we launch Round Two.
As ever with March Madness, we began with 64 competitors - this year, all characters from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Now, half of those who entered the fray have been defeated. Who remains?
Elves, Dwarves and MonstersLet's begin with a look at this first bracket. Most of the contests here were not close at all: Galadriel, Durin III, Durin IV, Gil-galad, Disa, Finrod and Elrond all took well over 1,000 votes to secure victory. (Durin IV, with over 1,500 votes, took the most votes of any character in all of Round One; but Elrond and Galadriel were close behind.) Of the Elves and Dwarves, only Celebrimbor struggled. To be fair, he was pitted against a Balrog - a fight which would challenge even Gandalf. With a margin of less than 200 votes, the Balrog was victorious! Now Galadriel will take on this mighty foe, in Round Two. All of the pairings in this second round will be nail-biters: Finrod Felagund goes up against Elrond, Disa faces Gil-galad, and father and son go toe to toe, as Durin III confronts Durin IV. Your vote decides who will continue on to Round Three!
Benjamin Walker as Gil-galadSouthlanders and MordoriansMoving on: in this bracket, there were a few slightly closer battles. For the most part, however, the results were as one might expect. Not surprisingly, Adar was the most popular character in this bracket - and he easily beat his opponent, Tredwill from Tirharad, taking 95% of the vote. Other victors who claimed over 90% of the vote in their duals were elven archer Arondir over young Rowan; Rowan's friend Theo over Abigail (one of the folks on Halbrand's raft); and Theo's mother Bronwyn, over the other raft gal, Astrid. Halbrand was victorious over the Uruk Magrat, but he didn't quite make a 90% clearance, taking 87% of the votes in this pairing.
Elf went against Elf, with Revion the Watchwarden defeating Arondir's comedy sidekick Medhor by a surprisingly wide margin of threequarters of the votes cast. The sole battle of Uruk versus Uruk was closer, but not much; Vrath beat Bazur with a convincing two thirds of the tally. Now Vrath comes up against Halbrand - or is it Sauron? Either way, he is surely a fearsome foe.
The really close fight in this bracket was Waldreg, the old man of the village who turned out - spoiler! - to be an ally of Sauron's, against Grugzuk. In perhaps the first upset of the tournament, the Uruk won; but there were fewer than 100 votes in it. Grugzuk faces Arondir in Round Two; can he pull off another upset?
The final two second round pairings in this bracket are Adar against Revion - surely an easy one to predict? - and a tricky challenge of mother against son, as Bronwyn takes on Theo.
Tyroe Muhafidin as TheoHarfoots and VisitorsOur third bracket contained the closest match of Round One. Just over 60 votes separated Dilly Brandyfoot (Nori's young sibling) from Harfoot elder Vilma, but it was the youngster who made it through. Most of the pairings were a bit closer overall in this group. Easy victories were secured by Nori Brandyfoot and Sadoc Burrows. Marigold and Largo Brandfoot had to fight harder, but both won in the end. The evil trio - The Nomad, The Ascetic and The Dweller - are all out, vanquished by Marigold, Malva Meadowgrass, and Nori's friend Poppy respectively. Finally, it is surely not surprising that the 'hunters' (aka Nomadic Antlered Big People) were easily conquered by The Stranger - who will surely make light work of Malva in Round Two?
The other matchups coming up in this bracket are perhaps not so easily decided. Nori faces her own sibling, Dilly; Marigold goes up against Sadoc; and Largo must face Poppy. It's hard to choose four to go through from that group - but choose you must, as you place your votes!
Dylan Smith as Largo, Markella Kavenagh as Elanor (Nori), and Megan Richards as PoppyNúmenoreansFinally, in the fourth bracket we travel to Númenor. Cruising through Round One are Elendil, the White Tree, Pharazôn, and Miriel - the big hitters of the group. Perhaps surprisingly, the frail king Tar-Palantir was defeated by Isildur's friend Valandil; it's hard to imagine Valandil pulling off another upset, though, as he faces Elendil in the next round.
Alas, Berek (Isildur's horse) fought well, but faithful to the last, ultimately he let his master win - so Isildur goes through to Round Two, though with fewer than 300 votes in it. Now he faces that icon which will later mean so much to the men of Middle-earth - the White Tree.
Kemen may be a smooth talker, but he could not talk his way to victory against Isildur's friend Ontamo - who now takes on Miriel in Round Two. Pharazôn's next challenge will be against Isildur's sister Earien, who defeated the Sail Master without too much difficulty.
Who will still remain, when 32 is cut to Sweet Sixteen? YOU decide! As ever, how you decide is entirely up to you. Get out your D&D dice and play out the duals! Rewatch the show and decide which performances you liked best. Vote based on apparent levels of personal hygiene, should you wish (though it's unclear how that would apply to the White Tree - but we all have our systems...) It's up to you; but don't take too long. Now is the time to place your votes in Round Two!
How does it work, you ask? Simple! Click on one of the orange division buttons below. Then click the 'Vote Now' option that appears above the divisional bracket. This year you get to vote in each divisional match-up in one convenient and visual interface. Note - you need to click each division to vote in their respective brackets. So let's get voting!
Elves, Dwarves & MonstersSouthlanders and MordoriansHarfoots and VisitorsNúmenóreansYou have until the end of the day Monday March 27th to vote in Round Two! Look out for a Live Stream Results show that evening, to see who has survived to fight another day. On we go!
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on March 25th:
- The Captains of the West come to the Black Gate (3019)
- The Host is surrounded on the Slag-hills (3019)
- Downfall of Barad-dûr and the passing of Sauron (3019)
- Frodo and Samwise reach the Sammath Naur (3019)
- Gollum seizes the Ring and falls in the Cracks of Doom (3019)
- Minas Tirith (3019)
- Gondor proclaims their New Year (3019)
- Frodo comes home (3020)
- Birth of Elanor the Fair, daughter of Samwise (3021)
- The First "Tolkien Reading Day" (2003)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
March 25, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The Captains of the West come to the Black Gate.
(not from the appendices)
"No choice was left them but to play their part to its end. Therefore Aragorn now set the host in such array as could best be contrived..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 201-208 RotK)
2. The Host is surrounded on the Slag-hills.
(from the appendices)
"Down from the hills on either side of the Morannon poured Orcs innumerable. The men of the West were trapped..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 201-208 RotK)
3. Downfall of Barad-dûr and the passing of Sauron.
(from the appendices)
"...under the wings of the Nazgul the shadows of death fell dark upon the earth Aragorn stood beneath his banner, silent and stern... ...Upon the hill-top stood Gandalf, and he was white and cold and no shadow fell upon him..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 278-280 RotK)
4. Frodo and Samwise reach the Sammath Naur.
(from the appendices)
"The path climbed on... ...and came to the dark door in the Mountain's side, the door of the Sammath Naur... ...all Mordor lay about the Mountain like a dead land, silent, shadow-folded, waiting for some dreadful stroke. Sam came to the gaping mouth and peered in..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 273-274 RotK)
5. Gollum seizes the Ring and falls in the Cracks of Doom.
(from the appendices)
"Sam got up... ...dazed, and blood from his head dripped in his eyes. He groped forward, and then he saw a strange and terrible thing. Gollum on the edge of the abyss was fighting like a mad thing with an unseen foe..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 274-282 RotK)
6. Minas Tirith
(from the appendices)
"And so the fifth day came since the Lady Éowyn went first to Faramir; and they stood now together once more upon the wall of the City and looked out..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 295-298 RotK)
7. Gondor proclaims their New Year on this date
(not from the appendices)
"[Gandalf speaking to Sam]...in Gondor the New Year will always now begin upon the twenty-fifth of March when Sauron fell, and when you were brought out of the fire to the King..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 283 RotK)
March 25, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. Frodo comes home.
(not from the appendices)
"Sam stayed at first at the Cottons' with Frodo; but when the New Row was ready he went with the Gaffer."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 376 RotK)
March 25, 3021 (S.R. 1421)
1. Birth of Elanor the Fair, daughter of Samwise.
(from the appendices)
"Frodo was ill again in March, but with a great effort he concealed it... ...Sam had other things to think about..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 378 RotK)
March 25, 2003
The First "Tolkien Reading Day"
Launched in 2003 by the 'Tolkien Society', this annual event is a celebration of J.R.R. Tolkien's works.
Two handwritten letters, from J.R.R. Tolkien to the British Council, have been uncovered by a volunteer at the National Archives in Kew.
In a recently published blog, we are told: 'The correspondence centres on Tolkien’s research collaboration with Simonne d’Ardenne, a former student of his at Oxford, who shared his academic interest in historical languages.'
It's always exciting to uncover new items related to the Professor - and especially to see that familiar and unique handwriting. The letters will remain at the National Archives, added to the previously catalogued Tolkien correspondence in their collection. You can read more about this unearthed treasure here.
Begun by The Tolkien Society in 2003, March 25th - the date of the downfall of Barad-dûr - is Tolkien Reading Day, a day to celebrate the works and worlds of the Professor. This year, something special is in the works, for your listening pleasure!
In May of last year, we let you know about an exciting project by composer and sound engineer Jordan Rannells. He is creating 'an immersive audio soundscape' - music and ambient sounds to create a world around you, as you read The Lord of the Rings.
Tomorrow you can experience some of this incredible audio adventure. Rannells is joining with the folks from ArdaCraft to create a live stream event, where parts of The Fellowship of the Ring will be read over the corresponding chapters of Rannell's A Long-Expected Soundscape. This 10-hour (or so!) stream will include guest readers from the Prancing Pony Podcast, James Tauber of the Digital Tolkien Project, and more - including TORn's own staffer greendragon, who'll pop in briefly early on in the proceedings! ArdaCraft will be providing the visuals.
The whole thing kicks off at 1pm EDT tomorrow, Saturday 25th March, and you can join the live stream here. The event will only be available live - you won't be able to catch it later - but of course you can drop in and out as your day permits. Spend a little - or a lot! - of Reading Day immersed in Middle-earth, courtesy of these amazing, creative folks.
Watch the video below for a little more information about the event; then join the fun from 1pm EDT tomorrow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcgiRpWs6Ds
“Tired he is, thirsty he is, yes thirsty; and he guides them and he searches for paths, and they say sneak, sneak.” (The Two Towers: The Stairs of Cirith Ungol)
First teased in 2020, expected in 2022, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum game will finally be released May 25th this year. Jeremy Edmonds (@TolkienGuide) represented TORn at a recent virtual event with Daedalic Entertainment; he shares his thoughts on the upcoming game:
A few weeks ago, Daedalic invited TheOneRing.net and others to a special hands-on playthrough session of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, followed by a Q&A session with Tolkien lore expert Damiri Knapheide. With almost an hour of playtime across many levels, I had the chance to see a bit of the world they have created, and the lovely chat with Damiri did nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for a full playthrough on release day, May 25th.
As a casual gamer on the best of days, I was not the easiest guest for our hosts to guide through each level - we had many a laugh at my ineptitude with various controller skills, but I was still having a blast, and didn’t feel like I was in over my head or wouldn’t enjoy the game at my own speed and skill level. The gameplay is focused on stealth, but I was here for the story driven experience - seeing Mirkwood and Mordor through the eyes of talented artists, who clearly have a passion and deep respect for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
The team chose as their backdrop the period of time between Bilbo’s escape from the goblins in The Hobbit, and when the fellowship enters the Mines of Moria in The Lord of the Rings. What happened with Sméagol/Gollum in those years? The books tell us a few tidbits of information, for example through Gandalf’s exposition and in the Appendices - this game connects those dots into a coherent story. The dual (dueling?) personalities are at the forefront in this game’s morality system, with many opportunities to choose different actions and responses based on your preference for whether you feel like Slinker or Stinker (Sam’s words) at the time. These choices affect the game play significantly - we were told that one level is completely different based on your morality choices to that point.
I was impressed with the narrative department at Daedalic, represented in this session by Damiri Knapheide. It’s a tough job with many people watching carefully - complex rights issues around books (some usable, some not), movie and media representations, and a very particular fan-base. Damiri’s passion and knowledge were obvious to me, and I definitely look forward to having more opportunities to chat with him informally in the future if the opportunity arises. Even in the brief hour I had to wander in their game, there were scores of subtle background nods to the wider corpus, and backstories for prominent lore figures that were alive at this time.
With an estimated 25-30 hour playthrough time and the chance to play multiple times making different choices in the morality system, I only had a glimpse of all the game has to offer. A challenge with a game of this nature, squeezed in between two fixed points in time and character development, the question remains - can Daedalic tell a good story, where your choices have an impact, and yet end with the same Sméagol/Gollum as we know him when he meets up with Frodo and Sam in the books? I look forward to finding out.
Be sure to check out the new story trailer on YouTube.
Here is today’s press announcement for the game release:
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum™ Slinks Out of the Shadows on May 25th
The story-driven adventure across Middle-earth arrives this May for PC and consoles— Sméagol will swear it on the Precious!
Hamburg, Germany, March 23rd, 2023 - Today Daedalic Entertainment and NACON announced that their highly anticipated adventure game, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, will release to PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on May 25th. A version for Nintendo Switch™ is planned for later this year. Based on the beloved The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien, the fantasy game takes players on an epic journey across Middle-earth, starring one of the lore‘s most compelling characters: Sméagol - Gollum, Gollum.
Check out fresh gameplay from Middle-earth, with insights from the developers inspired by the iconic lore. Daedalic and Nacon will stream a special showcase at 06:30 pm CET on Twitch today.
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is a story-driven action adventure. Embark on a perilous journey as Gollum, chasing the only thing that is precious to you. Climb, leap, and sneak your way past dangers or into advantageous spots. Gollum is skillful and sly, and torn by a split personality. It is up to you to decide whether to yield to the darker side of Gollum or trust the kinder gentler hint of Sméagol.
Co-published by Daedalic Entertainment and NACON, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is developed by a small team of passionate Tolkienites at Daedalic Entertainment in partnership with Middle-earth Enterprises. The game will release on PC, PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch™. A physical edition for consoles will also be available.
The new story trailer on Youtube.
About NACON
NACON is a company of the BIGBEN Group founded in 2019 to optimize its know-how through strong synergies in the video game market. By bringing together its 16 development studios, the publishing of AA video games, the design and distribution of premium gaming devices, NACON focuses 30 years of expertise at the service of players. This new unified business unit strengthens NACON's position in the market and enables it to innovate by creating new unique competitive advantages. https://corporate.nacongaming.com/
About Daedalic Entertainment
Daedalic Entertainment publishes and develops high-quality games for all platforms. The company has a diverse line-up of high-quality titles, including classic adventures, RPGs, and strategy and multiplayer games. With an international team of around 100 employees, Daedalic is currently developing a new line-up of innovative games across consoles, PC, and mobile platforms.
Based in Hamburg, Germany, Daedalic is one of Europe’s most acclaimed publishers and developers. With a total of 32 awards in the German Developers Award (including multiple accolades for 'Studio of the Year') and 12 German Computer Game Awards for genre-defining games such as Deponia, Edna & Harvey, Silence, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth, The Long Journey Home, and State of Mind, Daedalic is a record holder for the two most prestigious game awards in Germany. Recent publishing hits include Barotrauma, Unrailed!, Iratus: Lord of the Dead, Partisans 1941 and more.
Daedalic is currently developing The Lord of the Rings – Gollum. The story-driven adventure tells the story of Gollum from a perspective never witnessed before in any storytelling media, all the while staying faithful to the legendary books of J.R.R. Tolkien.
About Middle-earth Enterprises
Middle-earth created by J.R.R. Tolkien is the definitive, deepest, richest and most beloved fantasy world of our time. As its stewards and custodians, our goal is to consistently deliver a wealth of great content in both new, and known formats; to ensure Middle-earth’s rightful place as the world’s leading fantasy IP and brand, forever.
Inspired by our deep appreciation for the fictional world created by Professor Tolkien, we are dedicated to working with those providing highest quality products in accordance with best green business and sustainability practices, including fair trade, equality in the workplace, and a commitment to protect our earth, its wondrous beauty and the viability of every living creature. Middle-earth Enterprises has been producing and licensing films, merchandise, services, and live stage productions based upon The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit books, for more than four decades. www.middleearth.com.
Middle-earth March Madness 2023, Rings of Power Edition begins today. Staffer Garfeimao has taken a closer look at the 64 competitors in this year's bracket, to help you as you make your choices. Take a look at what she has to say; and then head on over to the March Madness launch to vote in Round One!
Introducing the 2023 edition of Middle-earth March Madness, featuring characters and beasts from Season One of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. For the next couple of weeks, fans everywhere will have a chance to chime in on their favorite characters - and who they are OK allowing to drop by the side of the road, Harfoot style. Season One had a lot of individual characters sprinkled across numerous realms, but a 64 slot bracket was just a little bit bigger. So, you will see a few very interesting entries, some quite whimsical and fun. Here are the four brackets for you to make your choices from:
Elves, Dwarves and Monsters It may seem like a strange combination, but there are fewer named characters in these categories, which allows us to cover other realms on their own. (Round One will present 32 different match-ups, divided into four brackets; this is the first bracket.)
Round One, Bracket One will see Galadriel, the Commander of the Northern Army at the #1 seed up against the 16th seed Elven Loremaster in Eregion, while Celebrimbor is up against the Balrog. The Loremaster in Eregion may be a little outgunned by Galadriel, but pitting Celebrimbor against a Balrog in the first round could go any direction.
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel Our #5 seed, the King of Khazad-dûm, Durin III is up against one of his grandkids, this one being the 12th seeded Gerda. We’ll get to the other kid shortly, but the next contest pits their dad, Durin IV (in the #4 seed - funny how that worked out for him!) against Rian, a member of Galadriel’s fighting unit, at seed 13. It is fair to guess that two Dwarves will make it out of this section of Bracket One, and allow Rian to vanish into Valinor.
The High King of the Noldor, Gil-galad is the 6th seed, going up against the most outspoken Elf in Galadriel’s battle unit, Thondir, at the 11th seed. Meanwhile, our #3 seed is Disa, one of the Resonators singing to the rocky caverns in Khazad-dûm, who is up against her own child, #14 seed Gamli. This is going to be a tougher section of the Bracket - lots of emotional repercussions in who moves forward and who fades away.
The last section of this first Bracket has a couple of heavy hitters, in that we have two monsters going up two very popular Elven characters. The #7 seed is Finrod Felagund, brother to Galadriel, facing off against the 10th seed Worm (or Fish Dragon) that attacks the raft that Galadriel and Halbrand are on. On the other side, the #2 seed Elrond is facing down the Ice Troll that attacked Galadriel’s unit. (Seems like Galadriel is the common denominator with some of these beasties!)
Owain Arthur as Durin IV; Sophia Nomvete as DisaSouthlanders and MordoriansThis second Bracket has Elves, Men, Orcs and/or Uruks - and someone who isn’t what he seems. This would appear to be a simple Good vs Evil bracket; but with a few shades of grey mixed into a few characters, it’s not going to be quite so easy to move through this Bracket.
Round One, Bracket Two starts off with a bang with our #1 seed, Adar, the mysterious leader of the band of Orcs secretly working on building tunnels, up against Tredwill, the farmer with the poisoned cow. The other half of this section has 8th seed Revion, the Warden of the Elven unit watching over the Southlanders, up against another member of that Elven unit, Medhor, companion to Arondir.
Joseph Mawle as AdarThe #5 seed here is Waldreg, the former owner of the broken, evil looking sword up, against Grugzuk, the 12th seed Orc who is covered in dragon skin clothing in order to survive the sun when trying to control the Elven captives. The other half of this section pits Arondir and his 'kick-buttitude' acrobatics and fight skills up against the young, rebellious Rowan (who - spoiler! - had a sad ending).
The next section is all human, with young Theo at #6, with a black cloud hanging over his head - unless his mother can find a way to keep him safe, even from himself. He’s up against Abigail, one of the survivors on the raft that is attacked by the Fish Dragon. The other contest in this section has another raft survivor in 14th seed: Astrid, who appears quite terrified, up against the #3 seed Healer of the Southlands, Bronwyn, mother to Theo.
Nazanin Boniadi as BronwynThe final section is all baddies - but possibly only one has the charisma to propel him far into this contest. Our #7 seed, Vrath, was covered in the same dragon skin seen on many of the Orcs in charge of the Elven captives. He’s up against Bazur at the #10 seed, one of the first Orcs we saw in the trailers, with that spikey helmut of his. The second race pits #2 seed Halbrand/Sauron - ready to plot his next move - against #15 seed Magrot, who has arguably the best name of the various Orcs!
Harfoots and Visitors The Harfoots are experts in hiding in plain sight, which must be really helpful when you have so many unwelcome visitors in your midst. They feel both familiar and very strange, in that some of their customs in the Second Age don’t mesh with what they become in the late Third Age.
Round One, Bracket Three gives us #1 seed Elanor ‘Nori’ Brandyfoot, the always curious and adventurous young Harfoot who changes the lives of her entire clan. She is up against the 16th seeded Wolves, as Nori calls them. Her youngest sibling, Dilly Brandyfoot, sits on the #8 seed and is in contest against #9 seed Vilma, one of the elder Harfoots with sage words of advice to the younglings.
Markella Kavenagh as Nori BrandyfootThe second part of the 3rd Bracket includes #5 seed Marigold Brandyfoot, mother to Dilly and Nori. She’s cautious, loving and fairly wise. She’s up against 12th seed The Nomad, one of the three seekers chasing down who might have been in the Meteor - a very menacing presence, to be sure. The #4 seed is Sadoc Burrows, the elder leader of the clan, full of knowledge and a way to read the signs. He’s in competition with Malva’s Sister, the #13 seed, who is a bit superstitious and always worried about every little sign being evil and full of danger. She’s not wrong; just not focused all the time.
Our third section in Bracket Three has some very interesting matchups. #6 seed Largo Brandyfoot is the patriarch of the Brandyfoot clan, father to Dilly and Nori and husband to Marigold, and he seems to share Nori’s curiosity. He’s up against the Fireflies the Harfoots use to light up their lanterns. We have another one of the seekers, The Dweller (with a somewhat freaky, alien-like presence), as the #14 seed up against #3 Poppy Proudfellow, orphan and best friend to Nori; she is very much the Samwise Gamgee of this series.
Megan Richards as Poppy ProudfellowThe final part of this third section has the last of the three seekers, The Ascetic, (the one with the odd mirror device), at seed #10, going up against #7 Malva Meadowgrass, one of the Harfoot elder women who consult frequently with Sadoc. At #15, we have the Nomadic Antlered Big People, called Hunters by the Harfoots, up against #2, The Stranger, also known as Meteor Man, someone who’s presence has upset the apple cart, so to say, amongst the close-knit Harfoots.
NúmenoreansWe finally got to see Númenor and their culture expressed for the first time on screen, and it was glorious! Some of The Lord of the Rings biggest heroes come from the star-shaped Island. We know that there is a schism coming to Númenor; and now we have our own contest of sorts among the citizens of the island nation.
Round One, Bracket Four gives us our #1 seed in Elendil, a ship's captain, single father of three adult children, and one of the Faithful, in contest with #16 The Librarian that Elendil takes Galadriel to visit. We have an even larger age differential with our #8 seed in Tar-Palantir, the deposed King of Númenor and father to Miriel, going up against Valandil, friend to Isildur and Ontamo, and a very ambitious young man, as the #9 seed.
Lloyd Owen as ElendilIf you are looking for Signs and Portents (sorry, couldn’t resist the Babylon 5 reference here), look no further than The White Tree at seed #5, which sheds its petals when danger and impending doom is coming to Númenor. The competition is #12 seed Tamar, a friend of Pharazôn, who is willing to get physical to assist in his cause. The other race here is going to be hard on everyone: #4 seed Isildur, a washed-up sailor who misses his brother, goes up against his own horse, #13 Berek. How is this even a fair contest? - the two are mostly inseparable.
The third section of the fourth Bracket starts with #6 seed Earien, daughter of Elendil (and - spoiler! -someone who will probably end up on the side of the King’s Men, rather than align with the Faithful as the rest of her family clearly do). She is up against the Sail Master of the Númenorian Navy at #11 seed: “The Sea is always Right”, but is it always victorious? The next line up is #3 seed Pharazôn versus #14 seed Edda, Miriel’s handmaiden.
Trystan Gravelle as PharazônOur final section in Bracket Four, and last batch of contests, begins with #7 seed Kemen, son of Pharazôn, who seems to be drawn to Earien and is possibly as ambitious as his father; just not quite sneaky enough to impress his patriarch! He goes up against Ontamo, the #10 seed and friend to Isildur and Valendil, and the peace-maker between his two more intense friends. And our final battle is between #15 seed the Blacksmith, (the one whom Halbrand tries to bribe to give him a job), up against #2 seed in Queen Miriel, a secret member of the Faithful, dancing on the edge in order to appear as non-partisan as possible in court.
That’s our full line-up! We can’t wait to see what you, the fans, do with all these characters. You have until end of day Friday 24th to place your votes!
It is the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere; which means it's time for March Madness! This year, TheOneRing.net brings you Middle-earth March Madness 2023, Rings of Power Edition.
Looking back on Season One of the Prime Video show - and pondering what may be in store in Season Two - our 64 competitors are all characters from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Who was your favourite amongst the Harfoots ('Harfeet!')? Who would win in a showdown between Prince Durin and his father? Will Elendil eventually go up against his own son? YOU decide!
How you decide, of course, is up to you. You may choose to revisit the show on Prime Video and refresh your memory of the plot lines. Perhaps your vote is based on which actors you most enjoyed in their roles; or perhaps you'll vote according to the characters you felt remained closest to how they appear in the pages of Tolkien's books. Or maybe you'll just toss a coin! It's up to you; but however you decide, now is the time to place your votes!
How does it work, you ask? Simple! Click on one of the orange division buttons below. Then click the 'Vote Now' option that appears above the divisional bracket. This year you get to vote in each divisional match-up in one convenient and visual interface. Note - you need to click each division to vote in their respective brackets. So let's get voting!
Elves, Dwarves & MonstersSouthlanders and MordoriansHarfoots and VisitorsNúmenóreansYou have until the end of the day Friday March 24th to vote in Round One; on Saturday 25th we'll announce winners and open voting for Round Two! Let the games begin!
Prime Video have announced the final new cast members who will play recurring roles in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season Two.
The three actors are, as with previously announced new cast, acclaimed stalwarts of British television and theatre, with impressive credentials and long pedigrees of excellent work. It is exciting to see Rings of Power welcoming such talent to the fold, and bodes well for the quality of the show to come. (You can read about the rest of the new cast members announced for Season Two here and here.)
Here's the official press release:
Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear, and Tanya Moodie Join Cast of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for Season TwoMar 20, 2023
All three acclaimed actors join the existing cast of the global hit series in recurring roles for the forthcoming second season, currently in production in the UK
CULVER CITY, California—March 20, 2023—The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which has been viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide and has been an unprecedented global success as the top Original series for Prime Video in every region in its first season, has announced that acclaimed actors Ciarán Hinds, Rory Kinnear, and Tanya Moodie have joined the series’ cast in recurring roles for the forthcoming second season, currently in production in the UK.
CIARÁN HINDSCIARÁN HINDS
Nominated for both an Oscar and a BAFTA Award as Best Supporting Actor for his performance as “Pop” in Kenneth Branagh’s film Belfast, acclaimed actor Ciarán Hinds has had an illustrious career on both stage and screen. He has starred in such films as Steven Spielberg’s Munich, Martin Scorsese’s Silence, There Will be Blood, Road to Perdition, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, In Bruges, The Phantom of the Opera, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Persuasion, First Man, Amazing Grace, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and The Eclipse, a role for which he was awarded Best Actor at the Tribeca Film Festival. He is also known for his voice role as “Grand Pabbie” the Troll King in the animated films Frozen and Frozen II.
Television audiences know Hinds from his roles as “Mance Rayder” in Game of Thrones (HBO) and “Julius Caesar” in Rome (HBO) as well as starring roles in The English (BBC/Prime Video), Ivanhoe (A&E), Above Suspicion (ITV), Political Animals (USA), and Prime Suspect 3 (ITV). He most recently appeared in the comedy-drama series The Dry (BritBox).
Hinds’ wide-ranging theatre credits include Uncle Vanya, Translations, The Girl from the North Country, Hamlet, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Burnt by the Sun, Closer, The Seafarer, and many others. He toured internationally in Peter Brook’s company in The Mahabharata and has played leading roles at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court, the Donmar Warehouse, and the National Theatre.
RORY KINNEARRORY KINNEAR
Rory Kinnear is an award-winning British actor, perhaps best known for his role as “Bill Tanner” in the James Bond films Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, and Spectre. Kinnear recently starred in Alex Garland’s Men, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and saw him nominated for a BIFA award. Other recent film credits include Bank of Dave, Mike Leigh’s Peterloo, Broken (for which he won Best Supporting Actor at the BIFAs), and the Academy Award- and BAFTA Award-nominated The Imitation Game. Kinnear’s TV credits include Inside No. 9 (BBC), Penny Dreadful (Sky Atlantic), Southcliffe (Channel 4, for which he was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor), Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror (Channel 4), and the dramaLucan (ITV) in which he starred in the title role. He can currently be seen in Taika Waititi’s series Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max).
Kinnear is hugely respected for his theatre work, winning Best Actor at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in 2010 for his performances in Measure for Measure (Almeida Theatre) and Hamlet (National Theatre), and again in 2013 for his performance as “Iago” in Othello (National Theatre), for which he also received an Olivier Award for Best Actor. He previously won an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as “Sir Fopling Flutter” in The Man of Mode in 2008, and was nominated twice before for his performances in Hamlet and Burnt by the Sun. Most recently, Kinnear starred in Force Majeure at the Donmar Warehouse. Kinnear is also an award-winning playwright, penning his debut play The Herd in 2013. He made his directorial debut with the English National Opera’s production of The Winter’s Tale in 2017.
TANYA MOODIETANYA MOODIE
Tanya Moodie is an acclaimed British actress who won the Royal Television Society’s Breakthrough Award for the role of “Meg” in the BAFTA Award-winning comedy Motherland (BBC). Her numerous television roles include starring as “Hunter” in the miniseries adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere (BBC), as well as roles in Tin Star (Sky Atlantic), A Discovery of Witches (Sky One), The Man Who Fell to Earth (Showtime), and Sherlock (BBC).
Some of Moodie’s recent film roles include J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker as “General Parnadee” and Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light as “Delia.”
In the theatre, Moodie is a two-time Olivier Award nominee for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for her roles in Intimate Apparel and The House That Will Not Stand. She played “Gertrude” in Simon Godwin’s production of Hamlet for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her performance as “Rose” opposite Lenny Henry in August Wilson’s Fences in the West End earned her a WhatsOnStage Awards nomination for Best Actress. She was nominated for a UK Theatre Award for Best Performance for her role in Trouble in Mind, and she has received additional Best Actress nominations from the London Evening Standard Theatre Awards and the UK Theatre Awards. Moodie studied at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she was later employed as an associate teacher and council member.
All eight first season episodes are now available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in multiple languages.
The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
The first season of The Rings of Power has been an unprecedented success, viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, with more than 24 billion minutes streamed. The highly anticipated series attracted more than 25 million global viewers on its first day, marking the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video, and also debuted as the No. 1 show on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart in its opening weekend. The show has also broken all previous Prime Video records for the most viewers, and has driven more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than any other previous content. Additionally, The Rings of Power is the top Original series in every region—North America, Europe, APAC, LATAM, and the rest of the world. The season finale also created a global cultural moment, with multiple series-themed hashtags, including #TheRingsofPower and others, trending in 27 countries across Twitter for over 426 cumulative hours throughout the weekend.
Season Two of the series is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison, along with co-executive producer Charlotte Brandstrom, producers Kate Hazell and Helen Shang, and co-producers Andrew Lee, Matthew Penry-Davey, and Clare Buxton.
Oxford's venerable and venerated Bodleian Libraries lecture scheduled for 28 March
This year's Oxford Literary Festival offers something special for Tolkienists: a lecture and question-and-answer session with the co-editor and contributing authors of The Great Tales Never End: In Memory of Christopher Tolkien: Richard Ovenden, John Garth, and Stuart Lee.
Christopher Tolkien carried the legacy of his father, JRR Tolkien, for decades. With accomplishments like bringing The Silmarillion to publication, Christopher helmed the the 2nd generation of The Professor's vision and lifelong passion, creating the stories of Middle-earth.
The Secret Fire burns brightly in today's generation of Tolkien scholars! This trio, moderated by Oxford's first Tolkien-studies PhD candidate, Grace Khuri, is bound to delight and intrigue.
For more information: Oxford Literary Festival the Great Tales Never End
Learn more about co-editor Richard Ovenden and contributing authors John Garth and Stuart Lee.
What is The Silmarillion? Spend 45 minutes with Ms. Khuri listening to her outstanding podcast, What is the 'Silmarillion'?, for a backgrounder on Tolkien himself, a walk through the 'story,' and a scholarly exploration of the many influences on Tolkien's creation of this masterpiece.
I feel it in the earth... I smell it in the air... It's almost time for Middle-earth March Madness 2023!
But what will the theme be this year? Who (or what) will be the 64 competitors who enter the fray, each hoping to win YOUR vote and become the Champion for 2023?
All will be revealed next week. Meanwhile you can take a look at last year's 'Battle of the Ages' here. Get ready to play along; it's the deep breath before the plunge...
Last September we shared with you the beautiful stamps and pins the good folks at NZ Post released, to celebrate twenty years since Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was released. Now a stunning pair of coins is available, celebrating those towers (or at least one version of what Tolkien may have meant by his 'Two Towers' title!) Here's what NZ Post's press release tells us:
After 12 long months of eagerly anticipating part two of the trilogy, in late December 2002 fans were rewarded with the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. After the unbridled success of The Fellowship of the Ring, which was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, the second instalment had a tough act to follow. Nevertheless, the enthusiastic audiences for the sequel ensured it was not only the highest grossing film of that year but, at the time of its release, the third-highest grossing film of all time.
The principal photography for all three The Lord of the Rings films took place in New Zealand from 11 October 1999 to 22 December 2000. New Zealand’s mountains, rivers, forests, fields and plains all played a part, and vast studio sets stood in for the more fantastical environments required to build the world of Middle-earth. Weta Digital, the creator of visual effects for the trilogy, doubled its staff for the vast post-production requirements presented by The Two Towers, with challenges that included a large-scale battle scene and the digital rendering of a speaking character.
Thousands of everyday New Zealanders played a part in contributing to this film – from a stadium full of cricket spectators recording an Uruk-hai war cry, to local equestrians riding their horses as extras in the plains of Rohan. Most Kiwis will recognise at least one place as their New Zealand, whether it’s a favourite walking spot near their home or a family holiday destination. The Two Towers is part of a larger legacy left by the trilogy, which gave countless New Zealanders unique experiences, memories to cherish and stories to tell for generations to come.
Minted from 0.999 silver, this set of coins features each of the towers alluded to in the film’s title – Orthanc, the stronghold of evil wizard Saruman, and Barad-dur, where the spirit of the Dark Lord Sauron resides. The coins have a black proof finish and selective colour highlights the detail of Sacha Lees’ artwork.
Set of two silver coins
Features the two towers alluded to in the film’s title
The obverse of each coin acknowledges New Zealand as the home of Middle-
earth
Designed by New Zealand artist Sacha Lees
Each coin is minted from 1oz of 0.999 silver
Low worldwide mintage of 499 sets
Presented in an elegant display case with a certificate of authenticity.Set of two brilliant uncirculated coins
Features the two towers alluded to in the film’s title
The obverse of each coin acknowledges New Zealand as the home of Middle-
earth
Designed by New Zealand artist Sacha Lees
Low worldwide mintage of 1,000 sets
Presented in a specially designed display pack.
As ever with NZ Post, these products are beautiful, and very collectible. The coins are available now on NZ Post's website.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on March 15th: Thorin and Gandalf's chance meeting at the Prancing Pony (2941) * In the early hours the Witch-king breaks the Gates of the City (3019) * The horns of the Rohirrim are heard at cockcrow (3019) * Denethor burns himself on a pyre (3019) * Battle of the Pelennor (3019) * Aragorn raises the standard of Arwen (3019) * Dernhelm faces the Lord of the Nazgûl (3019) * Théoden is slain (3019) * Frodo and Samwise escape and begin their journey north along the Morgai (3019) * Battle under the trees in Mirkwood; Thranduil repels the forces of Dol Guldur (3019) * Second assault on Lórien (3019) * The realm of King Brand of Dale is attacked (3019) * Evening in the Morgai (3019) * The wounded come to the Houses of Healing (3019) * Gandalf hears the cry of the Lord of the Nazgûl (3019) * Wounded Merry comes to Minas Tirith (3019) * Aragorn comes to the City (3019) * [Join us on the Discussion Boards here*]
March 15, 2941 (S.R. 1341)Thorin and Gandalf's chance meeting at the Prancing Pony.(not from the appendices)"On a time Thorin, returning from the west from a journey, stayed at Bee for the night. There Gandalf was also. He was on his way to the Shire, which he had not visited for some twenty years."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 447-448 RotK)March 15, 3019 (S.R. 1419)1. In the early hours the Witch-king breaks the Gates of the City.(from the appendices)"With a vast rush Grond was hurled forward by huge hands."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 125 RotK)2. The horns of the Rohirrim are heard at cockcrow.(from the appendices)"...In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no enemy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 126-126; p. 139 RotK)3. Denethor burns himself on a pyre.(from the appendices)"...Pippin turned and fled in terror from the deathly house. 'Poor Faramir!' he thought. 'I must find Gandalf... '"(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 122-123; p. 153 RotK)4. Battle of the Pelennor.(from the appendices)"...Théoden seized a great horn from Guthláf his banner-bearer, and he blew such a blast upon it that it burst asunder."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 137 RotK)5. Aragorn raises the standard of Arwen.(from the appendices)"...behold! upon the foremost ship a great standard broke, and the wind displayed it as she turned towards the Harlond."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 150 RotK)6. Dernhelm faces the Lord of the Nazgûl.(not from the appendices)"...Théoden was not utterly forsaken... ...One stood there still: Dernhelm the young, faithful beyond fear; and he wept, for he had loved his lord as a father..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 140 RotK)7. Théoden is slain.(from the appendices)"...Snowmane wild with terror stood up on high, fighting with the air..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 143 RotK)8. Frodo and Samwise escape and begin their journey north along the Morgai.(from the appendices)"'This won't do, Sam,' said Frodo. 'If we were real orcs, we ought to be dashing back to the Tower, not running away.'"(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 236; p. 240 RotK)9. Battle under the trees in Mirkwood; Thranduil repels the forces of Dol Guldur.(from Appendix B: The Tale Of Years: The Third Age: The Great Years)"In the North also there had been war and evil. The realm of Thranduil was invaded..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 468 RotK)10. Second assault on Lórien. (from Appendix B: The Tale Of Years: The Third Age: The Great Years)"...Lórien had been assailed from Dol Guldur..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 468 RotK)11. The realm of King Brand of Dale is attacked.(from Appendix B: The Tale Of Years: The Third Age: The Great Years)"At the same time as the great armies besieged Minas Tirith a host of the allies of Sauron... ...was driven back to Dale."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 468 RotK)12. Evening in the Morgai(not from the appendices) "There was a bitter tang in the air of Mordor that dried the mouth. When Sam thought of water even his hopeful spirit quailed...."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 243 RotK)13. The wounded come to the Houses of Healing.(not from the appendices)"...Gandalf and Beregond taking up [Faramir's] bier bore it away towards the Houses of Healing..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 160 RotK)14. Gandalf hears the cry of the Lord of the Nazgûl.(not from the appendices)"...as Gandalf and his companions came carrying [Faramir's] bier to the main door of the Houses, they heard a great cry that went up from the field before the Gate..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 160 RotK)15. Wounded Merry comes to the Houses of Healing.(not from the appendices)"A mist was in Merry's eyes of tears and weariness when they drew near the ruined Gate of Minas Tirith..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 163 RotK)16. Aragorn comes to the City.(not from the appendices)"...there came Gandalf on foot and with him one cloaked in grey; and they met before the doors of the Houses of Healing..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 168 RotK)
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on March 13th: * Frodo captured by the Orcs of Cirith Ungol (3019) * The Pelennor is overrun (3019) * Faramir is wounded (3019) * Aragorn reaches Pelargir and captures the fleet (3019) * Théoden in Druadan Forest (3019) * Frodo is taken ill (3020) * [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
March 13, 3019 (S.R. 1419) 1. Frodo captured by the Orcs of Cirith Ungol.(from the appendices)"Sam had fallen to his knees by Frodo's head, his senses reeling in the foul stench..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 431-432 TT)2. The Pelennor is overrun.(from the appendices)"'...the Lord of Barad-dûr the most fell of all his captains is already master of your outer walls,' said Gandalf."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 112-115 RotK)3. Faramir is wounded.(from the appendices)"Even as the Nazgûl had swerved aside from the onset of the White Rider, there came flying a deadly dart..."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 114 RotK)4. Aragorn reaches Pelargir and captures the fleet.(from the appendices)[Legolas] "'But the Haradrim, being now driven to the brink, turned at bay, and they were fierce in despair; and they laughed when they looked on us...'"(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 186 RotK)5. Théoden in Druadan Forest.(from the appendices)"There seemed to be some understanding between Dernhelm and Elfhelm."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 127 RotK)March 13, 3020 (S.R. 1420)1. Frodo is taken ill.(from the appendices)"Sam stayed at first at the Cottons' with Frodo; but when the New Row was ready he went with the Gaffer."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 376 RotK)
PureArts and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products are partnering on a cool The Lord of the Rings project. The Mouth of Sauron will be the third character to get the 1:1 treatment by the folks over at PureArts. This awesome helm will be made of polyresin, including the lower part of the Mouth of Sauron's face, LED lit base, black cloth hood, and a PureArts exclusive Mouth of Sauron Metal Necklace. This helmet will be limited to only 150 pieces, so fans should expect the supply to dry up quickly. Pre-orders for this open on March 9th at 1 PM EST, with the piece having a price tag of $749. You will have time to save, as this does not ship until Q1 of next year.
Smith, killed by shrapnel near the end of WWI's Battle of the Somme, was one of Tolkien's closest friends from late childhood.
As an alumnus of Corpus Christi College, poet Smith may be best known for his work "A Spring Harvest," and is a recognized influence in Tolkien's life and writings. Tolkien and Smith were friends from King Edward's School days and part of the tight-knit Tea Club and Barrovian Society.
Corpus Christi hosts this two-day series in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Professor's passing, organized by Doug Anderson, Oronzo Cilli, and Beppe Pezzini. Confirmed speakers include John Garth, Grace Khuri, Mark Atherton, and many more.
Click here for lecture topics and further details, and here for more related reading (from 2016!) over at The Tolkien Society, including a link to "Tolkien's Great War," a halfling-sized documentary film published by King Edward's School, Birmingham.
It was the most expensive stage show to date when it opened in Toronto in 2006; but after just one brief year in London, The Lord of the Rings musical closed in July 2008. Now it is being revived, at a small theatre in Berkshire, UK.
The Watermill Theatre, near Newbury in Berkshire, will present an immersive, partially outdoor production of the musical this summer. Their website states that it will be a 'brand new intimate production'; it will of necessity be massively scaled down from the $25million West End production. Even if the Watermill Theatre had the budget, they don't have the space which the Theatre Royal Drury Lane production required. The Watermill Theatre's website tells us, 'Bursting out of the theatre and into the Watermill gardens, be immersed in the magical landscape of Tolkien and join an ensemble cast and large-scale puppets on an epic journey celebrating the power of friendship and common goodness to conquer unimaginable evil.'
It's exciting to think that the work will be seen by more people than were able to see it during those brief two years in Toronto and London. It's not the first attempt to revive this musical; back in 2013, Playbill announced a world tour, planned for 2015 and starting in New Zealand, but nothing more was heard. This time, however, the dates are set (July 25 - Oct 15 this year), and tickets go on sale later this month.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on March 4th:
- Aragorn faces the enemy as the new day dawn (1419)
- The charge of the Riders (1419)
- Gandalf returns (1419)
- Théoden and Gandalf set out from Helm's Deep for Isengard (1419)
- Frodo reaches the slag-mounds on the edge of the Desolation of the Morannon (1419)
- Merry and Pippin try to stay high and dry (1419)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
March 4, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. Aragorn faces the enemy as the new day dawns.
(not from the appendices)
"At last Aragorn stood above the great gates, heedless of the darts of the enemy."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 184 TT)
2.The charge of the Riders.
(not from the appendices)
"...sudden and terrible, from the tower above, the sound of the great horn of Helm rang out."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 185 TT)
3. Gandalf returns.
(not from the appendices)
"There suddenly upon a ridge appeared a rider, clad in white, shining in the rising sun. "
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 186-187TT)
4. Théoden and Gandalf set out from Helm's Deep for Isengard.
(from the appendices)
"You move me, Gimli,' said Legolas. 'I have never heard you speak like this before.'"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 195 TT)
5. Frodo reaches the slag-mounds on the edge of the Desolation of the Morannon.
(from the appendices)
"They had come to the desolation that lay before Mordor: the lasting monument to the dark labour of its slaves..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 302-305 TT)
6. Merry and Pippin try to stay high and dry.
(not from the appendices)
"'There was a noise in the night like a wind coming up the valley. I think the Ents and Huorns that had been away came back...'"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 226 TT)
Fandom has lit up again with excitement as more Middle-earth movies, games, LEGO and merch are announced. Here's what we know about who can do what and where with new LOTR projects.
New Line Cinema continues to be the cinematic home for Middle-earthFeb 2023 - After a year of wild moves and intense backroom conversations about the future of Lord of the Rings, New Line Cinema renews its 25-year-old license with Middle-earth Enterprises (MEE) who are now owned by Embracer Group. From the fan perspective, nothing has changed: Warner Bros & New Line are still producing THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM starring Miranda Otto as Eowyn and Brian Cox as Helm Hammerhand.
New projects have not been hinted at, but fans are speculating if Peter Jackson will deliver his promised Super-duper-extended "Unicorn Edition" LOTR featuring deleted scenes like Eowyn's wedding, Frodo-Gollum nightmare, and more. Peter Jackson is a newly minted multi-billionaire after selling Weta Digital's toolsets to Unity, and winning Emmy Awards for his Beatles documentary GET BACK.
TORn Tuesday reported over seven years ago that PJ has a secret vault with a "warts and all" documentary, featuring original Aragorn footage. With his documentary awards for GET BACK and THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD, maybe the first new LOTR project ready to go is a doc?
Unconfirmed rumors for this new WB & LOTR movie deal have a three-year timeline in place -- which would be similar to the time-restrictions put in place with Amazon's TV deal where they had to be in development within two years and in production within five years. This puts the 25th anniversary of Peter Jackson's LOTR into play as a way to celebrate the past and herald the future.
Prime Studios and New Line play nice, for nowDuring production of the billion-dollar-budget RINGS OF POWER series, a cooperation deal was put in place between Amazon and WB. All episodes of Season 1 of Amazon's show include a full screen logo credit for New Line Cinema, with the characters and some weapons bearing a striking resemblance to the aesthetic established by Peter Jackson's movies. There have also been rumors that Prime Video will be the streaming home of THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM after its global theatrical run (instead of WB owned HBOmax).
But, it seems the CEO of WB's owner, David Zaslav, does have a competitive bone to pick with Amazon's CEO, with The Hollywood Reporter reporting that he "even name-checked Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, almost as if to tease Amazon with the threat of new "Lord of the Rings” properties... and suggested that a move to launch new “Lord of the Rings” movies would take away some of the momentum that Amazon had enjoyed from its launch of a series based on the novels."
Amazon is solely in the Middle-earth TV businessJeff Bezos and his team at Prime Studios negotiated directly with the Tolkien Estate for rights the family still held outside of anything New Line, MEE or Embracer have exploited in the past: rights to TV shows. Amazon currently must stay in that lane, but can create as many TV shows as they want with a minimum of 8 episodes per season. Amazon has announced five seasons of The Rings of Power, greenlit the first three, written the first two, are filming Season 2 now in the UK. They intend to make spinoff shows.
Prime has has only licensed the same exact two books that Embracer & Warner Bros has (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings), crafting any spinoff from any word or phrase from prologue to appendices. They have uniquely included current figurehead of the Tolkien estate, Simon Tolkien, in the development process, and he alone can approve usage of extra material from other books -- such as The Silmarillion or The History of Middle-earth -- on a case-by-case basis.
As secretive as Amazon is, word got out that they nearly went with a Young Aragorn show pitched by the Russo Brothers -- fresh off their $2 billion Avengers Endgame run -- which begs the question, why not both? Would Amazon greenlight another LOTR TV show now that more "friendly competition" from Warner Bros. is coming to cinemas?
Will there be a reboot of The LORD OF THE RINGS? As of now, absolutely not. Nobody in control wants to reboot the most award-winning film of all time. The Tolkien Estate have mandated that the TV rights are not allowed to remake the movies. Despite WB's record of reboots and multiverses -- last count there are seven Batmans in the cinematic zeitgeist -- there seems to be an effort to keep Middle-earth as one cinematic universe to rule them all. Even the new feature film spin off THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM is an expansion of the Peter Jackson MeCU. There are plenty of new stories to mine from the books, and no remakes are expected in film or TV format.
Is Peter Jackson returning?Unknown as of today. Peter Jackson put out a statement though:
“Warner Brothers and Embracer have kept us in the loop every step of the way. We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward.”
Peter Jackson
Philippa Boyens, his co-producer and co-writer of LOTR who shared in Oscar glory, is currently producing THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM with New Line Cinema. The new film is still "in the Jackson family" with Weta Workshop, John Howe, Alan Lee, and many other Hobbit veterans involved. Could all the local commotion re-ignite Peter's passion for Middle-earth? Would he come back in a supervisory role, similar to how Kevin Feige produces and manages all of MARVEL films? Only time will tell.
Where can I stream everything LOTR?Many places! Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBOmax all have the LOTR trilogy Extended Editions streaming free with your account, depending on your country in the world. THE RINGS OF POWER is exclusively streaming on Prime Video and not for sale on DVD. Lord of the Rings has a fresh coat of paint in a 4K Blu-ray release from WB, which is also the version you can buy on iTunes and other digital platforms. The Hobbit movies are streaming on HBOmax, as well as the 1977 Rankin Bass classic animated Hobbit. We like to use JustWatch to see where Desolation of Smaug is currently available on any given month.
Are there really five new LOTR video games coming out?Yes! Embracer Group, in addition to owning the LOTR rights, is a huge video game developer with tons of studios. They have announced five new LOTR games for 2023, each unrelated to the others, including:
- Gollum Game
- Return to Moria
- Heroes of Middle-earth
- Untitled Weta Workshop game
- ? unannounced ?
The Lord of the Rings has a long history of innovation in the video game space. LOTRO, the online MMO, is still going 15 years strong with new expansions and a larger player base than ever before. The console and PC Shadow of Mordor series introducing the Nemesis System and became one of the best of the PS4 generation games. Nearly all LOTR games are unrelated to any LOTR films -- though some of us old nerds hold Return of the King fondly in memory.
Separately, Magic: The Gathering is now selling a brand new licensed LOTR card game.
Who is Embracer?Embracer Group is the new owner of rights that JRR Tolkien himself sold off in 1968. The Swedish gaming and rights holding company purchased these rights in 2022 from Saul Zaentz Company, which was used to create the Oscar-winning LOTR films. These rights, which JRR Tolkien later regretted selling off, are perpetual rights to do anything with everything in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books. This includes all merch, board games, card games, movies, theme parks, toys, albums, weapons, alcohol, video games and more. Everything except make TV shows.
Because Embracer owns merchandising rights, Amazon has to go through them to make any merch for RINGS OF POWER just as all the movie merch for LOTR and The Hobbit included "licensed by Saul Zaentz" or Middle-earth Enterprises. Through Embracer, LEGO just announced a new 6,000 piece Rivendell set based on Peter Jackson's movies that will no doubt sell out.
What's this about theme parks?At dawn, on the fifth day, look to Orlando.
TL;DR of LOTR rights* Warner Bros & New Line Cinema producing more movies. * Amazon & Prime Studios make and stream TV shows. * WB releases movies in theaters, then offers to Prime for post-release streaming. * Games, cards and mobile apps are licensed, developed & released by Embracer. * General consensus is everyone wants to play nice within an unbroken cinematic universe.
Want to talk about all things LOTR -- movies, games, art, and ROP? Join the TORn Discord at https://discord.gg/theonering
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on February 26th: Death of Boromir; his horn is heard in Minas Tirith. (3019) * Meriadoc and Peregrin captured. (3019) * Frodo and Samwise enter the eastern Emyn Muil. (3019) * Aragorn sets out in pursuit of the Orcs at evening. (3019) * Éomer hears of the descent of the Orc-band from the Emyn Muil. (3019) * Frodo's ordeal on Amon Hen. (3019) * [Join us on the Discussion Boards here*]
February 26, 3019 (S.R. 1419)1. Death of Boromir; his horn is heard in Minas Tirith. (from the appendices)"Aragorn hesitated. He desired to go to the high seat himself.... ...Even as he gazed his quick ears caught sounds in the woodlands below... "(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 524 FotR)2. Meriadoc and Peregrin captured.(from the appendices)"Aragorn knelt beside him. Boromir opened his eyes and strove to speak. At last slow words came. 'I tried to take the Ring from Frodo...'"(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 18 TT)3. Frodo and Samwise enter the eastern Emyn Muil.(from the appendices)"So Frodo and Sam set off on the last stage of the Quest together.... ...shouldering their burdens, they set off...."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 525 FotR)4. Aragorn sets out in pursuit of the Orcs at evening.(from the appendices)"'With hope or without hope we will follow the trail of our enemies. And woe to them, if we prove the swifter!'"(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 26 TT)5. Éomer hears of the descent of the Orc-band from the Emyn Muil.(from the appendices)"'...scouts warned me of the orc-host coming down out of the East Wall... and among them they reported that some bore the white badges of Saruman.'"(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 48 TT)6. Frodo's ordeal on Amon Hen.(not from the appendices)"And suddenly he felt the Eye. There was an eye in the Dark Tower that did not sleep. He knew that it had become aware of his gaze."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 519 FotR)
After a year-long negotiation to renew the rights to Lord of the Rings movies, games and merch, Warner Bros Discovery confirm a long-term deal has been reached with new owners Embracer Group that will see multiple Middle-earth theatrical movies in the future.
Today on the Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) quarterly earnings call, CEO David Zaslav announced that a new licensing deal has been signed today to allow New Line Cinema to produce more Lord of the Rings films.
The Hollywood Reporter (THR) has more details:
The multi-year deal withrights holders Embracer Group AB allows Warners to develop features based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books and The Hobbit. Embracer Group, the Swedish gaming company, acquired the rights to LOTR film, games, merchandise, theme parks and live productions when it purchased rights holder Middle-earth Enterprises last year from The Saul Zaentz Company. The deal is a coming not only a coming home for LOTR but also a reunion for De Luca. The executive was the president of production for New Line when the first movie, Fellowship of the Ring, began production, but was famously let go before the movie that movie was released.
The Hollywood Reporter
There have been rumors in recent weeks that Amazon Studios, who hold only rights to make a LOTR TV series, were offering up to $1 billion to secure movie rights alongside the Hobbit rights Amazon got with their $8 billion purchase of MGM studios. But that offer is now moot -- the cinematic legacy of Middle-earth continues on with New Line Cinema and WB.
Studio heads of WB confirms they will never remake the heralded trilogy, but continue to expand the Legendarium:
But for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film. The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honor, and we are excited to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure.”
Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy
“We understand how cherished these works are and working together with our partners at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, we plan to honor the past, look to the future, and adhere to the strongest level of quality and production values.”
Lee Guinchard, CEO of Embracer’s Freemode
Fans can look forward to the anime feature film The War of the Rohirrim next year in 2024, which is already halfway through production, and untold new stories beyond. LOTR is staying home with the studio that gave Peter Jackson the freedom to make the most awarded films in history.
UPDATE
Deadline Hollywood just posted a brief statement from Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens regarding the announcement.
“Warner Brothers and Embracer have kept us in the loop every step of the way,” the Oscar-winning trio said. “We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward.”
It seems significant that the trio say they have been kept updated on the progress of negotiations. One wouldn't do that for no reason. Of course, part of that might be because Boyens is currently working as Executive Producer on The War of the Rohirrim for Warner Bros. But, still one wonders...
Join the fan discussion on the official TORn Discord at https://discord.gg/theonering
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been honored with 5 awards from the Visual Effects Society and the Art Directors Guild, who both announced their award winners this past week.
Rings of Power won 3 awards at the 21st annual VES Awards:
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Udûn"
Jason Smith, Ron Ames, Nigel Sumner, Tom Proctor, Dean Clarke
OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:"Udûn", "Water and Magma"
Rick Hankins, Aron Bonar, Branko Grujcic, Laurent Kermel
OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power:"Adar", "Númenor City"
Dan Wheaton, Nico Delbecq, Dan Letarte, Julien Gauthier
The Art Directors Guild handed our their awards last night and Rings of Power won in the two categories the show was nominated for:
ONE-HOUR FANTASY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: “Adar”
Ramsey Avery
COMMERCIALS
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: “Title Announcement”
Brian Branstetter
Congratulations to the talented and hard-working artists of Rings of Power who were honored by their guilds!
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on February 14th:
- The Mirror of Galadriel (1419)
- Gandalf returns to life, and lies in a trance (1419)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
February 14, 3019 (S.R. 1419)1. The Mirror of Galadriel.
(from the appendices)
"With water from the stream Galadriel filled the basin to the brim, and breathed on it, and when the water was still again she spoke. 'Here is the Mirror of Galadriel,' she said. 'I have brought you here so that you may look in it, if you will.'"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 468 FotR)
2. Gandalf returns to life, and lies in a trance.
(from the appendices)
"'I was alone, forgotten, without escape upon the hard horn of the world. There I lay staring upward, while the stars wheeled over, and each day was as long as a life-age of the earth.'"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 135 TT)
If you ever wanted to walk through the grounds of Rivendell, it may now be in reach... albeit on a much smaller scale. LEGO has announced a new massive and superbly detailed new The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell set.
The huge model contains 6,167 pieces, 15 minifigures, and is over 15 inches high and almost 30 inches wide. It's split into 3 sections with a council ring, gazebo, river, bridge and more. There are numerous printed tiles and details, such as Elvish paintings, statues, the shards of Narsil, and Bilbo writing in his book 'There and Back Again'. The entire Fellowship of the Ring are included as minifigures as well as Elron, Arwen, Bilbo and more.
The set is priced at US $499.99, CAN $669.99, UK £429.99 and EURO €499.99. LEGO VIP members can purchase the set starting March 5 while regular customers can purchase online or in LEGO stores starting March 8.
Here's the full press release from LEGO:
REVEALED: LEGO® ICONS THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RIVENDELL™,
THE ONE LEGO SET TO RULE THEM ALL7th February 2023: The LEGO Group, in partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, today announced the much-anticipated LEGO® Icons The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell™ set, inspired by the award-winning film adaptations. This highly detailed, 6,167 piece set features the iconic Elven stronghold from Middle-earth and comes complete with 15 minifigures.
Home to the house of Elrond, Rivendell is a key location in Middle–earth and events of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, as the place where the Fellowship was formed and the quest to destroy the One Ring began.
The LEGO The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell set is packed with fan favourite moments and Easter eggs, and can be built in three sections including;
Section one, featuring:
• The Council Ring – complete with a semicircular ring of chairs for the council and the plinth where the ring is first revealed and the Fellowship discuss how to destroy it
• Frodo’s Bedroom – with a desk and chest where the young hobbit recovers following his rescue by Arwen from the hands of the Nazgûl, before being reunited with Bilbo
• Elrond’s study – with famous paintings from the history of Middle–earthSection two, featuring:
• An elven tower – featuring five Elven statues of unnamed famous warriors from the pastSecond three, featuring:
• Gazebo, river and bridge – to recreate the scene where the Fellowship departs Rivendell.The set also comes with 15 minifigures – including all nine members of the Fellowship; Gandalf the Grey, all four hobbits (Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Merriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck and Peregrin “Pippin” Took), Legolas, Gimli, Boromir and Aragorn. They are joined by minifigures of Elrond, Arwen, Bilbo Baggins plus additional elves and a dwarf (Gloin) are also included.
LEGO and The Lord of the Rings fans alike will also receive several new LEGO elements from the world of Middle–earth, including: Bilbo’s sword, Sting, the broken shards of Narsil, Aragorn’s ranger sword, Boromir’s sword, as well as numerous dwarven axes and elvish blades to ensure the Fellowship are well armed for their quest ahead.
Talking about the set, LEGO Design Master, Mike Psaiki said, “We know many of our fans have been anticipating a set like this for a long-time – but a great LEGO The Lord of the Rings set is never late, it arrives precisely when it means to! It was important to us that we created something really special in this recreation of Rivendell. We aimed to add as much detail as possible and create an engaging experience throughout the build to delight fans recreating scenes or proudly displaying Elrond’s home. We are really pleased with the final design and how we have brought Rivendell to life in brick form.”
The LEGO The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell set is RRP £429.99/$499.99/€499.99 and is available exclusively for LEGO VIP members from 5th-7th March 2023, along with a free Frodo and Golum LEGO Brickheadz set (40630). It is free to become a LEGO VIP member and you can find out more at www.LEGO.com/VIP. From 8th March 2023 the LEGO The Lord of the Rings: Rivendell set will be available at LEGO Retail stores and www.LEGO.com/LOTR.
This week has seen the return of The Fellowship of the Ring movie to Radio City Music Hall - accompanied by the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine. There is still one performance left - tonight, Thursday 9th, and we're told there are just a few tickets left: click here to get yours!
TORn staffer ImladrisRose was in attendance at Monday night's performance: and it reminded her of all the very best things about the Tolkien fandom, and the joy it has brought us all. Here are her thoughts on the experience.
Photograph by Ashlee Rose Scott###### The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 21st Anniversary Concert at Radio City Music Hall in NYC
The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine was at the helm, bringing Howard Shore’s incredible score to the packed house in Manhattan. Led by conductor Ludwig Wicki, Shore’s sweeping pieces, expertly performed by the Ukrainian ensemble, filled the concert chamber with pure magic as we were watching the film play out before us. Soloist Kaitlyn Lusk had quite the feat before her, but performed her piece with grace and ease. The Mastervoices Adult Choir sent chills through the theatre on multiple occasions, whether it be in the halls of Khazad-dum or the Departure of Boromir. The Brooklyn Youth Chorus and their shining stars brought us a deeply haunting experience through the fall of Gandalf, and with every moment they were given to shine.
The concert was a euphoric experience, one that will not soon be forgotten by anyone in attendance. Nothing compares to a live performance like this, seeing your favorite piece played out before you, feeling the synergy of the room. Uniting under one roof for a love of the arts and The Lord of the Rings…
I’ve been a part of this fandom since my mom “dragged” me to see Fellowship opening night. I was a ride or die Harry Potter fan and wasn’t willing to consider anything could impress me more. Let’s just say that I remember audibly gasping as the Fellowship rose over that mountain peak, the Fellowship theme triumphantly booming, and by that point in my first screening, I was obsessed (thanks mom!).
Twenty-one years later, my love of all things LOTR has taken me around the globe, launched my film career, given me an immense amount of opportunity and a community that I adore (looking at you, TORnSibs). I’ve seen the rise and fall, the ebb and flow of this fandom, and overall, Ringers are a group of excellent and admirable folks. With the recent release of a certain big Amazon show, I became disheartened by a lot of what I was seeing within our beloved fandom. As someone who spent many hours with my fellow staffers, moderating comments, it was causing me to lose that love and spark that I have felt for Ringers for 20 plus years. It shone a light on the underbelly of not just a fandom, but the world in general. LOTR has always been an escape from all of our societal nonsense, but this time period was a stark reminder that even within a community you love, there can be toxicity. I LOVE a good debate about anything and everything, but when things become about hate rather than discourse, your point is lost on me. In Middle-earth, all are welcome….
Monday night's concert reminded me of why I love this fandom so much. It’s been probably ten years since I’ve been to a screening of Fellowship and this crowd was thrilled to be there! Not only would the audience erupt into cheers after hearing a favorite piece of the score performed (which, let’s be honest, is pretty much the entire score!) or after Lusk wrapped a solo, the crowd would literally go wild when a new character came onto the screen! So much so that at times you couldn’t hear the film or the orchestra!
A stand out for me was when members of the Fellowship arrived to the Council of Elrond. Aragorn received a 7/10 volume for cheers, Legolas 8/10, but Gimli received a full 10/10 in crowd reaction! My husband remarked that he was shocked Gimli got significantly more love than Legolas, to which I replied “Gimli has more substance and better dialogue!” To each their own. Fans next to my husband jumped at Bilbo lunging for the ring, and then commented that they had forgotten that part of the film. While next to me at the exact same point, a fan laughed and remarked that he always thought that part was funny. Two completely different reactions to a moment, but both existing in harmony with one another.
The majority of people there that night (I’m quite sure) have seen these films, read these books, countless times. Yet experiencing it together, as one unified group, made it seem somehow new again. The ambiance of the venue, the exquisitely performed film score, the fans reacting in utter joy and exuberance throughout… all of this made the evening a true night to remember… and I’m forever grateful.
The International Film Music Critics Association has announced their nominations today. Bear McCreary leads all nominees with 8 nominations, including his score for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power which is the first TV score ever nominated for Score of the Year. High praise for McCreary's work on Rings of Power from their members was included in their press release:
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power received nominations for Score of the Year – the first television score nominated in that category in IFMCA history since the rule change to allow TV scores to be included was announced in 2022 – plus Best Television score, and for three different tracks in the Composition of the Year category, while McCreary himself was nominated for Composer of the Year.
IFMCA member James Southall called The Rings of Power “a real triumph, undoubtedly McCreary’s own career-defining moment,” and IFMCA member Conrado Xalabarder said that the score was “one of the best in the history of music for television series … a work made from intelligence, commitment and above all respect for Tolkien and the audience. All its central themes work impeccably, coherently, and they develop and interact with each other, creating first-rate narration and dramaturgy.” IFMCA member Jon Broxton similarly praised the score, saying “the level of research and intelligent design McCreary has done in terms of creating the musical structure of The Rings of Power is absolutely astonishing, and is probably unparalleled in the history of television music.”
The nominees are:
SCORE OF THE YEAR
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, music by Simon Franglen
THE BATMAN, music by Michael Giacchino
THE FABELMANS, music by John Williams
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, music by Bear McCreary, theme by Howard Shore
NOPE, music by Michael Abels
COMPOSER OF THE YEAR
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT
SIMON FRANGLEN
MICHAEL GIACCHINO
BEAR MCCREARY
DANIEL PEMBERTON
COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR*
“Galadriel” from THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, music by Bear McCreary
“Leaving Home (Hometree)” from AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER, music by Simon Franglen
“Mother and Son” from THE FABELMANS, music by John Williams
“Númenor” from THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, music by Bear McCreary
“Sailing Into the Dawn” from THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, music by Bear McCreary
“The Batman” from THE BATMAN, music by Michael Giacchino
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR TELEVISION
THE ENGLISH, music by Federico Jusid
INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE, music by Daniel Hart
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, music by Bear McCreary, theme by Howard Shore
MOON KNIGHT, music by Hesham Nazih
THE ORVILLE, music by John Debney, Joel McNeely, Andrew Cottee, and Kevin Kaska, theme by Bruce Broughton
McCreary also received nominations for Best Original Score for an Animated Film for Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank and Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media for God of War: Ragnarök. Congratulations to Bear McCreary on his nominations!
Moviescore, a site dedicated to tracking film music, reports that New Zealand composer and award-winning music editor Stephen Gallagher has been tapped to score the music for Kenji Kamiyama's The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
https://twitter.com/moviescorewire/status/1621949825959825408Gallagher is probably best-known to Tolkien fans for his work on The Hobbit where, as well as working as music editor on all three films, he composed the songs 'Blunt the Knives' and 'The Torture Song' for An Unexpected Journey.
https://youtu.be/_JBHPFiFWRkPerusing IMDB reveals that Gallagher has previously composed music for a range of documentaries and short films, but arguably this is his most prominent compositional role to date.
He also has a decades-long career as music editor spanning big productions like Avatar: The Way of Water, District 9 and Wolf Warrior 2 to niche films such as Amy Berg's West Of Memphis and Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones. Last year, he won an Emmy Award for his sound work on Peter Jackson's The Beatles: Get Back.
IMDB states that he's currently based at Park Road Post Production in Wellington -- a facility that's owned by Peter Jackson's WingNut Films.
The War of the Rohirrim is slated to release on April 12, 2024. Director Kenji Kamiyama is also currently co-directing on the final season of Ultraman with Shinji Aramaki which will debut on Netflix sometime in 2023.
SPECULATIONA speculatory post-script.
I was idly chatting with TORn staffer Justin about the leak/confirm and he wondered if the selection of Gallagher could indicate a return to the style of music that was the hallmark of the Rankin Bass animated features. After all, Blunt the Knives in An Unexpected Journey is very much a homage to the sing-along style of the animated Hobbit of 1977.
https://youtu.be/pSYZ-5mVRN4Personally, I'm inclined to say no.
I feel that both Blunt the Knives and The Torture Song (as sung by Barry Humphries) owe more to a combination of the children's tale-nature of Tolkien's novel and the comedic sensibilities of Peter Jackson (Meet the Feebles, anyone?).
On the other hand, the tale of Helm Hammerhand is far grimmer. It's also a little tempting to add that Kamiyama animes typically play the material straight, but then the quirky Tachikomas (AI spider tanks/mechs) of the Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex animated series are a spectacular outlier. Kamiyama leverages them in multiple ways: surreal comics, action heroes, philosophers, and ultimately as beings capable of self-sacrifice. The "cute" Tachikoma moments don't devalue the serious ones. In fact, they make them more rounded characters (I dare say, more human -- a crucial point to the story Ghost in the Shell explores).
So, if Kamiyama could see a way that a quirky, lyrically focused tune would serve the needs of the Helm story, he absolutely has the chops to pull it off.
Neverthless, I think it's probably better to calibrate musical expectations more in line with the thoroughly grounded nature of Kamiyama's acclaimed adapatation of the fantasy story Serei no Moribito. If nothing else, it's still difficult to get folks to take anime as a serious artform that's not "just for kids" without hobbling your production with a bunch of cutesy tunes. I'm surer Warner Bros. will be keenly aware of that.
All that being said, we know that Miranda Otto has a very fine singing voice. If, as Éowyn, she's relating this tale to someone (like her grandchild Barahir) there's certainly an opportunity for her to sing in the intro, or some lament as the outro at the end. I like that idea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heVNb4ureTo
Last September we brought you the exciting news of screenings of The Fellowship of the Ring, to be performed with live orchestra at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Time has flown by, and now those special performances are NEXT WEEK!
The good news is, two extra dates have been added; the shows are now Feb 6, 7, 8 and 9. It has also been announced that the orchestra for the performances will be the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine! AND there will be a post-concert talk, with conductor Maestro Wicki, each evening. For those of you lucky enough to be able to go, there are still some tickets available; click here to get yours!
AND - if you're hoping to meet up with fellow fans, either before or after the concert, on Monday 6th Feb we have reserved the upstairs at McCarthy's bar (46th and 6th). Go along before or after - the kitchen stays open until 2am! - head upstairs, and find your kindred spirits! (Or just spirits at a well stocked bar...) Have fun!
The amazing folks at Diamond Select Toys asked us if we would be interested in showing off some of their awesome figures as a preview. That was a quick yes, as their figures are very well done and are great collectibles for fans of Middle-earth.If you went to, or watched, any coverage of Comic-Con from last summer, you would have seen the concepts of these two figures on display. Today, we're pleased to share with you the final images for the new Boromir and Lurtz figures.These figures are available for pre-order on Friday January 20th at the Diamond Select Toys website for $29.99 and you can expect to add these to your collections in the fall.
A Diamond Select Toys release! The Fellowship continues! Boromir of Gondor joins the quest to Mount Doom in this all new assortment of figures, and he’s pitted against his bane, the Uruk-hai named Lurtz! Each 7-inch figure features over 16 points of articulation as well as interchangeable parts and accessories, and each comes in a full colour window box. Designed by Eamon O’Donoghue, sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios!Action Figures SRP: $29.99/ea.Shipping fall 2023Pre-order 1/20 at Diamondselecttoys.com
[gallery ids="116111,116112,116113,116114,116115,116116"]
The Visual Effects Society announced their film and television nominations today for the 21st Annual VES Awards. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power smashed expectations and leads all television nominees with a total of 7 nominations. Awards will be handed out February 15.
The Rings of Power is competing against themselves in two categories and is the only show nominated with films like Avatar: The Way of Water in one category:
OUTSTANDING VISUAL EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL EPISODE
House of the Dragon: "The Black Queen"
Prehistoric Planet: "Ice Worlds"
Stranger Things 4: "The Piggyback"
The Boys: "Payback"
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Udûn"
(Jason Smith, Ron Ames, Nigel Sumner, Tom Proctor, Dean Clarke)
OUTSTANDING CREATED ENVIRONMENT IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
Andor: "Reckoning; Ferrix
The Book of Boba Fett: "In the Name of Honor; Mos Espa
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Adar", Númenor City
(Dan Wheaton, Nico Delbecq, Dan LeTarte, Julien Gauthier)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Adrift", Khazud Dûm
(James Ogle, Péter Bujdosó, Lon Krung, Shweta Bhatnagar)
OUTSTANDING EFFECTS SIMULATIONS IN AN EPISODE, COMMERCIAL, OR REAL-TIME PROJECT
Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities: Graveyard Rats
Stranger Things 4: Hawkins Destructive Fissures
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Udûn", Volcano Destruction
(Kurt Debens, Hamish Bell, Robert Kelly, Gabriel Roccisano)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Udûn", Water and Magma
(Rick Hankins, Aron Bonar, Branko Grujcic, Laurent Kermel)
OUTSTANDING COMPOSITING & LIGHTING IN AN EPISODE
House of the Dragon: "The Black Queen", Dance of Dragons
Love, Death and Robots: "Night of the Mini Dead"
The Book of Boba Fett: "From the Desert Comes a Stranger", Luke Alike
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Udûn", Tirharad Cavalry Charge
(Sornalingam P, Ian Copeland, Nessa Mingfang Zhang, Yuvaraj S)
OUTSTANDING SPECIAL (PRACTICAL) EFFECTS IN A PHOTOREAL PROJECT
Avatar: The Way of Water: Current Machine and Wave Pool
Black Adam: Robotic Flight
Mad God
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Adrift", Middle Earth Storm
(Dean Clarke, Oliver Gee, Eliot Naimie, Mark Robson)
Congratulations to the visual effects team from The Rings of Power for their well-earned nominations!
It hasn't been ten years since TORn last caught up with Stephen Hunter, but it has - astonishingly - been ten years since the first of the three Hobbit movies premiered. Where has the time flown to?? We've been remembering press events, red carpets and theatre viewings; so we were delighted to have a chance to chat with Bombur himself, from his sunny home in Sydney, Australia.
Hunter has been very busy lately, with roles in projects such as Ruby's Choice, Heartbreak High, and The Tourist, as well as his full work load as an acting coach. But that didn't stop him taking the time to tell us when he last had a chance to catch up with Hobbit cast mates, show us some goodies he has from set, and share his thoughts on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Second breakfast with fellow dwarves in London, pub crawls with Sylvester McCoy, and Dwarvish lightsabers?! All will be revealed:
https://youtu.be/nGPZ9_HlBMk
Today in Middle-earth, January 15
- The Bridge of Khazad-dûm, and the fall of Gandalf (1419)
- The Company reaches Nimrodel late at night (1419)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
January 15, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. The Bridge of Khazad-dûm, and the fall of Gandalf.
(from the appendices)
"… there came a great noise: a rolling BOOM that seemed to come from depths far below, and to tremble in the stone at their feet. They sprang towards the door in alarm. DOOM, DOOM..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 428 FotR)
2. The Company reaches Nimrodel late at night.
(from the appendices)
"'Lothlórien!' cried Legolas. 'Lothlórien! We have come to the eaves of the Golden Wood. Alas that it is winter...'"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 438 FotR)
Additional guild award nominations have been announced in the past two days with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power receiving recognition in even more crafts this time around.
Surprisingly, Rings of Power was not recognized by the Make-up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild, but the series did get a nod from SAG (Screen Actors Guild) for their incredible stunt team:
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A TELEVISION SERIES
Andor
The Boys
House of the Dragon
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Stranger Things
It's a competitive category with all worthy nominees. The SAG Awards will be broadcast live on Netflix's YouTube channel on February 26.
Rings of Power costume designer Kate Hawley was also nominated by the Costume Designers Guild for their 25th CDGA Awards for her outstanding work:
EXCELLANCE IN SCI-FI/FANTASY TELEVISION
House of the Dragon: The Heirs of the Dragon (Jany Temime)
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: A Shadow of the Past (Kate Hawley)
Westworld: Generation Loss (Debra Beebe)
What We Do in the Shadows: The Wedding (Laura Montgomery)
The Witcher: Blood Origin: Of Mages, Malice, and Monstrous Mayhem (Lucinda Wright)
Guild nominations are often an indicator for the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Those nominations will be announced July 12 and are being held in a non-televised ceremony this September.
Congratulations to all those from the Rings of Power crew nominated!
More guild award nominations have been announced today with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power receiving recognition in key crafts - sound and production design.
The Motion Picture Sound Editors released their nominations for the 70th annual Golden Reel Awards. The award ceremony will be held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on February 26, 2023. Rings of Power received three nominations in the following categories (all 3 they were eligible for):
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING - BROADCAST LONG FORM DIALOGUE / ADR
Better Call Saul: "Saul Gone"
The Crown: "Gunpowder"
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Udûn"
(Supervising Sound Editors: Robby Stambler MPSE, Damian Del Borrello MPSE
Dialogue / ADR Supervisor: Stefanie Ng
Dialogue Editors: Ailene Roberts MPSE, Ray Beentjes
ADR Group Editor: Gareth Van Niekirk)
Severance: "The We We Are"
Stranger Things: "Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab"
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING - BROADCAST LONG FORM EFFECTS / FOLEY
Andor: “Reckoning”
Better Call Saul: "Carrot and Stick"
Gaslit: "Year of the Rat"
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power "Udûn"
(Supervising Sound Editors: Damian Del Borrello MPSE, Robby Stambler MPSE
Sound Designer: Paula Fairfield MPSE
Sound Editors: James Miller, Chris Terhune, Gareth Van Niekerk, Ryan A. Sullivan, Goeun Everett MPSE
Foley Editor: Richard Wills, Jonathan Bruce, Amy Barber
Foley Artist: Jonathan Bruce)
Stranger Things: "Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab"
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC EDITING - BROADCAST LONG FORM
The L Word: Generation Q: "Questions for the Universe"
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: "Alloyed"
(Music Editors: Jason Smith, Michael Baber)
Severance: “The We We Are”
Stranger Things: "Chapter Nine: The Piggyback"
Wednesday: "A Murder of Woes"
The White Lotus S2: "Bull Elephants"
The Art Directors Guild announced their nominations for excellence in production design. The winners will be announced on February 18.
ONE-HOUR FANTASY SINGLE-CAMERA SERIES
“Andor: Rix Road” (Production Designer: Luke Hull)
“House of the Dragon: The Heirs of the Dragon” (Production Designer: Jim Clay)
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Adar” (Production Designer: Ramsey Avery)
“Stranger Things: “Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” (Production Designer: Chris Trujillo)
“Wednesday: Woe is the Loneliest Number” (Production Designer: Mark Scruton)
COMMERCIALS
“American Horror Stories: Dollhouse” Promo (Production Designer: Marc Benacerraf)
Bud Light Seltzer: “Land Of Loud Flavors” (Production Designer: François Audouy)
“Just Eat & Katy Perry: Did Somebody Say” (Production Designer: François Audouy)
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – Title Announcement” (Production Designer: Brian Branstetter)
Paramount+: “Wildlife Promo” (Production Designer: Maia Javan)
Congratulations to all who were nominated!
From the art of The Vatican to Lawrence of Arabia.
The showrunners of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are bringing us back to Middle-earth. Now, with the entire season now out showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay have been sharing influences and the creative process behind their most-beloved and most-challenging aspects of the show.
From many interviews across the web, here are some of those in their own words.
On Building Relationships"From the beginning we wanted to build a relationship between Sauron and Galadriel." - J.D. Payne, Co-Showrunner
“I hope after the last episode airs, viewers watch the whole season again, which is now a different experience... We were concerned about a situation where the part of the audience steeped in lore is six or seven episodes ahead of the characters. If deception is an important part of the journey, we wanted to preserve that experience for book readers too."
Patrick McKay, Co-Showrunner
“Season one opens with: Who is Galadriel? Where did she come from? What did she suffer? Why is she driven?” says Payne. “We’re doing the same thing with Sauron in season two. We’ll fill in all the missing pieces. Sauron can now just be Sauron, like Tony Soprano or Walter White. He’s evil, but complexly evil. "
Patrick McKay, Co-Showrunner
Galadriel's in this place of betrayal and anger and mad at herself and at him, and Sauron's really coming from this place of, "No, no, no, no, no. This is good. It's all been leading up to this. This is what we've been doing all season. By combining our powers, look at what we've achieved. We could do so much more together."
Gennifer Hutchinson, co-writer Episode 2 & 8
Halbrand's first lines to Galadriel on the raft are: "'The tides of fate are flowing. Yours may be heading out.' That’s the same line that Galadriel says to Frodo when the ring comes into her orbit in LOTR. She’s repeating the first thing Sauron ever said to her." - J.D. Payne to Vanity Fair
Introducing Sauron"We began filming before telling Charlie Vickers he was Sauron. After filming episode two, we talked to Charlie during the pause we took because of COVID, and then episodes three through eight he was fully aware." - J.D. Payne to Vulture
“It’s not an option calling him Annatar because the audience would know ahead of the character." - McKay on The Ringer podcast. McKay also admits the clues are all there from the start, "in his very first shot, he's looking over his shoulder with one eye. His second line is 'Looks can be deceiving.'"
Vulture asked: "Why introduce Sauron through the form of this human disguise?"
Patrick McKay responded: 'One of the earliest ideas we had for the storyline came from the moment in The Fellowship of the Ring when Galadriel is tempted by Frodo’s offer of the Ring. She talks about how well she knows and understands Sauron, and there’s a quote where she says, “I know his mind, and he gropes ever to know mine, but still the door is shut.” She clearly has a darkness — that turning down the Ring is a test she feels she has to pass to finally go West — and that the darkness in her is linked with her feelings about Sauron.'
"We wanted to do an origin story for Sauron. We didn’t want to make a show that was about the hunt for Sauron, but we love the idea of Sauron as a deceiver who could, hopefully, deceive some of the audience."
Patrick McKay
Seems that the showrunners were trying to pull off a mic-drop moment only the greatest directors have ever successfully done, per this Empire magazine question from Patrick to James Cameron:
We tried to set it up where every single line would be true to a certain extent, no matter who he is.
Patrick Mckay
On Inspirations That Few Viewers SpottedPatrick tells The Ringer podcast that the entire concept of Galadriel and Halbrand meeting at sea is based on the Neo-classical Romanticist painting "The Raft of Medusa" which hangs in the Louvre, and is surprised nobody picked up on the connection. The painting depicts the real life story of an actual boat named the Medusa that crashed at sea and led to cannibalism among the survivors on the raft.
The Raft of the Medusa, 1818, by Théodore Géricault Rings of Power Episode 2“There’s something that Milton does in Paradise Lost where he makes Satan a really compelling character. In some ways, he’s the first antihero... and you (the reader) are unconsciously won over, so that you perceive your own fallenness and your need for redemption.” - Patrick McKay
“For my final audition, I had to do a speech from Paradise Lost. Literally, as Satan.” - Charlie Vickers, who plays Sauron. "By no means is this the definitive portrayal of Sauron. I think there's comfort in the fact that it's just adding another colour to what is already a really colourful page.”
In Episode 7, we see Galadriel and Theo hiding under a log. But that's where the connections to Bakshi's and Jackson's films end. "It was written that they were hiding under a log, so it was ultimately led by the scripts I don't think we ever consciously went back to the films and said 'we want to do it like that'" says Alex Diesenhof, the DP for the episode, in Newsweek.
Ralph Bakshi's LOTRPeter Jackson's FellowshipRings of Power Ep 7
All of us on the ground who've made the show, we approached it with love and so many of us are huge fans, and we just want people to live in Middle-earth again, just like we want to live in Middle-earth again.
Alex Diesenhof, director of photography
image: ScreenrantOn Mithril and LegendsOne of the most controversial ideas put forth in The Rings of Power is the source of Mithril's magic. Fans worldwide — from the Tolkien Professor, Corey Olsen, to the Tolkien Society, to nearly all lore YouTubers — universally loathed this effort to expand the Legendarium. The Showrunners justify their choice:
"What if there's a grand unification theory that could connect the light of the Two Trees of Valinor, which went into the Silmarils, to the rings? The three elven rings were at least partially made of mithril... It was a way to connect many parts of the canon, including the elves fading."
J.D. Payne, co-showrunner
"Mithril is unusual in Middle-earth. It's Tolkien's vibranium, or adamantium, or like the one in Avatar, unobtainium. I would trust Elrond's read on this piece of lore."
Patrick McKay, co-showrunner
“I think we're quite used to the elves doing exactly the right thing and knowing exactly what to do. And that's not necessarily the case here. [Galadriel] knows that if she [reveals Sauron to Celebrimbor], the rings wouldn't get made. She needs the rings to be made so that the elves can stay in Middle-earth and continue to fight him. But I don't know whether that's the right thing to do!” - Morfydd Clark
“She's gonna get a bit more magical! I'm really looking forward to that. The gift, or curse, of foresight, I found quite interesting.”
Morfydd Clark, on Galadriel getting her ring for Season 2
Screenrant caught up with the boys to talk about those not-yet-Nazgûl witches.
These witches are lesser conjurers than one of the wizards would be, and are bested here, but they escape in another form. While the visual language is a little similar to the Nazgûl, we’re also thinking about Macbeth and we’re thinking about the old crones and the three witches and just trying to come up with something strange and weird. We know they come from Rhûn, and we know there are magic cults in Rhûn, which is one of the things Tolkien writes about. So maybe there’s a slightly different kind of magic and we can peel back the layers in future seasons.
Patrick McKay
J.D. Payne continues that we haven't seen the last of the three witches, "were they just temporarily vanquished? I think that’s a story point that people can be thinking about… That’s him seeing into the Unseen world. The ring takes you into that place where you can see the true form of things."
NúmenorThe showrunners tell Joanna Robinson at the Ringer podcast that they are shocked nobody has compared the reveal of Elendil to its inspiration from Lawrence of Arabia. In the classic film, considered one of the top 5 films of all time, the shadow scene represents the title character Lawrence adopting his savior-ego complex and leading the Arabs to potential freedom. In Rings of Power season one, Elendil loses his children to politics and war, but will eventually lead some Númenorians to safety and freedom.
Above: Lawrence of Arabia, Rings of Power episode 2
"If you look back over her trajectory this season, it seems like Isildur's sister has been pulled into the Pharazôn camp, and that could mean big things for Númenor moving forward. Could she touch the Palantir and increase her sympathies toward the faithful, Or take issue with the idea that the queen has been using an Elven artifact and go the other way?" - via Vulture
“There was more about Isildur not wanting to be a sailor. We could do a whole season on that." J.D. Payne to The Ringer
The School of Athens by Raphael, c.1510Númenor's aesthetic is directly based on the classical Raphael portrayal of Athens as seen in the Vatican, McKay tells the Ringer podcast. Tolkien famously based his myth of Númenor on the ancient Grecian stories of Atlantis, made popular by Plato in his Athenian storytelling. In Letter 163 J.R.R. Tolkien admitted, "I have what some might call an Atlantis complex. ... I mean the terrible recurrent dream (beginning with memory) of the Great Wave, towering up, and coming in ineluctably over the trees and green fields."
Responding to Fan CriticismHollywood Reporter asked the writers to respond to five constant criticisms of the lore, paraphrased here:
- Dwarf women have beards. "Tolkien has answered this particular question both ways."
- Elves all have long hair. "If Tolkien ever wrote a comprehensive style guide to hairstyles, I would love to see it."
- Galadriel is too masculine. "Her nickname [by Tolkien] is “Nerwen,” which means “man-maiden.”
- Costumes are too new. "Guess what? Sometimes clothes are new."
- Pacing is too slow. "Tolkien will take his time and let you sink into characters, into a journey, and... I hope people will have the patience to settle in for a Tolkien epic."
"The storytelling will be different next time, not because of the response to the show, but because of the experience of making the show for us. We’re certainly listening to the critics and to our audiences. You don’t want to give any one voice too much weight, but figure out what people are responding to." - via Vulture
“We felt it was very important that season one be about reintroducing Middle Earth in this new era. Introducing all of these kingdoms, and all of these peoples and all of these characters and knowing what was important to them, and what they had at stake." - Patrick McKay, who still needs to introduce 16 leaders of men and dwarves to be corrupted by the rings of power.
"People of the world will think everything, love/hate & in between, I’m quite sure, but it certainly seems like everybody’s talking about it and people are watching. I think we always knew there would be a lot of chatter from all corners, and it’s good to be talked about." - Lindsey Weber
“It’s not a mystery it’s a character journey. Watching fans fight each other bums me out. Sauron enjoy seeing us tear each other part” - J.D. Payne
“Some portion of audience don’t want to go in journey of discovery. That surprised us. We thought fans would enjoy Galadriel not having husband and child." - Patrick McKay on The Ringer podcast
"The guys really wanted to devise a story that would work from service level the first time and then would work on a whole new level when you saw it again with the full knowledge of the season." - Lindsey Weber
"What matters to us is if it’s entertaining enough that people are digging into it and debating it. One of the big things we learned was even when it’s a small scene, it always has to tie back into the larger stakes. It has to be about good and evil and the fate of the world or it doesn’t have that epic feeling you want when you’re in Tolkien.” - Patrick McKay
"Bezos is a huge fan of Tolkien and has a great knowledge of the lore. The whole idea of why we got the rights to begin with was to tell the story of good versus evil — of people coming together from all different worlds to fight evil, really. Leaning into light was the other thing that was really appealing to everybody — bringing something to our global customer base that is hopeful and has light and that a family can watch." - Jennifer Salke, president of Amazon Studios
Good Things Are Worth Taking Time"We wanted to explore what it meant for Galadriel to, who had been right a lot, to be wrong, really, really wrong for a minute. We wanted her to have to live with those consequences, and in a way that she couldn’t fix in the short term." - Lindsey Weber, Executive Producer formerly from Bad Robot, on why the volcano wasn't the triumphant climax of season one.
"JD and Patrick talked about Stalingrad and Battle in the Streets, not sort of full epic but more hand-to-hand and brutal with surprising twists and turns." - Lindsey Weber
Mystery Boxing The ObviousWhen quizzed about the Gandalf-like similarities of The Stranger's voice and accent Patrick McKay responded: "The specifics of these things matter so much. Daniel Weyman, who plays The Stranger, developed a voice with vocal coach Leith McPherson that has a little twinge of the Irish lilt the Harfoots have. Whatever name he may one day be known as is not actually important at this stage of his journey. What matters at this stage is... his own relationship to power and good and evil and darkness and light.”
"I was playing what was put in front of me. I felt I could really play it honestly.” - Daniel Weyman, who is following his nose to Rhûn, wasn't told his character's name at first.
"There's even references to Gandalf himself possibly coming much earlier in some different form — he ‘walked among the elves’ — there's a story to be told with a wizard in this age feels in harmony with Tolkien's canon.” - Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay
"Apples have a lot of mythological resonances in cultures really across the world. There’s, obviously a biblical idea. I mean, it’s also commonly associated with the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The taking of fruit in a garden setting is something that portends kind of a loss of innocence, a leaving of Eden and heading into the difficult world. But rather than eat the apple, he holds on to the apple, as you know, holding onto the friendship." - J.D. Payne
Sticking to the PlanLindsey Weber, Rings of Power producer who previously produced Star Wars Episode 9: The Rise of Skywalker, told the Ringer that "their (Patrick and J.D.) passion for and knowledge of Tolkien—combined with their clarity of vision for the whole series, across multiple seasons—was uniquely impressive."
“We don’t want to make something disposable,” Payne says. “Carrying the responsibility of this material and this man’s life’s work, we aspire to making something that’s special and not like anything else you’ve seen before. … It’s not ours. We have a responsibility to this world and this history and this mythology that this guy created that means so much to these people and want to do right by it.”
J.D. Payne
"I wouldn’t say we're over-correcting for any of it, but we’re certainly listening to people’s responses."
Patrick Mckay
McKay tells Vanity Fair in a season-ending interview: "In the fourth episode, she asks him for advice, and he says basically, “the way you beat your enemies is to figure out what they need and figure out how to give it to them. Help them master their fear. And then you can master them.” And that’s exactly what he’s doing to her the entire season — maybe what he’s going to do to everybody over the following seasons. That’s his modus operandi."
Here's some reactions from the writers of Season 1 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, now streaming all episodes FREE with your existing Prime membership that most people already have for free shipping.
https://twitter.com/GennHutchison/status/1580991281236353024https://twitter.com/cogman_bryan/status/1580770095176957953https://twitter.com/bynicholasadams/status/1575719265612681217Sources:
- Vulture: The Rings of Power creators explain Sauron’s identity and their plan to explore the edges of Tolkien’s map
- Empire Online: The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power – Unpacking The Finale’s Secrets (And More) With The Cast And Crew
- Deadline: ‘LOTR: The Rings Of Power’ Season 1 Finale: Showrunners & EP Talk Sauron Twist, Tease “Grittier” Season 2, & New Characters From Tolkien Canon
- The Hollywood Reporter: ‘The Rings of Power’ Showrunners: Sauron Will Be Like Walter White in Season 2
- Variety: Amazon Studios Head Jennifer Salke Breaks Down the $700 Million ‘Rings of Power’ Gamble and Plan for MGM Integration
- The Hollywood Reporter: ‘The Rings of Power’ Showrunners Break Silence on Backlash, Sauron and Season 2
- The Ringer: Amazon’s ‘The Rings of Power’ Was the Streaming Bet of the Year. It Was Also a Bet on an Unlikely Duo.
- Vanity Fair: The Rings of Power Creators Reveal How Sauron Hid in Plain Sight
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on December 25th: The Fellowship of the Ring leaves Rivendell at dusk (1418 ) * [Join us on the Discussion Boards here*]
December 25, 3018 (S.R. 1418)1. The Company [Fellowship] of the Ring leaves Rivendell at dusk. (from the appendices)"...Elrond counselled them to journey under the cover of night as often as they could, until they were far from Rivendell."(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.365 FotR)
Last week we brought you the exciting news about composer Paul Corfield Godfrey's multi-part, operatic telling of the central stories from Tolkien's First Age. Four of the five parts are available now: you can purchase Fëanor, Beren and Lúthien, The Children of Húrin and The Fall of Gondolin directly from Volante Opera Productions, with the fifth and final part, The War of Wrath, expected soon in 2023.
Staffer greendragon recently had the pleasure of sitting down with composer Paul Corfield Godfrey and tenor Simon Crosby Buttle to find out more about these epic works, which are finally being made available for us all to enjoy. It's been a suitably (in a Tolkien-esque sort of way!) long quest, which has included copious correspondence between Godfrey and folks such as Rayner Unwin and Christopher Tolkien - and has even featured an appearance by one of the Tolkien family in a performance! Find out all the fascinating details in our zoom chat:
https://youtu.be/OycpV9FW7IIFind out more about these incredible works - and order your own copies - at the links below.
Facebook: The Music of Paul Corfield Godfrey, Volante Opera Productions
Twitter: @TheCorfield @OperaVolante
Discord: https://discord.gg/J6bQFHygr7
Don't forget, you can discuss these works - and so many more topics! - with fellow fans on TORn's discord.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4HUnCx4dLI
When Daggorlad decides he's going to spend Christmas waiting for Strider outside, Fili turns to Kili for some help to try to lure him in from the cold!
https://youtu.be/O4q-KTnlOQEStay up to date by subscribing to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok!
You can also binge all of Happy Hobbit's Christmas episodes by clicking on their Christmas playlisthere.
The Society of Composers & Lyricists announced their nominees today and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power received recognition. Congratulations to Bear McCreary for his nomination in Outstanding Score for Television for his exceptional work on The Rings of Power. The SCL Awards ceremony is being held on February 15, 2023.
Full list of nominees in the category are:
Outstanding Score For Television
Nicholas Britell – Andor
Siddhartha Khosla – Only Murders In The Building
Bear McCreary – The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power
Theodore Shapiro – Severance
Cristobal Tapia De Veer – The White Lotus
Last weekend we sat down again with our friend Daniel Falconer, to catch up on what he's been doing, and all things Weta Workshop. We were able to steal two hours of Daniel's time - and this conversation is a classic. I believe you all are going to love the topics we touch on. As always, thank you for the support!(You can check out our first conversation with Daniel Falconer here.)
Good news for all the fans out there who are disappointed that we have yet to see tales from The Silmarillion performed on stage or screen: composer Paul Corfield Godfrey's suitably epic opera of First Age stories is now available, in a recording made by singers from Welsh National Opera. We may not yet be seeing these tales; but at least you can listen to them!
There are four parts to this mammoth labour of love, all using text taken directly from Tolkien's writing (with full permission from the Tolkien Estate). Fëanor, Beren and Lúthien, The Children of Húrin and The Fall of Gondolin are available now; and they will be joined in 2023 by a fifth and final part, The War of Wrath. Here are details from the official press release:
PAUL CORFIELD GODFREY’S EPIC SCENES FROM THE SILMARILLIONafter the mythology of JRR TolkienThe Paul Corfield Godfrey Music Trust, Volante Opera Productions and Prima Facie Records are proud to present their recordings of Paul Corfield Godfrey’s musical adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion: Fëanor, Beren and Lúthien, The Children of Húrin and The Fall of Gondolin.
Composition began on these works in the 1980s with permission from the Tolkien Estate and the assistance of both Christopher and Priscilla Tolkien. For the last six years Volante Opera Productions have been hard at work producing these recordings so that for the first time since their inception these tales of the First Age of Middle-earth are available for the world to hear.
With the 2022 release of Fëanor on double CD and digital download the recording of the cycle of works as originally intended is complete. The nine hours which constitute the cycle form the largest work of classical music written in Wales in the twentieth century, and are performed by singers from Welsh National Opera together with a sampled (not synthesised) orchestra. The booklets which come with each of the four double albums contain detailed explanations of the manner in which the recording have been made, as well as track listings, synopses and an essay on each of the relevant parts by the composer.
Quite apart from the sheer scale of the work, the “epic scenes from The Silmarillion” are also unique in that (unlike nearly all of the Tolkien-influenced music available) the texts are drawn entirely from the words of Tolkien himself, with the agreement and permission of the Tolkien Estate. This certainly makes the score the most substantial vocal setting of any Tolkien material available.
We are also proud to announce that a newly completed fifth (and final) piece has now been added to the cycle: The War of Wrath. The addition of this work brings the tales of the First Age to a suitable epic conclusion. This is currently in the process of being recorded and is due for release mid 2023.
Double CD sets, full and vocal scores are also available for purchase, and the complete texts (including where relevant translations from Elvish), musical analysis and a guide are all available from www.paulcorfieldgodfrey.co.uk.
Double CD sets and digital downloads available through all usual channels: signed copies and further information can also be found on www.volanteopera.wales
Music published by: ZARATHUSTRA: The Paul Corfield Music Trust
Texts: used by kind permission of the estate of the late John Ronald Reuel Tolkien and HarperCollins Publishers.
Artwork by: TED NASMITH used with permission.
Social Media Links:
Facebook: The Music of Paul Corfield Godfrey, Volante Opera Productions
Twitter: @TheCorfield @OperaVolante
Discord: https://discord.gg/J6bQFHygr7
It would be wonderful to see this composition fully staged one day; let's hope that may happen! TORn will be chatting with folks involved in this project soon, so we'll bring you more information about this exciting work soon. Meanwhile, you can chat about this piece - and more! - with fellow fans on TORn's discord; and you can enjoy the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4HUnCx4dLI
Prime Video has announced that Charlotte Brändström, Sanaa Hamri, and Louise Hooper will each helm multiple episodes for Season Two of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
Readers will, of course, recall that Brändström directed a pair of Season One's episodes: (1X06/“Udûn” and 1X07/“The Eye”).
Hamri, an acclaimed music video director who has collaborated with artists such as Mariah Carey, Prince, and Snoop Dogg, recently completed executive producing and directing The Wheel of Time’s second season. Hooper has directed episodes of The Witcher, as well the season finale of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman.
The announcement states that Hamri and Hooper will each direct two episodes, with Brändström to oversee the remaining four and serve as co-executive producer for the eight-episode season.
Season 2 is currently in production in the UK.
The Rings of Power Season Two's directors
Charlotte Brändström is an award-winning director and graduate of the directing program at the American Film Institute. She recently finished directing a pilot for Netflix Sweden titled The Unlikely Murder, and her other directing credits for television include The Outsider for HBO; Jupiter’s Legacy, The Witcher, and Away for Netflix; The Man in the High Castle for Prime Video; and Outlander and Counterpart for Starz. Brändström also directed the entirety of two European limited series: Conspiracy of Silence for Viaplay and Disparue for FR2, and has also directed over 30 feature films, miniseries, and movies-of-the-week. Additionally, Brändström is an international Emmy award nominee for Julie, Chevalier de Maupin.
Sanaa Hamri is a renowned film, television, music video, and commercial director from Tangier, Morocco. She recently completed executive producing and directing The Wheel of Time’s second season for Prime Video. Previously Hamri was executive producer/director for FOX’s hit series Empire, and her other episodic television directing credits include Shameless, Rectify, Nashville, Elementary, Glee, and Desperate Housewives. Hamri is also an acclaimed music video director, and has collaborated with numerous hip-hop/R&B musicians including Prince, Common, Lenny Kravitz, Rhianna, Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, Jay Z, and Mary J. Blige. She has also won an NAACP Image Award for India.Arie’s “Little Things” video, as well as an MTV VMA for Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass.” In addition, Hamri directed Mariah Carey’s sold-out five arena concert documentary, The Adventures of Mimi, and has also directed the feature films Something New, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, and Just Wright.
Louise Hooper is an acclaimed British drama director, known for the 4-part limited thriller Flesh and Blood, starring Imelda Staunton and Stephen Rea; and Cheat, the 4-part drama starring Molly Windsor. Her additional directing credits include the first season finale of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman, The Witcher, Inside No. 9, and Treason. Hooper began her career directing BBC Arts documentaries, working with David Lynch, Helmut Newton, Arthur Miller, David Attenborough, and Björk, and has also received a BAFTA nomination for directing Our Gay Wedding: The Musical.
Our friends at Weta Workshop have a couple of really amazing environments up for pre-order. We're in the last five days of the timed order window for the amazing Helm's Deep which is part of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 20th Anniversary. You can snag your pre-order right now for $899 USD, with shipping expected towards the end of 2023. This is going to be one of the must-have environments for any The Lord of the Rings collection.We also get our first-ever mini-environment from the trilogy, with the new Mini-Orthanc. This version is Orthanc as seen after Saruman's Orcs have destroyed the area around the tower. You can order this piece for $99.99 USD, with it shipping in quarter 2 of next year. This will be an open-edition piece.[gallery ids="115939,115940"]
A second round of new casting for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been announced by Prime Video. Eight new cast members - mostly stalwarts of British television and theatre and with impressive credentials - have been revealed. Previous appearances by these actors include shows such as Game of Thrones, Bodyguard, Versailles, The Sandman, Bridgerton,and The Crown.
Here's the official press release:
Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Announces Additional New Cast Members for Season Two###### Eight additional new actors join the existing cast of the global hit series in recurring roles for the forthcoming second season, currently in production in the UK.
CULVER CITY, California—December 7, 2022—The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which has been viewed by over 100 million people worldwide and has been an unprecedented global success as the top Original series for Prime Video in every region in its first season, has announced an additional eight new recurring cast members for the forthcoming second season, currently in production in the UK.
The new cast members are Oliver Alvin-Wilson, Stuart Bowman, Gavi Singh Chera, William Chubb, Kevin Eldon, Will Keen, Selina Lo, and Calam Lynch.
OLIVER ALVIN-WILSONOLIVER ALVIN-WILSON
Oliver Alvin-Wilson’s television credits include The Bay (ITV), as “Guy Townsend,” Murder in Provence (ITV) as “Luc Martinez,” Collateral (BBC) as ”Chips Benson” and Lovesick (Netflix) as “Alex.” In film, Oliver has been seen in Harkness, Wonder Woman 1984, and The Huntsman. He has appeared on stage in All of Us (National Theatre), Henry VI Rebellion/War of the Roses (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Twilight Zone (Almeida Theatre/Ambassadors Theatre), The Doctor (Almeida Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Young Vic Theatre) and Nine Night (National Theatre/Trafalgar Studios) among many others.
STUART BOWMANSTUART BOWMAN
Stuart Bowman can currently be seen in the television series The Pact (BBC), Karen Pirie (ITV), and The Control Room (BBC). He has previously played recurring roles in Alex Rider (Prime Video), Guilt (BBC), Bodyguard (Netflix), Versailles (Netflix), Grantchester (ITV), and Deadwater Fell (Channel 4) opposite David Tennant. Stuart’s work in film includes Man and Witch, The Cursed, Sunset Song, and Slow West. His recent theatre credits include Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre) as “Macduff.”
GAVI SINGH CHERAGAVI SINGH CHERA
Gavi Singh Chera was most recently seen in the television series The Undeclared War (Channel 4) and The Lazarus Project (Sky). Other television credits include Vera (ITV) and Doctors (BBC). On stage, Gavi has appeared in productions including The Cherry Orchard (The Yard Theatre), Our Generation, Behind the Beautiful Forevers (National Theatre), Duck, 1922: The Waste Land (Jermyn Street Theatre) and Pygmalion (Headlong).
WILLIAM CHUBBWILLIAM CHUBB
William Chubb is a prolific actor whose television credits include Vampire Academy (Peacock), The Sandman (Netflix), Pistol (Hulu), Quiz, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell (BBC), Law & Order: UK (ITV)and House of Cards (BBC). On stage, William has appeared in numerous productions including The Tempest (Theatre Royal Bath), The Taxidermist’s Daughter (Chichester Festival Theatre), Witness for the Prosecution (County Hall, London), Othello (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre) and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Old Vic). His film credits include Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light, A Week in Paradise, and Adrift in Soho.
KEVIN ELDONKEVIN ELDON
Kevin Eldon is a well-known performer in television, film and theatre. On television, Kevin has starred in Game of Thrones (HBO), Shadow And Bone (Netflix), Inside Number 9 (BBC) and has had recurring roles in Trigger Point (Peacock) and Dad’s Army. He also appeared in The Crown (Netflix), Criminal: UK (Netflix) and Doctor Who (BBC). In film, he has been seen in Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, Hot Fuzz, Four Lions and Set Fire to the Stars opposite Elijah Wood.
WILL KEENWILL KEEN
Will Keen will soon start production on Prime Video’s My Lady Jane. He most recently wrapped the indie feature Borderland opposite Felicity Jones and Mark Strong, as well as the TV series The Gold (BBC1/Viacom). He was most recently seen in Ridley Road (BBC) and The Pursuit of Love (BBC) opposite Andrew Scott and Emily Beecham. His other TV credits include His Dark Materials (HBO), The Crown (Netflix), Genius: Picasso (National Geographic), Wolf Hall (BBC) and The Musketeers (BBC). Stage credits include Patriots (Almeida Theatre), Ghosts (Almeida Theatre), Waste (Almeida Theatre), Quartermaine’s Terms (Wyndham's Theatre), The Arsonists (Royal Court) and The Coast of Utopia (National Theatre).
SELINA LOSELINA LO
Selina Lo is a British-Asian actress and former martial arts champion, whose film credits include starring in Boss Level (Hulu) as “Guan Yin” and Hellraiser (Hulu) as “The Gasp.” Her work in television includes a recurring role in One Child (BBC) as “Xu Lian.”
CALAM LYNCHCALAM LYNCH
Calam Lynch was most recently seen in Bridgerton (Netflix) as “Theo Sharpe.” Other television credits include Derry Girls (Channel 4) as “John Paul O’Reilly” and Mrs. Wilson (BBC) as “Gordon Wilson.” In film, Calam starred in Black Beauty (Disney+), Benedictionopposite Jack Lowden, and Dunkirk. He has appeared in theatre in productions including Much Ado About Nothing (The Rose Theatre) and Wife (The Kiln Theatre).
All eight first season episodes are now available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in multiple languages.
The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
The first season of The Rings of Power has been an unprecedented success, viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, with more than 24 billion minutes streamed. The highly anticipated series attracted more than 25 million global viewers on its first day, marking the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video, and also debuted as the No. 1 show on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart in its opening weekend. The show has also broken all previous Prime Video records for the most viewers, and has driven more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than any other previous content. Additionally, The Rings of Power is the top Original series in every region—North America, Europe, APAC, LATAM, and the rest of the world. The season finale also created a global cultural moment, with multiple series-themed hashtags, including #TheRingsofPower and others, trending in 27 countries across Twitter for over 426 cumulative hours throughout the weekend.
Season Two of the series is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison, along with co-executive producer Charlotte Brandstrom, producers Kate Hazell and Helen Shang, and co-producers Andrew Lee, Matthew Penry-Davey, and Clare Buxton.
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It's that time of year... awards season has begun! While the Emmys are many months away, many critics groups and craft guilds will be honoring the best in film and television for 2022 over the next few months.
Already The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has received a nomination for the People's Choices Awards for Best Sci-fi/Fantasy Show (voting has closed) and Bear McCreary received a Hollywood Music in Media Award nomination for Best Score - TV Show/Limited Series (losing out to the composers of 1883.)
Today, the 28th Annual Critics Choices Awards television nominations were announced. While Rings of Power did not get nominated for Best Drama Series, congratulations are in order for Ismael Cruz Córdova for being nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series! Ismael recently received the breakthrough actor award for television at the Critics Choice Association’s 2nd annual Celebration of Latino Cinema and Television in November.
The Critics Choice Awards will be broadcast live on The CW on Sunday, January 15, 2023.
Actor Sala Baker is no stranger to playing the bad guy; he appeared, after all, as Sauron himself in Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies. Now he's starring as the 'lead heavy' in a new movie, The Last Deal.
Director Jonathan Salemi was in touch with TORn, and let us know that 'Sala's character, The Boss, is the leader of a gang that loans money to our lead character, Vince [played by Anthony Molinari], and when Vince can't pay him back, The Boss intends to get his money back at any cost.' Baker is of course also well known as a stuntman, and his skills are put to good use in this film; Salemi told ComingSoon.net, 'Actors that are also veteran stunt performers were casted in the leads so we could keep all the action on screen without cutting away, and keep it very real.'
The film sold out at the Boston International Film Festival, where Salemi was awarded Best Director. The Last Deal also sold out at Dances with Films in Hollywood, and Molinari was awarded 'Best Performance by a lead actor' at San Antonio Film Festival.
The Last Deal is scheduled for a select theatre release in February 2023; meanwhile, you can enjoy the trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9XAVk7OJsE
Filming for Season Two of Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is already underway, and today new casting was revealed.
Of particular note is the recasting of the role of 'Adar' - Joseph Mawle will not be back for the second season. (One has to assume this is because he is not available; he was so great in the role that I can't imagine the showrunners wanted to replace him.) Given some of the speculation about whether this is a 'winning team,' it's also worth noting that JD Payne and Patrick McKay are still at the helm.
Here's the full press release:Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Announces *New Cast Members for Season TwoSeven new actors join the existing cast of the global hit series in recurring roles for the forthcoming second season, currently in production in the UK*
CULVER CITY, California—December 1, 2022—The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has announced seven new recurring cast members for the forthcoming second season, currently in production in the UK.
“Since its premiere, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been bringing audiences together to experience the magic and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent Middle-earth. To date, season one is the top Original series for Prime Video in every region and has been viewed by over 100 million people worldwide, a truly global hit that speaks to the universal nature of powerful storytelling. We welcome these wonderful actors to our ‘fellowship’ and look forward to telling more incredible Second Age stories in season two,” said Vernon Sanders, Head of Global Television, Amazon Studios.
The new cast members are: Gabriel Akuwudike, Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour, Ben Daniels, Amelia Kenworthy, Nia Towle, and Nicholas Woodeson. The role of Orc leader “Adar” has been recast for Season Two, and will be played by Sam Hazeldine.
Biographies and headshots for the newly announced cast are featured below.
GABRIEL AKUWUDIKEGABRIEL AKUWUDIKE
Gabriel Akuwudike is a British-Nigerian actor who has appeared in the acclaimed series Hanna (Prime Video). Other TV credits include Ridley Road (BBC) and War of the Worlds (FX/Disney+). He has appeared in films including Sam Mendes’ 1917, and HBO’s Brexit directed by Toby Haynes.
YASEN ‘ZATES’ ATOURYASEN ‘ZATES’ ATOUR
Yasen ‘Zates’ Atour is most known for his role as “Coen” in Season Two of The Witcher (Netflix). He was also a series regular in Young Wallander (Netflix), playing the role of “Reza Al-Rahman.” He directed the film Good Intentions and was an executive producer and star of the film When the Screaming Starts.
Ben DanielsBEN DANIELS
Ben Daniels has had recurring roles in television including Jupiter’s Legacy (Netflix) as “Walter Sampson,” The Crown (Netflix) as “Lord Snowdon,” The Exorcist (Hulu) as “Father Marcus Keane,” House of Cards (Netflix) as “Adam Galloway,” and Law & Order: UK (ITV) as “James Steel.” Film credits include roles in Benediction, Captive State, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and The Exception. Ben is an award-winning stage actor who has appeared in numerous productions including The Normal Heart (National Theatre – Olivier Award Nomination - Best Actor, Critics' Circle Theatre Award – Best Actor), All My Sons (National Theatre - Olivier Award – Best Supporting Actor), and Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Broadway - Tony and Drama Desk Nominations – Best Actor). Ben trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.
Sam HazeldineSAM HAZELDINE
Sam Hazeldine’s credits include Peaky Blinders (BBC), Slow Horses (Apple TV+), The Huntsman: Winter’s War, Mechanic: Resurrection, and Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel. He currently appears in The Sandman (Netflix) and The Playlist (Netflix), and will next be seen in the upcoming Band of Brothers sequel Masters of The Air (AppleTV+) opposite Austin Butler and Callum Turner, and starring alongside Jonah Hauer-King and Dar Zuzovsky in the Casanova drama feature, A Beautiful Imperfection.
AMELIA KENWORTHYAMELIA KENWORTHY
Amelia Kenworthy is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. While at RADA, she performed in numerous stage productions including Spring Awakening as “Anna,” A Midsummer Night’s Dream as “Puck,” Two Gentlemen of Verona as “Julia,” Pomona as “Ollie” and Against as “Shiela.” She has also appeared in short films IRL and Messenger. She will make her television debut in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
NIA TOWLENIA TOWLE
Nia Towle was most recently seen in the Netflix film Persuasion. On stage, Nia debuted Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane at both the National Theatre and Duke of York Theatre. During her studies at Guildhall School of Drama, from which she graduated in 2021, Nia played leading roles in plays including Yerma, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Medea.
NICHOLAS WOODESONNICHOLAS WOODESON
Nicholas Woodeson is a veteran English performer of television, film, and theatre. In television, his credits include Silent Witness (BBC), Baptiste (BBC), The Honourable Woman (BBC), Poirot (ITV), and Rome (HBO / BBC). He can also be seen in films including The Hustle, Paddington 2, The Danish Girl, Skyfall, and Conspiracy. His most recent theatre performances include The Two Popes, “The Duke of Norfolk”in The Mirror and The Light, “The Mayor” in The Visit, “Pope Francis” in The Pope, “Mr. Kidd” in The Room, and “Willy” in Death of a Salesman. Nicholas is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.
All eight first season episodes are now available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in multiple languages.
The Rings of Power brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings books, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared reemergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the farthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
The first season of The Rings of Power has been an unprecedented success, viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, with more than 24 billion minutes streamed. The highly anticipated series attracted more than 25 million global viewers on its first day, marking the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video, and also debuted as the No. 1 show on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart in its opening weekend. The show has also broken all previous Prime Video records for the most viewers, and has driven more Prime sign-ups worldwide during its launch window than any other previous content. Additionally, The Rings of Power is the top Original series in every region—North America, Europe, APAC, LATAM, and the rest of the world. The season finale also created a global cultural moment, with multiple series-themed hashtags, including #TheRingsofPower and others, trending in 27 countries across Twitter for over 426 cumulative hours throughout the weekend.
Season Two of the series is produced by showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay. They are joined by executive producers Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison, along with co-executive producer Charlotte Brandstrom, producers Kate Hazell and Helen Shang, and co-producers Andrew Lee, Matthew Penry-Davey, and Clare Buxton.
The exclusive The Lord of The Rings™ Roleplaying game live event for Extra Life, a charity uniting thousands of gamers around the world in support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals — Only at LA Comic Con
For every Middle-earth fan attending L.A. Comic Con, this Roleplaying live event is the perfect way to end your Saturday evening. There will be an All-Star group of gamers and actors playing the game, all for charity, and you can be there to watch it live.
LIVE EVENT DETAILS: How: Redeem your free ticket at the Legion M booth (booth 1015) starting at 11 am PST on Sat, December 3rd, 2022 When: Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 Where: Only at Los Angeles Comic Con in room 301AB Time: Doors open 6 pm | Show starts 7 pm PT Donate to Extra Life at: https://www.extra-life.org/participant/lostodyssey
The full press release is below:
LOS ANGELES, Ca., Nov. 29 — One charity campaign to unite fans of fantasy and gaming alike. ‘From the mind of Kate Welch’, Lost Odyssey: The Red Scribe will see a fellowship of heroes come together in the World Premiere of the brand new The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying Game, in a spectacular, never-before-heard tale from Middle Earth. The game will kick off a first-of-its-kind digital marketplace, hosted by eBay, where both fans and companies can buy and sell products to benefit Extra Life, a program that’s raised over $100 million to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, and child life services across the nation.
Join game master Kate Welch (Acquisitions Incorporated), alongside an all-star cast of players including Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood, Daredevil), Reggie Watts (The Late Late Show with James Corden), TJ Storm (Godzilla, Deadpool), Luke Gygax (GaryCon, GaxxWorx), and The Dark Lord Sauron himself, Sala Baker (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy), for a tabletop roleplaying experience like no other. Free to attend for any LACC Saturday badge holder, the star-studded celebrity gaming series Lost Odyssey returns to a physical table after two years of webcam games for an incredible cause. People coming together and telling stories to help one another—gathering around the proverbial campfire, and telling a story as one. Be the first to get your free ticket at the Legion M booth starting at 11 am PST on December 3rd - A limited number of tickets are available! Attendees will receive exclusive Comic-Con giveaways like minis, dice, and more... they may even have a role to play in the onstage story itself!
Lost Odyssey: The Red Scribe is presented by The Lord of the Rings™: Rise to War (an officially licensed mobile strategy game based on the iconic trilogy of books by J.R.R. Tolkien, developed by NetEase Games), and brought to you from sponsors including Free League Publishing (Creators of hit TTRPGs like ALIEN The Roleplaying Game, Blade Runner The Roleplaying Game, The One Ring™, and of course the new The Lord of the Rings™ Roleplaying Game), Legion M (the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company), Magpie Games (Avatar: Legends, Root The Roleplaying Game, and Urban Shadows), Spidermind Games (creator of the new technologically advanced, Dragon Eye Dice), Miniature Market (the online gaming superstore), DUST (a diverse platform for visionaries across the sci-fi community), GaxxWorx (veteran-owned company focused on creating well-designed and fun games and gaming accessories for everyone), and Syrinscape (the app that brings immersive sound effects and music to your tabletop roleplaying games, offering unique soundscapes that will elevate your game at home the same way you’ll see at-play in Lost Odyssey: The Red Scribe).
Stay tuned for more game details at: lostodysseyevents.com
Follow along on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/TikTok: @LostOdysseyLive
About LOST ODYSSEY EVENTS: From the production company INSIGNIS PICTURES, LOST ODYSSEY EVENTS is a TTRPG event series created by Douglisio DiMuccio and Rob D. Miller, a narrative multiverse bringing together the organizations and personalities of the TTRPG community behind common causes. Story saves.
About EXTRA LIFE: Extra Life is a charity uniting thousands of gamers around the world to play games in support of their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Since its inception in 2008, Extra Life has raised over $100 million to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, and child life services across the nation. For Lost Odyssey Events: inquiries@insignispictures.com
Here is the Trailer for the gaming event
https://youtu.be/Jvzofy_SFSc
If you're looking for the perfect holiday gift for your favorite Tolkien fan, you've come to the right place! The staff of TheOneRing.net have put together a list of our favorite items of the year, with price points for every budget. And while it's nice to know that 2-day shipping exists (thanks, Amazon!), shipping delays around the holidays are inevitable, so we recommend starting your gift shopping now. Not to mention that the perfect item you've been looking for could sell out!
From our Fellowship to yours, TheOneRing.net would like to wish you all a peaceful and happy holiday season.
Deej recommends:
Mini Epics: Witch-King of the Unseen Lands Limited Edition by Weta Workshop: $44.99
I've been a fan of Weta Workshop's Mini Epics line since they started releasing them, but this might be my favorite one so far. The attention to detail on these little guys is so...epic! And like all Weta collectibles, they were designed by the same artists that worked on the films. "Peeking through the mortal veil, we glimpsed the mighty Witch-king’s true visage, immortalized now for all to fear in Mini Epic form."
Not only is this Witch-King fear-inducing , he's also kind of cute! Click HERE to pre-order.
greendragon recommends:
Realm of Middle-earth Moonlit Throw by Oscha: £96.00
It's no secret that I've always been a huge fan of Scottish company Oscha's Middle-earth range. Their designs are so beautiful; you can choose a throw, shawl, mug, or bag, if you're not in the market for a baby sling or baby blanket. (Though I have to say, the baby blankets make great wall hangings!) This year I'm highlighting their 'Realm of Middle-earth' pattern, on the 'moonlit' colour scheme throw. Who doesn't like a good map from Tolkien's world? This would look beautiful on any sofa or bed. Do yourself a favour and check out Oscha's entire collection; you'll be glad you did! Click HERE to order.
Hobbit Mini Gandalf Hat by Stansborough: $79
It's great to know that small, family run businesses creating sustainable and ethical products (such as Oscha, above) can thrive; and as one of the best, I'm thrilled that Stansborough in New Zealand are still going strong. They are the folks who made the magical Elven cloaks for The Lord of the Rings movies, as well as Gandalf's scarf in The Hobbit movies, and further fabrics for The Rings of Power! Once again, they have fabulous scarfs, throws, caps, etc. - and even Gandalf's hat! My choice for the gift list is the mini Gandalf hat; I already said this in another homepage post, but I think it would be an adorable tree topper. Own a little piece of genuine New Zealand goodness; check out Stansborough's website. Their treasures aren't cheap - but the standard is so high, they're worth every penny! Click HERE to order.
Collectibles from NZ Post: prices vary
NZ Post continue their celebration of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy with 20th anniversary collectibles for The Two Towers. Their products are beautiful, and would be treasured by any collector. I particularly love the Limited Edition stamp presentation pack, and this stunning art print. The new range of pins would be wonderful stocking stuffers! There are three, all great designs and very attractive presentation; again, very collectible. Choose from Eye of Sauron, Gollum, or Mount Doom.
Click HERE to see the range from NZ Post.
Garfeimao recommends:
The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth by J.R.R Tolkien and edited by Brian Sibley: $34.99
My 'must have' this year is "The Fall of Numenor" edited by Brian Sibley, who expertly weaves together all the Second Age story strands into one, cohesive timeline custom-made for the fans of Tolkien who want to dig deeper into the lore, but without having to scour numerous other volumes. Add to this the glorious new watercolor and pencil drawings from Alan Lee, and this book becomes the perfect Holiday gift for new and existing Tolkien fans. Click HERE to order.
saystine recommends:
The Lord of the Rings Jewelry Collection by Enso Rings: starting at $44.99
Enso has a collection of silicone rings inspired by The Lord of the Rings. The Shire Leaf ring is perfect for anyone who dreams of the simple life. This ring celebrates the idyllic, peaceful home of the Hobbits with a leaf etching on Distressed Ashy Green and Black Pearl. Click HERE to see other designs and to order.
kelvarhin recommends:
The Silmarillion (Illustrated Edition): Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien: $39.00
For the first time ever, a very special edition of the forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout in color by J.R.R. Tolkien himself and with the complete text printed in two colors. The Silmarillion fills in the background which lies behind the more popular work, and gives the earlier history of Middle-earth, introducing some of the key characters. Click HERE to order.
Elessar recommends:
The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring 2000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle by Ravensburger: $44.99
Join the Fellowship in their quest through Middle Earth to rid the world of Sauron’s One Ring. Pursued by Ringwraiths, the Hobbits Frodo, Samwise, Merry and Pippin are aided by the Wizard Gandalf, the Ranger Aragorn, Legolas the elf, Gimli the dwarf and Boromir. The Watcher nearly prevents their perilous trek through the Mines of Moria, where Gandalf confronts a Balrog on the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. Galadriel provides comfort, but Saruman’s Uruk-hai pursue. Will the Fellowship make it to Mordor? An immersive illustrated map of Middle Earth, this “The Fellowship of the Ring” puzzle is a Ravensburger exclusive, perfect for any Lord of the Rings fan! Click HERE to order the FotR puzzle, or HERE for their 'Two Towers' puzzle.
Wee Tanya recommends:
The Lord of the Rings Apparel and Accessories line by Her Universe: prices vary
I am a huge fan of costuming, but can't always put on a full elf outfit at work. The brand Her Universe currently has a range of all-gender Lord of the Rings apparel, including cloaks, hoodies, leggings, t-shirts, and a fantastic blouse with Fellowship broach embroidery on the collar that can keep us Tolkiening along in a more subtle way. If you can't find an specific item that you want, the Her Universe LOTR line is also sold at Hot Topic. Some of my favorite items include the Middle-earth map button-down in men's sizes, the dress that is suitable for a Ren Faire or Hobbit dance party, and the Loungefly bag. Click HERE to order.
The Los Angeles Comic Con Octopus Due to some technical issues, there has been some realignment to the programming schedule at LACC and TheOneRing.net has a slight change in our programming slot.
Our ‘Dispatches from Middle-earth: The return to Middle-earth' panel is still in room 303 AB on Saturday, December 3, but now our start time is at 5:30 PM and ending at 7:00 PM, giving us nearly a full 90-minute panel. Join us as we talk about all things Tolkien, past, present, and future. And remember, we love seeing Middle-earth themed cosplay, and this is the weekend to really bring it.
But wait, there’s more Middle-earth goodness to be had. Elijah Wood and Sean Astin will be on the Main Stage on Saturday, December 3 from 3:00 PM to 3:50 PM. Both will be doing autographs and photo ops on Saturday as well, check the L.A. ComicCon App for details.
Elijah Wood and Sean Astin There is one more surprise coming tomorrow for cool, geeky Middle-earth-themed fun happening at LACC, so check back tomorrow morning.
Actor Bruce Hopkins, who played Gamling in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy (and is a good friend to TORn), is 67 years young. To celebrate his recent birthday, he raised money for charity by doing something unusual: back flipping off a wharf, once for every year of his age.
Middle-earth fans will be aware of Hopkins' drive and energy; back in 2017, he walked the 3000km Te Araroa trail, taking the ashes of his father and brother the length of New Zealand and back to their ancestral home, Stewart Island. That time, as with this latest endeavour, he was raising money for charity Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.
As a grandfather himself, Hopkins is an ardent supporter of the charity. He's also a keen swimmer who has spent much of his life in the water - but never before had he endeavoured to do quite so many back flips. To challenge himself even further, one in every ten of the flips was taken from 4m (c. 12 foot) above the water!
The men of Rohan are hardy stock, and our Gamling came through unscathed - apart from some bruising to his shins. Happy birthday Bruce, and congratulations on raising funds for such a worthy cause.
The awesome folks at Ravensburger Puzzles wanted us to let you know that right now, fans can snag two awesome puzzles, representing the first two films in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. These beautiful, 2000-piece puzzles are great pieces of art representing each film; The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers are available now at a variety of retailers.
The Return of the King puzzle is coming in 2023, so you won't have long to wait to get that one as well. These puzzles would make great gifts for the Ringer in your life! We will also be giving you all a look at these puzzles in the future when we put together ours - so be on the lookout for that review.
Meanwhile, you can enter for a chance to win! One lucky winner, chosen at random, will receive both of these first two puzzles in the trilogy. Simply complete this form to be in with a chance to win. The giveaway runs until 11.59pm PT on Wednesday 7th December, and winner will be contacted after that. Sorry, only open to fans in the United States.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on November 23: * The Battle of the Five Armies – 2941 (1341) * [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
November 23, 2941 (S.R. 1341) 1. The Battle of the Five Armies (referencing Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth) "Runners came in to report that a host of dwarves had appeared round the eastern spur of the Mountain and was now hastening to Dale. Dain had come."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 263-270 The Hobbit)
Stansborough is a name which will be familiar to many fans of Peter Jackson's Middle-earth. Their amazing wool made those magical Elven cloaks, gifted to the Fellowship in the first Lord of the Rings movie. Spun through with silver thread, the Stansborough weave appeared again as Gandalf's scarf in The Hobbit trilogy; and their fabrics have even been used recently in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power!
Tolkien lovers who have made pilgrimages to New Zealand may have visited their mill, to see their sustainable fabrics being created; and many of us have purchased items from them over the years. We're delighted that this family run business is still going, still making magic - and they have generously sent us some goodies to giveaway!
Staffers Madeye Gamgee and greendragon had the pleasure of opening the exciting package which travelled across the ocean to arrive in the US; take a look to see what was in the box:
https://youtu.be/vEDUB_8Dh-Y
Your chance to win
If YOU would like to be in with a chance to be one of the lucky winners who will receive one of the goodies from Stansborough, all you need to do is complete and submit this form. The contest is open within the USA only (sorry, folks elsewhere in the world!); you have until 11.59pm PT Monday 28th November to enter. On Tuesday 29th we'll pick three winners at random, and send each one of those lucky folks one of the three items.
If you're not in the US, or if you aren't a winner, you can still treat yourself to something wonderful from Stansborough; just visit their website to see all the goodies available. I've got my eye on one of their mini Gandalf hats (as seen above) - the perfect tree topper...! (Hmm, perhaps for a tree decorated with flaming pine cones...?)
Big thanks to our good friends at Stansborough for their generosity.
Complete this form to be in with a chance to win!
Prime Video are today revealing new behind the scenes footage for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power; and to celebrate, they'll have live interviews happening with cast throughout the day.
TORn staffer greendragon will be chatting with Markella Kavenagh (Nori) and Sara Zwangobani (Marigold) of the Brandyfoot family. Join us LIVE today at 11.30am PT/ 2.30pm ET, on Twitter Space.
https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1ypKddenLVaKW
Here's the trailer for the 'X-Ray' footage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQ-LVQFd2I
Prime Video has announced that new behind the scenes footage from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will be released today, in the form of 'X-ray' content, which can be accessed whilst watching the show. To promote the footage, they released this trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBQ-LVQFd2I
Here's what the official press release tells us:
Prime Video Announces a Spectacular Return to Middle-earth With X-Ray’s “The Making of The Rings of Power”
Fans of the global hit series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power can get an exclusive look behind the scenes of all eight episodes via Prime Video’s X-Ray feature, pulling back the curtain on the real-life creation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent realms like never before
CULVER CITY, California—November 21, 2022—Prime Video’s record-breaking global hit series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has announced that “The Making of The Rings of Power”—a special look at previously unreleased behind-the-scenes content from Season One’s eight episodes—is now available exclusively on X-Ray, via a full-screen experience that can be launched anytime while watching the series. Viewers can also access the X-Ray episodes by scrolling to the Bonus Content section on the series’ main page on Prime Video HERE.
X-Ray’s behind-the-scenes content invites audiences to take a close, personal look at Season One’s production, allowing fans to discover how the series meticulously brought J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth to life in all of its splendor. These “making of” pieces, each corresponding to one of the first season’s eight episodes, provide a thrilling deep dive into the series, with exclusive access, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with the cast, showrunners, executive producers, directors, and production team.
“The Making of The Rings of Power” gives fans a special inside look at the creation of the unique realms that make up Middle-earth, including Númenor and Khazad-dûm, both shown on screen at the heights of their glory for the first time. These segments also reveal exciting details about the production design, set decoration, costumes, makeup, visual and special effects, stunts, sword fights, horseback riding, and so much more of the intricate preparation involved in creating this very special world.
The first season of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been an unprecedented global success, viewed by more than 100 million people worldwide, with more than 24 billion minutes streamed. The highly anticipated series attracted more than 25 million global viewers on its first day, marking the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video, and also debuted as the #1 show on Nielsen’s overall streaming chart in its opening weekend. The show has also broken all previous Prime Video records for the most viewers, and has driven more new Prime sign-ups than any other previous content launched. Additionally, The Rings of Power is the top Original series in every region - North America, Europe, APAC, LATAM and the rest of the world. The season finale also created a global cultural moment, with #Halbrand trending on Twitter for 305 hours.
About X-Ray
Watch, listen, and shop more on Prime Video with your favorite show, powered by X-Ray. The technology of showing you who that actor is now includes more—What song is playing? Where can I buy this book? How did they make the scale of the Harfoots and Dwarves? Launch X-Ray to find out more: https://www.amazon.com/adlp/xray
How to Access X-Ray
Via mobile device or web browser on Prime Video, move your cursor, tap the screen, and/or pause the series to reveal on-screen X-Ray controls. X-Ray’s on-screen Quickview mode disappears after a few moments, so to see X-Ray information again, just tap, click or move your cursor again. Click or tap "X-Ray View All" at the top left of the screen to enter full screen X-Ray.
On Smart TVs or streaming media devices: “The Making of The Rings of Power” behind-the-scenes pieces will be available as Bonus Content. Scroll to the Bonus Content section on the show’s main page, where all eight segments will be available to view individually.
Use your remote to activate X-Ray by pressing/swiping up to view on-screen X-Ray controls. Press up on the remote again or select “X-Ray” to access the full screen X-Ray experience
You can listen to TORn's live chat with Markella Kavenagh and Sara Zwangobani (aka Nori and Marigold Brandyfoot) on Twitter Space today, 11.30am PT/2.30pm ET. https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1ypKddenLVaKW
It's been a month since the final episode of Season 1 aired. TheOneRing.net staff have had time to reflect, to go back and binge-watch the whole thing, and to process thoughts.
As we begin the journey to Season 2 (which could be a long one!), here are some of TORn staffers' reactions to the first season of Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. As you'll see, we're an independent bunch with a wide variety of opinions!
Staffer Calisuri writes:
There are a lot of dissenting opinions amongst our staff, but one thing we seem to all agree upon is our excitement to return to Milddle-earth. Regardless of the specific plot lines and changes to the canon, there is a pretty significant consensus that The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power feels a lot like the Middle-earth we discovered in our first reading of the literature, and then again with the visual execution of Peter Jackson's films.
And there ends the consensus. 🤔
For my part, I went into the series with low expectations that it would 'stick to the book.' And as a result, I was absolutely thrilled by the show. The wonderful part of changing things up... one literally has no clue what will happen next. It wasn't too long into the series that significant questions were being discussed amongst the fandom, and no one really had an excellent answer for any of them. Even the most obvious queries like, 'Who is Sauron,' ended up being a bit hard to predict than expected. Right until the end, our panelists at NYCC were still hotly debating the topics. Check that as a win for the show.
By far, my favorite aspect of this particular Season was the introduction of the amazing cast. With highlight performances coming from Durin, Disa, Galadriel, and Elrond.
In a world of non-stop quality content (cough Andor - you should be watching it), Rings of Power Season 1 sits proudly amongst my favs of 2022. Without the stats to prove it, I'm willing to guess Rings of Power was well-received among the general pop culture audience. Was it amazing for Tolkien fandom as a whole? That seems to be more of a split.
It might be a while until Season 2, but I, for one, can't wait.
Staffer Mithril writes:
Although there are aspects of the show I enjoyed, I felt there were substantial flaws. The filming was cinematic, with gorgeous photography, yet at times the sets felt like sets – the city scenes in Númenor, the insubstantial feeling of Lindon. The pacing of the first season moved in fits and starts. It relied heavily and unnecessarily on mystery boxes. The show is called "The Rings of Power," yet the making of the Rings was relegated to fifteen minutes of the last episode of the season. We did not get to see all the rings forged, just the three Elven rings. Halbrand/Annatar was only in Eregion for a very short time, most of it unconscious. There is so much that could have been explored about Annatar's infiltration and influence over the Gwaith-i-Mírdain Jewel-smiths and Celebrimbor. Where was the suspicion? The shock and fear when the Elves figured out what Sauron was doing? This was a huge letdown for me.
There were also quite a few moments where I found myself saying, "Wait, what?!?" For instance, Númenor is over 2,000 miles away from the coast that is closest to Mordor, yet in the show, it appears the Númenórean ships sail that distance in about two days. When they arrive, the army gallops at speed to exactly where Adar is, exactly where the villagers are fighting the orcs, at exactly the right moment to save the day. And yet, they only had a generalized idea of where in the Southlands to go. That's a pretty big coincidence to swallow. There were several other instances in the show that suspended my belief as well.
My favorite characters are Elrond, Durin IV, and Disa. These characters have heart, and I care about them. Their storyline is also one that comes close to canon, and I think you can feel how it rings true. I was surprised how much I liked Robert Aramayo as Elrond; and Owain Arthur and Sophia Nomvete rock. I also really liked Adar. Joseph Mawle's acting is outstanding, and he made me care about the plight of the Orcs. I was pulling for him, even though he was supposed to be a bad guy. Between him and Galadriel in the barn scene, I was totally on his side.
Overall, I was happy to be back in Middle-earth and am looking forward to seeing what unfolds next season.
Staffer Elessar shares his thoughts:
I thought the finale was absolutely fantastic, and as a whole, I thought Season 1 was as well. I would like to see some tweaks to the writing and a little less reliance on lines that were spoken in the LOTR films; but overall, I thought the writing was solid enough. Visually I think this show is absolutely outstanding, as are the costumes and armor. I wasn't sure about the actors going in, but I ended up being quite happy with everyone. I get that some viewers wanted more, and some feel this show is just ok. I just don't feel that way at all. This show feels, looks, and smells like Middle-earth to me. There are some obvious changes to Jackson's films, but I think, without a doubt, is in that sandbox.
I wanted to hit on some things a bit more:
Galadriel - I think Morfydd Clark was just absolutely fantastic. I think she is taking the baton from Cate Blanchett and doing some great things. Her character arc in this season was, I think, well done. I think we got a good look at some of the ways Galadriel was described in the 2nd Age and obviously expanded upon. By the end of the season, we're well on our way to seeing the Galadriel we saw during the Third Age.
Halbrand/Sauron - I think it was decently obvious from the jump this was Sauron. There were too many hints that were on the nose for them to not have him be Sauron; so I wasn't shocked when the big reveal happened. I think the guy can play the role going forward just fine. I wouldn't also mind it if the real Halbrand is dead and this is Sauron just looking like him; and we see another person playing the Annatar character - playing a bit upon the fact Sauron could shapeshift.
Elendil - I didn't know anything about the man cast to play him when the show started, but I have to say he was a great choice. Elendil feels like the great man we know him to be; he already has a lot of depth and I just simply love it. I can't wait to see more of his arc and growth as we get into Season 2.
Arondir - This might be the character I was the most shocked by that I ended up liking. I really figured he was just gonna be this show's Legolas: he'd do some cool stuff, but they would hold back some depth/growth. He turned out to be much more than just the action guy, and I really liked that. I know we didn't see him in the last episode, but I look forward to catching up with him when S2 launches.
Numenor - This is the place in the show I was the most excited to see, and it did not disappoint me in the slightest. It was as beautiful and detailed as I had imagined it to be. I loved the nods to it being like Gondor; for me, that really means a lot. I love that we see the beauty before the fall - and that alone will make the fall that much more tragic. I think the way they set up Pharazon and Miriel really ended up working; especially with the vibes that she was one of the King's Men at the start of the season. You can clearly see now she is of the Faithful and that Pharazon will be solely the one to take Numenor down the dark path, as he uses her eyesight issue as a way to grab power. Again, it is all going to make the fall of Numenor that much more tragic, and the rise of Gondor even more beautiful.
Dwarves/Khazad-dum - This one may be the second thing I was most looking forward to when the visuals started rolling out and for me, it - like Numenor - did not disappoint. You get to see the beauty that the Dwarves possessed here, and it makes the fall we see when the Fellowship makes its way through Moria that much more tragic. (These versions of Khazad-dum and Numenor are two places I would love to see Weta Workshop make environments of.) I can't wait to see more of Khazad-dum in season two; and how they will eventually dig too deep only leading to their doom. It's going to be so beautiful and tragic.
Durin and Disa - These two were amazing. The way they play off each other is just fantastic to watch, and I loved every scene they were in. They give yet more great Dwarven characters on the screen to add to the list we have coming out of Peter Jackson's LOTR and Hobbit Trilogies. I loved seeing Durin's desire to prove to his Dad he isn't just some prince sitting by waiting. He really went all out to show his Dad there is more out there to do and that he wants to be a great Dwarf in his own right. I also liked that he is the one who will start the looking for Mithril and lead to the Balrog, causing some real havoc. There's a great tragedy in that his wanting to do more for his people will bring about the great doom. I think you see that a lot in our real world. Disa is a great other half for Durin; her support but her willingness to check him just work for me. She's a great strong female character.
In closing: I think this show, as I said, is doing a really awesome job. I look forward to seeing more information about Season 2 at SDCC in 2023, and all the fun things that will leak out as we get closer to the next season. I went into Season 1 cautiously optimistic, and came out so dang pleased and happy. I'm glad I was wrong in my concerns, at least with Season 1. I'm glad to be back in Middle-earth in this way with this show. It's going to make be a fun ride to see where they take us; and how that leads, as I think, fairly seamlessly into Peter Jackson's films.
Staffer WeeTanya shares:
I quite enjoyed many, many parts of the Rings of Power series, including its interesting central premise: that the good and evil morality that seems so clear cut by The Lord of the Rings arose from a much murkier history.
I’ve always loved the (several) backstories of Galadriel. The moment that sticks in my head the most from the Unfinished Tales is a recounting of her decision to leave Valinor. Galadriel didn’t leave it for love of her cousin-once-removed Feanor and his quest to regain the Silmarils; in fact she disliked him intensely. But she left Valinor along with the other Noldor because she was excited to see and (in some versions of the story) rule in Middle-earth.
Galadriel had great creative power, and wanted to be in a realm where she could enact change and foster growth. The most interesting scenes in Rings of Power were the ones in which Galadriel felt kinship with another creative spirit, the scion of Aule, Annatar. When they spoke together after a battle about feeling drawn to one another’s spirits — the show runners of Rings of Power were clever enough to know that some would interpret this as romantic attraction, while others who’d immediately pegged Halbrand as Annatar knew that it was a powerful case of like calling to like.
The two were not so different, after all. Sauron initially also wanted to help ease the wounds of Middle-earth after the great battle that ended the First Age, but due to pride, couldn’t bring himself to grovel before the Valar to beg forgiveness and be fully reinstated as part of the blessed Maiar. In Rings of Power, Galadriel was also given an opportunity to return to Valinor, but found she couldn’t.
The book explanation is that Galadriel wanted to stay out of love for the place she’d made into her home, where she had power and agency. The show explanation was about avenging her brother’s death at the jaws of Wolf-Sauron. I felt that here, too, the show runners were clever — Galadriel is not a reliable narrator, and whatever she states as her reason for continuing in Middle-earth might not be the full story. After all, surely she cares more about Celeborn than to just say “he left and I never found him.” And we can see how little introspection she currently has — it might be another season before she finds out for herself why she wanted to stay.
I believe that both Galadriel and Annatar were drawn to each other because of their mutual creative joy and passion to rule Middle-earth; it jives with both the book explanation and the show explanation. I believe that the show runners were subtle enough to not spoon-feed it to us, but will let us see Galadriel grow and be more introspective as time moves on.
Galadriel went ahead with the creation of the three rings, after all — instead of immediately fearing anything that resulted from Sauron’s work with Celebrimbor. Why would she do so? Because (in both book and show) she knew that the Rings were her one means to sustain resistance against the wages of time in Middle-earth. (Was the dying tree necessary for me to understand this idea? No, but maybe for some it was necessary, and provided an interesting parallel to the other dying trees across the rest of the show’s plot — in Numenor, in the path of the Harfoots, in the tunnels of the orcs, etc.)
Will we see morality become less grey as we go forward? Maybe, but maybe not. We already had a glimpse into Galadriel’s terrible, eugenicist attitude toward the orcs — especially after we’d been shown that the orcs had a father that they loved, and that loved them. This is a beautiful modern day reading of the dynamic between elf and orc that Tolkien would not have had, and I found that it broke open some VERY dark and troubling — and deeply interesting — dynamics in Middle-earth. Thanks, Rings of Power show, you revealed to me something new.
Also, aren’t Harfoots kind of jerks? In this Rings of Power culture, if you are disabled in any way, they kick you out and let you die. I think we’re shown that small-mindedness comes from every race, and that the choice to be (or act) good comes from the individual and not what race they are. And isn’t this true for Hobbits as well? We run into our fair share of small-minded ones who call Bilbo and Frodo “queer” for feeling the need to explore beyond their small community, after all.
This premise is probably a metaphor for something larger and I could bring up color-blind casting at this point (I thought it was excellent) but I won’t, because I don’t think it’s relevant to how I felt about the larger plot.
Also, Numenor is gorgeous. I always thought I’d want to go to Rivendell after death instead of heaven, but maybe I’ll add Numenor to my list of places to visit after I die.
In short, it worked for me. The Rings of Power show took some rather large bites out of some very interesting, confusingly defined, and slippery bits of Tolkien lore, and showed the world to me in a way that made me learn. Because of that alone, I’m along for the ride.
Staffer Alyse writes:
My thoughts on Rings of Power are quite conflicted. While I did really enjoy aspects of the show, I was left far too often very puzzled and shaking my head - not in a good way. In the end, for me, it sadly felt like such a waste.
The good: the scenery and set design were amazing eye candy. The effects and music were top notch. The cast was all around fantastic with Robert Aramayo, Lloyd Owen, Owain Arthur, Markella Kavenagh and Sophia Nomvete as just a few of the many stand-outs.
The bad: the various plotlines, story choices, and some key characterizations... SIGH. There were too many characters where I didn't care about most, too many storylines they were trying to pull off that never quite came together or made any sense, and some really bizarre choices made for me (the Mithril explanation, how quickly the 3 rings were made, the impossible traveling speed of Númenor's army, and pretty much everything to do with Galadriel).
I will add, for me, this was far more enjoyable than the Hobbit movies, which I think are some of the worst movies ever made, and I did tear up in the final episode. Rings of Power certainly made me feel; just not always in a positive way.
I so wish Amazon had managed to get the Silmarillion rights, as I could see how truly epic the show could have been. But alas, the show runners and writers had a difficult task with the limited source material they had to work with. All that said, I'm willing to give season 2 a chance, and hoping it will improve on the first season.
And finally for now, Staffer Saystine shares:
I really enjoyed the series. Is it perfect? No, but they don't have as much to work with as many people people seem to believe they do, and I think they are doing a good job. I am excited to see where they go with what they have set-up. I think the actors are performing well and the costumes and sets are great. This first season felt like its main purpose was reestablishing the world of Middle-earth and placing all the players on the board. There will be is so much more to come; and I for one, look forward to the surprises that could be in store.
We're heading to Los Angeles ComicCon, and so should you! Join TheOneRing.net for our panel "Dispatches from Middle-earth: The Return to Middle-earth" on December 3rd, 2022 from 5:00-6:30pm in Room 303AB.
Join TheOneRing.net, the largest online Tolkien community, as we celebrate the anniversary of Peter Jackson's The Two Towers and discuss the ever expanding list of new Lord of the Rings projects including TV, film, and games. We have updated details about the War of the Rohirrim animated movie to share with you. We'll also take a deep-dive into breaking down season one of The Rings of Power and discuss what might be expected in the second season. Follow us on Discord Discord.gg/theonering or Twitter @theoneringnet for updates.
There's always a surprise or two when we gather in Middle-earth, and now Númenor, too! Costumes are always welcome. We hope to see you there! December 3rd, 2022 from 5:00-6:30pm in Room 303AB. Elen síla lúmenn’ omentielvo.*
*A star shines on the hour of our meeting.
Standing Stone Games shares a peek at the new Lord of the Rings Online expansion Before The Shadow which dives into tales from the past. After 15 years, LOTRO is bigger than ever!
Prepare for the latest expansion to the long-running Middle-earth MMO game Lord of the Rings Online (abbreviated LOTRO) with these early images from Before The Shadow's in-game engine. Two new areas to venture through: the reedy fens of Swanfleet and the moors of Cardolan. Features include:
- Questing from levels 1 to 32 in addition to four new Books for new characters
- Two new regions: Swanfleet and Cardolan
- A new Six-person Instance
- A new Skirmish
- A new Delving difficulty system: Higher level characters can increase the difficulty of new missions to earn great rewards!
- New Themed Missions Wrapper: Earn rewards by completing daily and weekly rotating Missions!
The developers of the latest update will join us for TORn Tuesday tomorrow, Nov 15, at 5pm PT / 8pm ET.
First up have a look at Cardolan!
The new Swanfleet area!
Tune in on YouTube for a chat with the development team this Tuesday 5pm PT at youtube.com/theoneringnet. Be sure to Subscribe and turn on notifications for when we go live!
https://youtu.be/2-CKC3zov5o
Studio initiative helps the massive production - the biggest budget in TV history - find ways to recycle production-used materials.
A new report from The Guardian on the industry-wide issue of waste uses Amazon's Rings of Power to comment on sustainability practices. Acknowledging that every Hollywood production has huge waste and debris problems, it's the epic scale of Lord of the Rings that draws attention since it is the biggest TV production.
According to leaked production memos, “The environmental impact of this industry, and of this show, is enormous... every single person we spoke to is concerned about the environmental impact”. The Rings of Power crew overall cared about the environment - just as fans of JRR Tolkien have for over 80 years, where LOTR and Hobbit include environmental-conscious messaging as part of the core story of Middle-earth.
Fans were elated when Amazon announced Rings of Power would shoot in New Zealand. Not only has the country adopted LOTR as its homeland mythology for tourism, many production people incorporate Tolkien's environmental concern into their daily life for sustainable island living.
“On the Rings of Power, these massive ice walls and rock wall set pieces – they get smashed into a million pieces. If anyone went and sat outside one of these big productions and saw how many skip bins are going out every day … Truckloads and truckloads and truckloads of polystyrene and timber and all the rest of it, mixed up in plastic … and really just thrown into a hole in the ground.”
Rings of power crew member
Sounds like Season 2 of Rings of Power will have sustainability considered from the start. "“As we figure out what’s going on, we can identify the issues and figure out how things might be done differently moving forward. Next season, we can do things right from the outset," says an internal memo attained by The Guardian.
All of the water on Rings of Power was recycled to local Fire Department and industrial uses. The article goes on to say that New Zealand film rebate programs should also tie into sustainable production practices, to get the tax rebates. Amazon had negotiated the largest tax break in NZ country history, but let it forgo when they abruptly moved production for Season 2 to the U.K. Many of the NZ sets were destroyed and trashed due to the corporate-mandated move.
Peter Jackson also shot much of The Hobbit on soundstages using polystyrene trees and forest, using high frame rate 3D cameras and digital sizing between elves and dwarves. Fans didn't like the "soap opera" look of those films, but the environments were celebrated as much as Rings of Power's return to Middle-earth.
Forbes reports that JRR Tolkien's estate may have earned up to $500 million on the sale of the rights to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
The latest list of highest earning dead celebrities from Forbes puts JRR Tolkien, who died in 1973, at the top.
Embracer spent at least $500 million for Middle Earth [sic] Enterprises, a number Embracer didn’t refute... in what’s been described as the most complex IP rights split in history.
Forbes 2022
Those rights include every word printed in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, to make movies, games, merch, theme parks, collectibles, weapons, drinks, and more. Embracer has already said they will be making many games and explore more film spinoffs. Since they now own worldwide merchandising rights, Amazon will have to negotiate with Embracer for any Rings of Power based merch to be brought to market.
We recently sat down with a fellow collector and friend, Brian, to talk about a wide range of topics in regard to collecting. Brian filled us in on how he got started, some of his favorite pieces, his philosophy on collecting, Rings of Power ideas, etc. We had an absolute blast sitting down with Brian, and we're thankful for the time he was willing to take to chat with us. So we hope you enjoy this episode; and thank you all for the support.
Earlier this week, TORn staffer greendragon had the chance to sit down with composer Bear McCreary. Greendragon was fortunate to be invited to attend a recording session for the Rings of Power soundtrack in London last April; it was an incredible experience, watching skilled musicians bring McCreary's score to life. So she was thrilled to have the chance to catch up with the composer, and see how he's feeling about Season One - and what might be in store for Season Two of The Rings of Power.
McCreary is a huge Tolkien fan himself, and he shared how Peter Jackson's movies - and in particular, Howard Shore's score - were important influences in his growth to become the composer he is today. He discussed the luxury of time which Amazon's big budgets provide, and the importance of music to enhance and communicate emotion and drama. He also revealed that he has already started work for Season Two!
Watch the full interview below; and check out McCreary's own blog, here.
https://youtu.be/6zdXnSX-yck
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on November 3,
- Battle of Bywater, and Passing of Saruman. End of the War of the Ring (1419)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
- .
November 3, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. Battle of Bywater, and Passing of Saruman. End of the War of the Ring.
(from the appendices)
"...a messenger from the Tookland rode in. He was in high spirits. 'The Thain has raised all our country,' he said, 'and the news is going like fire all ways.…"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 363-371 RotK)
Kili is feeling lonely on Halloween and missing her beau Bard, but thankfully, Fili has a suggestion for her... and a surprise!
https://youtu.be/YNjIfrIkmjE
Stay up to date by subscribing to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok!
You can also binge all of Happy Hobbit's Halloween episodes by clicking on their Halloween playlist here.
"... and actually, I'm about to do The Silmarillion..." says Serkis off-handedly in this Flip Your Wig interview at 3:35.
Thanks to r/lotr for the tip!
Witches and werewolves and vampires, oh, my! J.R.R. Tolkien was not one to shy away from creatures of the night. Just the opposite–he seemed to relish writing horror stories.
When we think of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”, Elves, Wizards, Hobbits, and quests come first to mind. But the Professor’s long quest to create an encompassing mythology for Britain led him to conjure stories within stories. Middle-earth feels real because Tolkien fleshed out its history in-depth. Though they are often only hinted at in the main stories, Tolkien wrote many of these historical references in detail.
In honor of the best holiday of the year (subjectively), let’s explore a few tales of terror written by Tolkien fit for All Hallows’ Eve. These are by no means the only ones. The Silmarillion is filled with stories that invoke a sense of horror in us, such as the story of Húrin and his family. Just thinking about Frodo and Sam’s encounter with Shelob in her lair is enough to make skin crawl. Dig deep, and you’ll find bones aplenty in Tolkien’s work.
QUEEN BERÚTHIEL While the Fellowship is travelling through Moria, Aragorn mentions that Gandalf is “surer of finding the way home in a blind night than the cats of Queen Berúthiel.”
Queen Berúthiel by steamey on Deviant Art ©2022 This is all the reference we get to Berúthiel in The Lord of the Rings, yet the lady was a Queen of Gondor. She was a Black Númenórean – a descendant of Númenor living in the lands to the south of Gondor with allegiance to Sauron. She married King Tarannon Falastur, the “Ship-king” and the 12th king of Gondor. He was pretty much obsessed with sailing; ironically, Berúthiel hated the ocean. Perhaps explaining why she turned to evil ways. If political aims were the reason they married, it seems to have backfired. She spent her life spying on the people of Gondor, potentially using the information she gathered as a means of blackmail.
"She had nine black cats and one white...setting them to discover all the dark secrets of Gondor" Here’s the chilling way Tolkien describes her: “She hated all making, all colors and elaborate adornment, wearing only black and silver and living in bare chambers, and the gardens of the house in Osgiliath were filled with tormented sculptures beneath cypresses and yews. She had nine black cats and one white, her slaves, with whom she conversed, or read their memories, setting them to discover all the dark secrets of Gondor, so that she knew those things ‘that men wish most to keep hidden,’ setting the white cat to spy upon the black, and tormenting them. No man in Gondor dared touch them; all were afraid of them, and cursed when they saw them pass.”
Eventually, the King exiled her. He put her and her cats on a ship that was last seen sailing past Umbar. (This always left me with a feeling of unfinished business. Or the image of a ghost ship filled with snarling cats.) Berúthiel’s name was removed from the Books of the Kings but not from memory. Aragorn’s mention of Berúthiel is made 2,000 years after her disappearance.
BEREN and LÚTHIEN On the surface, Beren and Lúthien is a story about star-crossed lovers. It is a story of love and fealty, but it is also a horror story.
Thuringwethil and Drauglin by Ted Naismith To receive Lúthien’s father King Thingol’s blessing to wed, the couple must go to Angband and steal a Silmaril (a legendary gem containing the original light of the world) from the crown of the Morgoth–tall as a mountain, a gaze that would turn your soul to ice, the master of all evil in the world. To conceal their identities, Beren and Lúthien disguise themselves as two Maiar who had been turned to the dark side. In service to Morgoth and Sauron, these Maiar took the form of a werewolf and a vampire bat. Drauglin was the sire of all Werewolves, an abomination bred by Morgoth and inhabited by an evil spirit. Thuringwethil took the shape of a vampire bat with great fingered wings barbed at each joint's end with iron claws.
'Thuringwethil I am, who cast
a shadow o'er the face aghast
of the sallow moon in the doomed land
of shivering Beleriand.'
― Lúthien in her disguise, from Lay of Leithian, Canto XIII
These creatures were slain by Huan the hound to protect Luthien, thus enabling her to use their hides as disguises:
"By…the arts of Lúthien, [Beren] was arrayed now in the [ghastly wolf-hame of Draugluin], and she in the winged [bat-]fell of Thuringwethil. Beren became in all things like a werewolf to look upon, save that in his eyes there shone a spirit grim indeed but clean; and horror was in his glance as he saw upon his flank a bat-like creature clinging with creased wings. Then howling under the moon he leaped down the hill, and the bat wheeled and flittered above him….Clad in these dreadful garments [they] ran…and all things fled before them."
There is also a description in “Beren and Lúthien” of Sauron as vampire. He battles with Lúthien for control of his tower, then “[H]e took the form of a vampire, great as a dark cloud across the moon, and he fled, dripping blood from his throat upon the trees, and came to Tar-nu-Fuin, and dwelt there, filling it with horror.”
THE PATHS OF THE DEAD A more familiar example of Tolkien's horror writing can be found in The Lord of the Rings.
Dimholt and the Door to The Paths of the Dead as seen in Peter Jackson's "Return of the King" It, too, is part of larger historical story involving an oath broken by the Men of the Mountains and a curse issued upon them by Isildur. It is a terrifying ghost story that takes us through The Paths of the Dead.
Rest never until your oath is fulfilled
–Isildur's Curse
The reader follows Aragorn into the eerie Dimholt, “under the gloom of black trees that not even Legolas could long endure.” Gimli’s blood runs chill when they reach the Dark Door that “gaped before them like the mouth of night…fear flowed from it like a grey vapour.” An even heavier dread falls upon the company in the pitch-dark tunnel where the whisper of unintelligible voices surrounds them. They cannot turn back no matter how terrified they are for “an unseen host…followed in the dark.”
Then there comes a story-within-story. The company finds the skeletal remains of a warrior, clad in mail with gilded hauberk and a rich belt, a notched sword at his side. “[H]is finger bones were still clawing at the cracks” of a closed door. We never learn why he was so desperate to get through that door, but the thought of a failed attempt to escape doom hangs ever-present in the gloom.
The King of the Army of the Dead as seen in Peter Jackson's "Return of the King" Yet this encounter is nothing to the terror felt not only by the company but by every person in the villages they pass through once Aragorn summons the King and Army of the Dead. “Lights went out in houses and hamlet as they came, and doors were shut, and folk that were afield cried in terror and ran wild like hunted deer.”
You can imagine that this cautionary tale might be told generation after generation, when the days grew short, the moon hanging enormous and orange against the night sky, bonfires blazing to keep the ghosts and goblins at bay while the darkness pressed in on all sides…Muahahaha.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Note: Quoted material was written by J.R.R. Tolkien and can be found in Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, The Silmarillion, or The Lord of the Rings.
A collection of prior-released stories of Middle-earth's 2nd Age, The Fall of Númenor brings together Tolkien's published legendaria during the time of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Prime Video series.
For the Tolkien curator who enjoys new packaging of old adventures, and the new Tolkien enthusiast who's curious about this span of Middle-earth history, this tome is sure to warm your hands and fire up your imagination as the northern hemisphere turns from autumn to winter.
Chris Reed over at IGN put together this tight little summary of what's in store. For previous TORn reporting on this story, click here and here.
"I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen, of meadow-flowers and butterflies in summers that have been..." Happy reading! - Tookish
Co-creator of animation that continues to delight generations of viewers passes away at 87.
How many individuals came to Tolkien through the gateway of The Hobbit animated feature, first aired on American television in November, 1977? This Took, for one. Who knows if The Lord of the Rings, collecting dust on my big sister Nancy's bookshelf, would have ever made it into my hands two years later if I hadn't been primed with this classic cartoon?
Recognition of Bass upon his passing proliferates the internet today. You might enjoy this wonderful homage to Rankin and Bass' The Hobbit cartoon - and its impact on the fantasy film genre - by Ryan Britt.
We at TheOneRing.net thank you for your vision, dedication, and artistry, Jules Bass. May you rest in peace.
BATS Theatre in Wellington, NZ is well-known to our Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie family. Many of the New Zealand actors from the films have performed there, and back in 2011, to save the theatre from eviction, Peter Jackson bought the building in which they are housed. It's a local theatre which particularly supports new and emerging talent.
Now BATS Theatre are having a fundraiser, supported by Richard Taylor and Weta Workshop. Part of the fundraising effort includes a chance to win epic prizes, including having prosthetic make-up done by Taylor himself! You can read all about it here; there are only a couple more days to enter, so don't delay, if you'd like to support a worthy cause and maybe win something incredible.
The following event took place in Middle-earth on October 25: * The Dwarves venture into the Mountain (1341) * The Elvenking's host leave Mirkwood for Erebor (1341) * The Council of Elrond (1418) * The Council of Hobbits... and a Wizard. * [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
October 25, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. The Dwarves venture into the Mountain.
(determined from text)
"Now do be careful!" whispered the hobbit, "and as quiet as you can be! There may be no Smaug at the bottom, but then again there may be..."
(Tolkien, 1966 Ballantine, p. 224-228 TH)
October 25, 2941 (S.R. 1341) 2. The Elvenking's host leave Mirkwood for Erebor. (determined from text)
"...the Elvenking rode forth... ...marching with many spearmen and bowmen..."
(Tolkien, 1966 Ballantine, p. 224-228 TH) October 25, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Council of Elrond.
(from the appendices)
"Suddenly as they were talking a single clear bell rang out. 'That is the warning bell for the Council of Elrond,' cried Gandalf. 'Come along now! Both you and Bilbo are wanted.'"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 314-354 FotR)
2. Council of Hobbits... and a Wizard. (from the appendices)
"Later that day the hobbits held a meeting of their own in Bilbo's room."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 356 FotR)
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on October 23: * An angered Smaug searches the mountain (1341) * Bilbo returns to Smaug's chamber in the afternoon (1341) * Smaug smashes the secret door (1341) * Smaug attacks Lake-town (1341) * Lake-town in the aftermath (1341) * Elrond's third day in his battle to save Frodo (1418) * Gandalf and the hobbits make their way home from Rivendell (1419) * [join us on the Discussion Boards here]
October 23, 2941 (S.R. 1341) 1. An angered Smaug searches the mountain (1341) (from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth) "Dragons may not have much real use for all their wealth, but they know it to an ounce as a rule, especially after long possession; and Smaug was no exception. (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 207-209 The Hobbit)
2. Bilbo returns to Smaug's chamber in the afternoon. (from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth) "Smaug certainly looked fast asleep, almost dead and dark, with scarcely a snore more than a whiff of unseen steam, when Bilbo peeped once more from the entrance." (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 212-218 The Hobbit)
3. Smaug smashes the secret door. (determined from text) "...[Bilbo] grew ever more uneasy. "Shut the door!" he begged them. "I fear that dragon in my marrow. I like this silence far less than the uproar of last night…" (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 221-222 The Hobbit)
4. Smaug attacks Lake-town. (determined from text) "... there was still a company of archers that held their ground among the burning houses. Their captain was Bard, grim-voiced and grim-faced… (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 235-238 The Hobbit)
5. Lake-town in the aftermath. (determined from text) "...down the wind came the voices of the people of Esgaroth lamenting their lost town and goods and ruined houses…" (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 238-240 The Hobbit)
October 23, 3018 (S.R. 1418) 1. Elrond's third day in his battle to save Frodo. (not from the appendices) "Elrond is a master of healing, but the weapons of our Enemy are deadly...." (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 292 FotR)
October 23, 3019 (S.R. 1419) 1. Gandalf and the hobbits make their way home from Rivendell. (not from the appendices) "At length they came to Weathertop... ...Frodo begged them to hasten...." (Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 331 RotK)
In the summer of 2012, sisters Kellie and Alex Rice visited San Diego Comic Con for the first time. As they marveled at the large buildings and the splendor of the city, new friends asked again and again where they came from to find such wonder and novelty in an urban landscape. The answer was the mountains of northern California. It was at that moment that the elder of the two sisters, Kellie (or "Kili") realized that by comparison to many, they lived a rural lifestyle akin to hobbits, Elves, and rangers. A few short months later, they began brainstorming a webseries designed to bring Middle-earth to their viewers' daily lives through sharing aspects of their country life including crafts, recipes, and animal husbandry. After filtering out several potential names (including "The Green Door" and "Not TORn Tuesday"), the two came up with one that fit perfectly: Happy Hobbit.
They debuted their first proper episode about chickens on October 17th, 2012, sharing how to raise hens and collect eggs like a hobbit.
https://youtu.be/Ua9STeh_l68 Happy Hobbit: Chickens - Episode 1 At the time, they never could have imagined the marvelous adventure that starting a hobbity little show would take them on. From their small mountain town to the world premieres of The Hobbit films and now special events for Amazon's The Rings of Power, it has been a wild ride!
In 2013, the two filmed a reaction video to the trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug that went viral when Peter Jackson saw it and shared it on his Facebook page. He later filmed the Elven cast (Orlando Bloom, Evangeline Lily, and Lee Pace) reacting to the girls' reaction... which the girls then reacted to again, creating a viral trilogy that was dubbed "Hobbitception" after the film Inception: a reaction within a reaction within a reaction!
You can watch the hilarious magic unfold in the playlist below:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpbMvYGR9mnM8d9U1xXbqrR5T-6s00_UJ The "Hobbitcception" playlist Peter Jackson's nudge not only increased Happy Hobbit's viewership, but led to more visibility. While the sisters enjoyed connecting with all of their fellow fans, it was extra special meeting the many hundreds of young women and girls who were not only Tolkien fans, but so excited to see young women like them having their geekniess not only validated, but celebrated.
Kellie and Alex Rice on the red carpet for the premiere of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Though there was a dearth of Middle-earth content between the Hobbit films and the recent Rings of Power TV show, the sisters continued to make their webseries and don't have any plans to stop! A chronic joint issue called Ehlers-Danlos has made it more difficult for Alex (or Fili) to participate as much as she used to, so these days her sister Kellie (or Kili) sometimes produces solo episodes. Kellie is also a published Fantasy author under her pen name, K.M. Rice (she chose initials in part because of Tolkien's pen name) and is the co-author of Middle-earth from Script to Screen: Building The World of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
On October 17th, they celebrated their 10 year anniversary of Happy Hobbit by airing their 100th episode! Viewers sent in clips, photos and letters sharing what the show has meant to them and their love of their fans to help make the episode an occasion to remember. Below, you can join Fili and Kili and friends as they share some of the many things that make them happy hobbits!
https://youtu.be/hsl1g9tTSgM Happy Hobbit: Being A Happy Hobbit - Episode 100 Many viewers describe the Happy Hobbit series and community as being wholesome and comforting, like snuggling up with a cozy blanket. It is a positive corner of the Shire that many turn to in times of darkness or hardship. With over 100 episodes (including lots of holiday specials and side adventures), there truly is something for everyone in Kili and Fili's interpretation of Tolkien's world. Above all, hearing from so many fans and viewers affirmed to the sisters that they had achieved their goal of leaving their audience happy hobbits!
Stay up to date by subscribing to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and by following them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok!
As a post script, the sisters love Halloween and have a wonderfully spooktacular playlist below!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpbMvYGR9mnNjf8qwODkidMFKIXtJbTYa The Happy Hobbit Halloween playlist
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on October 20:
- Bilbo and the Dwarves think of what to do next at the Hidden Door (1341)
- Escape across the Ford of Bruinen (1418)
- Gandalf and Elrond perceive the Black Riders at the Ford of Bruinen (1418)
- Frodo is brought to Rivendell (1418)
- Return of the King is published (1955)
- [join us on the Discussion Boards here]
October 20, 2941 (S.R. 1341) 1. Bilbo and the Dwarves think of what to do next at the Hidden Door. (determined from text - referencing Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth) "Bilbo found sitting on the doorstep lonesome and wearisome—there was not a doorstep, of course..."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 199 The Hobbit)
October 20, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Escape across the Ford of Bruinen.
(from the appendices)
"'Our peril will be greatest just ere we reach the river,' said Glorfindel; 'for my heart warns me that the pursuit is now swift behind us, and other danger may be waiting by the Ford....'
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 383-385 FotR)
2. Gandalf and Elrond perceive the Black Riders at the Ford of Bruinen.
(not from the appendices-no text & text)
"'The river of this valley is under his power, and it will rise in anger when he has great need to bar the Ford."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 296 FotR)
3. Frodo is brought to Rivendell.
(not from the appendices)
"'The Elves brought you from the Ford on the night of the twentieth, and that is where you lost count....'"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 292 FotR)
As Production begins on Season 2 at Bray Studios in the U.K., the showrunners of Lord of the Rings tee up what's coming for fans in the press, while Fellowship Of Fans leaks more photos from the set of Rings of Power.
Looks like newly-minted Mordor is being recreated near Hankley Common in the UK, where The Sandman was filmed, with these new leaked set pics for S2.
Moving on to official info about next season, THR describes a windowless room with artwork covering all the walls, describing a plan to introduce more iconic locations, familiar Middle-earth characters and a massive two-episode battle for Season 2 of Rings of Power. THR writes that McKay says the aim of season two is to be “bigger and better” on “every level … by an order of magnitude.” It will take a couple of years to complete S2, which means an estimated release of Fall 2024.
These first few days are kind of a luxury for us because we’re just beginning and the guys are still writing, you know, polishing the script for Season 2.
Lindsey Weber, Producer
Speaking to THR later, co-showrunner Patrick McKay places the Rings of Power's tale of Sauron in context of the peak TV landscape:
“Like Tony Soprano or Walter White. He’s evil, but complexly evil. We felt like if we did that in season one, he’d overshadow everything else. So the first season is like Batman Begins, and the The Dark Knight is the next movie, with Sauron maneuvering out in the open. We’re really excited. Season two has a canonical story. There may well be viewers who are like, ‘This is the story we were hoping to get in season one!’ In season two, we’re giving it to them.”
DEADLINE asks McKay if season 2 will retell Sauron's history and how he got to where he's at. "I would say that those are all good questions and questions need answering. So hopefully those are new layers of the onion we can peel back."
Talking about what will happen with the Wizard, Patrick McKay explains to Deadline, "the idea of a Tolkienian journey and adventure with a wizard and a halfling, it seemed to us like a really exciting and enticing new leg of the journey as it is, as it were. The Stranger’s journey and Nori’s journey with him is one of discovery. And for him it’s one of self-discovery. He has learned that he is ostensibly an Istari, you know, which means wizard. And he’s learning something else from the Mystics when they say he is not Sauron, he is the Other, which sort of implies that potentially his destiny is entwined in some way with Sauron’s. But that’s all he knows at this point. And he’s going to have to go on another journey to learn more and maybe a name or his name becomes a part of that journey."
“Sauron is now a new piece on the board.”
Patrick Mckay
McKay confirms to Deadline that season 2 will feature additional canon characters, including Cirdan the Shipwright who is supposed to carry one of the three elven rings of power.
Talking to Empire Magazine:
“We felt it was very important that season one be about reintroducing Middle-earth in this new era,” says McKay. “Introducing all of these kingdoms, and all of these peoples and all of these characters and knowing what was important to them, and what they had at stake and hopefully doing so in a way that's, you know, intense and exciting and delightful.”
Cover of THR featuring JD Payne and Patrick McKay In a wide-ranging profile in Variety, Amazon Prime Studios boss Jennifer Salke is providing all the support Tolkien's world requires. "We were always going to spend what we needed to spend to get it right. I’m fortunate to be working at this company where we want to be financially disciplined, but nobody wanted to compromise on what this would be visually."
We want to keep the bar just as high. So it’ll take what it takes. But there’s been some urgency around moving quickly.
Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios
Producer Lindsey Weber says, "Season 2 is fundamentally different in that our main villain is out and about and doing his thing. I think in some ways, it’s going to grittier, more intense, maybe a little scarier. There are things that we saved that were going to be in the final bit of [S1] that we thought, oh, just it’s too big right now to do, to fit that in with everything else and let’s save it, and we’re actually doing some of those things now in Season 2"
Here's some more leaked set photos for Season 2, taken at Bray Studios near Windsor, UK. Send your Spy Reports anonymously to spymaster@theonering.net
Actress Morfydd Clark. Photo by Joseph Sinclair courtesy of Schön! Magazine. You've read some good interviews with the cast of Rings of Power, but if you haven't caught this one from Schön! Magazine, you're in for a treat. Stunning photography by Joseph Sinclair graces this read by digital editor and fashion author Kelsey Barnes. Style check, people!
Over the last four weeks, our friends at Weta Workshop have had one of their most stunning pieces up for pre-order. It's the one piece that fans, like myself, have been asking to have made for the last 20 years. It also works nicely with this character having such a large part in Tolkien's written lore, as well as The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tv series.
Fans can finally place their orders in, but for only for the next 24 hours, for Elendil. This fantastic piece depicts how we saw Elendil in The Battle of the Last Alliance during Peter Jackson's prologue sequence in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Elendil is priced at $549 and will be shipping in the second quarter of next year.
As with any open window pre-order, his edition size will be set by the number of orders placed as of tomorrow at 2 pm PDT. So get your order for Elendil in now!
At their panel today at New York ComicCon, Prime Video unveiled a new trailer, for The Rings of Power season finale next week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D5w2TG8IqM
This was the first Rings of Power panel appearance since the series debut, and included not only the trailer (which does not contain very much which hasn't been seen before), but also a surprise sneak peek at some footage from the finale episode, which will be available to stream on Prime Video next week, at 12:00am ET on Friday, October 14th.
The one interesting reveal at the very end of the trailer is a glimpse of Celebrimbor's forge in action. It seems strange that we have yet to see Annatar using his persuasive powers on the elves, and yet already they are thinking about forging rings. Will all be explained and revealed in the season finale? There are many loose ends to tie up; and presumably some will be left dangling for Season Two...
Rings of Power podcast
The NYCC panel was moderated by Felicia Day(The Guild, Supernatural), who also revealed that she is the host of a new The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Official Podcast. Prime Video tell us:
Fans will be able to go deeper into the canals of Númenor, the mines of Khazad-dûm, the halls of Lindon, and more, as host Felicia Day takes a fresh and insightful look at the groundbreaking series and what it takes to bring Middle-earth to life. Each episode will feature exclusive interviews with cast and crew, including Morfydd Clark, Owain Arthur, and the show’s creators, JD Payne and Patrick McKay, that will take us behind the scenes with jaw-dropping stories and Easter eggs you won’t want to miss. Fans can listen to all eight episodes of the podcast for free on Amazon Music.
The third Rings of Power reveal today was a clip of a song which will feature in the Season Finale, from Fiona Apple.
Further details can be found in Prime Video's press release:
Today, in their first panel appearance since the debut of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, seven of the series’ cast took a bite of the Big Apple on New York Comic Con’s (NYCC) Empire Stage in a lively panel moderated by actor, producer, New York Times best-selling author, and newly announced host of the show’s official free podcast on Amazon Music, Felicia Day (The Guild, Supernatural). The panel also included a first look at an exclusive new season finale trailer, and a surprise sneak peek at some never-before-seen footage from the highly anticipated finale episode, which will be available to stream on Prime Video at 12:00 a.m. EDT, Friday, October 14.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been a global sensation in its first season, garnering over 25 million views for the first two episodes over the series’ premiere weekend. Additionally, according to Nielsen, The Rings of Power also delivered 1.25 billion minutes streamed in the U.S. during (or over) its premiere weekend, making it the No. 1 show on their overall and original streaming charts. This is the first time a Prime Video series has debuted at No.1 on the Nielsen chart, and The Rings of Power was also the only series that crossed the 1 billion minutes streamed threshold for the week.
Cast members Cynthia Addai-Robinson (“Queen Regent Miriel”), Nazanin Boniadi (“Bronwyn”), Charles Edwards (“Lord Celebrimbor”), Leon Wadham (“Kemen”), Benjamin Walker (“High King Gil-galad”), Daniel Weyman (“The Stranger”), and Sara Zwangobani (“Marigold ‘Goldie’ Brandyfoot”) participated in an hour-long panel that offered behind-the-scenes stories from the set, and some teases about the long-awaited first season finale.
Although showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay weren’t able to attend NYCC in person, they sent a special message from the show’s UK set, where production has just begun on Season Two of the series. In addition to welcoming fans to the panel, they also shared some behind-the-scenes footage and their excitement about the final episode of the season.
Fans were treated to an exclusive first look at a dynamic new trailer, recapping all of the key action to date and providing a sneak peek at what’s still to come in the epic season finale. The new trailer promises exciting payoffs for viewers next week, teasing Mordor will rise, heroes will fall, and all will be revealed, all to the sound of Bear McCreary’s score, titled “Sauron.” And was that a scene with Celebrimbor’s forge in action? Tune in on October 14 to find out!
Amazon Studios also surprised the NYCC panel attendees with an exclusive first clip from the season finale, revealing how key storylines across the different realms of Arda have finally converged, leading to a moment that viewers across the globe have been waiting for since the series title was first revealed!
Panel moderator and Tolkien super-fan Felicia Day also had some exciting news of her own—she’s the host of the upcoming The Official The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Podcast—and she shared a special podcast trailer as well. In this groundbreaking new series, which will be available for free on Amazon Music, Day will share unique details, behind-the-scenes stories, and the most exciting and surprising moments through unprecedented access to the cast and crew, including showrunners J.D. Payne and PatrickMcKay. Listen to all eight episodes of the official companion podcast on Amazon Music beginning October 14. Download the Amazon Music app today.
Today, Amazon Studios also released “Where the Shadows Lie,” a new song performed by Grammy-winning artist Fiona Apple, from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Season One: Amazon Original Series Soundtrack). Available exclusively through Amazon Music, the song was written by series composer Bear McCreary and appears in the season finale of the acclaimed new series on Prime Video. Set to McCreary’s powerful and ethereal score, with Apple’s haunting vocals at the forefront, the song is inspired by the iconic Ring-verse written by J.R.R. Tolkien in the original The Lord of the Rings trilogy. As written, the poem was composed by the Free Peoples of Middle-earth about the origins of the Rings of Power and their relationship under the power of the One Ring. The song was produced by McCreary, Apple, and Andrew Slater, and engineered by Jason LaRocca and David Way. Listen to “Where the Shadows Lie” (feat. Fiona Apple) HERE .
TheOneRing.net and Sideshow.com are throwing a party tonight at New York Comic-Con; there are still some tickets remaining, and we'd love to see YOU there!
Join us tonight, Friday, October 7th at 7:30pm as we bring back our annual NYCC gathering of fans! This time we're teaming up with our friends at Sideshow and will be offering drinks, food and some amazing prizes.
Photo by Ashlee Rose Scott This year we'll be at Joyce Public House (formerly Tir na Nog) in Times Square (W 39th St), and the party will be on FRIDAY 7th October, 7.30-11pm.
Tickets Available
Tickets are only $25, and include your first drink, finger food, and two tickets for the raffle which will be drawn on the night. (You'll be able to purchase more raffle tickets; check out the amazing prizes, listed below!) Plus you'll also get your ticket cost back in SIDESHOW.COM REWARDS if you set up a Sideshow account!
Amazing prizes in the raffle include goodies from our good friends at Oscha - you might win one of their beautiful Rivendell mugs:
Or you could win one of the MANY other amazing goodies we have to give away!
The Rings of Power team are in town for New York ComicCon - and you never know, they may just come along to party with us... Grab your tickets now - see you there!
Pssst! When you order your ticket(s), check out the pins you can add to your order!
From Middle-earth to Mother Goose... Ian McKellen has often spoken of his love of pantomime - a passion he shares with fellow actor Adam Brown (Ori in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy). McKellen debuted as a Dame at the Old Vic back in 2004; and last year Brown wrote and directed a pantomime at the Newbury Corn Exchange. (He's part of a team who write and direct - and who will be at it again at the Corn Exchange this coming Christmas!)
Now they will appear in pantomime together, in a production of Mother Goose. The show will run in London (at the Duke of York's theatre) Dec 15 2022 to Jan 23 2023. Before that, Mother Goose starts out in Brighton; and in the early part of 2023 it will play in Liverpool and Oxford.
Brown got in touch with TORn to let us know how excited he and McKellen are to be reunited on stage. We're excited too; and for our fellow panto fans, tickets can be purchased here.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on October 6:
- Thorin requests supplies (1341)
- Gandalf heads for Rivendell after escaping Weathertop (1418)
- The camp under Weathertop attacked at night. Frodo is wounded (1418)
- They cross the Ford of Bruinen; Frodo feels the first return of pain (1419)
- Frodo is again ill (1420)
- Samwise returns to Bag End (1421)
- [join us on the Discussion Boards here]
October 6, 2941 (S.R. 1341)
1. Thorin requests supplies
(from Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Atlas of Middle-earth)
"At the end of a fortnight Thorin began to think of departure. While the enthusiasm still lasted in the town was the time to get help."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 192-193 Hobbit)
October 6, 3018 (S.R. 1418)
1. Gandalf heads for Rivendell after escaping Weathertop.
(not from the appendices)
"I hoped to draw some of them off, and yet reach Rivendell ahead of you and send out help...'
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 347 FotR)
2. The camp under Weathertop attacked at night. Frodo is wounded.
(from the appendices)
"'Well, here we are!' said Merry. 'And very cheerless and uninviting it looks! There is no water and no shelter.And no sign of Gandalf...'"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.252-255 FotR)
October 6, 3019 (S.R. 1419)
1. They cross the Ford of Bruinen; Frodo feels the first return of pain.
(from the appendices)
"When they came to the Ford of Bruinen, he had halted, and seemed loth to ride into the stream…"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p. 331 RotK)
October 6, 3020 (S.R. 1420)
1. Frodo is again ill.
(from the appendices)
"One evening Sam came into the study and found his master looking very strange. He was very pale and his eyes seemed to see things far away."
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.377 RotK)
October 6, 3021 (S.R. 1421)
1. Samwise returns to Bag End.
(from the appendices)
"At last they rode over the downs and took the East Road, and then Merry and Pippin rode on to Buckland…"
(Tolkien, 1965 Ballantine, p.384-385 RotK)
TheHollywoodReporter.com kicks of the week with two fun The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tidbits. Well perhaps one isn't so bitty... Season 2 principal photography is underway in the UK, and Círdan the Shipwright will be in it (will his beard be as well?!?)! A bit more here.
Largo and Nori Proudfoot and Poppy Proudfellow share a chuckle in Prime Video's Rings of Power.
Image courtesy Hollywood Reporter / Prime Video
Episode 6 Spoilers Ahead
"Yes, water can make a volcano erupt." If you enjoyed the explosive (sorry) finish of episode 6 but were kinda wondering about the science behind the event, you'll appreciate this: Showrunners and a Geologist Explain...
Be sure to check out TORn Tuesday where Cliff and Justin will be talking about these things and a WHOLE LOT MORE on our weekly YouTube livestream this Tuesday at 5 pm US Pacific time, and find us all over the webs in socials and chats, including our moderated Discord, where conversation's happening 24/7. If you're with us on TORn Tuesday you can actually pose questions (and answers) for Justin and Cliff during the show!
Join us Friday, October 7th at 7:30pm as we bring back our annual NYCC gathering of fans! This time we're teaming up with our friends at Sideshow.com and will be offering drinks, food and some amazing prizes.
Photo by Ashlee Rose Scott Finally we can all enjoy things like parties together again; so we're back for another party in the Big Apple! TheOneRing.net is delighted to be teaming up with the official Sideshow 'Let Your Geek Sideshow' group to throw a splendid party!
This year we'll be at Joyce Public House (formerly Tir na Nog) in Times Square (W 39th St), and the party will be on FRIDAY 7th October, 7.30-11pm.
Tickets Available
Tickets are only $25, and include your first drink, finger food, and two tickets for the raffle which will be drawn on the night. (You'll be able to purchase more raffle tickets; check out the amazing prizes, listed below!) Plus you'll also get your ticket cost back in SIDESHOW.COM REWARDS if you set up a Sideshow account!
The Rings of Power team are in town for New York ComicCon - and you never know, they may just come along to party with us... Grab your tickets now - see you there!
Raffle Items Include...
- Mondo Rick and Morty 1:6 Figure Set
- Sideshow The Dude Exclusive 1:6 Figure
- The Wand Company Poke Ball Replica
- Hot Toys Little Groot - GOTG
- Hot Toys Knightmare Batman & Superman 1:6 Set
- Hot Toys Ahsoka Tano 1:6 Clone Wars
- Sideshow The Child - Life-Size Figure
- Octunnumi Prologue Custodian Book
- Iron Studios Archer Orc 1:10 Statue
- NZ Mint Frodo Chibi 1oz Silver Coin
- Asmus Toys Arwen In Death Frock 1:6 Figure Exclusive
- Star Ace Morgul Lord Statue
- Vanderstelt Bag End Unframed Print
- Trick or Treat Studio Gollum Mask Prop Replica
- Trick or Treat Studio Lurtz Mask Prop Replica
- Ring of Gil-Galad by Into the Fire jewelry makers
- 'Rings of Power' Concept Art Print, signed by John Howe
- Beautiful Middle-earth items from Scottish designers Oscha
- And more...!
Pssst! When you order your ticket(s), check out the pins you can add to your order!
The debut of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime Video is in many ways a new age of Middle-earth adaptation. Set firmly in the Second Age, thousands of years before the events of the The Hobbit. This TV series sets out to explore the the age of settlements in Middle-earth when the civilizations of elves, men and dwarves were at their peak.
It’s an era many Tolkien fans never expected to see on screen, as J.R.R. Tolkien had only bullet-pointed the big things that end up relating to the events of the Fellowship. So how did a TV series based on the appendices, or notes at the end of The Return of the King, end up with a billion dollar budget?
Let’s look back:
November 15, 2017 In a surprise announcement nobody saw coming, Amazon and the Tolkien Estate announce a new alliance -- the TV series rights to The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings books, and everything contained in them. The deal included tons of stipulations:
- Only a TV series, no films or made-for-TV-movies
- Five-season commitment
- Multiple TV series are OK
- Must be in production within two years (to avoid development issues like what happened with The Hobbit films)
- Cannot retell what’s been told on screen
- Tolkien Estate or family must be involved
- Additional rights to characters and stories may be available on a case-by-case basis
- $1 billion budget for Season 1 (including the rights purchase price)
Illustration by: Tim Peacock / THR How does this differ from the rights Peter Jackson used to win all those Oscars? J.R.R. Tolkien had sold the film rights to United Artists (founded by Charlie Chaplin) back in 1968 to help his family cover any death & estate taxes that were to come upon his passing. Later he claimed it was his own naivety that these rights were sold in perpetuity -- basically for all time. The film rights would never again revert back to the Tolkien family for total control, and Saul Zaentz bought those rights from UA in 1976 who immediately made animated films from Rankin & Bass and Ralph Bakshi, then later Peter Jackson. Saul Zaentz died in 2014, his LOTR rights were sold to Embracer Group in 2022, and Amazon acquired United Artists/MGM in 2022.
The only thing not included in those forever rights were to a TV series "over 8 episodes long", and the family realized TV production may actually be able to tell some stories at quality and scale. They requested pitches from all of Hollywood, and it was Jeff Bezos personally who shared his love for the books and offered an amount showing that passion: $250 million. It was perfect timing as the streaming wars were just heating up, and Amazon had just created a department called “Amazon Studios” which had been searching for a major franchise to use as the tentpole and foundation for their video experiment.
November 2017 Christopher Tolkien announces he is handing over management of Middle-earth to the next generation. His life-long focus on the expansion of Middle-earth was primarily through book form. With his oversight, the deal with Amazon was done, creating a canvas for the next generations of Tolkien family to make their mark on the Legendarium. Christopher Tolkien would pass on to greener shores three years later in January 2020 at the age of 95.
May 2018 After receiving Spy Reports, TheOneRing.net reports that Amazon's massive TV series will be about YOUNG ARAGORN. The single-sourced news breaks the internet and trends above the royal baby's birth, but is never confirmed by the studio. Four years later, ESQUIRE confirms the early rumors as one of many pitched to the studio.
https://twitter.com/theoneringnet/status/996822027343310848
July 2018 Dream job confirmed! Writers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay announced as the showrunners for the Lord of the Rings TV series. While unknown to any fan, and with an empty IMDb credits page except for an unproduced Star Trek script, these guys were well known to Hollywood insiders as insanely talented script doctors (a job that never gets credited) and Tolkien uber-geeks. They couldn't help but be compared to another big fantasy show with two unknown showrunners: Game of Thrones.
Patrick McKay (who no longer wears glasses in press photos) with writing partner J.D. Payne (who always has glasses) March 2019 After nearly a year of of silence, innuendo and discourse, LOTR on Prime springs to life with a single tweet: Welcome to the Second Age. A map is revealed showing Númenor, a place fans never thought they would ever see.
https://twitter.com/LOTRonPrime/status/1103656946509344768
July 2019 Who's in charge of LOTR? Amazon drops a surprise creative team video introducing showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay, along with an all-star team of peak TV writers, legendary Tolkien artist John Howe, and Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7tshJbHV7A
The inclusion of Tom Shippey allows fans to breathe a sigh of relief as a trusted name in Tolkien scholarship is on board to make sure the lore is managed fairly. Amazon later chooses to abandon this LOTR youtube channel and posts all future content on the broader Prime Video channel.
September 2019 Co-Showrunner Patrick McKay announces that LOTR on Prime will shoot in New Zealand.
We needed to find somewhere majestic, with pristine coasts, forests, and mountains, that also is a home to world-class sets, studios, and highly skilled and experienced craftspeople and other staff. And we’re happy that we are now able to officially confirm New Zealand as our home for our series.
Patrick McKay & JD Payne, Showrunners
Another sigh of relief from fans! New Zealand IS Middle-earth! Rumors started flying that Amazon really was "getting the band back together" with Weta Workshop, Weta FX and the Oscar-winning teams jumping on board. These rumors were never confirmed by the studio and the rumors persist three years later. In the end, Rings of Power involved 1,500 digital artists around the world with over a dozen VFX studios.
Other TORn Spy Reports start getting picked up by mainstream media as Deadline confirms Howard Shore involved with the new LOTR show. TORn-folk knew about this six months prior!
January 2020 Production begins in New Zealand as Amazon finally announces the cast of of what NZ locals called "Untitled Amazon Project."
https://twitter.com/albert_cheng/status/1565326520570130432?s=20&t=VRcNYxTt0RrSSSyxCFYTwA
April 2020 COVID-19 takes the world by storm. Production is shut down as the entire island nation of New Zealand goes into lockdown. Nobody is allowed into the country.
Summer (or NZ Winter) 2020 Production resumes in NZ under new pandemic protocols, one of the first countries in the world to get back to work. Tons of movies & TV shows try to film in NZ but find that LOTR is so large it has hired nearly all the best entertainment people in the entire country. The country’s covid-zero policy limits who can fly into the country on a very selective basis with long hotel quarantines. This in effect leaves the LOTR creative team to film the show they want with minimal studio involvement (Amazon Studios are based in Los Angeles). It also limits what marketing can do, as there are no press set-visits due to lockdown. The entire show basically becomes a big dark secret and leaks are few and far between.
October 2020 Reports of nudity in Amazon's LOTR show reach fever pitch. Based on casting descriptions for background extras "comfortable with sheer clothing" and the hiring of an "intimacy coordinator" the fan reaction was loud and swift. Clifford "Quickbeam" Broadway eloquently laid out the responsibility to the lore here on TORn.
January 2021 Show synopsis leaks to the TheOneRing.net as this site begins to receive bits of information from people excited about the work they are doing on the production.
April 2021 TORn reports that Tom Shippey is off the project, later confirmed by Dr. Corey Olsen (The Tolkien Professor), beginning a long and tense conversation between fans and studio. In the absence of official releases, incomplete information will continue to fill the air for the next year and a half.
Shippey is a trusted scholar of Tolkien with a stellar reputation whose appearance in the map video a year earlier had calmed most fans nerves, and his departure was a giant red flag. Who is managing the lore for the TV show? Are we going to get another Alfrid? In the weeks after we reported several other high-profile departures include lead designer Rick Heinrichs, the pause or possible disbanding of the writers room, and a narrative began taking form of a troubled production playing loose with lore.
June 2021 The first big LEAK! Sourced from numerous spy reports over a few months, TORn reports on several details for the first time including:
- Harfoots and who’s playing them (Lenny Henry!)
- Celebrimbor recasting
- Orc concentration camps
- Elves have short hair
Whereas we had a constant trickle of information and leaks during Peter Jackson’s productions, this was an explosion of information on the secretive show -- and a method of delivery that Amazon would employ for official releases going forward.
August 2021 Aug 2 - Untitled Amazon Project (UAP) wraps production in New Zealand with a massive party for the large crew & cast. NZ is still in lockdown with strict restrictions on travel into the country.
Aug 3 - First OFFICIAL image from the LOTR show is released featuring… the light of the Two Trees before the First Age! No context is provided of who the foreground character is or what we are looking at, only that it is a still from the opening of the first episode. Fans debated what is going on as this is clearly not the Second Age, not Numenor, not even in the Middle-earth map they had released earlier. Does Amazon have rights to this era? What story are they telling? Without any context, an all-star fan group including Dr. Corey Olsen the Tolkien Professor spent hours analyzing every pixel.
Aug 12 - Amazon Studios in Los Angeles announce Season Two production is moving to the UK. Allegedly to the surprise of all involved including actors, producers, vendors, workshops and even the NZ government who had offered a generous tax break on the basis of a production keeping kiwis employed for multiple seasons.
December 2021 An unmarked package arrives at TORn HQ -- a wooden box with a copy of the complete LOTR saga -- and leather bookmark at the first page of the Appendices. We confirm for the first time that Amazon’s rights begin and end within the pages of that one book -- The Lord of the Rings -- but every single word is up for expansion. For example , the two-sentence mention of Harfoots in Chapter One begat an entire storyline for a set of TV show characters.
January 2022 The title of the show, after nearly 5 years of mystery, is revealed to be The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
February 2022 Amazon reawakens with a new name -- Prime Video -- and launches a deluge of official releases
Feb 3 - 22 character posters given to 22 influencer and media outlets (without context of who the torsos belong to) keep fans guessing who and what we are looking at.
Feb 10 - Vanity Fair publishes a FIRST LOOK with photos from the production, interviews with the showrunners, and a complete overview of the billion dollar mysterious show. TORn chatted with the co-writer of the article for even more details.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z97CSBe2zQ
Feb 13 - Super Bowl trailer. FINALLY some footage! We spent 6 hours analyzing the trailer!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dW6ba2rJHg&t=13430s
Feb 15 - The infamous “Superfans” video
While TORn parterned with some of the best voices in fandom for an epic 6-hour trailer review livestream featuring Ph.Ds, tiktokers, studio and media execs, stan twitter and lore YouTubers, Prime forged in secret another Super Bowl trailer review. Flying out dozens of fans to the Spanish island Mallorca to an old castle ruins in the middle of the night, showed them the trailer, then filmed an hour long discussion about the excitement of the trailer. But the final edit posted to YouTube was three minutes of cringe with very little discussion about Tolkien or Middle-earth, instead focused on inclusion and diversity. Participants in the video were shocked how it was edited. While nearly all fans agree that representation matters, the video was tone deaf for the time and place and target audience. The frustrations of a near-blackout of information for three years combined with a series of no-context releases, it was a stunningly bad effort that was quickly deleted. They do know that what matters to Tolkien fans is… Tolkien. Right?
Online discourse really heated up in the wake of this monster drop of releases. A lot of the old, tired voices of hate and bigotry -- some of the same ones that took issue with Ian Mckellen playing Gandalf because he was gay -- now started criticizing the idea of diverse cultures in Middle-earth. To be clear, Tolkien never describes skin color, and he made a conscious effort to write stories that everyone around the world could see themselves in. This would come to dominate social media chatter about the show for the next six months, but cooler minds knew better than to focus on it.
May 2022 Prime Video flies out Tolkien influencers from around the world to London for a preview of the show. The “London 30” represented nearly 10 million core followers from eight different countries, with over a dozen published books on Tolkien between them, university professors and the head of the Tolkien Society. This second effort at working with Tolkien fans went much better with an intimate settings and controlled environment. Some got more enthusiastic about the show, but more importantly most everyone came away with confidence in the creative leadership -- a vacuum that had existed since the Tom Shippey news a year earlier.
Empire Magazine reveals John Howe is the creative designer behind the show.
June 2022 E.W. reveals that Simon Tolkien is the lore expert guiding the writers room and decisions made with the direction of the storylines.
July 2022 The Rings of Power debuts a full proper trailer online while San Diego Comic-Con fans get an extended look at some extra footage, plus a giant Hall H panel with the showrunners and actors hosted by Stephen Colbert. Fandom seems united in positive impressions! They have a balrog! Prime Video also collaborated with TheOneRing.net for an SDCC party which the entire cast attended. It was the first time fans really got to see and know who is doing this next LOTR thing, and it was the first time many in the cast had interactions with the fandom. Everyone had a great time as the conversation turned very positive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMuEAYJkibA&t=15s
Photo credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times
August 2022 Separate from Amazon and Tolkien Estate, the film rights to LOTR long-held by Saul Zaentz are sold to video game publisher Embracer Group for a rumored $2 billion. Everyone expected Amazon and Jeff Bezos to win the auction for the rights -- after all, they had already spent $250 million just for TV rights, $1 billion producing one season, and $8 billion for MGM which included some Hobbit rights. Spinoff movies and games are going to happen no doubt, independent of the TV show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PyyetBRh-w&t=1509s
The screenings of power! Prime begins previewing the first two episodes to fans around the world. LA, Mexico City, NYC, Mumbai and London all got big preview event screenings which fans were invited to.
Then on August 31, Prime Video rented hundreds cinemas in eight countries for free screenings of the two-part pilot directed by J.A. Bayona.
September 2022 The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power debuts on Prime Video streaming service at 9pm ET Thursday Sept 1, before settling into its weekly release of 11:59pm ET every Thursday night.
Since that first announcement in November 2017, this five-year journey to TV screens full of rumors, leaks, fan events and a pandemic has been an incredible experience for all involved but especially the hard working cast and crew that have grown closer together through all the trials and tribulations. We can't help but see many parallels to the Peter Jackson films, where that cast formed lifelong bonds of family and friendship. This new cast of LOTR really feels like a family as we journey into the next five seasons of this Middle-earth adaptation. Congrats to all for a well-reviewed start to the show!
https://twitter.com/albert_cheng/status/1564917355125276673?s=20&t=VRcNYxTt0RrSSSyxCFYTwA
Join episode discussions now and every week on the TORn discord at https://discord.gg/theonering
As the co-owner of this website, having been here from the very beginning, I’ve seen my share of online Tolkien community related collective anxiety. Our massive community is not dissimilar to that of Star Wars - we have our whacko fringe segment and we have the numbers to attract a matrix style army of Russian bots.
Weeding through all … of … that … noise (if that sounds exhaustive, that's intentional) is so hard to accomplish in 2022. Apparently with age, comes wisdom, and apparently with wisdom comes the ability to dissect myself from most of the drama in the lead up to ‘The Rings of Power.’
Sure, did I occasionally get caught up in the tasty morsels of ‘Tolkien with nudity’ or the ‘Gam(of Thrones)ification’ of Tolkien? I admit - it caught me every few months. But all in all, through most of this journey to September 2nd, I found myself more concerned about aggressively protecting the ‘good’ in our community. Protecting those of us who don’t tell you how to enjoy your Tolkien. Aggressively pursuing the bad actors, trolls and goblins of the online space. Yup, I’m looking squarely at you Twitter. Your cesspool of existence had me pretty close to closing down our official account a few times!
Calisuri & Xoanan get One Rings Just a Casual Fan... All that said, I decided to write my thoughts on ‘The Rings of Power’ today because I feel I may represent a segment of our community that simply is Tolkien adjacent these days. Sure, we were avid fans and very active 20 years ago, but work, families, and simply time have calmed that passion down…just a tad.
I should also mention, for the umpteenth time, that I am a ‘Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ reader. I tried to read the Silmarillion ages ago…not again. Nope, I didn’t read the Histories of Middle-earth or the new books that mystically appear every few years. I’m just a fan of Tolkien’s most popular works - judge me if you will.
With the multiple premiere’s happening around the globe, TORn staff were attending and reporting through the generosity of Amazon. Last week, I had actually scored a pass to the NYC Premiere, but after an enjoyable vacation I came back with a cold worthy of Sauron’s envy. I had even bought a sweet outfit for the occasion, but alas, it was not to be. (Nope, it wasn’t COVID, oddly enough.)
So like everyone else, I waited patiently until the show premiered last night on my Amazon Prime account. I should also note, that I’m such a casual fan these days, that I ended up watching the first half of the Penn State vs. Purdue American football game (PS - Penn State is where this website found its genesis), before deciding to check to see if ‘The Rings of Power’ was out a bit early. And yay…it was!
So it begins. Lights off, Apple AirPods Pro Max activated, and let’s do this!
My first thought… my first reaction… Welp… this is exactly what I wanted to see. They got me. I’m in.
I’m going to share a minor-spoiler stream of thoughts. I’m doing this for those of you who are like me - casual, Tolkien adjacent fans. Folks who may not be the most educated Tolkien scholars of the bunch - nor - gasp - really want to be. Folks who don’t want to participate in the drama of the community and just want to watch a good show and celebrate with the community.
So my quick review: this show nails it.
I wanted - no, needed - a thread - a connection to the films I so loved 20 years ago. ‘The Rings of Power’ delivers big time.
Just a few clear reasons why…
- We get Galadriel, one of the best characters in all of Tolkien’s works, as the lead, the main focus of the series. I’m pretty sure I had not seen Morfydd Clark in any other show/movie before this show, and she is simply a gem. The strength she exudes with just a stare is mesmerizing, and her acting prowess is top notch. This series is in great hands with her in the lead role. The decision to focus on Galadriel from the very start is genius. I truly want to know her story, and I can’t wait to learn more.
- We get breathtaking action and visuals. How cool is it to see battle sequences of Middle-earth in such gigantic scale. Did I really just watch a Fell Beast take out a giant eagle?!
- We get amazing music from the talents of Bear McCreary. Throughout both episodes, it is clear Bear understands the musical ethos that is required for this world. So amazing. (Yes - already listening on loop while working!)
- We get a taste of the innocence and simplicity of Hobbits with the whole Eleanor Brandyfoot plot. Markella Kavenagh is wonderfully cast in this role as a bright eyed mischievous Hobbit…err…Harfoot. In fact, when I look at her, I think of those quick takeaway shots of those cute Hobbits watching fireworks. (Pretty sure those were PJs kids?) And I’m pretty sure, by the end of this series, we are going to get the clear implication that Bilbo and Frodo are descendants of Eleanor. (Oh wait, my lack of Tolkien knowledge might be coming through…is that already spelled out in a genealogical chart somewhere?)
- We get an Elf military that is stationed throughout areas of Middle-earth to protect her ungrateful residents? Noice! Wait - a Legolas 2.0 with Ismael Cruz Córdova’s Arondir? YES. If you aren’t excited to see him kick some major arse in this series, check your pulse. BTW - he’s okay right? I mean…we did get a bit of a cliffhanger with him in Episode 2. (Obviously we do)
- We get to see a whole thriving Dwarven culture. Am I really under the mountain and watching the genesis of semi-familiar names and their eventual (spoiler!) downfall? After all, I did see that Balrog in the trailer…you all are going to delve too deep…aren’t you...?
- We get some REALLY impressively designed baddies. That orc/goblin that shows up in Bronwyn and Theo’s house…nightmare fuel. The ‘worm’ of the ocean - can I can get a fine art print of that in someway? That brief look right before taking out the raft…yikes!
- Who the heck is this Meteor Man? How cool would that be if that’s Gandalf? Probably won’t be - but I’m game for having no clue, and finding out as the show unfolds. I do get a baddie vibe, but obviously they are trying to lead the viewer in that direction.
- Hold up. I was worried this show might not be something I could watch with the family. Sure, the baddies are a bit scary, but as of right now, this is a family (10+) show. Well done, Amazon!
Two episodes in, and there is so much to love about this series.
You know you got it right when... The biggest compliments I can give this series are twofold:
- I did not look at my phone the entire time. This is pretty impressive, considering the Penn State game was very close at halftime and I had relatives and friends dinging my phone and watch. The ‘tap’ of the watch was going mad at some points during the show, but I was so engaged in the show, I didn’t bother. And also...I ALWAYS look at my phone during shows.
- I usually will make myself some popcorn during shows. I’ll get up, walk away from the TV with my headphones on and watch from the kitchen. Nope - not in this case. Popcorn was only made when the first episode ended.
In summary, I’m fully in. Well done to the entire team involved in this production. Sure, it was insanely expensive, but for this Tolkien adjacent fan, you’re nailing it.
If you are a casual fan of Tolkien and Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, you are going to absolutely love 'Rings of Power.'
On September 2, 1973, we heard the sad news that J.R.R. Tolkien had passed away.
Through the years, TORn has shared many wonderful tributes. To say Professor Tolkien has touched our lives and inspired artwork, writing, costuming, online communities, film, music gaming, and so much more is an understatement; but it's how much his work still lifts our imagination and hearts that will endear him to us forever.
Here are a few of our members' tributes in honour J.R.R. Tolkien:
"...A light went out in Arda" by diedye in 2008
"The House That Bilbo Built: Tolkien's Literary Legacy" by Quickbeam in 2008
"Small tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien on "Sunday Morning" by Altaira in 2012
How did I never notice this before? 1973" by Aunt Dora Baggins in 2014
TIME - September 2
It's been a long wait for Prime Video's "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" -- a test of patience doggedly undertaken by eager fans of J.R.R. Tolkien; fraught with slow leaks of information and faceless posters. For the artists and creators making this new series it was much more of an arduous journey, I'm sure. All roads must lead to the television set this Labor Day weekend as we finally arrive at this grand moment: we all get to return to Middle-earth.
Television? It might as well be a huge silver screen, for these sumptuous first two episodes are filled with director J.A. Bayona's painterly and vivid images; awash (sometimes literally) with cinematic scale one cannot deny.
Lindon Under Moonlight, the Kingdom of Gil-galad, High King of the Noldor
Just letting these glorious images rise and crest over you is an experience in itself. Bayona *immerses the senses with a sure hand while story beats gently move along.*
After being away from any new adaptation of Middle-earth for a decade the audience is beckoned to rediscover insanely lush Elven forests and Dwarven Halls at the pinnacle of their glory. I remember seeing various things in Peter Jackson's LOTR -- like decayed statues appearing subtly behind Frodo's shoulder in the odd scene. In this Second Age timeframe Rings of Power is the ultimate way-back machine (we are talking thousands of years) to when those freshly-hewn statues still resonated from the original sculptor's determined chisel. Likewise we sense the determination of showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne -- building visual hints and connections to our existing ideas of what Middle-earth looks like while employing unique brushstrokes of their own. Bear McCreary shines with a luminous score. The opening theme crafted by Oscar-winner Howard Shore is surprisingly understated yet filled with omen (it is not heard in the opening episode, just the following 2-8).
Details and Grand Scale in Middle-earth Production Design, Costumes, VFX and Tech Departments are firing on all cylinders here, mesmerizing you with rich details barely on screen for a scant few seconds before moving on to the next wondrous reveal. They'll need to buy a big trophy case for all the Emmys. Trust.
It is satisfying to see such care put into everything. The scale of Tolkien's Secondary World deserves it; and indeed these early episodes work hard to establish context to this newly envisioned world we Tolkien fans know as Arda. Newbies and casual viewers will not be at a loss, which is saying something considering the further reaches we are exploring. I particularly liked the ingenious use of Tolkien's maps. They are ubiquitous (to the delight of every nerd in the house). The editors use clever cross-dissolves that sweep the audience across both a map and spectacular arial shots of New Zealand. Geographical names shine with golden letters as the map fades away -- the letters have now become a convenient "lower-3rd" establishing our location. Such thoughtful touches deepen the immersion.
Remember when Amazon started their marketing campaign with just a blank map? Actually, we are gifted with visits to places in Arda frequently discussed by academics and fans alike yet have NEVER been revealed on-screen. To me it is quite interesting, even thrilling to see these places!
Striking far afield from any other Tolkien adaptation, we are no longer confined to the geography of Bilbo's journey or the events of the War of the Ring. Even though we won't get to Númenor until Episode 3, a vivid series of gorgeous locales are at the forefront here: Lindon on the western shores of Middle-earth, the Southlands where Men dwell (which is indeed the far Southeast of Núrn before it was Mordor), Rhovanion where the Harfoots migrate, and above Eregion right up to Khazad-dûm's unassuming western door. Another future gate to be built there will be significant and familiar. Striking deep into the Wilderlands, the Sundering Seas, the frozen wastes of Forodwaith, Rings of Power satisfies that wanderlust to see strange and distant lands from the pages of Tolkien.
And yes, everything I saw in the first two episodes feels very much like Tolkien, albeit with a sprinkling of new characters and plotlines he never penned.
Licensing Governs What We Witness Here If you're like me, you've certainly heard quite enough hand-wringing from folks worried that "The Appendices" of LOTR are barely enough to sustain a series. Look, the Tolkien Estate went ahead and licensed the 2nd Age stories as a complete package deal, with the intent that new creators could crystallize an epic story from them. Way back in time John Boorman had a chance at LOTR and it failed to manifest (thank heavens); then suddenly Ralph Bakshi created a remarkable first feature film adaptation of it. Also on television rights side there was the animation classic that won the Peabody Award -- Arthur Rankin Jr. & Jules Bass' The Hobbit. Later indie New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson would helm a worldwide 3-year juggernaut of cinema. Will you look at that! Such an evolution of different adaptations have appeared since Professor Tolkien himself sold the rights. I'm highly intrigued now to have five seasons of deeply artful portrayals of Middle-earth and that is an encouraging thought.
I'm looking forward to talking at the Thanksgiving table with family and dropping stuff about of The Fall of Númenor -- yet this time everyone will get it.
Khazad-dûm at its glorious height. Granted, whether they stray too far from lore is yet to be seen, but I'm open minded. All signs here point to a careful foundation being built; meant to support epicness yet to come. Certainly we shall revisit this entire Season One after it's completely available.
I am not envious of the Rings of Power writer's room having such a unique challenge. They are not adapting, I sense, but rather it seems like a distillation. An alchemy of mixing ingredients guided by the Appendices. They are trying to distill the essence from the ancient fibers of pages that Tolkien insisted on inclusion in the 1955 publication of "The Return of the King," much to his Publisher's displeasure at the delay. He wanted the Appendices available to support his wider Legendarium. Of course, deviations and constricting of time are just going to happen, as they do in any adaptation requiring different idioms of delivering a well-told story. I would point to Miyazaki's remarkable deviations from Diana Wynne Jones' "Howl's Moving Castle." I see his adaptation as a blissful, rich distillation of her work. Though clearly not the novel, it stands as a unique, moving piece of art.
Is there A Prologue? Yes, and it's a doozy. This all-too-brief Prologue includes the shadow of Morgoth over the Two Trees and a gasp-inducing shot from The War of Wrath. Was that really Ancalagon the Black we just saw taking down a giant Eagle or was that some Fell Beast of Morgoth? Saruon appears in a stunning tableaux invoking a Frazetta painting dripping with evil -- it is but a fleeting moment. This setup provides the context between the First and Second Ages that a general audience would need. Deep readers of Tolkien will not find "The Silmarillion" levels of detail in this highly-condensed opener. Galadriel narrates, naturally. She is but a child at this time, living in Tirion, conversing with her brother Finrod. No other siblings; so don't expect First Age minutiae not included in the license. Emotions pure enough to fuel an Elven memory are Bayona's main concern here. A few critical points of history are established and then we swiftly move on. Beleriand by name is not mentioned. We have Lindon and Eregion now as the centers of Elven life in Middle-earth.
But that brief moment in Valinor is genuinely lovely in the most Tolkienesque way.
The Strength of a Great Cast To the show's credit the many appealing characters played by a winning cast handle things flawlessly. Hands down, casting was crucial as it has been in previous adaptations. Note the scene where two Elves look each other in the eye and discuss metaphysical things in earnest. How refreshing a narrative placement for these ideas to live and breathe. Even if Tolkien didn't specifically write them, I'm glad to see it in this type of television.
The grand design of these character's arcs are only hinted at during the establishing efforts of Episodes 1 and 2 but the larger supporting legs of this giant table are already apparent:
- The journeys / ambition of Galadriel
- Southlanders in trouble
- Harfoots in the wild
- The inimitable Elrond/Prince Durin friendship
I know there's supposed to be a 5th leg supporting the table -- the rise of Sauron -- but in these opening episodes he is nowhere to be seen, that we know of, either as Sauron or Annatar.
All of the secrecy in the world is piled up to shroud Sauron's true identity from audience and characters alike. This is also true of The Stranger. As far as deliberate mysteries, I find these are the biggest two. We are all looking for signs of Annatar -- the fair form Sauron could take to fool others. Fan theories are rampant. If we are playing a "Where's Waldo" among characters looking for Annatar, well, I'd say I cannot even tell who Waldo is yet. A new human character from the Southlands named Halbrand has opening dialogue which makes me alert: "Looks can be deceiving."
My current favorite theories about The Stranger (bracingly portrayed by Daniel Weyman) include him being one of the Istari, the Wizards of the Third Age, or even better being the Maiar Eönwë himself, arriving in a meteor to suss out the presence of Sauron. Let the guessing games continue with hearty speculation! Will fortune favor this bold choice by the writers? I'm very curious indeed.
It's quite an interesting dance the showrunners have found themselves waltzing. From interviews with McKay and Payne we know things will get squishy with a very condensed timeline. Yes, two Durin's are alive at the same time, I know, but let us see where this goes...
The Height of Dwarven Might My favorite thing of this whole endeavor, so far, is the realization of Khazad-dûm -- the mightiest Kingdom of the Dwarves under the Misty Mountains. Destined to be found when the first forefather of all Durins looked into the Kheled-zâram, the Mirrormere, and beheld the crown of stars above his head. A location forever cemented in our minds as a ruined, Balrog-infested nightmare; but here how things are so different, so fresh, so alive!
We get the dynamic interplay between Robert Aramayo's elegant Elrond and his dear friend Prince Durin IV, a cinderous Owain Arthur. Against the backdrop of the a truly extraordinary, verdant Dwarven Kingdom these two bicker and fight and test and forgive and reconcile all within this one episode and I'm immediately drawn in. I just loved this stuff and how it represents Tolkien's dynamic relationships between Elves and Dwarves. The vibrant Sophia Nomvete brings life to Disa, the better half of the fiery Dwarf Prince, and her energy uplifts everything.
Fans are going to ship hard for Durin IV and Elrond, mark my words.
Celebrimbor is ready to steal the show at any minute, you can catch magnificent glimpses from Charles Edwards. You can tell he is the lightning about to strike somewhere in the distance. Yet after his character is tantalizingly introduced he then stays offstage, waiting outside the door (literally at one point).
Durin IV and Disa What Else is Good? The Harfoots are amazing. Suddenly everyone will press "Pause" to freeze frame a closer inspection of those props and items. Great credit to the Property Masters and Art Department -- what they came up with is grand. It is delicious to see how the Harfoots keep themselves hidden yet immediately can be set adrift to migrate to other places where fields and weather might be more kind, as generations demand over time. Thus continue traditions of the finest agrarian ingenuity deserving of early Hobbits.
A most satisfying portrayal of the Southlanders bears a dynamic worth exploring. Descendants of Men known to have worshipped Morgoth have immediate tension between them and Sylvan Elves who watch over their lifelong settlements. Sharply-observant Arondir (Ismael Cruz Cordova) walks into the Public House and is glared down by all the patrons. I'm sure there are few who can smolder onscreen the way Cruz Cordova can smolder. He is mesmerizing to watch. As a fiery healer, Nazanin Boniadi is a good counterpoint to him. She and her son Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin) have a future part to play in much greater things, methinks, especially with that weird Sauron-infested blade Theo seems to have kept hidden away for no reason. After seeing these segments with the Southlanders you'll never see Mordor the same way again. It's rather, shall we say, lovely.**
Playing a Bit Outside the Box with Lore There's a huge moment that might be way too SPOILERY for you but here we go, stop reading for two paragraphs then continue -- it's in the 1st Episode and we need to talk about this rather binary choice that was given to Galadriel. I don't want to say, just yet, that any one leg of this table is a little wee bit wobbly -- but if there were such a thing, this is it. This early serving of Galadriel's motivations and actions are in many ways resonant and beautiful, but at one point when Gil-galad offers her to access the Gift of the Valar and return to the Undying Lands (what's that about), there was a story-point I really had to get my head around. I worked too hard for it, actually.
I wondered why such a powerful character would just jump from the ship right before it enters Valinor, leaving the most powerful Noldorin Elf adrift in the empty waves: no rations, no fresh water, no plan, nowhere to go. I thought for a moment, have they written themselves into a corner here? Then after sharing some thoughtful conversation with Tolkien Professor Corey Olsen and Matt Nerd of the Rings we figured this was maybe a lore-moment that would raise a few eyebrows.
Maybe it seemed really "out there" but it's a binary choice ultimately to dramatize what Valinor looks like -- as a place, as as destination for the sprit and body and soul. It occurred to me this huge set-piece is here for television audience's sake. So a few Seasons moving on, when Ar-Pharazon seeks out this same place, audiences will recognize what is at stake. This is where books adapted into TV can vary the most wildly, folks, where big attempts at dramatizing the metaphysical can be, well, dictated buy the visual economy of televised storytelling. I daresay her standing on the shore and politely saying "No," and refusing to even get on the boat would be rather dull in the end.
Me quibbling that aside, the ferocity and wisdom in Morfydd Clark's eyes is compelling. She delivers a great performance as Galadriel, glints in her eyes of great tragedy and also light. Halbrand, played with a studied glare by Charlie Vickers, has a strange pouch around his neck bearing a strange sigil, and how quickly he hides it.
Being teased by strange mysteries hidden within a newly visualized Middle-earth is where this series is headed, and I'm glad to take the ride.
Once we get past this entire First Season's run of 8 full episodes we shall have a better grasp, certainly, of how they manage to keep these plates spinning. One wonders, dimly, what changes we will see between this and future Seasons. The many riches on display in this first Season were produced solely in New Zealand -- everything going forward will be new Heads of Departments, new crew, new studios, and perhaps a difference in approach and energy. That remains to be seen yet I am most curious.
An Overall Rating, But Only So Far Giving an overall rating should really wait till then: but if we are all insisting then I'll give these two Episodes a solid 8.5 out of 10, where things are yet to be resolved, this number will certainly change.
The Rings of Power is eager to please, as I said on Twitter. There is wonderment and a strong undercurrent of greatness that could be a real knock-out, if the stars align, or the Meteor Man arrives. One need not be afraid to enter gamely into Lore discussions ("Why is there even a Meteor Man?") because from those open-handed chats we all learn and appreciate more about Tolkien -- and what we love about him. Again, pass or fail, The Rings of Power surely will bring new readers with a healthy curiosity. And so in the end we get to engage and encourage an ongoing fandom.
That's what I meant by "Everyone Wins."
https://twitter.com/Quickbeam2000/status/1562398839683833856?s=20&t=XL-UR2ldef5p_DFVEuqZjg
Much too hasty,
Quickbeam
*Clifford Broadway is the Writer & Producer of the Award-Winning Documentary "Ringers: Lord of the Fans, a Co-Host for the weekly livestream "TORn Tuesday" hosted by TheOneRing.net on mutliple platforms. His articles on Tolkien and popular culture appear in "Famous Monsters of Filmland" and on DeviantArt, also within "The People's Guide To J.R.R. Tolkien" (Cold Spring Press)*
The OST for Season 1 of The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power features work from composers Bear McCreary and Howard Shore.
While McCreary has crafted Season One’s score, Shore’s contribution to the show is the title theme. Shore has won three Academy Awards for his music for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit feature film trilogies. McCreary is an Emmy and BAFTA winner for his music scores on Outlander and God of War.
In this new segment, two of our Discord regulars, Reading Room Moderator DrNosy and composer Mike T, debate the show’s title theme and whether it is ‘musically’ suited to the score of The Rings of Power.
DRNOSY
The French horns.
It is that instrument that I closely relate to the music of The Lord of the Rings, particularly in the soundtrack Prologue: One Ring to Rule Them All. Hearing them again, in the first second of the Main Title, I was immediately pulled back towards the story and events that launched the Third Age — Sauron with the One Ring in hand laying waste to the armies of the Last Alliance of Men and Elves.
However, as I keep listening to the track, I start to feel something is off. This music sounds like a watered-down version of that track from The Lord of the Rings. A “lite” version of The Lord of the Rings is absolutely not what the Second Age should sound like. It is also almost completely at odds with the rest of the themes in the album.
Listening to the entire album, it is clear that McCreary (following in Shore’s footsteps with the film tracks) has created a succinct soundscape for the Second Age, complete with themes for each character and narrative arcs for the events of Season One. Shore’s theme does not seem to fit with any of McCreary's tracks.
MIKE T
I think this might be the biggest thing driving negative reactions to Main Title, as well as the opposing negative reactions that favor the theme over the score, and it’s definitely a misstep on the part of the people behind the show, but is it a problem with the music itself?
Not from where I stand: both composers have done what they were tasked with, and done it well.
If there is a question to ask, it’s this: why wasn’t part of that task, for either of them, to strive for more musical unity with each other. For now, it seems pointless to speculate on that.
Perhaps we’ll get more insight into the circumstances of the composition eventually, or maybe we’ll even have a situation where Bear does start to weave some of Shore’s ideas in. In any case, some of us just seem more willing to “bridge the gap” ourselves, and to take Shore’s theme as a welcome bit of torch-passing that will nicely frame each episode of the series.
DRNOSY
While I take your point about “bridging the gap” between the films and the show, I simply do not see how or why they should be linked in Main Title itself.
Main Title’s fairy-esque tones simply do not fit with the characterization of the factionalized, bloodied, and catastrophic ending of the many races of Middle-earth in the Second Age. Not to mention how it completely seems to miss the themes and leitmotifs of the other peoples of Middle-earth, i.e., the Dwarves, Harfoots, Númenor, and Orcs.
I appreciate Shore’s use of the musical leitmotif representing Galadriel (ethereal ‘Elven’ feminine vocals at 0:35), but that moment also rings along the lines of a ‘fairy lady in the woods singing to the birds’, which is closely followed by ‘evil has come to the woods and it threatens the lady and her birds’ (0:53). It is the ultimate mischaracterization of the Galadriel of the Second Age, especially as the Galadriel we meet in The Rings of Power is an Elf at war with herself.
Why is it that we don’t hear that conflict in Shore’s theme?
MIKE T
As you noted at the outset, from the very first notes heard it is clear, from both the voicing of the chord and the way it is orchestrated, where this music is supposed to take us. It follows exactly the rhetorical and stylistic precedents Shore first set over 20 years ago. And yes, his writing is indeed always committed to very tightly-woven leitmotivic processes. His Main Theme does in fact seem to make reference to a number of musical structures that are present in his previous Middle-earth music, related to the various story elements you mention.
Whether this is explicit enough for every listener, I certainly can’t decree… but there is an argument to be made for their presence (the specifics of which I will not bore readers with here!).
As for your feeling that the theme mischaracterizes Galadriel, I would simply argue that the vocal element in question is not meant to represent Galadriel in the first place. It sounds to me more like an incidental orchestration choice by the composer, rather than being intended as a direct evocation of anything or anyone previously associated with that specific color, and likewise, the darker turn you mention is a more abstract musical turn to represent the overall tumult of the events of the Second Age, not anything specific to Galadriel’s arc.
The whole piece in fact centers around this dramatic “triptych” structure, in which we are introduced to familiar-sounding material which begins confidently but then takes a darker turn, and is briefly restated in a more pure way before ending in a quite unresolved place.
This feels like an apt encapsulation of what we’re going to see play out here, a sort of grand overview of events rather than a focused musical commentary on specific characters. Does it do so in weighty enough tones for what we will experience in the substance of the show?
Again, I can’t decide that for everyone, I can only explain the possible thinking behind things.
DRNOSY
I see Galadriel as the main protagonist of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power.
If the feminine vocal element isn’t Galadriel, it would seem that Main Title doesn’t weave any element of McCreary’s sounds for the Second Age, which is curious to say the least. I was also disappointed how Main Title drastically falls short of iconic sounding title themes we hear in other fantasy/epic shows such as A Game of Thrones, The Wheel of Time, The Witcher, Westworld, His Dark Materials, The Sandman, and others.
The whole purpose of title music is to leave a lasting impact or memory of the show on the audience every single time they tune in to watch. I still remember how I binged the entire glorious Season One of The Crown in one night. At that time, I did not dare to skip the titles (even to save time) because of my need to let the music (and title sequence) wash over me as I savored and reflected on the episodes I’d watched previously. I did the same with The Witcher, His Dark Materials, and The Wheel of Time.
It is hard to ignore the impact of ‘good’ and ‘catchy’-sounding theme music, especially because its sole purpose is to transition the audience from the opening events of the episode (or even the previous episode) into the central story arc.
I find myself forgetting Shore’s title track music even after having listened to it about 20 times now.
MIKE T
It’s true, there are ways to open with a bang and to set up a musical hook that will immediately grab the audience. It may simply be that Shore’s approach as a composer tends more towards subtlety than the expectations formed by the examples you mention, for better or worse.
There are surely important musical structures in Shore’s prologue to “The Fellowship of the Ring” which, if not for the subsequent hours of music building on them, might not be clear to us as meaningful, and which would not grab us by the heart, so to speak, without that reinforcement.
I think we have a situation similar to that hypothetical here. Nothing of Howard’s new theme is, at least based on what we’ve heard so far, built on in Bear’s score.
Those elemental structures are not reinforced. We go right from an echo of the Middle-earth sound that we know, to a younger and more vibrant Middle-earth, with no real bridge between that and the grand but poignant “civilization in decline” soundworld we’re used to.
The power of familiarity shouldn’t be underestimated though. Given what I’ve seen happen with some other scores’ themes over the years, I’m willing to bet that quite a few of those who are currently unimpressed by and unattached to this one will feel differently once they’ve heard it fifty or so times accompanying each episode, when this new journey reaches its end.
About our chat participants
DrNosy is a scientist (physical science), scholar, and Tolkien enthusiast. Her primary interests lie in review and analysis of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. She is an active contributor and Reading Room Moderator on TheOneRing.net Discord where she also hosts live open-forum panel discussions on The Rings of Power, The Silmarillion, and a variety of Tolkien-related topics. You can reach her on Twitter.
Mike T is a composer and near-lifelong Tolkien aficionado. After obsessively relying on TORn for spoiler reports during the early 2000s, and pursuing a musical life in large part due to the experience of hearing Howard Shore’s scores in darkened theaters dozens of times, he is delighted to find himself back amongst the TORn community for this new journey through Middle-Earth. You can listen to his music at https://michaeltrapasso.bandcamp.com and reach out to him on Twitter.
Editor’s Note: we reported in September last year that McCreary was being brought onboard to work with Shore on scoring the series. It was rumored at the time that Shore didn’t “necessarily want to compose the whole series”. We now know that Shore and McCreary ended up composing the music separately.
Interesting read detailing some facts about the work behind the visual effects of Rings of Power from Variety...
The post “Performance and storytelling came first in every single case” of 9500 visual effects for Rings of Power – Variety first appeared on Lord of the Rings Rings of Power on Amazon Prime News, JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit and more | TheOneRing.net.
DragonCon is upon us! For the first time since 2019, the full Dragon (almost - numbers are slightly limited again this year) is being awakened. And TORn staffers are there to share the fun.
You can find staffers deej and greendragon at TORn's 'fan table' (which we believe will be in our usual spot, in the Hyatt opposite the entrance to the Art Show) throughout the con. We'll have new button and shirt designs on sale, and all kinds of fun things for fans to look at. You can also sign up at the table for the Evening at Bree costume contest! (Sign up is also available in the High Fantasy Track Room, Marriott L401-403).
Events of interest to Tolkien fans during DragonCon are as follows:
Thursday 1st 7pm TORn's Rings of Power preview A last chance to speculate what's coming in Prime Video's highly anticipated show, before it becomes available to watch at 9pm ET. Spoiler-free speculation! Marriott room A601-602
Friday 2nd 5.30pm Behind the Scenes of The Rings of Power TORn staffer greendragon hosts a panel with very special guests artist John Howe and dialect coach Leith McPherson, talking about their work on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - and beyond. Hilton Grand West
Friday 2nd 8.30pm An Evening at Bree TORn is delighted to join the High Fantasy track again to host a long standing DragonCon tradition. Party like a Hobbit! We have three live bands this year, to get toes (hairy and otherwise) tapping - The Brobdingnagian Bards, Beth Patterson, and Landloch'd. We'll also have the Elf Choir, and of course the costume contest. If you'd like to enter, please sign up in advance of the evening, at the TORn fan table or the High Fantasy track room. Our panel of judges this year will be cosplayer Joshua Duart, together with very special guests John Howe and Leith McPherson.
Saturday 3rd 1pm War of the Rohirrim Find out more about this exciting anime film, telling the tale of Helm Hammerhand - coming April 2024. Marriott room L401-403
Monday 5th 10am Rings of Power After Hour Discuss and reflect on the first two episodes, and what may or may not be to come this season and beyond!
Let the games begin! Please come and say hi if you're in Atlanta; see you in the belly of the beast!
The rollout of the Amazon's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power TV series has re-energized Middle-earth fandom, and one thing is clear, we all love to get together, online, at conventions, and at the theater and talk Tolkien.
Reading The Hobbit during the Baggins Birthday Bash The Baggins Birthday Bash, coming to Los Angeles at 11:30am on September 24 at Griffith Park's Mineral Wells picnic area is the perfect way for SoCal Tolkien fans to gather and party like Hobbits. There will be games, there will be food, there will be plenty of Tolkien discussion going on, and I'm sure we can fit some fun in there somewhere.
Regarding food, in the before times it was a big buffet, and last year, we decided to ask everyone to just bring enough food and drink for their own party. This year, it will probably end up being a bit of a hybrid. Some will just bring what they want to eat, and a few will bring shareable dishes, and we'll let the food and drink sort itself out. It would be nice if some folks bring extra picnic plates and cups, maybe some paper towels, and of course, everyone should bring a portable chair or blanket and a popup if you have it.
We would like to bring back the Cake or Cupcake contest for the best Middle-earth designed desserts. We've had some really creative and beautiful designs in the past, so start contemplating now on how to wow your fellow fans this year. Costumes are welcome, as usual, especially any new 2nd Age costumes. If we do trivia, there is a decent chance it will include some references to the Rings of Power show, since the 5th episode will have screened just 2 days before the picnic.
Please do RSVP on our Facebook Event page, located at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1271178800320132/ and read through the About Details, including selecting 'see more' to access the directions for those driving from different sections of Southern California in order to get to Griffith Park and the Mineral Wells section of the park.
The review embargo for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was lifted today and reviews are now coming in fast. The reviews have been generally positive, praising the epic feel and production, with a current Rotten Tomatoes score of 93%.
Here's a growing list of reviews (and spoilers):
Many predicted Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ prequel would be a disaster. It isn’t.
- Los Angeles Times
Prime Video’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a unique take, telling something of its own story using a distant time period of the lore that Tolkien mostly laid out in broad strokes. It’s a bold approach, and here fortune has favored it. The two-episode premiere marks a strong start, with breathtaking cinematography, excellent acting, and a story that – after a somewhat labored set-up – shows some serious promise and intrigue.
- IGN
There are ways to do a prequel, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power does them all wrong. It takes six or seven things everyone remembers from the famous movie trilogy, adds a water tank, makes nobody fun, teases mysteries that aren't mysteries, and sends the best character on a pointless detour.
- Entertainment Weekly
This is TV that is made for big screens, although surely destined to be watched on smaller ones. It is so cinematic and grand that it makes House of the Dragon look as if it has been cobbled together on Minecraft.
- The Guardian
Amazon's long-awaited 'Lord of the Rings' prequel series slots well into the cinematic universe of Peter Jackson's films, while establishing itself on its own terms.
- Variety
For a television series, the production values are staggering. The sets feel huge and lived-in, the costumes are beautiful and intricate, and the digital effects are sharper than most movies.
- BBC
It’s technically impressive, reasonably ambitious, packed with Easter eggs that I’m certain I’m not versed enough to get and, with my interest in different plotlines already varying wildly, it could fall off a precarious cliff at any moment.
- The Hollywood Reporter
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Is Filled With Beautiful Images and Tired Archetypes
- Time
I came to this series a skeptic, but after watching the first two episodes, I walk away a believer. What showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne have created is something simply staggering in scope and scale, in raw beauty and magnificence. It is nothing short of a masterpiece—and a welcome return to Tolkien’s legenderium.
- Forbes
Having invested hundreds of millions in mounting a series version of “The Lord of the Rings,” Amazon has gotten its money’s worth in production values but not storytelling, with a handsome prequel that could leave all but the most devoted Hobbits feeling more bored than lord.
- CNN
Here's the thing about the new Lord of the Rings TV show The Rings of Power: It takes you somewhere you've been before.
- CNET
Rings of Power is not just good, it’s great: a gorgeously immersive and grandly ambitious spectacle packed with stunning imagery and compelling plot threads. Most importantly, it captures the same sense of awe we felt while watching the Lord of the Rings movies — one we don’t often get to experience on the small screen.
- TVLine
It’s a series that wants dearly to set itself apart as a fresh take on the material, right down to setting itself an entire age before the adventures of Frodo Baggins and his Fellowship. But it also does everything it can to stir our nostalgia for the Jackson films, from costume to music to overall design, which can occasionally make it like a store-brand version of the same.
- RogerEbert.com
Though the eight-part debut season portends an imminent war between Elves and orcs — with Dwarves, humans and a precursor to the Hobbit race called the Harfoots in the mix — the copious and choppily edited action in the first two episodes (those screened for critics) is bloodless and computer-effects-driven.
- Washington Post
By now you may be wanting to know what The Rings of Power is about. In a way, I feel the same. The first two episodes of the show are full of exposition, unhurried table setting and character introductions but not much else.
- Ask.com
On the one hand, The Rings of Power’s unwavering focus on its heroes allows the show to truly spotlight several of its strongest cast members. Clark shines as a version of Galadriel who is more battle-hardened and outwardly headstrong than the older, wiser, and more ethereal iteration Cate Blanchett famously played in Peter Jackson’s movies. Owain Arthur nearly steals the show with his likable, charismatic turn as Durin IV, the dwarven prince of Khazad-dûm.
On the other hand, the lack of a major antagonist in The Rings of Power’s opening installments creates an unfortunate sense of waywardness. At times, the show’s disparate storylines feel like they are only connected by the vague notion that evil may be just around the corner. Consequently, there are moments — especially in The Rings of Power’s second episode — when the series’ continent-spanning structure feels frustratingly unwieldy.
- Inverse
This first quarter of the season is almost entirely setup for what is to follow, so it’s hard to render much of a verdict on the series from relatively unknown showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, who have contributed to movies including “Star Trek Beyond” and “Jungle Cruise.” Through two hours — both nicely directed by the talented J.A. Bayona (“The Impossible,” “A Monster Calls”) — “The Rings of Power” is intriguing but not quite engrossing.
- The News-Herald
The Fellowship of the Ring is a big influence here, and the characters go off on quests to investigate strange occurrences in the land while dark rumors from the previous war start to circulate again. The episodes do a commendable job of not only showing the enormity of the world and its history, but also giving the feeling of dread weighing down as the clues begin to be revealed.
- The Lamplight Review
Adjectives like "bold" and "ambitious" are par for the course when it comes to this franchise, and they absolutely apply to what we've seen so far of the show.
Two episodes in, the world-building is just as stunning and intricate as you could hope for. It's the kind of show that deserves to be seen on the big screen instead of your phone, but that's not going to stop fans from visiting Middle-earth via a six-inch display
- Digital Spy
...first-time showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay are content to take their time establishing the characters and laying the groundwork for what’s to come in a measured and deliberate way instead of giving viewers a taste of something and then jumping ahead years into the future by the next episode.
- Cleveland.com
There are great performances throughout, including Clark as a Galadriel, who dances much closer to the darkness than one might expect from the future Lady of Lorien. There's strong chemistry between Clark and Robert Aramayo as Galadriel's friend Elrond, who at this point is but an ambitious young politician. However, the dwarves -- Owain Arthur as Durin and Sohpie Nomvete as Disa -- make the strongest impression.
- Comicbook.com
From the tempestuous Sundering Seas to the glorious halls of the dwarven kings, each location is richly created. It's clear how much of the budget went into making these places look as magical as imagined. On top of that, composer Bear McCreary's soundtrack plays off the familiar tunes of Howard Shore's iconic soundtrack and instantly tugs at the heartstrings of anyone who would find themselves affected by the music of Middle-earth.
- Collider
TORn Tuesday's co-host Justin flew around the world -- at his own expense -- to experience the first showings of Prime Video's huge The Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power with fellow fans in NYC and London. Now having seen it twice, after years of the most spoileriffic leaks, here is his review of the first two episodes of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime.
Producers Lindsey Weber, JD Payne and Patrick McKay introducing themselves to fans in NYC Back in 2002, I sat down in a theater full of fellow Ringers at midnight as an unknown jovial British man with a deep voice walked out to introduce The Two Towers. Andy Serkis had come at the invite of TheOneRing.net to opening night. Nobody knew who he was other than the IMDb credit and 3 seconds of trailer time -- and this guy looked & sounded nothing like Gollum. There was also a lot of chatter leading up to the release of The Two Towers that book lovers were terrified of -- that the elves had been reassigned from the books to honor the last alliance at Helm’s Deep (ruining Tolkien’s greatest battlefield reunion in The Return of the King). Leaked set pics showed Arwen fighting at Helm’s deep. Jar Jar Binks all-CGI characterization had “ruined” Star Wars, and all-CGI Gollum was ready to ruin Tolkien.
The lights dimmed. The screen showed the familiar landscapes. Then the camera dived INTO the mountain to replay one of the greatest scenes of Fellowship (natch, film history). Oh great, I thought, another film that does “when we last left our heroes” recap. And then the camera follows Gandalf as he falls into battle with Durin’s Bane, as an epic choral music laments their fall into the great chasm. I lept out of my seat! I couldn’t believe a movie had just shown me things I had never seen before, never expected, and a style of storytelling I didn’t think possible. The Two Towers changed my movie going life, and it is still my favorite of the trilogy.
My Rings of Power take after seeing the pilot episodes twice and really diving into the visual details: Prime Video’s The Rings of Power brings back that feeling of discovery. It changes what television is capable of. It redefines multi-storyline TV. It completely immerses you in Middle-earth from the start, and delivers an incredible storytelling experience that stays true to the tone of Tolkien while necessarily charting a new path.
The Rings of Power finally delivers on Gimli’s promise to the Fellowship that his kin would provide a warm welcome in Moria. We finally see dwarven culture at its pinnacle -- a fully realized society that is well-fed, well-worked, and well-machined. These dwarves will feel familiar to Hobbit trilogy fans, with great-looking, practical makeup FX (allegedly supported by Weta Workshop), but it's the characterizations that really take this culture beyond the comedy of the movies. Fans of deep lore will rewatch the dwarven scenes to spot the many Easter eggs of items lost to time in the books.
All the other lands and races are equally fully realized, even the orc culture. We are all aware of the amount of effort needed to accomplish creative at this level thanks to Peter Jackson’s Appendices. It’s obvious hundreds of top creative talent are collaborating on this show. There is a visible sense of pride in the work from all the details both visual and narratively. This is a billion dollar TV show and it shows. It takes that much support to realize Tolkien’s vast imagination -- which is larger in the Second Age than the Third Age seen in the films. The Second Age just has more of everything. More societies. More cities. More arid lands. More areas to explore. More destruction. My biggest fear now is that future seasons of The Rings of Power may not get the same generous budget, knowing what enormous cataclysms are to come.
Writing on the show is peak television at its pinnacle. Prime has assembled an all-star fellowship of writers from the best shows on TV -- Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Hannibal, Game of Thrones, and more. Absolutely no characters from the vast collective on this show feel cardboard, short changed, nor one-dimensional. Everyone quickly has motivations created and their place in society established. TV has never seen a character break as bad as Sauron, the lord of all the rings, and the pilot episodes set up the stakes for Middle-earth.
J.A Bayona was absolutely the right director to establish the look and feel of this show. From his water work with The Impossible to the dark tones of Penny Dreadful, Bayona captures the existential dread that Middle-earth may not know is coming. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are living our collective fan dream overseeing this massive project. Their imaginations are reaching for the same great heights that JRR Tolkien famously attempted, yet still under the guardrails and guidelines he established. Tolkien envisioned filmmakers expanding his Legendarium with his "other minds and hands, wielding paint and music & drama" and these guys are up to the task. Having chatted with them many times over the last six months it's clear that these other and hands are the right ones to continuing shaping the history of Middle-earth.
Fans may forget that Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings was full of no-name actors. It was Orlando Bloom’s first work, Billy Boyd’s first movie, and the biggest job for the hundreds of longtime kiwi actors. Rings of Power continues that tradition of unveiling top talent on the global stage. These folks are future stars. All the recent discourse of how they look and talk -- also things fans also complained about in 2001 -- is put to rest the minute the show starts. There is no wink at the camera or in-your-face notice me going on. These performances live in Middle-earth, period. Tolkien’s source text allow for a very expansive visual canon which the filmmakers are developing with the highest of standards. All the fears fans have of this "looking like television" are proven invalid. Better than other space and superhero TV shows, this is Middle-earth looking exactly like it should: the proper continuation of a $6 billion franchise and most-awarded film series of all time.
Even if it's not a continuation. We have covered the rights situation numerous times over the last 4 years on this site and on YouTube. Testament to loyalty to JRR Tolkien is the involvement of Simon Tolkien (the current elder family stateman) in the production of the show, and no less that 11 living Tolkien relatives showing up to the London premiere. It's a privilege to have Royd Tolkien a longtime friend of TORn, but to have his family there at The Rings of Power premiere unlocked a feeling I didn't know this franchise needed: full support of the sub-creator's legacy, and a proper continuation of his life's work. There's a trust in the show there, now, that I didn't know was missing.
Royd Tolkien & Justin at the London Screening Tolkien Professor Dr. Corey Olsen, Clifford Broadway and Nerd of the Rings debate lore of the TV show in NYC I'm looking forward to the many debates fans will have, and we will have at TheOneRing.net, over the choices made by the filmmakers. I'm reminded of the TORn staff that walked out of The Two Towers theatrical opening, disgusted that Frodo and Sam were at Osgiliath with an unrecognizable Faramir. My favorite film of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings has its detractors and I respect their perspectives, and The Rings Of Power will undoubtedly generate similar debates that can only strengthen our love of Middle-earth. Maybe we should bring back RINGER REVIEWS so all us fans can share our assessment of each of the 50 episodes to come.
As I walked out of that first screening, and now a second one in London, my one word review of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power two-part pilot remains:
PERFECTION.No Notes. Huge thanks to all the teams at Prime Video that have supported the fans throughout this journey of creation, for inviting hundreds of fans to these free screenings around the world, for all the support at Comic-Con and DragonCon, and for all the friendly (sometimes intense) conversations as we shared the excitement for this show. Fans are happy to be seen, and will be very happy with the finished product.
Tune in every Tuesday at 8pm ET for TORn Tuesday LIVE with Clifford & Justin, and chat anytime on the TORn Discord at https://discord.gg/theonering
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: General atmosphere at "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" World Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Prime Video) Prime Video Hosts J.R.R. Tolkien Homecoming in London’s Leicester Square for the World Premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Ahead of the September 2 Premiere
The highly anticipated Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power honoured J.R.R. Tolkien by ending its epic global tour in the United Kingdom with its world premiere in London’s Leicester Square. Prime Video brought nearly 2,000 people—including cast, producers, and fans—into Middle-earth in advance of the series’ September 2 debut.
Members of the Tolkien family attend "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" World Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Prime Video) The London premiere represented the final stop in the series’ five-city world tour that started in Los Angeles and included Mexico City, Mumbai, and New York City before culminating in Tuesday’s historic Leicester Square premiere.
Our lovely greendragon at "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" World Premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 30, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Prime Video) A fully immersive, Ring-shaped carpet took cast, crew, and guests on a narrative journey through five realms of Middle-earth, as they interacted with media and fans on their way into the Odeon Luxe and Cineworld in Leicester Square. The center of the 2,000-foot-long circular carpet was anchored by an exquisitely hand-crafted 40-foot-tall structure representing the five realms depicted in the series: The Elf capital of Lindon; the Dwarven realm of Khazad-dûm; the island kingdom of Númenor; the Southlands, the world of Man; and the Wilderlands, the home of the Harfoots. Five customized lanterns representing the five realms lit the way for cast down the carpet, each with different light sources: Fire and coal for the Dwarves, the Harfoots’ fireflies, Númenor’s oil lamps, the Southlanders’ caged candles, and Elven glow.
A living environment was created with a multitude of plants, grass, moss, vines, and 100 large-scale trees. A multilevel environment, mimicking the mountainous and hilly topography of the world, was created with various levels and vantage points, with greenery that will be repurposed or recycled following the event for future use.
Attending the global premiere were all 22 of the series’ cast regulars: Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charles Edwards, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Lloyd Owen, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, Leon Wadham, Benjamin Walker, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.
Also attending the premiere were showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay; executive producers Lindsey Weber and Callum Greene; directors Wayne Che Yip and Charlotte Brändström; writer and executive producer Justin Doble; series composer Bear McCreary; production designer Ramsey Avery; concept artist John Howe; supervising dialect coach Leith Mcpherson; and casting director Theo Park.
Amazon executives in attendance included Jeff Bezos, Founder & Executive Chairman; Jeff Blackburn, SVP Media & Entertainment; Mike Hopkins, SVP, Prime Video, MGM and Amazon Studios; Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios; Vernon Sanders, Head of Global Television, Amazon Studios; Albert Cheng, COO of Amazon Studios, among others.
The first two episodes of the multi-season drama will launch on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on Friday, September 2, with new episodes available weekly.
Tying in with the upcoming release of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power tv series, Amazon Books has launched a new Lord of the Rings Book Club.
The Book Club will be starting in September with The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers will follow in October and finishing in November with The Return of the King. To take part visit www.amazon.com/lotrbookclub.
Press Release
On August 25th Amazon Books launched its newest Top Book Club, this one centered around The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy and hosted by the Amazon Book Review’s Managing Editor, Marcus Mann. The LOTR Book Club will start in September and continue monthly, covering: The Fellowship of the Rings (September), The Two Towers, (October), and The Return of the King(November).
A beloved franchise, LOTR has always had a passionate and engaged reading fan base, and with all of the reader excitement for Prime Video’s ‘Rings of Power,’ Marcus will be reacting and discussing the various connections between the books and the show as the series airs. He will host an interactive club where members can celebrate a shared love of the series and live video discussions.
“Reading The Lord of the Rings has been one of my favourite escapes since I was a child, when the series first captured my imagination,” said Marcus. “I’m thrilled to be able to take this journey through Middle-earth again with readers around the world in our new Amazon Book Club. I can’t wait to share the experience and learn from the perspective of old fans and new alike!“
Amazon Book Clubs is a free service where readers join book clubs of all genres or create their own. To join the LOTR Book Club and start discussing with fellow Tolkien fans, visit www.amazon.com/lotrbookclub.