ORCS, HOBBITS AND WIZARDS “RING” IN THE HOLIDAYS
FOR HSN SHOPPERS ON EVE OF NEW LINE CINEMA’S
THE LORD OF THE RINGS MOVIE DEBUT
HSN, The Exclusive Television Retailer of LOTR, Offers Merchandise Developed By Film’s Special Effects Artisans Prior To Film’s Nationwide Release
St. Petersburg, FL (December 12, 2001) – For more than half a century millions of readers have been captivated by author J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and the mythical world he created known as Middle Earth. On December 18 at 11:30 p.m. ET, fans will be able to own a piece of Middle Earth when HSN and hsn.com introduce movie-related merchandise on the eve of New Line Cinema’s nationwide release of The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
One of the most anticipated films this holiday season, The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring features spellbinding wizards, evil and sinister orcs and courageous young hobbits who are drawn together in a classic struggle between good and evil. Incredibly detailed, hand cast polystone collectibles of the film’s central characters developed by Sideshow Toy and special effects company Weta Workshop will now be available on HSN and hsn.com. The Sideshow / Weta partnership marks the first time that a toy company has partnered with a film’s special effects team to develop film-related merchandise.
HSN shoppers will have access to high-quality collectible characters including the courageous young hobbit Frodo Baggins, wise old wizard Gandalf The Grey, valiant warrior Aragorn and busts and helms of the evil and gruesome orcs. Prices for these signature pieces range from $59.95 to $99.95. Fabric scrolls featuring Frodo, the Fellowship, the minions of Saruman and a map of Middle Earth will also be available to fans for $17.95. HSN will give viewers a second chance to purchase movie merchandise on December 22 at 3 p.m.
Directed by Peter Jackson, The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring , features a strong international cast including Elijah Wood as hobbit Frodo, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn and Cate Blanchett as elf queen Galadriel.
About HSN:
HSN, a division of USA Networks Inc’s (NASDAQ: USAI) Interactive Group, pioneered the industry in 1977 and has since grown into a global multichannel retailer with worldwide consolidated sales of $1.8 billion in 2000 and a growing customer base of over five million. Its 24-hour programming reaches more than 160 million households worldwide. The Company broadcasts into 13 countries including the United States, China, Japan, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands, Puerto Rico and Mexico. Last year, HSN received more than 75 million sales and customer service calls and shipped more than 41 million packages around the world.
