Lovely Bones RecastRinger Roheryn sends us this heads up:

You’ve read the news about Peter Jackson’s 11th hour dismissal of Ryan Gosling from a key role in “The Lovely Bones.” This week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly offers a small feature which reminds us that, rather than being a disaster, a last minute casting change can be the best thing that happens to a movie! Can you say “Viggo Mortensen”?

Click the following link to see a scan of the mention. [Recasts of Plenty]

Fellowship of the Ring LithographHeads up to collectors and art aficionados alike. Artist Jerry Vanderstelt is composing a series of three LOTR Trilogy limited edition litographs, officially licensed by New Line Cinema. Each piece is 24×30 inches, printed on a Heidelburg press using archival inks on heavy 100 pound matte paper. They are also hand signed and numbered by the artist. Jerry has revealed the first lithograph representing The Fellowship of the Ring and it is absolutely stunning. For complete details, visit Jerry’s official website. [Vanderstelt.com]

Make no bones about it, Americans have been getting as excited about Peter Jackson filming a movie in their own backyard as Kiwis did when he made The Lord of the Rings in New Zealand. In scenes reminiscent of the intense interest surrounding his fantasy trilogy, during the past week curious locals in the small rural towns of Malvern and Willistown, in Pennsylvania, have gathered to get a peek at filming of Jackson’s $US80 million ($NZ104 million) The Lovely Bones.

Pennyslvania newspapers The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News have covered filming, taking photographs of Jackson with Kiwi actress Rose McIver, despite tight security on the closed set. And as with The Lord of the Rings, some fans have also been posting blogs and photographs online of Jackson at locations for the film.

A Journey through New Zealand Film Ian Brodie’s latest book ‘A Journey through New Zealand Film’ landed on my doorstep earlier this week, thanks to author Kristen Thompson. The book is filled with stunning images from all over New Zealand, and gives the reader an insider look into some of the films shot there. From harpercollins.co.nz: ‘For a long time, New Zealand film was off the beaten track — unfamiliar, charting new territory and out there. Now our rich and varied landscape, and the skill of our filmmakers, is celebrated worldwide, in The Piano, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, King Kong, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Whale Rider, The Last Samurai, River Queen and The World’s Fastest Indian. Ian Brodie, author of the internationally bestselling Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook and Cameras in Narnia, is the perfect guide to the locations and landscapes which have inspired filmmakers over the past twenty-five years. With stunning photographs, detailed location descriptions, and comments from directors, cast and crew, he has put together a fascinating tour of New Zealand for movie-lovers and visitors alike. Along with a chronology of feature films made in New Zealand and the awards they have won, he paints a superb portrait of location New Zealand.’ Just In: A Journey through New Zealand Film

From Stephen Hubbard at bookreporter.com: Bilbo Baggins just wants to live his quiet, peaceful life in the Shire. And he’s doing a mighty fine job of it until the great wizard, Bladorthin, shows up at his door with a gaggle of dwarves. Their leader, Gandalf, tells of the vicious dragon, Pryftan, who overtook their home. Bilbo joins up with them for a grand adventure. Ultimately he saves the day and along the way happens to discover a magical ring. That is how the story originally took shape. With THE HISTORY OF THE HOBBIT, author John D. Rateliff pieces together fragments of history in order to present THE HOBBIT as it was originally drafted by J.R.R. Tolkien. With access to the documents at Marquette University, the project was originally undertaken by Taum Santoski, who passed away following a battle with cancer at an all-too-young age. The torch was then passed to Rateliff with the full blessing of Christopher Tolkien. ‘The History of The Hobbit’ Review