McAvoy & McKellen in talks for star roles in Dam Busters? From nzherald.co.nz: Scots actor James McAvoy is in talks to star in the new US$100 million ($131 million) Dam Busters film, it was reported today. The Scottish actor, who is tipped for an Oscar for his role as Robbie Turner in Atonement, has met director Christian Rivers and producers David Frost and Peter Jackson, the Daily Mail newspaper reports. ..The film, which may also star Ian McKellen as scientist Barnes Wallis, will be shot in Wellington, using replica Lancaster bombers built in China.

Magpie writes: Doug Adams, author of the the upcoming book The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films, now has a blog. He writes: This blog will serve as a one-stop web source for news, information and discussion regarding Howard Shore’s Rings scores — in addition to audio/video, rss feed, voicemail, etc. (The blog is) a chance for me to stay in touch with fans of Howard Shore’s amazing work — and, hopefully, an efficient way of keeping everyone on top of the latest comings and goings as we enter the final phase of The Music of the Lord of the Rings project. Doug Adams Blog Update

Kristin Thompson, author of ‘The Frodo Franchise: The Lord of the Rings and Modern Hollywood’, writes: Peter Bart’s book Boffo! has a chapter on The Lord of the Rings where he argues that the trilogy was the biggest gamble in Hollywood’s history. I’ve written a response trying to show that Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne of New Line Cinema weren’t risking nearly as much as Bart claims and that the “gambling” aspect of Peter Jackson’s production has been exaggerated in the press. New Line’s Gamble: Not So Boffo?

Order ‘Boffo!: How I Learned to Love the Blockbuster and Fear the Bomb’ on Amazon.com Today!

Witch-King Legendary Scale BustJust in time for Black Friday in the US, Sideshow Collectibles has starting taking orders for the ‘Twilight Witch-king’ Legendary Scale Bust. “The Witch-king has been expertly sculpted to capture every detail of the ghostly minion of Sauron. Hand-cast of the highest quality polystone, each bust is hand-painted and individually numbered. The Witch-king Legendary Scale bust is the perfect addition to your The Lord of the Rings collection.” Jump on over to Sideshow Collectibles and place your pre-order today! And while you are there, check out some of the great deals available for early holiday shoppers. [Witch-King LSB] [LOTR Sale]

Happy ThanksgivingTheOneRing.net would like to wish you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. In the US, Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to gather and celebrate the many things for which we are thankful. This year, TORn is particularly thankful to you, our devoted readers – without your support TORn just doesn’t exist! We are thankful for our 100% volunteer staff – it is through their passion and dedication that TORn continues to thrive. We are thankful for all the talented people keeping the world of J.R.R. Tolkien in our hearts and minds – they grow our community on a daily basis. And of course, we are extremely thankful to J.R.R. Tolkien – he has inspired generations through his vision and imagination. [Wikipedia Definition]

Vanderstelt Fellowship Fine ArtJerry Vanderstelt was in the right place at the right time. But it wasn’t luck that landed him there, it was hard work and making his own opportunities. Today this good fortune and hard work culminate when the artist releases a lithograph celebrating “The Fellowship of the Ring,” film released in 2001.

At the San Diego Comic-Con 2001, Elijah Wood walked around the mammoth floor of convention floor drinking in the celebration of popular culture and keeping his eye out for hints of how the world might accept the movie he had worked on that was about to overwhelm popular culture, the first film in Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings.”

Continue reading “The Fellowship Becomes Fine Art”