Thanks again to Voronwe_the_Faithful for posting another update on the Tolkien vs. New Line Lawsuit on our message boards: The plaintiffs filed a First Amended Complaint last Monday (which I believe was the last day for them to do so). They have dropped the fiduciary duty cause of action (as expected), but they have asserted new allegations to support the fraud cause of action. They added more specific claims as to how they contend that New Line misrepresented the amount of expenses that it had in order to avoid paying the royalties due. And they somewhat clarified their contention as to how they relied on these misrepresentations to their detriment. Undoubtedly New Line will again file a demurrer to the fraud cause of action. I would say it is about a 50/50 chance that the judge will sustain it this time. Meanwhile, the likelihood of a settlement continues to slip away.

Jackson del Toro From Maxim and World Entertainment News: Guillermo Del Toro has promised Lord Of The Rings fans his franchise prequel The Hobbit will be very different from his directing predecessor Peter Jackson. Jackson directed the three original films, but has given up his director’s chair for Del Toro. But Del Toro has refused to follow in Jackson’s footsteps, vowing to give movie fans something new. He tells Maxim magazine, “If I thought it was about following (Jackson), I wouldn’t be doing it this way. “It’s a matter of raising on it. I think The Hobbit has a peculiar sprit in relation to not only the trilogy, but also to Tolkein’s work. “It’ll have respect for what’s been done, but also its own individuality.”

Lake Town Volunteer Fire DepartmentWe reported earlier this week that we would be featuring a brand new TORn and Weta t-shirt at Comic-Con. [Comic-Con Shirt] It should be noted however, that the Comic-Con shirt was not the only design TORn has been working on the last few months. So without further delay, we are proud to premiere our ‘Lake Town Volunteer Fire Department‘ shirt! The shirt, pictured on the right, is deep red with the TORn logo on the front and the LTFD logo on the back. We only have a limited amount of these shirts printed at this time, so if the demand is there, we will print another run in various sizes and styles. In fact, if you want a specific style, please email me directly at calisuri@theonering.net and I will keep a running list. While I wont’ be able to reply to all emails, I will keep them handy when deciding on our next printing. In the meantime, check out our latest shirt! [Lake Town Fire Department Shirt] [Comic-Con Shirt]

Reclaiming the Blade at Comic-ConGalatia Films is pleased to announce the forging of a new friendship with TheOneRing.net, the most comprehensive Tolkien fan site on the Web. To kick things off at San Diego’s Comic-Con 2008, TheOneRing.net will be conducting an exclusive interview with both Weta Workshop director Richard Taylor and award-winning artist and movie illustrator John Howe both of whom are featured in Reclaiming the Blade. The interview will be used to discuss their various film projects, including their association and involvement with Reclaiming the Blade. Continue reading “TheOneRing.net Teams With RTB at Comic-Con 2008”

Colleen Doran Our good pal Colleen Doran sends this in: Just wanted to let you know that Tolkien artist John Howe will be appearing at the San Diego Comic Con at several events sponsored by Impact Books, which will also be have an exclusive limited edition John Howe print at the show! Details

Also, yours truly – much less important an artist in the Tolkien pantheon, but honored to participate nonetheless – will have a booth in the Image Comics booth pavilion where I will be all weekend when I am not participating on panels and events, and will also be appearing with Impact Books. I’ll have several pieces of my original Tolkien art, including original art produced for trading cards. See you all next week!

Peter Jackson It may not be only movie maker Peter Jackson’s King Kong who has a head for heights in New York – the movie magnate himself is believed to have bought a $23 million penthouse in Manhattan. Under the headline One Penthouse Duplex to Rule Them All, the New York Observer today reported that the names of Jackson’s staff appeared in records tracking the purchase. “The filmmaker’s executive assistant Matthew Dravitzki, his New Zealand-based attorney Michael Stephens and his Hollywood power lawyer Peter Nelson are all listed in city records on twin penthouse purchases in Tribeca,” the newspaper said. “It seems likely that Mr Jackson has some new New York real estate.” Peter Jackson in rumoured $23m NY penthouse buy