1260814469_image_tobeyA big Bilbo rumor has surfaced, via LatinoRevew.com, that Spider-man star Tobey Maguire may be in talks to be the star of the upcoming ‘Hobbit’ Films. Just a gentle reminder, before jumping over to read the whole story, nothing is confirmed. This will definitely make for some interesting discussions in the coming weeks. Share your thoughts with fellow Ringers in our forum. [Full Story]

UPDATE

Our sources indicate this rumor is NOT valid, again, this is NOT true according to our sources.

“The best movie of the decade” Entertainment Weekly
“…the Rings trilogy is more than movies. It’s a colossus on the march into screen legend.”...Rolling Stone, Peter Travers
“The #1 film of the decade” Chicago Sun Times, Roger Ebert

LOTR Trilogy: TE Blu Ray

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE MOTION PICTURE TRILOGY
The Multi-Billion Dollar Franchise Reigns Triumphant on Blu-ray™ Disc For the First Time! The Original Theatrical Versions of all Three Films with More than Seven Hours of Special Features and Digital Copies of Each Film Available April 6, 2010 from Warner Home Video

Burbank, Calif, December 14, 2009 – Oscar®-winning The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, one of the most magical, intensely spectacular epic adventures in motion picture history, can now be seen as never before when all three of Peter Jackson’s visual masterpieces explode onto Blu-ray Disc April 6th as The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy. The nine-disc set will reawaken the powerful connection that fans have to these films through rich, robust colors and crisp sound that home audiences can only experience on Blu-ray Disc. The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy will include digital copies of each film on three separate discs and will also be BD-Live enabled, offering exciting new interactive possibilities. The highly anticipated release will precede Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest videogame launch. Continue reading “LOTR Trilogy TE Blu-ray: Street Date April 6”

THE LORD OF THE RINGS ONLINE™: SIEGE OF MIRKWOOD™ TO LAUNCH ON DECEMBER 1STTurbine has just released new screenshots for The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood, the digital expansion to the award-winning MMO. The images depict skirmishes from Mirkwood and can be accessed at the ftp site below, along with the Siege of Mirkwood logo, and additional assets.

Siege of Mirkwood, which launched last week (12/1), expands the online world of Middle-earth where players join forces to press further eastward into the dark, foreboding and treacherous forest of Mirkwood and take part in the epic conclusion to Volume II of The Lord of the Rings Online. More..

Weta Digital’s Richard Taylor and other New Zealand businessmen are seeking to raise up to US$400 million (NZ$550m) to buy intellectual property with box office potential. If the explosive popularity of Twilight or Harry Potter is anything to go by, good intellectual property can clinch the success of a film, and spin-offs like computer games, action figures and branded beach towels.

Mr Taylor (often associated with Peter Jackson and the Lord of The Rings films) is teaming up with Christchurch-based Infiniti Capital chairman Kenji Steven, Nick Gerritsen, of Picton, and China-based Gavin Crombie to create film fund Panda Screen Productions. More..

The Hobbit Movie LogoIn the last few weeks, we’ve heard from reliable sources that casting directors for “The Hobbit” have been assigned in Great Britain, but the ball is now rolling ‘for real’ in New Zealand! The site acting-auditions.org just posted an announcement that MGM Studios New Zealand casting for ‘The Hobbit” Part 1 will begin this coming Monday, December 14. Per their site:

“Casting is scheduled to begin next week, December 14, 2009, on the upcoming MGM Studios feature film “The Hobbit” Part 1. The project is now being developed as two films, and principal photography is tentatively scheduled to begin in New Zealand around May or June 2011. Please submit photos and resume by mail only. No phone calls or personal drop-offs.

Hobbit Extras Application
Address TBD

The entry also lists associated productions companies, but emphasizes NOT to send resumes and pictures to them or they will likely end up in the trash. If you’re lucky enough to live in New Zealand, best of luck to you! If not, remember that there are requirements you must meet to be eligible to work in New Zealand. You can read more about it in our Hobbit Movie FAQ here.

Do you intend to submit a resume? Discuss it on our chatroom and/or message boards and keep us posted on your progress! Thanks to message board member shadowdog for alerting us to this great news!