ShireHorse writes: Richard Armitage has just been interviewed in the British newspaper, The Telegraph. Most of it is about his past career and his stuntwork in Captain America where he plays the Nazi villain, Heinz Kruger. But, in the last couple of paragraphs, he refers to his training on the set of The Hobbit for his part as Thorin. More..

Turbine announced today The Lord of the Rings Online™: Rise of Isengard™, the next expansion to the award-winning free-to-play massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) will launch its Beta Program on July 27, 2011. The Rise of Isengard Beta Program is Invite-only. Players across North America and Europe can pre-purchase Rise of Isengard to receive special benefits including preferred access to the Beta Program. For more information visit http://www.lotro.com/isengard. Continue reading “LOTRO: Rise of Isengard Expansion Beta Begins July 27!”

With all the excellent fan made composites for The Hobbit floating around Peter Jackson decided to send us along the definitive version. Click on the image above to see it in all its glory!

(L-r) Jed Brophy as Nori, DEAN O’GORMAN as Fili, Mark Hadlow as Dori, JAMES NESBITT as Bofur, PETER HAMBLETON as Gloin, GRAHAM McTAVISH as Dwalin, RICHARD ARMITAGE as Thorin Oakenshield (center), KEN STOTT as Balin, JOHN CALLEN as Oin, STEPHEN HUNTER as Bombur, WILLIAM KIRCHER as Bifur, Adam Brown as Ori and AIDAN TURNER as Kili in New Line Cinema’s and MGM’s fantasy adventure THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. (Photo by James Fisher)

He may not be at Comic-Con, and the only Hobbit content is from TheOneRing.net, but Peter Jackson knows that fans are salivating for more on the two Hobbit movies and wow has he delivered. From the set he leads viewers through memories from cast and crew of the first segment of shooting including a surprise vet in the final shot. Enjoy!.

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TheOneRing.net will be streaming LIVE from San Diego Comic-Con 2011 and we hope you will join us! Starting at 10AM PT on Thursday, we’ll broadcast (or attempt to!) our entire ‘The Hobbit’ panel live from San Diego. Staffers MrCere and Quickbeam will be taking us behind the scenes of the latest news and information about Peter Jackson’s upcoming films and you’ll get to react along with the audience at the convention. More..

Patrick sends along word that scenes for ‘The Hobbit’ will be filmed this November in the North Island town of Piopio. From Jasons.co.nz: Piopio lies in a picturesque area of native forests and rolling farmlands with rich native and exotic vegetation. The town is located just south of Waitomo and Te Kuiti and is easily accessible to the activities of the region including the Waitomo Caves, rafting, horse trekking and hiking. Sheep and cattle farming are the main industries of the area.

From waitomonews.co.nz: IT’S official . . . but no-one can say a word about it. Scenes of The Hobbit – Sir Peter Jackson’s prequel to The Lord of the Rings – will be filmed in the Piopio district. Now the hunt is on to find accommodation for 450 of the two production crews who will be here for three weeks from mid-November filming at the Denize family’s property, Mangaotaki. Some 350 of the crew will here for a week with another 100 staying a fortnight. There will be a crossover period in the middle where all 450 will be in the region. Locals assisting in the search for a range of houses – Nicky Atkinson and Bruce Maunsell – are bound by confidentiality agreements and unable to speak to the media. Continue reading “Hobbit Shooting Scenes in Piopio This Fall/Spring”