DwarverciseFor those attending Comic-Con, Peter Jackson announced that he will not be sending actors or a sizzle reel to the giant popular culture show this year. However, TheOneRing.net does have a panel to talk about “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” on Thursday, July 18 at 5:30 to 6:30 in room 6A with a seating capacity of around 1,000. We will present our unofficial look at the film and we hope to spring a surprise guest or two at the affair as well. Be warned, there is always a line and never enough seats for TORn’s annual panel so plan ahead with many getting turned away every year. (We will also be selling shirts to keep our website alive financially at the Badali Jewelry booth and the Weta Workshop booth, come see us at both!)

For the rest of the world that doesn’t get to attend the San Diego even anyway, the team behind the scenes on the production presents a brand new production diary complete with what will surely be a new fitness fashion Dwarvercise! It also has some really good looks at the seldom seen storage facilities with the Art Department’s Ra Vincent, a glimpse of Evangeline Lily and Orlando Bloom riding a green creature and plenty of the crew getting the production back into the swing of pick up shooting, currently happening as you read.

The ten-minute diary is below. Enjoy!

Hobbit Movie Poster GandalfRinger spy Hutt contacted us to tell us about an opportunity he had recently to see The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey screened in an exciting and appropriate setting – a cave up in the mountains! His original report, in Russian and with photos of the event, can be found here, at Henneth-Annun.ru. Below the break you will find the report in English. Many thanks to Hutt to sending it in.

What’s the most unusual location you’ve been to, on a journey to Middle-earth? Let us know in the comments!

Continue reading “In a cave in a mountain, there was a Hobbit”

hobbitkilialrg2As we move ever so much closer to Comic-Con 2013 later this month we’re going to start seeing a few of the new products that fans will be able to order. Well, our friends at Weta Workshop have put up the next statue which fans can order right now to add to their growing Middle-earth collection. The next statue up for grabs is Kili who becomes the 8th statue released for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Though there are sure to be just a few more that make an appearance in a few weeks at Comic-Con 2013. Kili comes in at a price tag of $250 and will be shipping to fans around the world starting towards the end of July or first of August. So make sure to get your soon so you can be one of the first to receive this Dwarf.

Smuag as first viewed in the June 2013 trailer.
Smuag as first viewed in the June 2013 trailer.

One of the single most anticipated characters or creatures in 2013 cinema, (honestly it is difficult to think of anything close) is the marriage of the voice and performance of Benedict Cumberbatch and the digital artistry of Weta Digital together in Tolkien’s dragon Smaug the Magnificent.

We all saw the creature’s head move in the latest “Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” trailer, but it is still a good bit removed from the total performance. But for now, you can listen to the voice, or at least the voice originating from the same human, doing a reading of “Ode To A Nightingale.”

Nobody (outside of the team making the movie) knows how his performance will change as a dragon, nor how the sound team will change or enhance or filter the original performance. But this is a great chance to hear the raw voice in a short, satisfying reading. Thanks to staffer Justin for the find. Enjoy.

Dan HennahJune 26th saw the presentation of the Saturn Awards in Burbank, California. These honours are awarded to movies and television shows by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, and this year Dan Hennah was awarded Best Production Design in the Film Awards for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Many congratulations to him from everyone here at TORn!

You can read the full list of Saturn Awards here.

Word reached us that Sir Ian McKellen shot his final scene as Gandalf on June 28th in Wellington, goodbye has also been said to Evangeline Lilly’s Tauriel, and now Orlando Bloom has finished his last day as Legolas.  Somehow it feels like the end of an era; and of course the cast and crew want to celebrate the journey they’ve been on together.  Peter Jackson posted this video – not tears but laughter as Legolas bids farewell! Also there’s some information about what Legolas might be doing in future films – SPOILER below the video!

Continue reading “Shooting wrapping up gradually in New Zealand – and some clues for the next movies?”