The Regal North Hollywood is holding a showing of the new feature-length anime The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim from 1.00pm on this Saturday (November 9) open to children aged nine to 14, and their parents. It’s not entirely clear whether adult-without-kids can also attend, but I took a few moments to run through their pre-booking survey and it does seem that you get screened out if you state you’re attending without kids.

T&Cs also state that no-one under the age of nine will be admitted (presumably because of MPAA ratings).

If this tickles your fancy (and you have kids 9 to 14), you can reserve (free!) your tickets here.

If you’re unaware of the story, The War of the Rohirrim is set many years before the events of The Lord of the Rings and follows a historic event described by J.R.R. Tolkien in Appendix A of the book. As the filmmakers describe it, “…a sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm Hammerhand, the King of Rohan, and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg.”

The anime debuts worldwide (in most locations) on December 13.

Early free screening details

Saturday, November 9th, 2024
Regal North Hollywood
6150 Laurel Canyon Blvd # 200, North Hollywood, CA 91606

1:00 pm. Open to children 9-14 and their parents
No one under 9 will be admitted.
Check-in will begin 60 minutes before the start of the show.

RESERVE YOUR TICKETS

War of the Rohirrim official poster

Greetings, Ringers! New York Comic Con 2024 is in full swing, and TheOneRing.net is excited to be part of the Middle-earth magic once again. With the revitalized interest in our favorite author’s legendarium, this year’s convention is shaping up to be an unforgettable experience for Tolkien fans – and we’ve got a lot to share!

First, if you are at NYCC, get yourself to Geek Orthodox, Booth 1570. You won’t want to miss the incredible stained glass art and t-shirts on sale there. AND that’s where you can pick up TheOneRing.net’s Gollum/Smeagol 2024 T-shirt. This original TORn design features everyone’s favorite dual-natured (former) Hobbit, with the slogan: “We Wantsss Your Vote, Precious”. It’s the perfect tongue-in-cheek nod to this year’s presidential race – show your allegiance! And here’s the thing: this shirt is leaving now and never coming back… That’s right— NYCC is your last chance to get your hands on it! Once the convention ends, this exclusive edition disappears forever. (Sorry, we are not selling the shirt online).

Beyond the merch, we’re excited for everyone to experience Warner Brothers’ showcase of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, the epic animated movie releasing in the US on December 13th. The good news is that the Friday 11 am panel will will be live-streamed! Make sure to tune into YouTube and official channels to watch along.

And speaking of The War of the Rohirrim, our party celebrating the movie is sold out! We can’t wait to see those lucky Ringers who snagged a ticket for tonight. We’ve got some great swag for attendees, and some exclusive opportunities to walk away with great stuff from MetalBird, Oscha, Syzyrgy Forge, Shire Post Mint, Sideshow, and The Lord of the Rings in Concert.

Whether you’re at the convention or following along online, keep an eye out for all the LOTR fun. And don’t forget to stop by Booth 1570 to grab your exclusive shirt—you’ll wantsss it!

See you at NYCC, preciousss!

Available for pre-order from our friends at Weta Workshop is this  beautiful statue depicting Radagast the Brown in Rhosgobel. This piece is superbly done, as usual, and perfectly recreates the quirkiness of Radagast and his home. There’s also a very cool easter egg that represents the beautiful place in which the films were made, New Zealand. You can pre-order this amazing piece for $999.

If you have been collecting the classic series, then this second statue of Radagast is for you. This classic series piece is available for $399. Both Radagast statues are due to ship in the first quarter of next year.

For lovers of the monsters of Middle-earth, who need a little eight legged friend in their collection, you could grab the very cool mini-Shelob statue for $179, this statue is also due to ship in the first quarter of next year.

On September 22nd, the very date of Bilbo’s and Frodo’s birthdays, a large group of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Men, Wizards, and well-behaved Wargs, gathered for a day of merriment, feasting, and activities.

The Party took place under the sheltering trees of Griffith Park, in the Mineral Wells picnic area, close by a meandering river. The day was warm, but not too warm. The sun high and bright. The leaves sparkled green and gold in a fair breeze which ruffled the Baggins’ Birthday banner and the feathers adorning Hobbit hats. Tents dotted the landscape: an Elven enclave here, a Dwarven fortress there, a Hobbit hole beneath a tree.

The banqueting table was laden with dishes–pulled pork, barbecue chicken salad, spicy sausages, cheese samplings, Lembas, watermelon, pasta salad (I could go on and on, but it’s making my mouth water all over again.) There were even two big jugs of delicious homemade apple brew crafted from a long list of enticing ingredients.

Continue reading “The 2024 Baggins Birthday Bash was a Bull-Roaring Success”

Lots more Middle-earth on the way as new things are previewed and fans assemble on Bilbo & Frodo’s birthday this year.

Tales of the Shire preview & new release date

Weta Workshop & Private Division gave select fans and gamers a playable demo of Tales of the Shire, a console & PC game coming to all platforms – Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Playstation, PC, and mobile via Netflix Games. Developers also announced the release date has been pushed to March 25, 2025. We have a full writeup and video playthroughs in another article.

Game producer Calliope Ryder was at TwitchCon San Diego this weekend for a panel on Tales of the Shire, and posted a “fun facts” thread about shirefolk on X.

It was also revealed that the duck with a dwarven helmet is a featured character, and its name is Ladle (sp?)!

Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop posted a 20-minute behind the scenes video of the game in progress.

War of the Rohirrim gets a poster & Warhammer tie-in

New Line Cinema’s feature anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim debuted its theatrical poster for Hobbit Day!

Also announced, Warhammer is bringing Rohirrim into its Middle-earth™ Strategy Battle Game with The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim™ – Battle of Edoras starter set. The 56 piece package includes a board map, some Edoras structures, and a ton of miniature painted figures that the Tabletop RPG is known for. Get all the details over at Warhammer website.

Official WB social accounts reawaken

The Hobbit Movie posted a charming little video to celebrate Hobbit Day.

Middle-earth music in concert in Los Angeles

Fans spotted that an orchestra concert of ‘The music of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit’ is coming to Pasadena in March 2025, and tickets are now available at Ticketmaster. (Note this is not the full scores being played with the movie – stay tuned for news of The Return of the King with live orchestra coming to NYC early next year!)

Prime Video celebrates Sauron on Hobbit Day

Also posting on Bilbo’s birthday was official accounts for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, focusing on Sauron. This fan wants to know: is Harfoot Nori’s birthday also September 22?

New Fan Podcast Launches

While a lot of your favorite Tolkien influencers are being featured in official The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power marketing, including our own greendragon, more fans are getting into the TolkienTube game. The newest is Makers of Middle-earth from Anna María, who has previously joined us for SDCC panels and livestreams. Her first interview is with the legendary Jed Brophy!

Fans celebrate together worldwide for Hobbit Day 2024

New Zealand fans visited Hobbiton with Red Carpet Tours.

Los Angeles fans got together for a potluck at Mineral Wells area in Griffith Park

Header photo is from Diane in the TORN Discord, taken under the party tree at Hobbiton! We hope all our fellow fans had a happy, hobbity day of fun and festivity – and are enjoying the riches of this era in the Tolkien fandom.

Wonderful news to share on this special double hobbity birthdate September 22 (familiar to all Tolkien fans as Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday) — there is a sparkling new Fan Event happening in the U.K. that some might not be familiar with just yet! FanXLive is happening this October 5 and 6 at Farnborough International Exhibition Center, a small journey southwest of London, with Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, Dean O’Gorman, and LOTR Co-Producer Rick Porras — and that’s just the celebs from the Tolkien franchise! In attendance will also be the stars, writers, and artists from Star Wars, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Indiana Jones, and so much more.

Here is the main announcement from their official site: Get ready to immerse yourself in the ultimate fan experience at FanXLive, the premier Comic Con-style event taking place at the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre. Prepare to be captivated by a dazzling array of celebrity appearances, thrilling panel discussions, and an unparalleled collection of merchandise from your favorite franchises. Whether you’re a die-hard comic book enthusiast, a passionate gamer, or a devoted sci-fi fanatic, FanXLive promises to be a true haven for fans of all genres. Dive into a world of cosplay, exclusive panels, and unforgettable moments that will leave you craving more. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this extraordinary celebration of pop culture at FanXLive.

I was recently introduced to Jaime Milner, who is working tirelessly to bring all these elements together under one roof, and he shared some of his inspiration behind the creation of FanXLive as a distinct event: “As well as the usual mixture of stars signing autographs which every event tends to cater for I wanted to bring so much more including talent from behind the cameras to not only meet the fans but also talk about the stories they hold from their time working on the movies — and of course how they were all made. Those insights are so integral to the worlds we all know and love — and something that is so overlooked in our field of events, in all forms and genres of movie/tv attendance, so I wanted to change that.”

This will assuredly be an energized event, with many opportunities to meet talented voice actors, writers, and performers — some of whom are rarely seen because of their work inside a droid or acting behind a digital creation!

LOTR original trilogy fans will be delighted at this rare appearance of Rick Porras, who as Co-Producer of the trilogy has terrific stories to share from his time working with Peter Jackson and WETA. There is a Cosplay Contest as well as a unique “After Hours” program featuring one of our favorite stars from the British stage and screen, Miriam Margolyes! A delightful opportunity to be in that audience and ask questions directly to Miriam is a special treat indeed. Oh, the stories and memories she’ll share!

Be sure to check out all the details on their main site. Guests can pre-register for those celeb autographs and photos that they would most like. Special tip of the hat to Jaime Milner for putting together such a star-studded program.