From empireonline.com: It’s ten years on since four little hobbits set off from the Shire on an epic quest that spanned Middle Earth and took in vast battles, demonic monsters, wizardry, Orcs and, ultimately, enough Oscars to fill the Lonely Mountain. It’s ten years that have seen the rise and fall and rise again of two-part prequel The Hobbit, now firmly in production in Wellington, offering moviegoers an imminent return to Middle Earth.
Obviously this all called for a big celebration so a celebration is what Empire is having. The new issue is more bursting with revelry and nostalgia than a Friday night at the Prancing Pony. There’s tall tales – well, tallish tales – memories; behind-the-scenes pics from Aragorn himself, Viggo Mortensen; Oscar night reflections from Ian McKellen, Peter Jackson and Mortensen; and rarely-seen concept art.
Best of all, though, is a gathering of the four hobbits themselves: Elijah Wood (Frodo), Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee), Billy Boyd (Pippin) and Dominic Monaghan (Merry). It was so momentous it called for its own trailer – and here it is for your perusal pleasure. Sadly the Nazgûl got stuck in LA traffic.
Lord of the Rings and Hobbit actor Andy Serkis took a break from filming at the weekend to pay a short visit to Queenstown. While in the resort Serkis, who plays Gollum/Smeagol, took a ride with Ziptrek in the exhilarating Kea 6-Line Tour, which features the world’s steepest tree-to-tree flying fox. More..
The latest episode of the BBC2’s “Planet Word” has Stephen Fry, cast in the role of the Master of Laketown, speaking with Peter Jackson about Tolkien’s use of languages in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Roads go ever, ever on, under cloud and under star, Yet feet that wandering have gone, return at last to home afar. Eyes that fire and sword have seen, and horror in halls of stone, Look at last on meadows green, and trees and hills they long have known.
Stephen Fry’s recital of Tolkien’s poem sets the tone for his little discussion with PJ in a most apt setting – the Bag End set down in New Zealand, where filming for the upcoming Hobbit films is currently on in full swing.
Folks in the UK can watch the stream via bbc.co.uk, while those located internationally can catch a snippet over on YouTube (4:17 into the video).
A transcript is also up on our message boards courtesy of board member QuackingTroll.
This week on Hobbit in 5 – Evangeline Lilly opens up about playing Tauriel, Sir Ian McKellen is now a pub owner, Peter Jackson gives an interview to the NZ Prime Minister, a very talented group creates a massive LEGO LOTR recreation and new pics of the dwarves are released!
From the Waikato Times: Two barefoot men, one with a bushy white beard, sat outside a cafe in Matamata yesterday, but a closer inspection revealed a marked lack of hair on their smooth feet.
With the Hobbiton movie set near Matamata closed for filming on Wednesday, the Waikato Times’ hunt for hobbits is on.
The permit given to production company 3 Foot 7 to film in Matamata was for filming rights lasting no more than 15 days before November 8, but there have been no movie star sightings yet.
Espresso To Go owner Bill Anderson said they would be willing to make hobbit-sized coffees if the demand was there but last time around 3 Foot 7 had their own cafe on set, so he was not holding out hope for an influx of Hollywood big spenders.
Lord of the Rings and Hobbit actor Andy Serkis took a break from filming at the weekend to pay a short visit to Queenstown. While in the resort Serkis, who plays Gollum/Smeagol, took a ride with Ziptrek in the exhilarating Kea 6-Line Tour, which features the world’s steepest tree-to-tree flying fox. 
From the Waikato Times: Two barefoot men, one with a bushy white beard, sat outside a cafe in Matamata yesterday, but a closer inspection revealed a marked lack of hair on their smooth feet.