Could the Disney theme parks be the next potential location for a Lord of the Rings-themed attraction? We reported back in January and also in February that tongues were wagging about a possible Middle-earth theme park partnership between Warner Brothers and Universal. There was even documentation that the Saul Zaentz Company had registered “several uses for Middle-earth properties that includes theme parks.” But those rumors seemed to have fizzled.
Now it seems that, “Disney and Warner Brothers have either signed or are very close to singing an agreement that will bring “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movie-inspired areas to the Disney Parks.” WDW News Today is reporting that the partnership has been in the works since late last year and is now practically a fait accompli. The story claims that Disney may incorporate a Middle-earth attraction as part of an overhaul at the California Adventure park in Anaheim, CA. It also suggests that Disney may be looking for Hobbits to give them an edge over Hogwarts in order to compete with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter area at Universal Studio’s theme park.
WDW News today says, “As with any rumor, you should take this with a grain of salt until it is actually announced.” Is it likely that Disney would be able to overcome the hurdles that have hung up similar ventures? That they could overcome the long-held anti-Disney prejudice from within the Tolkien Estate itself? TORn staffer Demosthenes points out Tolkien’s Letter #13, where he famously insisted that he would “veto anything from or influenced by the Disney Studios (for all whose works I have a heartfelt loathing).”
Additionally, should the supposed negotiations be happening on the studio level, making an end-run around the Tolkien Estate, it seems unlikely that Warner Brothers would be keen to work together after Disney stole Oz out from under them when they released Oz the Great and Powerful earlier this year. “The Walt Disney Company did not own rights to the original 1939 The Wizard of Oz movie but moved stealthily to mount an audacious raid on the story and leave a rival studio flat-footed.”
But perhaps TheOneRing.net’s April Fools’ story this year was actually prescient and we will enter an era where Hobbit feet and Mouse ears can coexist in one big glorious theme park universe. Or maybe we’ll all just have to aspire to visit the real Hobbiton for a while longer.
[Read the original story here.]
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Over the last couple of days two new images of the Elvenking Thranduil have hit our inboxes. The first comes via our friends over at The Heirs of Durin while the second is from Ringer Sander. Continue reading “Two new images of Thranduil the Elvenking”
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Today, marks the day you can start seeing products for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and our friends from Weta Workshop have released the first of 20 brand new products you will see before the end of the year. These two items were just a couple of the many amazing things that Weta had at their booth during Comic-Con 2013. The first item is a truly elegant and finely detailed statue of the Elven King Thranduil. You can pre-order Thranduil right now for $275 with a limited stock shipping in November with more stock arriving in December. Don’t wait to order your Thranduil as he has an edition size of 1000 pieces worldwide. The other item is the awesome prop replica of the daggers you will see Tauriel carry during the movie. You can snag the Daggers of Tauriel right now for $149 with a limited supply in-stock ready to ship. These daggers also have an edition size of just 1000 pieces so they’re sure to not last long.
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It’s almost here! Before we get to The Desolation of Smaug, we can start that Unexpected Journey all over again with the Extended Edition of the first Hobbit movie! The digital download of the movie will be available October 22nd – that’s just next week! – with the Blu-ray 3D and DVD versions to follow on November 5th in the US, November 11th in the UK.
The word from the official press release is that this extended version ‘Features a 13-Minute Longer Cut and Nearly Nine Hours of New Special Features.’ The digital download will be available exclusively on iTunes from 22nd October, before being made widely available on 4th November.
The press release quotes Peter Jackson:
“I’m thrilled that the Extended Edition will give fans the opportunity to experience certain key scenes in the film as they were originally shot, as well as an abundance of special features,” said Jackson. “It’s exciting to present this expanded and enriched version of An Unexpected Journey to allow fans to fully immerse themselves in the movie, before seeing the second part of the trilogy.”
Here’s what we can expect in those nearly nine hours of special features:
• Commentary with Peter Jackson, Director/Producer/Screenwriter and Philippa Boyens, Co-Producer/Screenwriter
• The Appendices – A multi-part chronological history of the filming of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, covering pre-production in the various departments of the film in the months leading up to the start of principal photography, the boot camp training for the main cast, the work done on set chronologically through the three shooting blocks and in the world of its digital effects.
• New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth [A documentary film we assume, though the press release doesn’t say anything else about this feature.]
Once the Extended Edition is available in ‘hard copy’ in November, you’ll be able to choose from a 5-disc Blu-ray 3D set that features the Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray versions of the Extended Edition, or a 5-disc DVD set. The Blu-ray 3D and DVD both include UltraViolet versions of the movie, allowing download and instant streaming.
As soon as we have more details to bring you about the Extended Edition – for example, any different sets or packaging, and any international variations – we will of course bring you that news! Meanwhile, just over a week and we can see those extended scenes… Let the countdown begin!
[Pre-order The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition Blu-ray.]
[Pre-order The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition DVD.]
[Pre-order The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition Blu-ray 3D.]
[Pre-order The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition with Gollum/Bilbo statue.]
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Orlando Bloom stopped by the EW offices last week to chat about his new role in a Broadway production of Romeo & Juliet as well as other things, including a little about The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Bloom is currently making his Broadway debut at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in Romeo and Juliet opposite two-time Tony nominee Condola Rashad in a modern-day setting with the original language directed by David Leveaux.
Chatting with fans, he discussed his Broadway warm-up routine, how he got involved in the production and the challenges of working in front of a live audience. Continue reading “Orlando Bloom chats about R&J and The Hobbit with EW”
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In case you missed it, here’s the “Ask Me Anything” session that Benedict Cumberbatch conducted the other day on Reddit. He didn’t divulge much about The Desolation of Smaug, but he did prove extraordinarily charming, polite and erudite.
Here’s a couple of my favourite responses below, and a link to the entire 14,276-post thread for your reading (and skimming) pleasure. Comes with a warning for sweary language and adult themes. Continue reading “Read the Benedict Cumberbatch “ask me anything” Reddit session”
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But perhaps TheOneRing.net’s April Fools’ story this year was actually prescient and we will enter an era where Hobbit feet and Mouse ears can coexist in one big glorious theme park universe. Or maybe we’ll all just have to aspire to visit the real Hobbiton for a while longer.
