Microsoft is set to step up its Windows Phone marketing campaign, building on its existing marketing featuring Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z and Jessica Alba, and tapping into The Hobbit franchise following a deal with Warner Bros.

Marketing reports that Microsoft has partnered with Wunderman to create new digital, press and outdoor materials, featuring Bilbo Baggins (played by Martin Freeman), Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellen) and other characters from first film of trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson. Continue reading “Microsoft taps Hobbit characters for marketing”

Just the other day we were lucky enough to get the first teaser image from artist Jerry Vanderstelt’s upcoming The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Fine Art Prints. The first teaser image had a a couple of wizards with Gandalf the Grey and Radagast the Brown. Tonight, we see three more familiar faces: Saruman, Elrond, and a fantastic shot of Galadriel. As always you can stay up to date by following updates from Jerry right her on TORn or his official Vanderstelt Studio Facebook page. Click the image for a larger version. Enjoy!

Be sure to check out our *LIVE* webcast happening in about 1/2 an hour! Every week Clifford “Quickbeam” Broadway hosts TORn TUESDAY, bringing very cool live chat technology right to your computer; allowing Ringer fans from across the world to interact and join hobbit actors, authors, artists, and more for a lively virtual moot and discussion! We have extra special guest Erica Challis today, one of the original founding members of TheOneRing.net community, coming to us via Skype from Wellington, New Zealand — where she and RED CARPET TOURS are preparing a fantastic HOBBIT Pre-Premiere Party! Learn how you can attend! Join our Live Event page here and be part of the show — it all begins 5:00pm Pacific Time (Tuesday) and 2:00pm New Zealand time (Wednesday)!

Ringer Shemril is responsible for this tantalising fan-made compilation of all The Hobbit: Unexpected Journey trailers and TV spots re-ordered to present a possible (and undoubtedly debatable) running sequence.

Shemril compiled the seven-and-a-half-minute sequence from the Announcement trailer, Announcement trailer (G), Trailer 1, TV Spot 1 – 7, UK 1 minute TV spot, Japanese 1 minute TV Spot. He notes that the audio can be choppy in places as original trailer background music overlaps much of the dialogue. Continue reading “Watch a tantalising 7.5 minute fan-made Hobbit trailer and TV spot compilation!”

Neil Finn talks to Andrew Dickens of News Talk ZB about recording “The Song of the Lonely Mountain” for the end credits of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Choice quote regarding the “anvils” used in the song:

“I’d love to paint a picture of a big, blacksmith’s anvil sitting in the middle of the studio but, in actual fact, it was my son Liam […] poised over an electronic keyboard.”

Listen to the interview here.