Linuxelf sends along two more clips from the LOTR days of yore. A clip from the FOTR premiere in New Zealand and New York!
FOTR NZ Premiere Snippets
Category: Hobbit Movie
The actor Andy Serkis, who so memorably played Gollum and King Kong using performance capture, has announced the UK’s first studio specialising in the technique. As he told a recent British Screen Advisory Council discussion on working with digital film technology, Serkis caught the bug of “cyber-thespianism” working with Peter Jackson at his Weta studios in New Zealand, first on The Lord of the Rings trilogy and then on King Kong. He has since directed performance capture for two video games, one in America and one in New Zealand. That made him wonder why the same facility wasn’t available in Britain, when so much of the original technology was developed out of Oxford and Cambridge. More..
The Wall Street Journal reports today that the Imax Corporation has signed a deal with studio Warner Brothers to release up to 20 films through 2013.
Among the 15 films whose release dates are pending confirmation are Dark Shadows, Superman, and Batman 3.
The remaining 5 films that have been “locked” are the last two installments of the Harry Potter franchise: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (in 3D), Happy Feet 2, and The Hobbit in December 2013.
The snippet of the article gives no indication about whether the December 2013 release time frame pertains to the first or the second Hobbit film, nor whether the films will be in 3D. Only subscribers to the Wall Street Journal have access to the entire article, so anyone with the ability to do so is welcome to send in any details concerning The Hobbit films that might be in there to spymaster@theonering.net.
UPDATE: We’ve just received word that news about the 2013 release is WRONG, sorta. The FIRST Hobbit film is still set for 2012, and the second is set for 2013.
This was reported incorrectly on an IMAX press release and was picked up across the interweb.
Middle-Earth fans have been anxious for filming on The Hobbit to begin. With the MGM situation uncertain and apparently no green light, Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro have downplayed rumors cameras might start rolling this summer and suggested late 2010 as a more realistic time frame.
E! News interviewed Andy Serkis at the Tribeca Film Festival for the North American premiere of Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll where he suggested things might get rolling sooner.
“It’s going to happen,” said Serkis. “I think it’s due to start shooting in May. It’s going be exciting, especially working with Guillermo del Toro, who’s fantastic.”
Very unlikely, of course – but how wonderful a surprise would that be? Read the article on E! News.
Founder’s Day fun continues this weekend with the Sixth Annual Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Trilogy Marathon! (phew, that’s a long title!)
Join us Saturday, May 1, beginning at 9 a.m. EDT. in TORn’s chatroom “Barliman’s” as people from around the world sit down at their computers with one common goal: to virtually gather with other fans to watch all three Lord of the Ring extended editions straight through. Geeky? Yes. Fun? Absolutely. Find all the details on our Marathon FAQ.
But that’s not all! Also on Saturday night Barliman’s will be holding a special Hobbit discussion between “The Two Towers” and “Return of the King.” (approx. 5:30 p.m.):
Speculation and anticipation are mounting among Lord of the Rings fans as news about the Hobbit continues to dribble out. With scripts for the two films drafted, but the project still awaiting the studio greenlight, TORn’s Hall of Fire returns to host a discussion asking “what next?” What can we expect to see in the films? Who will take the lead role? And will it be wall-to-wall dwarves, or will there be additions and casualties? Come along, and bring your own rumours for discussion!
So please join us on the TORn IRC server this Saturday for two very special events! Read more
Thanks to poster Woodyend for finding this nice tidbit of news. 
Ronan Keating has apparently auditioned for a role in The Hobbit as part of his quest to move into the movie industry. There was no mention as to what role he auditioned for or when he might hear back from the producers behind the two-part Lord Of The Rings prequel.
Keating said: “I don’t think I’ll get the role of The Hobbit. But I would like to take on roles which nobody would expect. I don’t want to be reduced to love stories. I’d like to try dark, edgy roles. I need a challenge.” More.