Cate Blanchett and playwright husband Andrew Upton welcomed Ignatius Martin Upton into the world yesterday. Initial reports were that the Sydney-based mother and child were both well. The baby boy weighed in at just over eight pounds (3.6kg). Blanchett and her husband, who have shared co-artistic director responsibilities at the Sydney Theatre Company since January, already have two sons: Dashiell, 6, and Roman, 3. The NIDA graduate will next be seen alongside Harrison Ford as Agent Irina Spalko in the fourth film of the highly anticipated Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The film opens nationally on May 22. Read More
Category: Hobbit Movie
From the Irish Film and Television Network: Irish actor Colin Farrell (In Bruges, Intermission), Spanish actress Paz Vega (Spanglish, Sex & Lucia) and screen legend Christopher Lee (The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars) will star in ‘Triage’, the latest pic from Oscar winning filmmaker Danis Tanovic’s (No Man’s Land, 11 September). Starting next week, the film will shoot for five weeks in Spain, followed by a three week shoot in Dublin. Thanks to message board member diedye for the link. Read More
Celebriel sends this in: New Zealand has added a large swathe of high-country farmland made famous in the Lord of the Rings films to its network of conservation parks. Land Information Minister David Parker announced the government had paid $NZ4.7 million ($A4.03 million) for almost 21,000 hectares of the 26,000ha Mesopotamia station. It was established by author and farmer Samuel Butler, who made its stunning landscape famous in his 1872 novel Erewhon – the name of an adjoining station. More recently, the station was the location for the Middle Earth city of Edoras in Peter Jackson’s film portrayal of the Lord of the Rings. Edoras Added to New Zealand Park System
The big question on everyone’s mind these days seems to be ‘Is Guillermo del Toro directing “The Hobbit”?’ And with a series of enigmatic answers from people like Sir Ian McKellen, and even GDT himself, its no wonder people are desperate for confirmation. A few blogs and movie sites seemed to have jumped the gun this weekend in announcing that GDT himself has confirmed, well…not so fast. While the Mexican director has been very open to the idea of doing it, neither he, or MGM/Warner Bros./New Line have confirmed his involvement. I am certain we will hear something on the matter soon, don’t loose hope!
From “The Independent”: Mop that perspiring brow, Middle Earthlings. Sir Ian McKellen ends a saga that had become as protracted as the blockbusting Lord Of The Rings film trilogy: will he return as the benevolent wizard Gandalf in the keenly-anticipated adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit? Sir Ian tells Pandora that he has reached advanced discussions, leaving only the paperwork to complete before he can dust off his wizard’s robes: “It is sort of finished business really. I think I will be in the film.” Speaking at a gala dinner for the gay rights charity Stonewall, he added: “The first film will be released in 2011 and the second in 2012. The first is The Hobbit, and the second connects the story to the [sequel] Lord Of The Rings, it brings it all together.” Thanks to David for the link. Read More
Elijah Wood
We are now looking for someone to take centre stage on The Friday Night Project and go head to head with Elijah Wood in a quiz to see who knows the most about Lord of the Rings. The person must be a super fan, and ideally do more than just your average fan. For example, we want a fan who organises conventions in their spare time, or holds LOTR parties, or dresses up as a Hobbit, or has named their children after a Tolkien character!
The fan will be on stage with Elijah and take part in one round of quick fire questions, with the first to three winning. It is a hugely fun show, and this quiz is meant to be some light hearted fun – nothing too serious and nothing scary! If you think that you are this fan, or that you know of someone who is this fan, then please get back in touch to me ASAP. Filming is this Thursday evening in Central London. Thanks to Ian for passing this on from James. james.emtage@princesstv.com.