(Note: This story appears on both: www.Winter-is-Coming.net and www.TheOneRing.net)

Remember a decade ago when the world was going to end? Younger readers may not clearly recall, but a computer glitch dubbed “Y2K” (the date changing from 1999 to 2000 on January 1) was going to throw computers and thus the world into complete chaos. Planes were going to fall from the sky, bank accounts were going to reset while bankrupting corporations, energy sources were going to fail and missiles would launch and plunge the world into nuclear holocaust.

And worst of all, what if TheOneRing.net wasn’t available when I got to work and opened my browser? What if I couldn’t keep up with the latest news tidbit about the Peter Jackson team working on three “Lord of the Rings Films” by reading the fan site dubbed TORn (for brevity). I wasn’t obsessed, I was focused.

Winter-Is-Coming.net has taken me back to those days like a time capsule. That site, like TORn, is reporting daily on the minutia of a fantasy story told, in what I hope is grand fashion. Once again, like so many others, I have found myself checking in each day, following the tiniest details and I have been transported back to those days of eager anticipation when it seemed the world, as we know it, might end. Continue reading “WIC and TORn fan sites party like its 1999”


TheOneRing.net is proud to team up with WETA Workshop to celebrate the start of production on ‘The Hobbit’ with a The Bag End Giveaway!

One lucky fan will walk away with this exquisite collectible replica of Bag End created by the renowned artists at Weta Workshop! Perfect for an office desk or at home, Bag End is a small scale reproduction of the best Hobbit hole in Hobbiton. It is sure to be the highlight of any The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit fan’s collection. Follow the link for entry details. [Learn More]

The long road to ‘The Hobbit’ filming was full of hurdles. And sometimes, it seems those of us whom report on the topic are downright anxious to raise the alarm when another possible ‘hurdle’ presents itself. Local NZ sources are reporting that the the permission by the Matamata-Piako District Council to film on the land where the Hobbiton set is built will run out by the end of April. Obviously with the start of filming being delayed for a variety of reasons, the most recent PJ’s hospital stay, that time frame is going to have to be adjusted. Is there a soul out there who actually believes the local council is not going to approve an extension? Ultimately, the production company will apply for an extension and it will be granted. Not too worry. With that said, here are links to two articles on the topic.  [Article 1] [Article 2]

MARION VAN DIJK
Scoop.co.nz MARION VAN DIJK

They’re knobbly, distinctive and grown in Richmond, and a company working on The Hobbit reckons they will look the part on the shire in Hobbiton.

Eyebright co-owner Peter Owen said a Miramar-based film company 3 Foot 7, working on the Peter Jackson-directed movie The Hobbit, had approached his Richmond company and asked if they had any pumpkins.

Mr Owen said Eyebright showed them the gourds and Turk’s Turbans they grew and they loved them, ordering 10 of each.  [Read More]

To coincide with the new release of LOTR on Blu-Ray, Jack of the Noldor Blog sat down with Costa Botes, whose rarely-seen, difficult-to-get documentary on the making of LOTR will be included on the Blu-Ray release. Botes is a Wellington director and long-time friend of Peter Jackson who PJ hired to document the making of LOTR – and his only brief was to capture it “warts and all”. Botes’ doco was eclipsed – you could even say suppressed – by the official New Line documentary, and so its inclusion in the Blu-Ray limited edition release is something special. Read More

Gimli may not be in The Hobbit, but we all know his father, Gloin, will be playing a big part! Continuing their series of The Lord of the Rings statues, Sideshow Collectibles has just starting taking pre-orders for both the exclusive and regular editions of Gimli, son of Gloin. The exclusive edition is limited to 500 pieces and features an additional ‘felled Orc’ base at no extra cost over the regular. The exclusive is only available for purchase through the SideshowCollectibles.com website. And from what we can tell, they still have quite a few other The Lord of the Rings items available to ship today, including the Aragorn as Strider Exclusive statue!  [Pre-Order Exclusive] [Regular Edition] [LOTR Items]