We have big news for fans of Jerry Vanderstelt and his works in Middle-Earth! Jerry is pleased to announce that he will be creating art pieces based on Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Hobbit. Like his amazing art prints based on The Lord of the Rings these prints will be sure to capture what we all expect to be a couple of truly fantastic films. There is also news for those that collect his superb art work based on The Lord of the Rings, and here’s a hint to what is coming next:  Durin’s Bane has been found. As soon as we get a good look at anything based on The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings we will let you know.

If you want to know more about Vanderstelt Studios and his work check out our interview with Jerry along with his site with all his art work.

WizKids Lord of the RingsThe WizKids product brand, under various owners, has been publishing the ‘HeroClix’ series of collectible miniature boardgames for several years now; they are move-and-fight combat games played on maps with miniature pre-painted figures whose movement and combat statistics are recorded on a dial that clicks to (usually) lower values as the figure receives damage. The most popular and numerous HeroClix products have been based on Marvel and DC superhero franchises, though there have been other settings as well.

Their newest product is a Lord of the Rings game. There are (at present) two ways to buy: an ‘Epic Campaign’ starter set, which contains eight characters (Sauron, Witch-Kingm ‘Ringbearer’ (Frodo), ‘Esquire of Rohan’ (Merry)m ‘Guard of the Citadel’ (Pippin), Strider, Captain Lurtz, and Olog-Hai), as well as rules, six largish maps, ‘Horde’ tokens representing generic Orcs or warriors, dice, character cards, and other play aides; and the standard ‘booster’ style in which one of an initial set of 21 figures (with various degrees of rarity) and its associated character card is purchased sight unseen. You might get a common ‘Frodo’, or a rare Gandalf the Grey. There will undoubtedly be many expansions with additional figures and maps before long.

Continue reading “WizKids The Lord of the Rings”

10 years have passed since the release of the first of the films in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and fans will surely recall Frodo’s “chicken dance” at Bilbo’s Birthday party, Merry and Pippin singing in the Green Dragon Inn, Frodo and Sam watching the Wood-elves leaving Middle-earth, and Éowyn singing a dirge at the burial of her cousin Théodred.

The songs and the music for all these scenes, termed “diegetic” or “cultural” music, were composed and performed by Plan 9 (consisting of David Donaldson, Stephen Roche, and Janet Roddick) together with David Long, who also collaborated with them on certain aspects of the sound design for the Dead Marshes, the Ents, and the One Ring.

In celebration of the The Fellowship of the Ring’s 10th Anniversary, TheOneRing.net brings you an exclusive interview with Plan 9.

"The Elvish Impersonators" (from L to R: David Long, Steve Roche, Janet Roddick, David Donaldson) working on The Lord of the Rings in December 2002

Join us as we talk to them about how they came on board Peter Jackson’s crew working on the three films, and how they approached composing, performing, and selecting instruments that would lend credibility to the fictional cultures that inhabited Tolkien’s Middle-earth. All this, and also some talk of their as-yet-unreleased music for the films.

Continue reading “FOTR 10th Anniversary Exclusive: An interview with Plan 9”

Strangers from distant lands. Friends of old. You’ve been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate, this one doom. Bring forth the Ring, Frodo.

-Elrond at the start of the Council of Elrond October 25th, 3018 TA

Rivendell was one of the most demanded places in Middle-Earth to be made into polystone and now the long wait for this to happen as finally come to an end. Now, that it has ended and collectors are starting to receive this item, we are finally seeing why this might be one of the most difficult items ever made representing The Lord of the Rings. The folks at Weta, specifically Daniel Falconer and David Tremont, did an amazing job of capturing all that is special about Rivendell allowing collectors to own a piece of that.

Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Weta Workshop’s Rivendell Review”

From sydneysymphony.com: By popular demand – the second film from Peter Jackson’s trilogy, with its stunning orchestral score performed live on stage. In 2011 we presented The Fellowship of the Ring, the first film in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy The Lord of the Rings. With the movie on the big screen and the orchestra performing Howard Shore’s music, the result made for some awesome hours in the concert hall. Then we were deluged! Faster than hordes of orcs storming Helm’s Deep, the emails flooded in. And the phone calls, the tweets and the Facebook posts. Everyone wanted to know when we’d be presenting the rest of the trilogy. So we’re delighted to announce Part II of The Lord of the Rings with two evening concerts and one matinee performance. Tickets