Weta Workshop will be hosting an exclusive screening of “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” in Auckland on December 5 as part of its celebration of the 20th anniversary of the film’s release.
Co-fouders Richard Taylor and Tania Rodger will be there to offer live alternative commentary and behind-the-scenes tales. There are also a limited number of VIP tickets for a 45-minute pre-movie Q&A session with the pair. The screening will be at Level 5, 88 Federal St (opposite the Auckland SkyTower).
Apparently tickets are already selling fast despite the slightly eye-watering $NZ 109 price so if this is your thing maybe best to not delay. You can pick up yours on the Weta Worshop site.
UPDATE: some readers asked us whether the screning is of the theatrical release or the extended edition. We reached out to find out and Weta tells us that they are screning the theatrical release so that there is more time for people to enjoy festivities before the movie begins. Also there’s only a few tickets left for the VIP Q&A. Best hurry if you want one of those.
We come to it at last… Having celebrated the 20th anniversaries of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers movies, NZ Post are now marking that same milestone for the third and final film in the trilogy. Some stunning new stamps are available now, with coins due to ship closer to the holidays.
Here’s what their press release tells us:
NZ Post releases final The Lord of the Rings trilogy stamp and coin collection
NZ Post is proud to release special edition stamps, coins and limited-edition prints to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
To be released November 1st by NZ Post, this is the third, and final, of three 20th anniversary collections – having previously released issues commemorating The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
NZ Post Head of Stamps and Collectables, Antony Harris says, “Like the previous two special edition releases, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will be just as popular among Kiwis and international collectors.
“There will be a lot of interest from around Aotearoa, New Zealand, and the world, as this collection marks the final milestone in the history of such an iconic series of films,” Harris said. “The previous two stamp releases have sold across the globe like nothing we had ever seen before.”
The Lord of the Rings is a series of three epic fantasy adventure films based on the novel The Lord of the Rings by British author J.R.R Tolkien.
Harris said, with only eight weeks until Christmas, any items from this final release would make an ideal gift – especially for family and friends living overseas.
The special edition stamps, coins and prints are being released in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products.
The artist behind the stamps and pins is New Zealander Sacha Lees, who began her career at Wētā Workshop working on The Lord of the Rings trilogy as an illustrator, creature designer and airbrush and concept artist.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 20th Anniversary stamps will be released on Wednesday 1 November 2023. To order and read about the collection visit collectables.nzpost.co.nz
Once again, these products from NZ Post are stunning. The eagle (or elf!) eyed among you may notice that these stamps also contain ‘hidden messages’ – keys lines from the movies, somewhere in each image. The coins are equally beautiful; you can see the Beacons and Meduseld ones below. There is also a Gondor coin, and one showing Gandalf crowning Aragorn, the returned king. See these, and take a closer looks at all these fabulous pieces, by visiting NZ Post’s website now.
Emmy winner for “Get Back” involved in the final song ever from The Beatles, with a music video that will “bring a few tears to the eye.”
The Beatles – those from the group who are still with us – announced that Peter Jackson is making the music video for “Now and Then” which is to be the final new song ever produced with the foursome of John, Paul, George and Ringo. The group used the same audio technology that helped Jackson win an Emmy award to clean up the vocals of an old cassette tape recorded by John Lennon, who died in 1980. Additional vocals and guitar were added by George Harrison in 1995, but never completed. Paul and Ringo this year added their parts to the song with Giles Martin, son of longtime Beatles producer George Martin, finishing production.
In a lengthy artist’s statement posted by Peter Jackson, it is revealed that new footage has been found of The Beatles performing with original drummer Pete Best. When describing the tone of the video, Jackson says, “We wanted the short film to bring a few tears to the eye. We tried to craft something that could adequately sum up the enormity of The Beatles’ legacy – in the last few seconds of their final recording. This proved to be impossible. Their contribution to the world is too immense, and their wondrous gift of music has become part of our DNA and now defies description.
“Dhani Harrison happened to be visiting NZ at this time. I discussed the ending with him, and described one vague idea I’d been toying with. His eyes immediately filled with tears – so that is the way we went.”
Peter Jackson
Disney+ and many tv stations worldwide will have a 12 minute behind-the-scenes documentary featuring The Beatles and Peter Jackson, today, November 1. The song “Now and Then” releases on all music platforms with the Jackson directed music video this week.
Additional Spy Reports from the TORn Tuesday podcast hint at Peter Jackson following this up with a new second documentary series on the break up of The Beatles, as a sequel to his Emmy winning Get Back series. Nothing has been confirmed at this time.
Will Peter Jackson return to The Lord of the Rings under the new WB and Embracer movie deal? He’s confirmed they are talking. But when The Beatles call, priorities change! Now that the music video is done and out, perhaps he will reconsider coming back for more Middle-earth.
In February of this year, we saw performances at Radio City Music Hall of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, with live orchestral accompaniment. It has been announced today that February 2024 will see The Two Towers getting the same treatment – and having last time sold out their two dates, and added two more, this time they’re starting with four opportunities to attend. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow; but here at TORn we have an exclusive presale code for you, so you can claim your tickets today!
Get your tickets now
February 14 through 17, 2024, 8pm each night, fans can enjoy Peter Jackson’s The Two Towers back on the big screen, with 238 musicians playing and singing along. To claim your tickets before they go on general sale tomorrow, click here, and use the code TORTWO.
The Return of the King is the one movie of the trilogy which was not part of the original performances with orchestra at Radio City Music Hall; fingers crossed for 2025! Meanwhile, read the press release about the upcoming The Two Towers performances, below – and snap up those tickets while you can!
21st Anniversary Concert THE LORD OF THE RINGS: The Two Towers In Concert
Academy Award Winner HOWARD SHORE’S Score Performed Live to the Epic Motion Picture
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, SOLOISTS
Ludwig Wicki, Conductor
238 MUSICIANS ONSTAGE BENEATH A 60-FOOT SCREEN
Radio City Music Hall, New York FEBRUARY 14-17, 2024
NEW YORK, NY — Celebrating the 21st anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Academy award winner Howard Shore’s score will be presented live, in concert. Experience the epic motion picture and its legendary score at the historic Radio City Music Hall, beneath a 60-foot screen accompanied by 238 musicians, including symphony orchestra, chorus and soloists, this coming February 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2024.
After four nights of standing ovations at Radio City Music Hall in February 2023, and an ongoing international tour, The Lord of the Rings, In Concert, will be reuniting the Fellowship for the second installment – The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The 2024 concerts will mark the return of The Two Towers, In Concert, to NYC for the first time since its sold out run in 2015. The live performances of Howard Shore’s score of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, In Concert, are unmatched in the movie-going experience – the iconic and ethereal score having been voted No .1 in the Classic FM Movie Music Hall of Fame 2023.
The Two Towers, In Concert, is represented by CAMI Music, who is partnering with Bowery Presents to bring these performances to life at Radio City Music Hall.
The Two Towers, In Concert, will be conducted by Ludwig Wicki, who was the inaugural conductor of The Two Towers, In Concert, and specializes in bringing films and their scores to life. Orchestra, soloists, and chorus for the 2024 performances at Radio City Music Hall will be announced at a later date.
The epic film trilogy The Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), The Return of the King (2003) – directed by Peter Jackson and based on the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien novel became an international phenomenon. Released by New Line Cinema, the trilogy is among the highest earning films of all time and won a total of 17 Academy Awards. Howard Shore was honored with Academy Awards for Original Score for The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Return of the King (2003), and for Original Song for Into the West, featured in The Return of the King (2003).
Howard Shore commented on the return of The Two Towers, In Concert to New York City: “The concerts on February 14th through 17th , 2024 will bring Maestro Ludwig Wicki back to NYC’s historic Radio City Music Hall leading a symphony orchestra, chorus, and soloists. Based in the city of Lucerne, Switzerland, where we first began performing the complete score to the theatrical version of the films in 2008, Maestro Wicki is the foremost conductor of this score-to-film concert. Over the years he has worked to perfect this music and his precision, detail and supreme musicianship will be on display at Radio City. I am so very happy to have The Two Towers return to New York.”
Tickets will be on sale from 10am tomorrow – but are available to TORn’s followers NOW, with the code TORTWO. Get yours here! Find out more about these upcoming performances by looking for LOTRConcerts on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook. Hope to see you there!
Artist and friend of TORn Jerry Vanderstelt had the amazing Salvation at Mount Doom Master Collection piece by Weta Workshop on display at his booth, during San Diego Comic-Con 2023. If you’re like me and were blown away by that statue, then I bet you were equally as blown away by Jerry’s Salvation at Mount Doom print, which takes that moment and renders it in an amazing art piece.
Jerry as usual knocked it out of the park with this print, and even though I won’t be owning the Master Collection piece from Weta Workshop, the art print will be taking a spot in my collection. You can get this print right now – but the amounts available are limited, so don’t delay! The price of this beautiful print is between $85-$530, depending on what size you get.
There are just 48 hours left for the pre-order window for the amazing Fountain Guard of the White Tree Premium Statue that our friends at Weta Workshop showed off during San Diego Comic-Con 2023. If you’re like me and didn’t think you’d ever be able to get this piece, don’t wait – because this one is going to be a hard one to track down later. This outstanding collectible comes in with a price of $899 and will be shipping during quarter one of next year. If you decide that the guard is all you want then you can go with the classic series Fountain Guard. Collectors can snag this version for $399, with it also shipping in quarter one of next year.
