Dr. Spin has written us with a Middle-earth fan film that he would love to share with TORn readers. This film picks up the ME action 100 years after the destruction of the ring. To view the three-part film please go here. Enjoy!

Winners of this year’s Mythopoeic Awards—which celebrate books of fantasy that best exemplify the spirit of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Charles Williams—were announced this weekend at Mythcon 38 in Berkeley, Calif. [More]

Sir Ian McKellen has returned to Wellington with plans to drop in on an old stomping ground – the hobbit hole at Bag End. The revered British actor, who played the wise wizard Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is in New Zealand with the Royal Shakespeare Company to play the title role in King Lear. He intends to catch up with old friends while in Wellington, and Peter Jackson has invited him to stay at his home in Wairarapa. “He kept the set of Bag End, which was Frodo’s house, and set it up for guests with running water, so I’m going to spend the night there,” Sir Ian said yesterday. “It’ll be the one the hobbits were in which made them look small, so it’ll be big enough for humans.” [More]

Stephen Jewell writes: This week, the great Ian McKellen is back in New Zealand, acting in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s touring productions of King Lear and The Seagull. He tells STEPHEN JEWELL why he can’t have sex in Singapore or smoke in New Zealand and why “you can always rely on Shakespeare”. Just as the titular majesty goes missing in the third act of King Lear, Sir Ian McKellen is proving equally elusive. The original plan was to travel up to Stratford-upon-Avon to watch the final performance of King Lear at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Courtyard Theatre and then meet McKellen and co-star Frances Barber the following day. [More]

Vanessa “Saffron” Price, Online Community Representative for The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, writes: Don’t miss this chance to see your very own cloak design featured in The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar! [More]

The Bearded One himself, Peter Jackson, made a surprise cameo in the latest episode of the hit HBO show ‘Entourage’. Much like UK’s ‘Extras’ (where Sir Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom spoofed themselves), ‘Entourage’ focuses on the entertainment industry. Peter most likely spoofed himself in the episode (I have yet to see it). If anyone catches it on YouTube, drop me a line!

Ronald let us in on PJ’s cameo: Actually Peter played himself talking directly with Eric (Vince’s personal business manager) about producing a movie with Vince based on some of Peter’s gaming ventures. Pete was in a “Motion Capture” suit practicing swordplay with another fellow. Said specifically he was glad to be able to reach into Vince’s camp without having to go through Ari Gold to do so.