Weta Limited, under the brand Weta Originals has revealed its show exclusive piece for 2007, that will be available this years San Diego Comic Con. The piece is a miniature version of the Weta Originals ManMelter from the Rayguns range, titled, the ‘Mini ManMelter’. The Mini ManMelter is a quarter sized replica of its larger brother, the ManMelter. The Mini ManMelter weighs approximately 120 grams (not including packaging), is slightly larger than a matchbox and is priced at $30US. [More]

Lee at the Festroia Film Festival Antonio writes: My father and I saw Christopher Lee at the Festroia Film Festival in Portugal, we took some pictures that we want to share. [More]

It’s the most expensive West End musical ever and has been three years in the making, but now The Lord of the Rings is about to open. Paul Arendt enters a world of elves, ents and leather-clad orcs. Matthew Warchus is looking a little frazzled. It’s not surprising: after three years of development, a lengthy dry run in Toronto and an unprecedented six weeks of London previews, The Lord of the Rings musical is ready to face the critics. As director and co-writer, Warchus has given four years of his life to the project. “I don’t have to worry about this becoming habit forming,” he says during a break in rehearsals. “I certainly don’t intend to do something on this scale ever again.” [More]

From music4games.net: Developed by Turbine, Inc. (Asheron’s Call) and published by Midway Games Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online: The Shadows of Angmar (LOTRO) is the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) set in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” In development for over four years, LOTRO opens up the mystical world of Middle-earth and creates the opportunity for endless adventure. To match the epic ambition and stature of this long awaited release the game’s extensive soundtrack demanded the musical talents of several talented composers including HUGEsound’s Audio Director/Composer Chance Thomas, Turbine Entertainment’s Lead Composer Stephen DiGregorio, Turbine Entertainment Audio Director/Composer Geoff Scott, and freelance composer Brad Spear. M4G recently managed to round up two of the game’s composers, Brad Spear and Chance Thomas, to discuss their respective contributions and overall musical spectrum for the game’s soundtrack. [More]

Steve writes: One of my favorite podcasts (Gamers With Jobs Conference Call) has a great interview with Jeffrey Steefel, the executive producer for Lord of The Rings Online. There’s some good info in there about where the game is headed and what the game might have been. He actually talked about Mordor, which was cool, because I really wanted to know if we were ever going to end up there. [More]

Kristin Thompson writes: After several months of raised and dashed hopes, the question of who will direct the film of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit remains open. I first weighed in on the question back on October 2 of last year, when this blog was in its infancy. MGM had just announced that they would be making The Hobbit and hoped that Peter Jackson would direct. At that point I was trying to sort out Peter Jackson’s large number of film projects and to explain how his schedule might include time to direct The Hobbit. Subsequently there was a clarification. MGM, which owns the distribution rights to any film version of the novel, would co-produce with New Line, which produced The Lord of the Rings and owns the filmmaking rights for The Hobbit. [More]