J.A. Bayona, director of the upcoming Amazon series set in the Second Age of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, has arrived in Auckland and filming has begun! Well, okay, the film clip he posted to Instagram features no actors, unless the small bird in Fraser’s cafe in the urban setting of Mount Eden, a suburb of Auckland, is somehow related to the thrush of The Hobbit fame. According to Stuff.co.nz “the first piece of film he appears to have shot in New Zealand is a snapshot from Frasers cafe in Mount Eden. Bayona shared the clip to Instagram this morning. The camera appears to be focused on the cafe, then swings down to track a hopeful sparrow as it hops around some tables in search of crumbs.”
Watch the short clip here. Considering the cafe is in a very urban setting, with narry a dragon or dwarf in sight, it’s likely it was just a spur-of-the-moment snap from his phone, but exciting nonetheless.
Quoted from Deadline by Stuff:
“J.R.R. Tolkien created one of the most extraordinary and inspiring
stories of all time, and as a lifelong fan it is an honour and a joy to
join this amazing team,” he said in a statement to Deadline.
“I can’t wait to take audiences around the world back to Middle-earth and have them discover the wonders of the Second Age, with a never-before-seen story.”
In addition to directing, Bayona will also be an executive producer for the LOTR series alongside his producing partner Belén Atienza. He has been warmly welcomed by the writing team, lead by JD Payne and Patrick McKay and consulted by Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman.
Read more of the story at stuff.co.nz, and let us know, aside from the bird in the cafe, what in the Second Age you think the first ‘real’ filming will likely cover!
Collider announced earlier today that 23 year-old British actor Maxim Baldry “has landed a significant role” in the upcoming Amazon Middle-earth TV series. Baldry is perhaps best known so far for his role in the 2019 BBC/HBO joint production series Years and Years. According to Collider: “Character details are being kept under wraps along with plot details.” While that doesn’t give us a lot to go on, ok almost nothing to go on, we do know that the new series is set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, which narrows down, if only slightly, what “significant role” might imply.
(VIDEO) For the 20th Anniversary of TheOneRing.net, our panel at San Diego Comic-con ventured back into the past (No time machine involved, but wouldn’t that be fun!) to look at TORN’s roots and how we grew from our early beginnings into arguably the world’s premiere J.R.R. Tolkien fansite. From fan clubs to card games and Oscar parties, no stone was left unturned. And for the crowning moment, we invited Sir Richard Taylor, Co-Founder and Creative Director of WETA Workshop, onto the stage, and he entertained us with fascinating and funny tales of how WETA grew right along with TORn.
Out latest review covers not one but two statues from out friend at Weta Workshop. The two statues we will be looking at come from The Hobbit Trilogy and specifically The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. During the final sequences of the film, we get to see some Elves and Dwarves joining forces. To depict this, Weta made individual statues covering a single Mirkwood Elf as well as a pair of Iron Hills Dwarves– but the two statues come with a twist. You can switch out the shoulder armor of one of the Dwarves and combine them to make one massive statue. You can also get both statues individually for $449 with an edition size of 750.
Welcome to The Great Hall of Poets, our regular monthly feature showcasing the talent of Middle-earth fans. Each month we will feature a small selection of the poems submitted, but we hope you will read all of the poems that we have received here in our Great Hall of Poets.
So come and join us by the hearth and enjoy!
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
The Walk to Bree
by David McG.
I met a wise old Hobbit on the winding path to Bree.
And as we strolled down woodland paths he began to sing to me.
He sang of high adventure, of friendship and of woe.
Of how he’d helped to save this world, many years ago.
The song it told a stirring tale as we seemed to float along.
Down ancient paths and long lost towns now living in his song.
He sang of safe security and days of endless fun.
And how that changed the fateful day his friends were forced to run.
From Hobbiton to Gondor’s halls his song it told the tale.
Of the greatest Hobbit who ever lived and a mission seemed doomed to fail.
The lifelong friends he came to make and those he’d come to lose.
And the terrible fate that haunted them all, and dark paths they had to chose.
The song unfolded a wondrous tale of his life spent in the Shire.
From farmers fields to Dragon’s Inn and feasting round a fire.
A long expected party, to honour a life long friend.
And the forming of a Fellowship, that stayed true to journey’s end.
He sang the tale of the Crownless King whose rule had long seemed lost.
A Captain who had saved them all, but paid a terrible cost
The mighty Ents, the Shepherds of Trees. White Wizard with a dark desire.
And a ring of gold that consumed all will, forged in a mountain of fire!
The pathway grew much darker as he sang of battles grand.
Hard fought by all the free folk assailed throughout the land.
The horrors at the Hornburg, Osgiliath overrun.
The last ride of the Rohirrim and the beating of the drum.
The Battle of the Pelennor, the fight to seal all fate.
The last march of all Free Folk to tear down the Dark Lord’s gate.
The shadows they all lifted and the sun shone brightly down.
Then a beaming smile lit the Hobbits face as we came into Bree town.
Into the Prancing Pony, a bustling, ancient Inn.
And he toasted as he raised his beer “Let adventure new begin!”
And there stood the ‘Citadel Guardian’ And there stood the ‘Fool of a Took!’ And there stood the ‘Defeater of Wizards’ As told in the Westmarch Red Book.
~~ * ~~
If you have a Tolkien/Middle-earth inspired poem you’d like to share, then send it to poetry@theonering.net. One poem per person may be submitted each month. Please make sure to proofread your work before sending it in. TheOneRing.net is not responsible for poems posting with spelling or grammatical errors.
