Every Tolkien fan knows how rich and beneficial a love for the Professor’s stories can be. Whether you enjoy escaping alone into Middle-earth through the words on the page, or your fandom has taken you to real life encounters with fellow fans, many of us would attest to the joy and comfort Tolkien’s work has brought to us. Here at TORn, where we are ‘Forged by and for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’, we’re particularly keen on bringing fans together, for moots of all shapes and sizes – be they virtual connections or ‘parties of special magnificence.’
So when we heard from film makers in New Zealand who want to create a short film celebrating friendships found through fandom, we were immediately intrigued. Add Bruce Hopkins (Gamling in The Lord of the Rings movies, and TORn’s good friend – MC of our ‘One Last Party’ back in 2015!) as the planned star of the movie, and our reaction was, ‘Tell us more!’
Writer and Director Pennie Hunt with lead actor Bruce Hopkins
Wise Sam Gangees – a film about comfort in community
To quote the producers of the film, ‘WISE SAM GANGEES [sic] is a short film about finding connection in the most unexpected places.’ The movie will be filmed in the landscapes around Queenstown, so familiar to fans of Peter Jackson’s movies. Hopkins will play the role of a grieving father, joining a Lord of the Rings location tour – where he unexpectedly finds connection and hope. The filmmakers are keen to explore ideas of outsiders finding community; of isolation, belonging, empathy, and connection through shared passion. They are also hoping that their film will speak to people who may be struggling with grief or mental health challenges.
But first – they need to raise funds! Though they have various seed funders and sponsors involved already, the producers are looking to raise the majority of the budget needed through crowdfunding. So this is YOUR chance to be part of New Zealand and Tolkien-inspired movie making! Check out the prelaunch page on Kickstarter, and sign up to be notified when their funding launches. We’re sure this is going to be a short film which will resonate, highlighting the things we all love about Tolkien fandom at its best. Add to that beautiful New Zealand scenery and a beloved Lord of the Rings actor, and you have a recipe for a fan favourite movie. Follow along and help it get made!
You can find the ‘Wise Sam Gangees’ folks, and read more about the movie and the team behind it, on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok.
Weta Workshop is kicking off the Summer in spectacular fashion with three brand-new Middle-earth collectibles that are sure to excite The Lord of the Rings fans and collectors alike.
Leading the charge is the long-awaited 1:6 Scale Gimli – Hunter of the Plains statue, which joins the Classic Series lineup, and finally completes the legendary Three Hunters display alongside Aragorn and Legolas. Capturing the fierce determination and indomitable spirit of the son of Glóin during the chase across Rohan, this beautifully crafted statue is a must-have for collectors who have been waiting to unite the iconic trio. Gimli is available for pre-order now for $399 and is expected to ship in Q1 of next year.
As we shared last week, fans can now start collecting figures from the 1978 Ralph Bakshi The Lord of the Rings animated film. The collectibles are made by our friends at Dark Horse Direct. Set One includes figures of Aragorn, Frodo, and Samwise – which are available right now to pre-order. We’re pleased to announce the folks at Dark Horse Direct have three more members of The Fellowship coming fans’ way.
Set Two of The Lord of the Rings series, which is available for pre-order starting today, includes Boromir son of Gondor, Merry, and Pippin. The size of the figures range from 5″ for the Hobbits to 7.5″ tall for Boromir. This set, like Set One, comes in with a price tag of $89 for all three statues. However, if you pre-order this set from Dark Horse Direct you can save $10 on your order; but that’s not even the best deal we have for you today in this announcement! When ordering both Set One and Set Two from Dark Horse Direct, fans can save $15! Set Two is due to ship in Q1 of next year.
For the next couple of years we’re in 25th Anniversary territory for Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies. If you’re nostalgic for the heady days of epic fandom (and for some of us, obsession!), or if you are just curious about exactly how some of the legal wrangling went down, then you need to explore author Kristin Thompson’s The Frodo Franchise: The Lord of the Rings and Modern Hollywood. And it’s now available on Audible!
Thompson is a long-time friend of TheOneRing.net, often providing us with her expert insight into the machinations of the movie industry. Her book is a fascinating look at one of the very biggest of movie franchises/fandoms – and a wonderful trip down memory lane for those of us who remember all the excitement, build up, merchandise, etc. around the turn of the millennium and for a decade thereafter.
Thompson’s book is extremely well researched and full of facts and figures – but it’s never boring. Here’s what TORn wrote around the time that the book first came out:
Kristin Thompson interviewed seventy-six people to examine the movie’s scripting and design and the new technologies deployed to produce the films, video games, and DVDs. She demonstrates the impact Rings had on the companies that made it, on the fantasy genre, on New Zealand, and on independent cinema. In fast-paced, compulsively readable prose, she affirms Jackson’s Rings as one the most important films ever made.
Narrator ‘The Voice of Nick’ is very easy to listen to. The audiobook edition includes a new epilogue written for this release, in honor of the 25th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring movie. There’s even a section in the book all about the origins of TORn, plus coverage of the surrounding fan and media ecosystem (video games, licensed promotions, New Zealand tourism, and more).
A must listen (or read, if you prefer!) for any fan, we have five codes for Audible (US region) for free download, to giveaway to five lucky folks! To be in with a chance to be a random winner, click here. Good luck – and if you’re not a luck winner, get your Audible copy here.
In 1978 Ralph Bakshi’s animated film based on The Lord of the Rings arrived to the masses, and many fans got a chance to see their favorite characters come to life. Not to mention all the folks that would become lifelong Tolkien fans, discovering the story for the first time through the movie. Now nearly 50 years later, the amazing folks at Dark Horse Direct and Middle-earth Enterprises are giving fans of Middle-earth a chance to own collectibles from that film.
Right now fans can order Set One, which features three characters from the film. Set One will include Aragorn, Frodo, and Samwise. The Hobbits will come in at just under 5″ tall and Aragorn will be just over 6″ tall. They are made of PVC. As you can see from these high def photos, they’re very well done and match exactly what so many saw in those films all those years ago. Set One comes in with a price tag of $89.99 with a shipping date in Q4 of 2026.
Stay tuned for news of more Dark Horse collecetibles, coming soon!
Already a week has passed since Middle-earth March Madness for 2026 came to a close. Thanks to all who voted, discussed, debated, and generally played along! This year our theme was ‘Clash of the Collectibles’; our team of volunteer staffers offered their own favourite collectibles, and then we voted to get that down to 64 items, which became our opening bracket:
Three weeks and six rounds of voting ensued. With thousands of votes placed throughout the contest, we saw items we thought might go all the way – such as LEGO sets and Weta environments – fall in earlier rounds. Finally, just two items remained…
Stained glass vs DVDs
Talk about a David and Goliath match up! Some of the best selling DVDs of all time – the extended editions of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, in box set with collectible statues – versus hand-made, original designs from an independent artist, Geek Orthodox.
At first the contest seemed like it was going to be fairly one-sided, with the DVDs taking an early lead. Gradually, though, the stained glass came back. The final vote margin was 56% to 44% , with the winner being…
Congratulations to Geek Orthodox! A worthy champion, as a creator of unique, beautiful pieces – check them out here.
Here’s how the completed bracket looked:
Thanks again to all who joined the fun. If you have ideas for a future March Madness theme, please let us know – email spymaster@theonering.net See you same time, same place, next year!
Don’t forget, you can always join the discussion with fellow fans, at the Collectibles channel on our Discord.
