{"id":121447,"date":"2026-01-16T16:57:41","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:57:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/?p=121447"},"modified":"2026-01-16T16:57:44","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:57:44","slug":"week-in-rings-mithril-cut-new-aragorn-lotr-in-cinemas-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2026\/01\/16\/121447-week-in-rings-mithril-cut-new-aragorn-lotr-in-cinemas-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Week in Rings &#8211; Mithril Cut, New Aragorn, LOTR in cinemas &amp; more"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"intro\">This was a week of special magnificence of LOTR news!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lord of the Rings returns to cinemas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>WB and Fathom Events kick of the #LOTR25 year of celebration by bringing the Extended Editions back to theaters starting today. Over the next couple weeks you have the opportunity to watch any of the Extended Editions on the big screen. Not limited to USA only, we have reports of many countries getting the cinema treatment too! Check your local theater listing or start at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fathomentertainment.com\/series\/the-lord-of-the-rings-trilogy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Fathom Events website<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The &quot;Lord of the Rings&quot; trilogy has generated $5 million in box office presales ahead of its theatrical rerelease, with approximately 407,000 tickets sold so far.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IKDIER8eir\">https:\/\/t.co\/IKDIER8eir<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aQxxO1SIRK\">pic.twitter.com\/aQxxO1SIRK<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Variety (@Variety) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Variety\/status\/2011507445072609328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 14, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>AMC theaters will have a special Middle-earth Map popcorn tin, and Regal Cinemas have a ring themed 25th anniversay tin. Other cinema chains may have either, so check with your local theater. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"121450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/615475447_1274600304704131_745954352312890806_n-1-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121450 no-lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/615475447_1274600304704131_745954352312890806_n-1-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/615475447_1274600304704131_745954352312890806_n-1-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/615475447_1274600304704131_745954352312890806_n-1-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/615475447_1274600304704131_745954352312890806_n-1-128x160.jpg 128w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/615475447_1274600304704131_745954352312890806_n-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"820\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"121451\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.45.14-PM-1-820x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121451 no-lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.45.14-PM-1-820x1024.png 820w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.45.14-PM-1-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.45.14-PM-1-768x959.png 768w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.45.14-PM-1-1230x1536.png 1230w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.45.14-PM-1-128x160.png 128w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.45.14-PM-1.png 1244w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Aragorn to be recast<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With new LOTR films on the way from Philippa Boyens and team, it was inevitable that some conversations around recasting characters would occur. It seems that time has come as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/2026\/01\/13\/121401-aragorn-is-being-recast-on-hunt-for-gollum-movie\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">reports surfaced of auditions<\/a> currently happening in London and Wellington to cast a younger Aragorn actor, said to be around Joe Keery&#8217;s age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In Search of&#8230; Young Smeagol <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Also being cast for the new &#8220;Hunt for Gollum&#8221; film directed by Andy Serkis is a young Smeagol and Deagol. <a href=\"https:\/\/knightedgemedia.com\/2026\/01\/casting-call-goes-out-for-young-smeagol-in-lord-of-the-rings-the-hunt-for-gollum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Reports from Knight Edge Media<\/a> are they are looking for children around 10 years old that can pass for Stoors, which Smeagol and Deagol were. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/empire-magazine-lotr-25th-anniversary-issue-v0-tqtdo75hh5cg1-791x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Empire cover LOTR 25\" class=\"wp-image-121457 no-lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/empire-magazine-lotr-25th-anniversary-issue-v0-tqtdo75hh5cg1-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/empire-magazine-lotr-25th-anniversary-issue-v0-tqtdo75hh5cg1-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/empire-magazine-lotr-25th-anniversary-issue-v0-tqtdo75hh5cg1-768x995.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/empire-magazine-lotr-25th-anniversary-issue-v0-tqtdo75hh5cg1-1186x1536.jpg 1186w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/empire-magazine-lotr-25th-anniversary-issue-v0-tqtdo75hh5cg1-124x160.jpg 124w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/empire-magazine-lotr-25th-anniversary-issue-v0-tqtdo75hh5cg1.jpg 1581w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mithril Cut, or the Extended EXTENDED Edition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>EMPIRE magazine LOTR 25 tribute issue is out (<a href=\"https:\/\/apple.news\/IBF49dFRiRwGu0uxbnLYqaw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Apple News+ Link<\/a>) and biographer Ian Nathan got Peter Jackson to admit the long-rumored Mithril Cut of LOTR is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.empireonline.com\/movies\/news\/lord-of-the-rings-extended-extended-edition-mithril-cut-doesnt-exist-peter-jackson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">dead and doesn&#8217;t exist<\/a>. Although, just a paragraph later, PJ mentions a more definitive documentary that we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oLtCwGlk6gY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">first reported 10 years ago<\/a> which WB needs to fund for completion. Word from insiders say that WB marketing are closely watching the fan reaction to the Mithril Cut news, so it may be a good idea to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=cVBde0BlFhA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">express yourself <\/a>on social media! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look for the EMPIRE LOTR 25 issue on Newsstands or places like Barnes &amp; Noble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Elijah Wood is coming to YOUR house for the Superbowl<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Skittles candies have a contest running right now to send Elijah Wood to your house for the big game. <a href=\"https:\/\/delivertherainbow.com\/?contact_posted=true#ContactForm\">Details here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"449\" src=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.48.50-PM-1024x449.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-121452 no-lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.48.50-PM-1024x449.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.48.50-PM-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.48.50-PM-768x337.png 768w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.48.50-PM-1536x674.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.48.50-PM-2048x899.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-1.48.50-PM-255x112.png 255w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Another Tolkien Scholar sails west<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This week we lost another cherished family member of the Legendarium. Author Walter S. Judd worked with his son on The Flora of Middle-earth, a defining text on the plant life of Tolkien&#8217;s world. Get a copy at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Flora-Middle-Earth-Plants-Tolkiens-Legendarium\/dp\/0190276312\">Amazon<\/a> or your local bookstore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-twitter\"><blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Very sad to hear that Walter S. Judd, co-author of &quot;Flora of Middle-earth&quot; has passed away. RIP. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/YuU79DuZFV\">pic.twitter.com\/YuU79DuZFV<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Thoughts on Tolkien (@tolkienthoughts) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tolkienthoughts\/status\/2010576655677620394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 12, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This was a week of special magnificence of LOTR news! Lord of the Rings returns to cinemas WB&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":121457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[149],"tags":[432,2499,4414,1324,4413],"class_list":["post-121447","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lotr","tag-aragorn","tag-casting","tag-elijah","tag-gollum","tag-superbowl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/empire-magazine-lotr-25th-anniversary-issue-v0-tqtdo75hh5cg1.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1tLoH-vAP","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/112"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121447"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121447\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":121458,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121447\/revisions\/121458"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.theonering.net\/torwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}