LOTR Movie |
LOTR Movie news archives from February 1998 through April 1, 2000 |
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LOTR Movie |
LOTR Movie news archives from February 1998 through April 1, 2000 |
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Lord of the Rings Movie News archives |
Special thanks to: 
for designing Xenite.org's graphics Contact Us! |
Elemental Films® has no plans to produce any of Sam Balcomb's, Raiya Corsiglia's, or Sam Nazarian’s projects. Elemental Films® is a registered trademark. All Rights Reserved. Any infringements of this federally protected trademark will be pursued to the full extent of the law. Monetary damages will be assessed for any and all trademark infringements.The Lord of the Rings movies · Peter Jackson, with funding from New Line Cinema, produced three movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings". Filmed entirely in New Zealand, and starring actors such as Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins), Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), Sir Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Liv Tyler (Arwen), Orlando Bloom (Legolas), and Christopher Lee (Saruman), the movies approximately follow the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings with which most Tolkien fans are familiar: "The Fellowship of the Ring" (December 19, 2001), "The Two Towers" (December 18, 2002), and "The Return of the King" (December 17, 2003). Xenite.Org has been keeping fans informed about the progress of the movies since February 1998, longer than any other LoTR movie news site. We are also home to some of the best Tolkien and Middle-earth forums, fan fiction, and commentary on the Internet today. LOTR Movie news archives from February 1998 through April 1, 2000 · Joram Manka tells us that Craig Parker (Sarpedon and King Cleades on Xena: Warrior Princess, Lucius on Young Hercules) has been selected to play Haldir, the march warden who meets the Fellowship of the Ring at the edge of Lorien and gives them permission to enter the enchanted land. · Eomer visited the White Council again and updated us on the "Elessar" project. Since the message is likely to be archived within a week or less, the full text concerning the movie is provided here (and please remember that he may be flooded with email if the various movie news sites publicize his announcement): Whew... first off I apologize for not responding to some inquiries about our "Elessar" project. Things have been crazy around here -- headshots are pouring in from people once they heard that Aragorn and Arwen are going to be portrayed by "local theater actors." What I can tell you right off is that the script is done and storyboards, production drawings, and previsualization shots are finished. As soon as we settle things in the legalities department casting should begin in Los Angeles. I'd be happy to answer what I can, if you write comments here or email me at elessarmovie@aol.com Our ICQ number is: 60842208· The Lord of the Rings Channel has a new homepage. What's a channel, you say? click here to find out more. But the homepage shows you everything that is available on the channel (and a little more). · Have you ever noticed how every time we add some neat new feature or gizmoid (polls, translations, news searches, etc.), it shows up on other LOTR movie sites? We're not just the oldest LOTR movie news site, we're the industry leader. Hm.... · Well, if George Lucas and Star Wars can become embroiled in racial issues it's almost guaranteed that Peter Jackson and The Lord of the Rings will, too. Check out the February 11 column at Suite101's Tolkien and Middle-earth topic, "When is a movie not just a movie?" · Tolkien-Movies.Com has been offering the official browser for The Lord of the Rings movies for download. Click here to get your copy (this link goes directly to their site -- we're just pointing the way to their download file as a courtesy). · New Line Cinema has set up an online club in the Lycos Communities. · Some scenes have been filmed in "the fortress of Mordor" in the mountains around the Queenstown area. · Arwen will appear in the battle at Helm's Deep. So she may also have the role of Aragorn's kinsman Halbarad in addition to taking Glorfindel's place on the road in Eriador. · Michael DeLuca of New Line Cinema has reported that Eomer will indeed be in the movie. · Brad Dourif (Grima Wormtongue) will be appearing at the Tolkien and Middle-earth track at Dragoncon this June 29 - July 2. · Arwen will be meeting Aragorn and the Hobbits in the Trollshaws forest, rather than Glorfindel as in the book. · Elemental Films is in preproduction on a short film called "Elessar", which will tell the story of Aragorn and Arwen. They are negotiating with the Tolkien Estate and Houghton Mifflin for rights to do the production, which may begin in January. The parked domain we had found is, we are now told by Eomer at Elemental Films, actually being set up for a different company. · Eomer dropped by The White Council: Discussion and FAQs for fans of Tolkien and the Inklings on Saturday, December 11, and told us "The 'Elessar' project is being kept fairly well-guarded, but here's what I can tell you. The story revolves around young Aragorn as he is forced to leave Rivendell and his affair with Arwen, by command of her father, Elrond. The film will be shot entirely in Los Angeles and will enlist several effects houses to make Middle-Earth a reality." · Eomer told Onering.Net that the official site will contain "production stills, storyboards, and quicktime clips" when they are available. · It has been reported that one extra is using a real claymore (a Scottish sword) in the movies. · New Line Cinema is planning to do Internet chats to keep fans updated on movie developments. The chats may be held at this location on Neoplanet, but so far the only sneak previews led to the beta site being closed down. · 3-D laser holography will be part of the special effects used in the films (see news article links). · Apparently, several actors will wear the One Ring. This is not entirely inconsistent with the story if there are flashbacks to the past. · About 50 roles will be cast from among New Zealand actors. The rest will be cast from among actors around the world. · Monster Makers has been contacted by Richard Taylor at WETA and their latex foam, McLaughlin Foam, (named for Hollywood Rubber Man Tom McLaughlin, who worked on "The Dark Crystal" and the "Star Wars" films) will apparently be used in the movies. McLaughlin foam is used by shows such as Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, and others, as well as many movies. · Special effects costs are exceeding early budget estimates and some people are making a big fuss over the issue (or non-issue). Budget overruns happen. · Tom Shippey, author of The Road To Middle-earth and a successor of J.R.R. Tolkien at Oxford University, is consulting with Jackson to ensure proper pronunciation of names. · Polish composer Wojciech Kilar has been selected to provide the symphonic soundtrack for the movies. He should begin working on the score around the beginning of May, 2000. · The Lord of the Rings movies are scheduled for release starting in Summer 2001, Winter 2002, Summer 2002. Some reports now say the first movie will come out in December 2001. · Visit The Official Lord of the Rings Movie Web Site and Wingnut Entertainment's Home Page. · Jackson has cut Tom Bombadil from the Lord of the Rings. However, he says that he is not combining Bombadil's character with anyone else's. The movie will simply jump ahead so viewers who know the book won't be upset at any unnecessary changes. · Arwen has been given a greater role in the Lord of the Rings movies. The emphasis on the love story between Aragorn and Arwen is being played up. Fans are alarmed that Arwen is being made into an Elven Warrior Princess. · Artists John Howe and Alan Lee have been working with Jackson. · Gollum will be completely portrayed through CGI. · The weapons being designed for the Lord of the Rings movies look more "realistic" than "fantastic".
· DragonCon, North America's largest fan-run SF convention, has created a new Tolkien and Middle-earth programming track. The track will feature four days of panels, videos, and more. Details are still being planned.
· Toy Vault's Lord of the Nazgul action figure features extracts from an essay by Michael Martinez about the history of the Lord of the Nazgul. The full essay may be found on Toy Vault's Web site.
The New Zealand army has announced they will no longer be able to participate in the "Lord of the Rings" production. Peter Jackson will have to find several thousand extras for the battle scenes from among other New Zealanders (foreign citizens are not able to work as extras in New Zealand except under special circumstances). Viggo Mortensen has replaced Stuart Townsend as Aragorn. Principal photography finally began on Monday, October 11, in New Zealand.
New Line Cinema is announcing that "in the coming weeks we will have full
content [on the official movie Web site] to support the start of production.
Production features and personal interview updates by Peter Jackson" will be
included in the new content.
It's being reported to the movie news/rumor Webmasters that Sean Connery has been seen in Porirua City, Wellington, New Zealand near Peter Jackson's Miramar headquarters. No immediate connection with the movies has been reported. TheOneRing.Net is reporting that Michael DeLuca has said Uma Thurman is up for Eowyn, not Galadriel, and that Cate Blanchett is up for Galadriel (although Blanchett is not confirmed). The Uma/Ethan listings may still be tentative. Rumors about the reported set of Bree are confirmed. Alan Lee is designing the set, which will be filmed mostly in the dark and rain, apparently.... It's being reported that Gary Gygax (co-creator of Dungeons and Dragons) has been hired as a consultant. I've received recent word that Gygax has denied any association with the movies. I've asked for confirmation. It's also being reported that a "Making of..." film is in the works and camera crews are visiting the sets. Sir Ian Mckellen has opened a new section on his Web site where he'll post a running commentary as the Lord of the Rings movies are filmed. Houghton Mifflin Company and New Line Cinema are running a sweepstakes where U.S. Residents can win a free trip to New Zealand and a visit to the set of "The Lord of the Rings". The deadline for mailing entries was October 31. A call went out on New Zealand's South Island for horses and riders to play the Riders of Rohan in the Lord of the Rings movies in September. Reportedly, as many as 250 horses will be used in the movies. The huge masses of Rohirrim cavalry will be represented through special effects. Ironically, Ian Holm provided the voice for Frodo in the of BBC's production of "The Lord of the Rings". Robert Trebor (Salmoneus on Xena and Hercules) announced at DragonCon in July, 1999, that he had auditioned for the role of Gimli. He used a Scottish brogue for the Dwarf's voice but did not get the part. Warwick Davis ("Willow") announced at a STAR WARS convention held in April, 1999, that he had audtioned for the role of Gimli. He had not, at that time, been told whether he got the role. But we now know John Rhys-Davies was given the role. An Australian newspaper reports that Jackson is working with New Zealand writers Stephen Sinclair and Phillippa Boyens on the scripts. And Ngila ("Nyla") Dickson, costume designer for HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS and XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, has left the fold at Pacific Renaissance Pictures to go work for Jackson. Set construction began on North Island under heavy security in early April, 1999. About a week later, construction on another set was begun in a valley somewhere near Auckland. The New Zealand army was reportedly involved in the work on the second set site. It was also announced in April that George Lucas, scheduled to work on the second STAR WARS movie in Australia late in 1999, had signed on with Jackson as a consultant. New Line Cinema has signed a deal with Peter Jackson to underwrite a three-movie production of The Lord of the Rings. Casting for the three movies began in December 1998 and should mostly be finished. The hobbits will be played by full-sized actors and shrunk by computer. The films will be shot in New Zealand over the course of a year (starting in September 1999). Links to news articles are provided below. Bruce Hamilton posted a Progress Report to rec.arts.books.tolkien on Saturday, January 30. It is included here with his permission. |
This Lord of the Rings Movie News page is copyright © 1997-2005 by Michael L. Martinez. All rights reserved. |