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Edoras battle rumors confirmed - Lord of the Rings news - J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings

August 19, 2000 at 13:37:50

The Company of the Ring long ago announced that what was probably Edoras was being constructed at a location near Mt. Potts in New Zealand. Word now comes that a battle is to be filmed on the Edoras set. Battle? What battle?

The Press is reporting where the film company goes next and notes that "[LOTR films publicist Claire] Raskind said big battle scenes would be filmed at Mount Potts, where a set representing Edoras, the capital city of Rohan, from J. R.R.Tolkien's Middle Earth, has been built."

Tolkien purists will have another heart attack over this one. No battles occur at Edoras in the literary story, although the appendices do describe a previous civil war in Rohan when the people of Edoras were driven into the mountains by Dunlendings and Easterlings. Is it possible that the story of Helm Hammerhand will make an appearance in the movies to explain the history of the Hornburg (and Rohan), or is Saruman's invasion being enhanced to make him seem more menacing and threatening to the security of the Free Peoples?

Tolkien fan site spy networks may produce some reports of who works at the Edoras set. At the very least, fans should recall that Theoden assembles over 1,000 Riders at Edoras after Gandalf heals him in the literary story. Scenes at Helm's Deep have already been filmed.

The article also mentions that The Press was forced to file a special request under New Zealand's Official Information Act to get a response from the New Zealand Defense Force concerning its involvement in the upcoming battle scenes. Raskind says 300 soldiers will be involved, the NZDF says only about 100 will be involved.