Stephen Colbert will host a trio of cinema-only Lord of the Rings cast reunions as part of Alamo Drafthouse’s free series to encourage moviegoers to return to their local independent theaters following a year ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is with sadness that we say goodbye to Ian Holm who passed away today at the age of 88. He played Bilbo Baggins in ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ movie trilogy and reprised the role in ‘The Hobbit’. He well understood the world of Tolkien as he had previously played Frodo in a radio drama of LOTR. We will all miss him.
Read his obituary here.
An announcement by Amazon Studios states that all location and studio filming has been suspended for two weeks, although it is likely to continue for longer. We wish all involved the very best and to keep safe. More here
Calling all weirdos. The new Amazon series is short of ‘interesting’ people to play baddies. Read more here.
Tom Shippey and John Howe are on board the Amazon Prime bus, according to the lotronprime trailer.
Tom Shippey gives an interview here describing what they can and cannot do in the story. There will be twenty episodes in the first series.
It looks like the Secondary World will be going home to New Zealand. The new Amazon TV production will be based at Queenstown. More here.
Amazon’s new Middle earth series is to be set in the Second Age, if this map is anything to go by. Will we meet Elrond again? And Galadriel and Celeborn?
Amazon has been scouting locations in Scotland to use in their upcoming TV prequel to LOTR. There are plenty of lochs and mountains but it’s not New Zealand. Read more here.
Raising money for regional theatre and other causes, the tour will have 80 dates from London to the Orkneys. The show starts with Gandalf and might end with members of the audience joining in. Read more here.
Empire Magazine has just published its list of the 33 top movie trilogies of all time. To read the article and learn whether any of Peter Jackson’s Tolkien trilogies made the list you just need to click here .
