We’ve been waiting for this more or less since we first finished watching all those ‘Fan Club’ credits roll on the Extended Edition of The Return of the King – and now it’s finally about to happen! On Wednesday 28th, from shortly before 4pm (New Zealand time!) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has its World Premiere in Wellington, which has become ‘The Middle of Middle-earth’ for this special event.
But after all this time, are you ready? Where will you be to follow the news as the event unfolds? Don’t panic – here at TheOneRing.net we’ve got you covered!
First of all, you need to know WHEN it’s all happening. This time clock can help you with that – convert the Wellington start time to your own local time, and then set your alarm clock! The official start is 4.30pm, but coverage will start from about 3.50pm New Zealand time.
WHERE is it happening? The map on the right (above) shows a layout of the streets around Wellington where the red carpet will take place. You can also read more details about the plans here and see a clearer map here.
WHAT will be happening? This is the outline of events on the day (again, starting c.3.50pm Wed 28th New Zealand time – that’s Tuesday evening in America, late night/early morning Tuesday/Wednesday in Europe):
Show Opening/Welcome
Neil Finn Performance including a performance of ‘Song of the Lonely Mountain,’ from the official soundtrack
The actors arrive, red carpet interviews and crowd interaction
Official Speeches
HOW can you watch it? Never fear – TORn’s here for you! We’ll be LIVE STREAMING events from Wellington. Keep your eyes on the homepage for details, and to see all the fun! Barliman’s will also be open for LIVE chat, discussion and general highjinks and frivolity! You can connect to Barliman’s chat room by clicking here.
We will also of course keep you up-to-date with the latest news, pictures and thoughts from our staffers who are lucky enough to be in Wellington for the big event! And don’t forget, there’s still time – if you hurry! – to get a ticket to join them at the best costume party in town, in Wellington on Monday night. Details here!
Finally, to fill in the time between now and then, here are a number of video clips to show you everything which is going on in New Zealand as they get ready for this not-so-Unexpected Journey!
A first look, including comments from Matt Dravitzki from Wingnut Films, at what is planned for the premiere of World Premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to be held in Wellington November 28th.
A look at the various Hobbit themed facades at Wellington Airport and around Wellington, in preparation for the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
The giant Gandalf being placed on top of the Embassy Theatre in time for the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey – part 1, with comments from production designer Dan Hennah.
Giant Gandalf installation part 2.
The cool Artisan market place being held on Wellington’s water front for five days, with offerings for sale from artists who worked on both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit!
Some of the activities and events which are being run in the build up to the world premier of The Hobbit in Wellington.
Are you quite ready for another adventure? Don’t forget your pocket-handkerchief!
News is out on the internet about Howard Shore’s upcoming soundtrack for the first of Peter Jackson’s three Hobbit movies. The release date is given as December 11th – so no month-in-advance November release this time, alas. As with the three Lord of the Rings soundtracks, there will be a regular edition and a special edition; you can see the artwork and read the track listing here. Neil Finn’s ‘Song of the Lonely Mountain’ is confirmed as the closing credit number, as we reported here. The track listing is interesting as it seems to confirm what has been speculated for a while about where the first movie will end; but I’ll say no more on that, for those who wish to stay spoiler-free! Hop on over to Fandango.com to read for yourselves, if you wish!
Our good friends at publishers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt wanted to be sure that fans in the Boston area know about a Hobbit panel, which will be part of the Boston Book Festival. The panel features folks such as Wayne Hammond, Christina Scull, Corey Olsen (The Tolkien Professor) and another friend of TORn, writer and lifelong geek Ethan Gilsdorf. The fun happens at 11am on Saturday 27th October – all details here. (NB We have it on good authority that the ‘sneak preview’ of the film will not include anything not already seen in trailers – so whilst it may be new to some in attendance, we know that everyone here will have seen it already!) What better way to spend a Saturday morning than in the company of fellow Tolkien fans?
We must close out the group for TORn’s Hobbit Premiere Tour this week, so this is your last chance to join in this historic trip. Rooms in Wellington are in great demand right now, and we can no longer hold onto unsold space. So after Wednesday, anyone making an inquiry to join the trip will need to wait for a confirmation of space and a possible change to existing pricing. Please see our Tour Page for all the details, including schedule, contact information and the Registration Form. The tour will include 4 nights in Wellington during the time Wellington will be gearing up for the premiere, and then 2 nights in Auckland and a day trip down to Matamata, home of the Hobbiton movie set. There will be a Premiere party in Wellington, as well as the actual Red Carpet event, as seen in the photo, and a luncheon at Hobbiton. All with a wonderful Fellowship of fellow fans, visiting one of the most delightful countries you can imagine.
Don’t be left wondering ‘what if’ once November rolls around and TORn’s coverage of the Premiere kicks into high gear.
Welcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. If you’ve fallen behind on what’s happening on the Message Boards, here’s a great way to 
catch the highlights. Or if you’re new to TORn and want to enjoy some great conversations, just follow the links to some of our most popular discussions. Watch this space as every weekend we will spotlight the most popular buzz on TORn’s Message Boards. Everyone is welcome, so come on in and join in the fun! Continue reading “TORn Message Boards Weekly Roundup – March 4 2012”
Welcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. If you’ve fallen behind on what’s happening on the Message Boards, here’s a great way to catch the highlights. Or if you’re new to TORn and want to enjoy some great conversations, just follow the links to some of our most popular discussions. Watch this space as every weekend we will spotlight the most popular buzz on TORn’s Message Boards. Everyone is welcome, so come on in and join in the fun! Continue reading “TORn Message Boards Weekly Roundup – February 26, 2012”
