ANZ This adorable video makes an excellent addition to Air New Zealand’s more lighthearted and fun approach to safety videos shown at the beginning of every flight.

Kiwi filmmaker Taika Waititi has taken two Middle-earth fans and placed them in the middle of an Epic Journey, surrounded by Hobbits, Dwarves, Orcs and Elves, and some of them are the actual actors from the films. All the bases are covered, seat belts, electronic devices, life vests, etc, but there is a very definite Middle-earth vibe going on. Continue reading “Air New Zealand unveils the Most Epic Safety Video ever made”

The annual tradition of determining who won or lost at San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing across the blogosphere. The all-volunteer staff of TheOneRing.net (who always attend on their own accord and dime) experienced all the booths, panels and exclusive lines at SDCC 2014.

After taking it all in, here are just a few reasons we think 2014 SDCC belonged to The Hobbit. Continue reading “The Hobbit totally won San Diego Comic-Con. Here are just eight reasons why.”

Many thanks to Ringer Piet for bringing this video of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Panel to our attention.  Before you get your hopes too high, the teaser trailer has been excised from the video, so it only shows the Panel, but it’s still worth watching for that.  Meanwhile we’ll all keep hoping they’ll release the trailer online soon.

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Fantasy-Con’s official mascot!
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These dwarves aren’t afraid of Smaug!

The first annual FantasyCon was an amazing weekend! Tens of thousands of fans from around the country and many actors from around the world traveled to beautiful Salt Lake City, Utah for an engagingly fun weekend of group panels, signings, photo ops and fireside chats. Here is a recap of some of the fun from several TheOneRing.net staff members who made the journey there.

Elijah Wood Hosts Kickoff Party

Starting off the week was an amazing dance night hosted by Frodo himself DJ ElWood!

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Elijah Wood is on the right in the center of the stage. Frodo has some groovy tunes!
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Official Fantasy-Con photographers got better shots than we did 😉

Middle-earth Kick-Off!

To start FantasyCon with a celebrity blast, an all-star group of Tolkien guests took the stage including:

  • Sean Astin (Samwise)
  • Adam Brown (Ori)
  • Billy Boyd (Pippin)
  • Jed Brophy (Nori)
  • John Callen (Óin)
  • Peter Hambleton (Glóin)
  • William Kircher (Bifur)
  • Sylvester McCoy (Radagast)
  • Graham McTavish (Dwalin)
  • Mark Ordesky (Executive Producer LOTR)
  • John Rhys-Davies (Gimli)
  • Ken Stott (Balin)
  • author Doug Adams (‘The Music of The Lord of the Rings’)
  • artist Donato Giancola
  • Badali Jewelry
  • …and the staff of TheOneRing.net!

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Continue reading “FantasyCon 2014 Full Recap!”

DJEWood Empire Magazine grabbed Elijah Wood for a forty-minute live interview and Q&A at the Edinburgh International Film Festival just the other week. At around 30-minute-mark they asked him about The Hobbit.

Empire: Speaking of tiny, tiny independent productions, what can we ask you about The Hobbit?
Elijah Wood: You can ask me anything. I don’t know that much. I don’t know that much about it, but you can.
Empire: There must be a kind of joy to that with people going “Oh go on, spill us a secret”. “Nothing. Got nothing”.
Elijah Wood: I kinda don’t have anything. *pause* I know how it ends.
Empire: Woah.
Elijah Wood: That is actually a secret I do hold. So I do know that. And it’s great. Oh, it’s good. It’s really good.

You have to listen to this just to hear the way Wood teasingly says Oh, it’s good. He’s so evil! 🙂

Big tease aside, this must surely re-open thoughts of a book-end conclusion that mirrors the opening of An Unexpected Journey? Thanks to Ringer Martin for the heads-up!

 

ParadeWith only 10 days left until the largest gathering of Middle-earth actors, artists and other talents converge on Salt Lake City for FantasyCon, TheOneRing.net is joining the ranks for the event’s July 4 parade. TORn submitted an entry in the walking parade that features 40 or more groups of costumers marching the morning of July 4 from the streets of the city into the mammoth convention hall where the celebration of Fantasy awaits. Continue reading “TheOneRing.net joins the FantasyCon parade, seeks costumers”