Jackson: Freeman “Bilbo-esque”

‘Hobbit’ director Peter Jackson recently praised British actor Martin Freeman, who will be portraying the story’s main character, Bilbo Baggins, in The LA Times, stating that Freeman “is fantastic and there is simply nobody else for the job. We couldn’t find anyone who was better than him. He’s simply fantastic.”

Jackson also explained the reason behind the month long production break was to allow Freeman, who had already signed on to another Sherlock Holmes series, to fulfill his previous commitment to the BBC. Jackson, well aware of Freeman’s prior commitment, cast him as The Hobbit’s lead anyway. 

“I can’t imagine anyone else doing Bilbo, which is one of the reasons, really, we signed him up even with having the Sherlock break – normally on a movie you wouldn’t want to do that with the schedule, but we literally couldn’t figure out any other actor we auditioned, you know. There is no other actor.” 

So what did Jackson see in Freeman that stood out from all the other ‘Hobbit’ hopefuls?

“He’s Bilbo-esque,” Jackson said. “You might not always want to say that about you, right? But seriously he has the essential features of this little English gent, this country gent who is slightly old-fashioned and has to go around in the world and try to cope with it. That’s not exactly who Martin is as a person, but as an actor he does that so well. The fish out of water with a sense of courage but also a wonderful sense of humor. The things that happen to him and the way he reacts to them — things he’s never seen in his life before as a stuffy little Hobbit — his response to it all is part of the charm. And he does have a great openness in his face.”

Fans can see Martin Freeman’s portrayal of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the first installment of the two-part adaptation, which opens on December 14, 2012. The second part, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, is scheduled for release on December 13, 2013.

Evangeline Lilly Spotted in Wellington

Three months after the birth of her baby boy, 'Lost' star Evangeline Lilly is the latest 'Hobbit' celebrity to have been spotted in New Zealand's capital of Wellington, following reports of Orlando Bloom, Stephen Fry, James Nesbitt, and Martin Freeman already being in the area. This past Sunday (August 21), she was seen going for a walk with her newborn child and boyfriend, Norman Kali.

Lilly, well-known for her role as Kate Austen on the ABC drama Lost, went on a self-imposed hiatus back in 2009.

"People are excited to try on the next chapter of their lives," she told New York Magazine. "This show is all-encompassing. We have had very little experience outside of the show during the last six years because it's just so demanding. It requires so much of us. So, it's exciting to have your freedom back, essentially."

Lilly is now in New Zealand to begin filming for Peter Jackson's highly anticipated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, in which she will be portraying the Elf maiden Tauriel. 

“Her name means ‘daughter of Mirkwood’ and, beyond that, we must leave you guessing!" said director Peter Jackson back in June. "What is not a secret is how talented and compelling an actress Evangeline is. We are thrilled and excited she will be the one to bring our first true Sylvan Elf to life.”

A spokesman for Jackson stated that filming had resumed last week and will continue until December.

A Sneak Peek into Middle-earth Network's New Websites

You've been hearing it from us for some time now: "We're working hard on our new websites, can't wait to share!" and it's about high time we gave you a sneak peek. When we founders of Middle-earth Network first launched My Middle-earth we were shocked to see how fast it gained your attention and it was apparent that fantasy fans had been waiting for a social network where they could find news, music, films, videos, blogs and groups all in one place. It wasn't long after the launch that we started talking about creating a brand new platform where we could offer fans even more. The talks turned into plans and now those plans are near completion. We are so excited to share our dreams and visions with you because you are the reason we do what we do. We at Middle-earth Network want to build a community, one that doesn't slap our logo on your individuality, but gives you the tools you need to make your own dreams become a reality. 


In this post you will learn about some new features we've added and ones that have been improved upon and you will get your first look at our new websites.


New Look

Right away you can see some vast changes compared to our old site. Gone is the drab darkness of the old site and all the thanks goes to some amazing artists within the community. Give a big round of applause to Ted Nasmith and Jef Murray for allowing us to use their creative masterpieces on our sites! These two are on my top "most amazing people EVER" list and I would encourage all of you to check out their websites where you can buy their art because, lets be honest, you are now jealous of our new look and want it on your living room wall.

New and Improved Features

While the old social site had some cool features, it lacked in them actually working. On the new social site you will now have the ability to use Facebook "like" buttons as well as "like" buttons within the network. You can create and join groups and upload photos and videos in your status updates, blogs and group forums. The chat bar on the bottom of the page will have a slightly different look and now comes with the option of a pop out window so your chats aren't lost when navigating away from the network. And here's one of my favorites, the "Who's Online Avatars" plug in. Now you can see which of your friends are online so it's easier to socialize. Brilliant!


There's much more, but I don't want to give it all away just yet. For now, let's raise a pint of Green Dragon ale to everyone who's helped us with this endeavor. Without you, none of this would have been possible. Cheers!

Wellington Hobbit friends meeting next month

Welly-moot #4 announced

On September the 4th, there will be an informal get together of Hobbit friends in Wellington, New Zealand. If you're in the area at the time, you're invited! There's no charge other than paying for your own coffee, and you get to meet some local fans and make friends. We discuss everything from the weather (snow, mostly) to the latest rumours we've recently run across in town.

The full details are on the NZ Noldor Facebook page, if you could RSVP there that will make it easier for the organiser (which is me)

Alternatively, if you're not on Facebook, leave me a message on the NZ Noldor blog itself.

See you there!

  - Jack M.

New Middle-earth Network Radio Show Explores the Lands and Peoples of Middle-earth

If you, like millions of others from around the world, find yourself captivated by Tolkien's Middle-earth and the lands and peoples he created, then Middle-earth Network Radio's new show will catch your interest. Titled 'Beneath Your Feet', every "episode explores a region of Middle-earth and looks at it's geography, history, and peoples" says the shows host who goes by the name of Shipwreck. "I have been a Tolkien fan since the movies captivated me and the books spirited me away to parts unknown." he went on to explain when I asked him what had inspired him to host the show. "I've been a LOTRO player since 2008 and enjoy many other online games. I wanted to create a show that would be informative for general Lord of the Rings fans and LOTRO players as well to enhance their experience of Middle-earth."

The 'Beneath Your Feet' pilot airs tomorrow, August 21, at 2, 6, 10 AM EST and 2, 6, 10 PM EST so be sure to tune in and don't forget to check out the 'Beneath You Feet' official website.

LOTRO - Rise of Isengard - Draigoch Revealed.

Well people its time to get excited about the Lord of the rings Online Expansion Pack with Draigoch the Dragon revealed as the 24 man Raid Boss. I must say the Screenshots look great, visually pleasing and the size of the Beast is impressive to with would be slayers being able to only fight his head due to his immense size.

Draigoch the Great.

Some people have condemned use of the Dragon arguing that after the Slaying of Smaug by Bard all the Dragons are extinct, this is not true there were just no Dragons mentioned after Smaug. Gandalf hiself said that there were no Dragons left with breath hot enough to destroy the One Ring implying there were some still in perhaps the Withered Heath slumbering waiting to be woken to erupt on another killing and pillaging spree.

I believe it is silly to read so deeply into Tolkiens Lore especially where Games are concerened at the end of the day Games are for fun and not to be judged like the Books or Movies, remember Lord of the Rings Movie was changed in vast amounts a lot being left out and characters changed and look how that did.

Draigoch spewing Flame from Mouth.

We at Middle earth News are defiantley optomistic about the release and think it will do well. Just enjoy it

MEN Extras required in Wellington!

Last week, it was widely reported that 3 Foot 7 Ltd had put out a call for ELF Extras via New Zealand's job seeking website, Trademe.co.nz.

Originally, the advertisement stated :

We are currently looking for slim men 17-30 years and between 165cm – 178 cm or 5’5” -5’8” AND slim women 17-30 years between 165cm – 173cm or 5’5” to 5’8” to play ELF extras.

I've just revisited the site, and it seems to have changed completely. It now it says :

We are currently looking for MEN based in the Wellington region aged 30 plus, medium - large build, 5'8" - 6 foot (175cm - 183cm) Character faces, beards, missing teeth - all good.

I'm not sure if that means they're still looking for Elves or no longer - I guess it pays to respond quickly to these advertisements!

I'm also not sure if they're looking for MEN as a race (as opposed to ELVES), or MEN as a gender (as opposed to WOMEN extras). I've put my application in just in case - I didn't qualify for the ELF call, but this time I'm in!

Bonus - it no longer requires applicants to be slim and pretty, in fact being larger and ugly may just count as a plus! So, watch for my name in the credits!

So if you live in Wellington (a requirement, I'm afraid), apply quickly before it all changes again!

- Jack M.

Originally published on http://www.nznoldor.com/

John Rhys-Davies Discusses the Possibility of ‘Hobbit’ Involvement

Recently, David Sztypuljak of HeyUGuys.co.uk spoke with actor John Rhys-Davies, whose newest film, War of Resistance, comes out next week. John, famous for his roles in such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark and the Lord of the Rings, plays a priest known as Eusi, who is hiding from the Nazis during World War II. And fortunately for us ‘Hobbit’ fans, Sztypuljak couldn’t resist asking a few questions about whether or not John might return to Middle-earth.   

 “I would love to!” John responded when asked about the possibility of a cameo appearance. “I’ve had a great sort of 180 degree turn. After I did The Lord of the Rings, I didn’t want to get near prosthetic masks ever again, I still don’t really, and I didn’t want to play a dwarf to be honest with you. Why be one of thirteen when you can be one of one. As time comes between you and the horrors of that make-up, slowly you begin to see things through rather rosy spectacles. I did go down and see him (Jackson) and I did come as close to grovelling as you can get (Laughs!). I’m sure that Peter knows that I grovelled!”

He adds that Peter Jackson “has everything that a Director needs. His organizational ability alone is completely remarkable. I think it will change the way films are made. I think he’s upping the game for every other film-maker in the world. Projecting in 48 frames alone is going to give a level of clarity that we’ve never had in film before, and I think he’s housebreaking 3d. He is such a grounded level man with all the characteristics that a great Director must have. Added to which, he built a film industry from scratch to an international level. Marvellous intelligence and a marvellous modest nature, Peter has got it all!”

Although he is off to New Zealand, he admits that, “It’s for marital purposes as I have a wife and child there!”

You can read the full interview here.

'Mirkwood' Novel to Become a Hollywood Blockbuster?

By now we all know about Peter Jackson's much anticipated Hobbit films which are based on J. R. R. Tolkien's book The Hobbit, but did you know Tolkien himself is about to hit the big screen? Well sort of. Mirkwood, written by Steve Hillard, caught The Eye of the Tolkien Estate back in March of this year. In it, Hillard uses Tolkien as one of the main characters and sends him to New York City searching for lost documents.



"[Tolkien is] a man haunted by the very myths he rewove into his famous works. As much literary criticism as boisterous epic, this episodically-driven plot explores the blurred borderlands where ancient tales, lost heroines, and epic journeys are stalked by dim monsters that will not be still. In 1970, Professor Tolkien makes a little-known visit to America-and sets in motion elvish powers embodied in a cache of archaic documents. Destinies are altered, legends become real, and two heroines must race for their lives in vastly different worlds."


The Estate cried fowl and demanded all copies of the book be disposed of, however, now it seems they've come to an agreement and not only will the book survive but it is also in the process of becoming a Hollywood script. EMO Films and Steve Hillard plan to make Mirkwood into a blockbuster hit, providing there are no more issues where the word "copyright" is involved. As the author of the novel explains, 


"The adaptation of 'Mirkwood' will follow the template of the novel, but will delve considerably deeper into Tolkien's little-known back story, such as his original plans to become a codebreaker in World War II up through the writing of his enduring works."


Whether EMO Films and Steve Hillard's plans come to fruition or not, Tolkien fans will be revisiting Middle-earth next year when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters on December 14, 2012 and The Hobbit: There and Back Again premiers the following year on December 13, 2013.

Rumour Retraction - Laketown not yet found

It looks like Laketown's secret location is still unknown to us. I previously reported that the Kurow-Duntroon area was being used for it but it turns out to be the wrong movie altogether - a New Zealand book called Mister Pip is being filmed there , starring Hugh Laurie.

Hugh Laurie (photo by Kristin Dos Santos via WikiMedia)

Mister Pip will be directed by none other than Andrew Adamson (of Narnia and Shrek fame).

So, no Laketown location yet. No apologies for the misinformation, that's just the nature of rumours!

- Jack M,

The NZ Noldor blog ( http://www.nznoldor.com )

Want to Play an Elf in ‘The Hobbit’?

The ‘Hobbit’ films’ production company, 3 Foot 7 LTD, is currently looking for people to play Elves in the upcoming films, for which filming will resume in Wellington in September.

“We are currently looking for slim men 17-30 years and between 165cm – 178 cm or 5’5” -5’8” AND slim women 17-30 years between 165cm – 173cm or 5’5” to 5’8” to play ELF extras,” the job posting states.

If you are interested in applying, the company asks you to send a head and shoulders and full body photograph to extras@3foot7.co.nz. For more information, you can view the job posting here.

Three Hobbit location rumours (none confirmed yet)

I'm hearing a few rumours in the last few days, all of which have been about separate South Island locations that are allegedly to be used for The Hobbit.

Note though - none of these rumours are confirmed, or investigated any further at this stage. I thought I'd share them with you in the meantime though - if nothing else, it shows that New Zealanders are also starting to get Hobbit Fever!

The first one concerns the possible location of Laketown, somewhere between Timaru and Oamaru. Somewhere in the Waitaki Valley there is supposed to be a large set either being considered, or already built (unlikely, I think - we would have heard about that, surely).

On further exploring the location via Google Maps, and considering that Luke Evans and Stephen Fry have just arrived into NZ, it seems a likely match. They are both major players in the Laketown scenes.

View Larger Map

For the full story, check my full report on the NZ Noldor Blog.

Also, Te Anau (south-west of Queenstown) is looking likely to be used again for Middle-earth - anonymous sources are reporting that "Hobbit people" are looking for accommodation in the area for late this year.

And finally, I've heard a small report from a further unnamed source that the town of Middlemarch (inland from Dunedin) is being considered as a Hobbit location.

Again, for the full story on these two reports, check my full report on the NZ Noldor Blog.

Nothing solid so far, but all interesting none the less!

  - Jack M.

Art Contest Update

There is so much going on at Middle-earth Network! With all of the amazing things we're working on for you, we have decided to hold off on the Art Contest for just a little while longer.

Once we launch our new platform and some of our incredible projects are underway, we'll have Contest details for you. There are so many amazing prizes lined up, so stay tuned!

Mythgard Institute Partners with UWIC

Mythgard Institute Press Release:

We are pleased to announce that the Mythgard Institute has agreed to a partnership with UWIC, the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff!  We still have some paperwork to complete, but when it is done, our Mythgard courses will be fully accredited in the UK higher-education system.  We’ll explain all the details when everything is finalized.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dimitra Fimi will again be teaching her online Tolkien course at UWIC this October 2011.

The course is entitled J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth and Middle-earth in Context, and is taught entirely online in 10 week units that explore Tolkien’s medieval sources and cultural context. Enrollment for this UWIC course is now open.

Good news!  The course is fully accredited and carries 20 British/European credits at the Masters level.

Even better news! Dr. Fimi’s course (20 European credits = an American 3-credit course) will be accepted here at the Mythgard Institute as counting towards our M.A. program.

RPG - Dungeons and Dragons

Dungeons and Dragons - most would argue the Daddy of all Role Playing Games (RPG's) and was the first major type of this game released, aka as Table Top Gaming it would become huge throughout the World. First copies of the Game were released in 1974 by Dave Arneson and E. Gary Gygax's TSR and was the first readily available Game of this type.

With this Game though there were problems, obviously not discovered till the Game went out to consumers were the teething problems found. This eventually led to Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (ADnD) the 2nd Edition a much tighter version of the initial draft tightening up Rules and advancing Spells and Combat giving better structure to the Game itself.


TSR was eventually bought out by Wizards of the Coast to steady a sinking ship as Computer Games and such started the decline of sales of RPG's. Wizards of the Coast was then sold on to Hasbro who reportedly paid over 300 Million Dollars for the franchise.


ADnD Released in 1989 saw the end and the Franchise was renamed well reverted back to Dungeons and Dragons on the release of its 3rd Edition, these Rules formed the basis of the D20 System which was now available to other Publishers due to the Open Game License. They did this to combat Bootleg versions, share the love was their motto. After that came Edition 3.5 in 2003 and the 4th in 2008.


As of 2006 Dungeons and Dragons was still the biggest game of its kind with only Middle Earth Role Playing (MERP) a Tolkien based version of the Game using the Lord of the Rings story and surroundings came close to challenging their dominance. The popularity of DnD can be seen with their overall sales reaching 1 Billion Dollars World Wide.

I still love to game and play MERP every Sunday still today, preferring this system to ADnD, MERP just feels more real and in your face so to speak. I will be covering MERP next, hope you enjoyed the article and please contact me if you need any advice on starting your own Table Top Gaming sessions and above all enjoy.

Meet the Hobbits Behind 'Road to the Shire' in our Exclusive Interview

They're down right funny and make the most entertaining videos, all for one purpose: to find their way back to the Shire. The guys behind the Road to the Shire are on a mission to raise $10,000 to ensure their safe travel to New Zealand, where they hope to gain Peter Jackson's attention and secure roles in The Hobbit films. In this interview you get to know the guys behind the project and their hopes for the future.

Who are the three "Hobbits" behind 'Road to the Shire'?

(Left) Berilac (Beri) Bramble of Willobottom: Mitch Stephens

A fairly normal kid from Utah, Fellowship of the Ring was the first novel he ever read and got him hooked on reading. He's an Advertising student at BYU and just finished his first Iron Man triathalon Coeur d'Alene ID.

(Center) Olo Toadfoot (Toad): Jonathan Wright

An advertising and public management grad student at BYU, he was born and raised in Georgia via Hawaii. He's a fierce whittler and loves creating things out of wood as well as making art. Loves music and skateboarding. Grew up listening to mom telling him stories about LOTR.

(Right) Olo Bracegirdle of Hardbottle: John D. Storey

An OG from the OV...comes from the Ogden Valley in northern Utah where his family has been their for like 6 generations. He loves hip hop, making videos, trying to rap, cats, and of course LOTR. His family is known for the delicious black angus Storey raised beef. Best hamburger you've ever tasted. 

(For further reading on their Hobbit life-stories, visit their Bio page.)


Why have you decided to take on this venture?

We love this movie and love the idea that fans can play a role (however small) in this historic event. It's a win win for us, fans, and the production because its a great promotional piece. We're not asking for major story changes--just to be involved...maybe some screen cred.

What will the $10,000 cover?

First and foremost its a way to get Peter's attention. Second to make the documentary and fund the trip/production cost for 3 hobbits. If Peter invites us we might not need the 10gs. We are definitely committed to the funds ourselves. Toad's ready to raffle his car for a dollar entry fee. Beri is raffling his TV right now.


What's your plan once your goal of $10,000 is raised and you find yourself in New Zealand?

We plan on going on location either by invitation or persuasion and documenting the entire journey for a short film.


You have made some very funny and entertaining videos, any others in the works?

Absolutely. We are cooking up some direct message short videos made specifically to reach out to celebrity Tolkien fans who can help get our message out to the masses.


Have you been contacted by any of Peter Jackson's connections?

We've spoken to a guy at Key Creatives who handles the management for Peter Jackson. We're still lookin to get in touch with PJ's people. We recognize it's still early in the game.


What was it that inspired you three to start the Road to the Shire campaign?

A couple things. First we love LOTR and we all have our own connections with the stories. Second one day we were sitting in a guest lecture where the speaker was talking about going out and making your dreams happen. He said you shouldn't wait for projects to be handed to you. We took that seriously. One night Toad was catchin up on some DVD extras from LOTR and realized the Hobbit would soon be in production. He got online searching info about the films all night. The next day, after a conversation with Beri, the concept for Road to the Shire was born. What could be cooler than engaging the fans that love and patron these films?

We just want people to know that when it comes to passion for these films we've definitely got it. We may not be the best J.R.R. scholars but we can match anyone's passion. We love it and are willing to put everything out there to make this happen. We feel like their are tons of people who either inwardly or outwardly love this epic and can resonate with our cause.

Follow Road the the Shire on Twitter.

Donate and help send Olo, Beri, and Toad back to the Shire.