Official War in The North Trailer Out Now

Well here with yet more War in The North Love with the Officially Released Trailer out today. Warner Brothers and Snow Blind are on to a winner here with an amazing teaser seeing our Three Hero's battling Dark Forces in a Mini Fellowship including a Human Ranger, Dwarf Warrior and a Female Mage. I do not want to say too much but I am in love with the Full Platemail Clad Dwarf in all his glory, its a shame Gimli did not wear such Armour.

The new take on WITN is a winner and they have looked to have tied the story up pretty tight to coincide with other goings on in Middle Earth. Angandaur seeks to destroy the Northern Dwellers for Sauron, this is where you come in to help defend the Northern Territories. With Co-Op a massive part of it, players must join together to complete the Quest or perish doing so.


We can not wait for this title to hit shelves and will be doing a full comprehensive review as soon as the game is released in the Fall. Remember to go to www.WarInTheNorth.com to Pre-Order your copy.

Confirmed Voice Actors for War In The North

When War in The North (WITN) started looking for Voice Actors for the lead roles they knew there was some big shoes to fill, Ian Mckellen was great as Gandalf with a stern yet soothing, wise voice and they need something similar for the WITN Game so they looked to Tom Kane (left) better known for his take on Yoda in the animated series Star Wars - The Clone Wars where he did a great job, he is also known for his work with Marvel on various Animated ventures and a part in the massive Call of Duty - Black Ops.

You may also recognize Nolan North's voice from the Uncharted Series where he voiced Nathan Drake, in WITN he will bring life to the Human Ranger Eradan that makes up one third of the New Fellowship. Nolan also has many credits with Marvel playing Dead Pool and Game experience playing parts in Black Ops and Assassin's Creed.

Another confirmed Voice Actor is Yuri Lowenthal (right) playing Frodo Baggins. Somewhat of a Game Voice Veteran with many Games under his belt including Dragon Age 2, Fallout - New Vegas and the Prince of Persia which he has voiced the lead in seven outings. Yuri also has links to Anime with parts including the well known Afro Samurai, surprisingly he plays Ben Tennyson in the ever popular Ben Ten cartoons.

With such Voice Talent involved and the already visually stunning Graphics shown, mixed in with some stunning Music we at Middle Earth News think WITN will be sure fire hit.

Enter to Win Sideshow Collectibles' Comic Con LOTR Contest Giveaway

Starting today, July 8th though July 15th, you can enter Sideshow Collectibles' LOTR Contest giveaway where two randomly selected winners will walk away with a 'Lord of the Rings' Film Frame Collectible. Sideshow's flawless attention to design and detail make this contest a must for any LOTR fan, so be sure to enter! Click here for an official list of terms and conditions.

Contest Details

Start Date:

Jul 08, 2011 7:00am PT

End Date:

Jul 15, 2011 10:00am PT

Current:

Jul 8, 2011 8:02am PT

Winners:

TWO (2) randomly selected winners who enter this giveaway before the cut-off time will walk away with a 'The Lord of the Rings' Film Frame Collectible!

The names of the winners will be posted here after the contest closes. The potential winners will be contacted by email with confirmation instructions, so watch your inbox!

Don't forget to check out Sideshow Collectibles' first image of their up-and-coming Arwen statue as well as their newly released Boromir statue (also available in Exclusive Edition). Be sure to add SC to your Comic Con itinerary and follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

John Rhys-Davies Goes Geek Over 48 Frames And Expresses Wish To Join Hobbit Cast

John Rhys-Davies (Gilmi the Dwarf and the voice of Treebeard in LOTR), was among the other stars to gain press this week. In an interview with  STV’s The Hour he stated, “Jackson is actually going to change the way films are made. It’s really a paradigm change. Just shooting at 48 frames for instance, I’m sorry if this is all technical boring stuff but we who are in the business really love this. Films are never going to be the same after this film comes out. ‘The Hobbit’ is not as profound a film as ‘Lord of the Rings’, but it is so loved.”

It was a visit to the set of The Hobbit, when Davis realized how much he wanted to be a part of the film. He told Belfast Telegraph “It was a very strange feeling going back and seeing so many old faces... Seeing Ian McKellen and young [Andy Serkis] Gollum...It was like going back to your old school where you were being a person of real importance and they treated you courteously, but you're no longer part of it. It really plucks the heart strings. So I grovelled as obsequiously as I could, to no avail, but Peter's a very merciful chap... Let's put it this way. I have been sending pushy, grovelling signals.”

Those Pesky Hobbit Casting Rumors Answered!

Saoirse Ronan

Take in a sigh of relief because those annoying and all too frequent Saoirse Ronan rumors have officially been laid to rest. The Irish actress admitted today that "It's probably not going to work out with ‘The Hobbit’ unfortunately... I would have been working for about a year on it and there were other projects that I was very interested in, but Pete and Fran have been very good about it and very understanding.” As far as visiting the set she stated, "I'll have to just go back down to New Zealand for a holiday and hang out with the hobbits."

Lee Pace

Dean O'Gorman

Other casting news broke last week after The Hobbit suddenly lost Robert Kazinsky who had been cast as Fili the Dwarf. Fans had been eager to hear who would replace him and the announcement came April 30th that Kiwi actor Dean O’Gorman would fill the gap, and play Fili, along with the unexpected news that Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) has been cast as the Elven-King Thranduil, ending all David Tennant rumors. Meanwhile Hugo Weaving fans got a treat when Peter Jackson posted a picture of them both on the set of The Hobbit, and within a short time it was announced that he will be reclaiming his roll as Elrond for the film.

Q&A with Ian Brodie - Author of the Award Winning LOTR Location Guide Books

His photographs have been printed on commemorative NZ stamps, his LOTR Guide books have won international awards and are NZ’s top selling non-fiction. Peter Jackson, himself, allowed him to photograph LOTR in the making! He co-produced the documentary “The Real Middle-earth” and has appeared as a co-presenter on NZ’s Discovery Channel. Working for Hobbiton Tours, he gets to walk the Shire everyday, and in 2005 he became a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for Services of Tourism for the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Meet Ian Brodie: Tolkienist, photographer, author, producer, presenter, and pilot!

You first read LOTR when you were 14, what was your reaction and how did that carry over to your love of Tolkien’s work today?

When I first read Tolkien I was immediately drawn into the world of Middle-earth. It was so complete with a history and a geography that was so real. The way Tolkien describes the country is breathtaking. I immediately wanted to explore more of Middle-earth and soon realised that I was actually living here. My first reading coincided with a family holiday which included a stop in Tongariro National Park and a walk to a waterfall. That walk immediately became a stroll through Ithilien to Henneth Annun. We also went down to the South Island and I was not seeing New Zealand as we travelled but Middle-earth again. In homage to my first walk in Tongariro and that first reading there appears in my extended Location Guide an image of Tawhai Falls. Some 28 years later when it was announced that The Lord of the Rings was to be filmed here I knew immediately that the country would be one of the major stars. I also thought that there might be some people that might like to visit the locations, such as I had in my mind all that time ago. The book was written with a love of my country and a love of Tolkien. What I totally underestimated was the interest there would be. Ten years later and we have sold 450,000 copies of the guide, making it the most successful of all The Lord of the Rings film tie in books and one of the top five selling books in New Zealand history. It shows the power of Jackson and Tolkien!

It says on your website that your love of photography began when you started taking pictures from airplanes. Can you take a moment to tell us about your passion for flying?

My love of airplanes started when I was about five, with the photography love coming along a couple of years later. I was very fortunate to be able to combine the two when I started taking images of aircraft air to air in the 1980s. There is something special about being in an aircraft with either no door or canopy and being 10 feet from another aircraft. Air is fluid like water and to watch the other plane move up and down with the movements as you fly with beautiful scenery as a backdrop is a truly amazing experience. Photography is my love and I really enjoy sharing my images. I try to put at least two images a week up on my Facebook page which links back to my portfolio. If I get any comments about the images it makes my day!

You hold the current title of “Media and Communications Manager” at the Hobbiton Movie Set and Farm Tours. What’s it like working and living life out in what many call the real Middle-earth, New Zealand?

I believe I get paid for my hobby and there is nothing better than that. Occasionally I do get to take tourists on our tours and that is a real tonic as I get to see it through another fans eyes. The ability to visit Hobbiton Movie Set whenever I feel like it is priceless. I have a large number of images taken of the set over the last 18 months which I am hoping I will be able to release after The Hobbit films come out.

Not only are you a photographer, but an an award winning author as well, can you take a moment and give us some incite on what the book-writing process is like?

For me, writing is a discipline and it is writing early morning. I tend to get up at 4-00am and go for it. Planning is important and if you have not gathered the information in the field you will find it difficult as you start to collate and turn thoughts into words. Writing Cameras in Narnia was easy for me, mainly because it was using the words of the brilliant people working on the film from many interviews I undertook.

 Richard Taylor, of Weta Workshop, wrote a raving review about your writing and photography. Who else has your job brought you into contact with?

Working on the LOTR location guide brought me into contact with many of the cast and crew. As a fan, I was like a kid in a candy store. Peter Jackson graciously allowed me to be on set for a few weeks during pickups for The Return if the King. Not only were my son and I allowed to sit in on filming we both also ended up with small extra parts. It was like being part of history. I will still never forget the look on my 9 years old daughters face when we met Orlando Bloom! Proudly hanging in my office is a copy of my guide surrounded by signatures of many of the cast and it is a constant reminder of some of the happiest days of my life. I loved being in the set of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and watch such clever people bring a film to life. I don't think that many people can comprehend the amount of sheer hard work that goes into the making of a film. I was also fortunate to be allowed to photograph The Waterhorse whilst it was filmed in NZ and Scotland. I have so much gratitude to people like Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Andrew Adamson, Barrie Osborne and Jay Russell who gave me these opportunities.

The Hobbit is currently in production, and many of the shooting locations have been chosen, do you plan on writing a location guide for the film, as you did for LOTR?

I would love to and I guess all I can say is "watch this space". My fingers are crossed.

What scene from The Hobbit are you most looking forward to?

I can't wait to see Smaug but for me it will be how New Zealand is again interwoven with Middle-earth and the landscapes that will again appear.

You can follow Ian Brodie on his website, Twitter, and Facebook.
All images copyright Ian Brodie and used with permission.

EXCLUSIVE: Q&A Interview with Dr. Dimitra Fimi

Dr. Dimitra Fimi

One of the most fascinating things about J. R. R. Tolkien’s novels, is the sheer depth and amount of time he put into creating the world of Middle-earth. Every culture has a rich history, ready for the reader to explore and enjoy. And no one is more versed in his work than Dr. Dimitra Fimi. Her passion and profession is Tolkien. Author of Tolkien, Race and Cultural History: From Fairies to Hobbits, as well as numerous articles on his work, Dr. Fimi’s on-line classes are as extensive and thorough as one of Tolkien’s stories. Meet the Professor who can help take your knowledge of Tolkien, and his life’s work, a step further.

What prompted you to study, and later teach, Tolkien?

I first encountered Tolkien when still an undergraduate of English Language and Literature at the University of Athens, Greece. From childhood I was fascinated by Classical mythology, Greek and Roman, which was – of course – part of my heritage, but also the main reason that led me later on to study folklore professionally (my Masters degree focused on Celtic myth and folklore). What I found really intriguing in Tolkien’s work was his undoubted success in creating a coherent mythology, something very similar to primary, or “real” mythologies: he managed to compose a body of interconnected tales and legends, that is usually the product of an entire culture or even nation. That’s what triggered my first research questions that later led to my PhD.

You are not just a professor, but an author as well. Would you take a minute to talk about your writing?

I have published a series of articles on Tolkien’s work: on the Victorian fairylore inspirations of his early work; his creative reshaping of Celtic material in the legends of Middle-earth (see here and here); his use of Old Norse material culture; and there is also a forthcoming essay on the uses of folklore in Peter Jackson’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. But the most important writing project on Tolkien I have undertaken is my book, Tolkien, Race and Cultural History: From Fairies to Hobbits (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008) which won the Mythopoeic Scholarship Award in Inklings Studies. The book focuses on Tolkien’s cultural and intellectual context: it attempts to explain the centrality of the Elves in Tolkien’s extended legendarium; it explores Tolkien’s language invention as an integral part of the Middle-earth cosmos; and it argues that Tolkien’s work changed from a ‘mythological’ to a ‘historical’ mode when he started writing The Lord of the Rings.

Out of all the classes you have taught, is there one in particular that is your favorite?

I am a lecturer in English at UWIC (University of Wales Institute, Cardiff) and I have been teaching Tolkien for a while now, at undergraduate and Masters level. My favourite class is my online MA course: J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth and Middle-earth in Context which explores Tolkien’s mythology in terms of its medieval roots and its contemporary cultural milieu. I really enjoyed writing this course, and I was given generous funding to enrich UWIC’s electronic library, so now my online students have full access to the journal Tolkien Studies, the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia (ed. M. Drout) and a great number of e-books and digitised material from the best of Tolkien scholarship. Teaching online is a great experience: I moderate a lively Discussion Board on which my students have to respond to specific questions and tasks every week. Since the course it taught entirely online, I have had students from all over the world, including the US, New Zealand, Asia, and Continental Europe. It’s great to meet students from each corner of the world who want to study Tolkien in a serious, academic way. The course will actually run again starting in May 2011. More information can be found here.

What is it about Tolkien that you find so alluring?

The depth and richness of his invented world. Middle-earth has often been described as one of the main characters of The Lord of the Rings, and the reason for this is that its peoples, languages, and cultures had existed in Tolkien’s imagination for many years before The Lord of the Rings was ever conceived. The amount of detail that went into the construction of this secondary world is just mind-boggling!

Are there any future lectures, books, or projects we can look forward to?

At the moment I am finishing a paper on Tolkien and Kipling for the Tolkien sessions at Kalamazoo in May. There is also an article in preparation with more on Tolkien, faith and the fairies. In June I will be leading a ‘Literary Walk’ to the Brecon Beacons in Wales, talking about Tolkien’s Welsh connections and inspirations, and in 2012 I will be speaking at The Return of the Ring (the Tolkien Society’s next international conference). There are numerous other projects in progress, but I can’t talk about them yet!

I’ve heard it said by some that Tolkien’s novels come across a bit sexist because of the lack of feminine characters. What’s your take on this?

I think this is a very ‘easy’ and broad-brush approach to Tolkien, which takes a sweeping look at the big picture but ignores the detail (a lot of misguided criticism of Tolkien does exactly that – but as I hinted above, in Middle-earth God is in the detail!). Tolkien’s strongest female characters appear in less known works such as Aldarion and Erendis: The Mariner's Wife in Unfinished Tales, and The Debate of Finrod and Andreth in volume 10 of the The History of Middle-earth (Morgoth’s Ring).

What advice would you give to someone who is interesting in reading Tolkien?

Be patient and take your time to digest the sheer wealth of tales and interconnected legends that make up Tolkien’s legendarium (and don’t skip the poems!). Don’t stop at The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings: they are just the tip of the iceberg! The real journey starts with The Silmarillion, and the most exciting revelations are to be encountered in the 12 volumes of The History of Middle-earth.

Favorite characters in The Lord of the Rings? The Hobbit?

Sam Gamgee and Gandalf!

Favorite scene/moment from his novels?

Far too many to choose from! But at the moment I would go for Eriol’s sojourn in Tol Eressea in The Book of Lost Tales. Oh, and Frodo’s parody of ‘The Cat and the Fiddle’ in the Prancing Pony.

Did you watch the LOTR films, and if so did you enjoy them?

I did watch the films and I enjoyed a lot some parts of them (other parts did not work so well). They were a noble effort to bring Tolkien’s work to the screen.

Are you looking forward to ‘The Hobbit’ films?

Yes – I am particularly looking forward to seeing a real dragon on the big screen!

That ends the Q&A interview. However, if you are interested in taking Dr. Dimitra Fimi’s upcoming online class, J.R.R. Tolkien: Myth and Middle-earth in Context, watch the introductory video below: