Rings Stars Sign up for The Hobbit
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

Lord of the Rings stars Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis have signed up for The Hobbit and could soon be back in Wellington, according to director Guillermo del Toro.

Toro said he had "the most charming meeting" with Sir Ian, who played Gandalf the wizard in the Rings trilogy. "All bureaucracy pending, he's on board, as is Andy Serkis (Gollum)." Sir Ian's official website already has him booked to play Gandalf in The Hobbit in 2010. From London where he is putting the finishing touches to Hellboy II, del Toro said he and Kiwi director Peter Jackson met when they were both working on Halo - but even though that project never got off the ground, they stayed in touch. He had been adamant he would be interested in The Hobbit only "if Peter was involved" and the New Line lawsuit was resolved. More...

Life and Limb: 12 Mighty Pop-Culture Trees.
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

To celebrate Arbor Day EW.com assembled a dozen denizens of the forest and guess who topped the list!

It's Arbor Day, y'all! By nature, you might call these dozen denizens of the forest kinda wooden, but we say scene makers like the Ents in ''Lord of the Rings,'' Harry Potter's whomping willow, and the Lorax's truffula stand tall.

THE ENTS of the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2004) Sure, these giant walking-and-talking trees take too friggin' long to make any sort of decision — it's a good thing they don't wear clothes, or millennia could pass before they left the grove — but once they do get off their stumps, they're a force to be reckoned with. Just ask Saruman (Christopher Lee). More...

A Wraith Horse has Fallen!
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

Very Sad News...  A tragic accident at the Rolex Three Day Event in Lexington yesterday during cross country. Frodo Baggins’ The Horse Injured During Race, Later Euthanized.

Saturday, April 26, 2008 Press Statement.
Frodo Baggins (the Horse) and Laine Ashker (the Rider) fell at fence 5. Ashker sustained injuries but was conscious, talking and able to move all extremities when she was transported to the University of Kentucky Hospital. She is currently under the care of the emergency and trauma services staff.

Frodo Baggins was immediately attended by a team of veterinarians. He was given intravenous fluids and supportive medications for shock and pain. After he was stabilized, he was sedated and transported by horse ambulance to nearby Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, where he was immediately attended by emergency personnel.

Further tests showed that Frodo Baggins had sustained a fracture at the base of his skull, as well as severe lung injury. As the prognosis was very poor, a representative of the family concurred that euthanasia was the most humane option for the horse. A complete necropsy examination will be performed. Everyone at the event is saddened by the loss of this brave horse. Equestrian Events, Inc.

The horse 'Frodo Baggins' was the horse used in the scene where the hobbits are hiding under the tree and the black rider rides up next to them. Laine Ashker bought the horse six years ago from the owner in New Zealand. He was a New Zealand Thoroughbred.

More News...

Youtube.com Video of Horses fall (warning difficult to watch)

The Long Awaited Hobbit News is Here!
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

It’s Official! Del Toro to Direct Hobbit Films!

Filmmaker signs on helm feature and sequel. In a major step forward on “The Hobbit,” Guillermo del Toro has signed on to direct the New Line-MGM tent pole and its sequel. The widely expected announcement -- which had been rumored for several weeks -- came Thursday afternoon jointly from exec producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, New Line president Toby Emmerich, and Mary Parent, newly named chief of MGM’s Worldwide Motion Picture Group. Del Toro’s moving to New Zealand for the next four years to work with Jackson and his Wingnut and Weta production teams. He’ll direct the two films back to back, with the sequel dealing with the 60-year period between “The Hobbit” and “The Fellowship of the Ring,” the first of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. New Line is overseeing development and will manage production. Both pics are being co-produced and co-financed by New Line Cinema and MGM, with Warner Bros. distributing domestically and MGM handling international. More...

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Director will call Middle-Earth Home...
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro will spend four years in New Zealand making two films based on The Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit, it was confirmed today.

The official announcement was made in Hollywood by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson - who will co-produce The Hobbit - fellow producer Fran Walsh, and executives from New Line Cinema and MGM.Jackson and Walsh said del Toro was "a genuine storyteller" of outstanding ability.
"A true original, Guillermo is a cinematic magician who has never lost his child-like sense of wonder. He understands that the fantastic must be grounded in the real and that all stories are only ever a reflection of ourselves," say Jackson and Walsh. "We have long admired Guillermo's work and cannot think of a more inspired filmmaker to take the journey back to Middle-earth. We are delighted The Hobbit is in such trustworthy hands." More...

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Guillermo del Toro Chats with TORN About ‘The Hobbit’ Films!
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

In an exclusive interview with TheOneRing.net, Guillermo del Toro talks about Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Howard Shore, Animatronics vs CGI, the ‘tone’ of the upcoming ‘Hobbit’ films and much more!

Fans are all abuzz about ‘The Second Film’, can you tell some of your plans for it?

GDT: You know, I traveled to New Zealand just a little while ago, and one of the main reasons for going was to sit down and talk about the second film. ‘The Hobbit’, the book, is really one self-contained film, so for the second movie we sat down and worked it out. When we did this we got really excited because this second film is not a ‘tag on’, it’s not ‘filler’, it’s an integral part of telling the story of those 50 years of history lost in the narrative. There will be certain things that we will see from the first movie but from a different point of view, but it will feel like a volume, in the 5 volumes of the entire story. It will not feel like a bridge, I’ve been hearing it called ‘a bridge film’, it’s not, it’s an integral chapter of the story, and I think we’re all on the same page. More...

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Orcish Beastiary Update Coming Soon!
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

The Orcs and Wargs are gathering and growling at the the very Gates of Barad-dur. They want the Dark Lord to complete the last section of the Orcish Beastiary! I can't promise exactly when it will be complete but it will be coming soon.

I'm also working on our new
Dark Artist section that will showcase the Artists here at Mordor. And not to be forgotten is Mordor 4.0 which will be premiering in the next few months to celebrate our ten year anniversary!

Hobbit Announcement Imminent?
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

Guillermo Del Toro’s recent interview at IGN found here on YouTube.com hints at a major announcement about the status of The Hobbit that may becoming in just hours...

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John Howe Updates His Web Journal
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

ORPHANED
Or Falling off the Edge of the Earth

I was going to write something whimsical about how and when the Earth was thought to be flat, but an illustrator friend reminded me of something that seemed far more important than falling off a hypothetical edge of the world, and aptly so, since it appears that the world of image-making as we know it is on the verge of a plunge into the unknown itself. As usual in such cases, it is exceedingly difficult, amidst the welter of unsorted and contradictory information, to get any clear idea of what is really planned. The panic-mongers usually don't fully grasp the issues and their adversaries often brandish totally unrelated examples. Let me outline worst-case scenarios and paranoid musings based on what I've found out or not been able to find out so far. Hopefully, it will prove to be a tempest in a teacup. More...

Check Out the Latest From Sideshow!
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

Sideshow Collectibles premiers Galadriel Premium Format Figure!

The Galadriel Premium Format figure is a stunning 1:4 scale reproduction of the character and costume, as seen in The Fellowship of the Ring. Posed to capture Galadrial's farewell The figure is cast in high-quality, heavy-weight polystone, and dressed in an expertly-tailored scale reproduction of the costume. Each figure is hand-painted and hand-finished, and individually hand-numbered. Sure to be the ultimate Galadriel collectible, this figure is a worthy addition to any The Lord of the Rings display!

The White Tree Fund Continues Their Good Works!
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

Lara Sookoo, President of the White Tree Fund writes...

Earth Hour 2008 is only a couple days away and we are trying to get as many people as possible involved this year. We also have news of a petition to help a friend in the LOTR community as well as a way to make your voice heard for the people of Tibet. Our bulletin is to let as many people as possible know about these important issues and to let them know that they can get involved and help. Thank you so much for your support! We hope that together we can stand as strong as the Last Alliance.

Lay your staff below to read the full Press Release. We encourge all Tolkien Fans to help in what ever ways they can...

LOTR ONLINE: Exploring Middle-earth,
Landmark: Tâl Bruinen
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

Area of The Trollshaws

South of Rivendell and the Trollshaws, following the course of the river Bruinen south toward Hollin, lies a relatively uninhabited region known as Tâl Bruinen, where many small villages once stood. Time and troll-raids diminished them greatly, leaving the land mostly devoid of civilization save for a few fishermen and adventurous hunters. There was a time when Elves travelled frequently through Tâl Bruinen, but since the fall of Fornost in the West even their presence in the wilderness has become scarce.

Explore the Land of Shadow!
TheLandofShadow.com ~Ring Lord~

Take a journey into Mordor. Explore the secrets of the Hidden Vale were the ancient library of Sauron is hidden. With a Morgul Spell you will open this Dark Library and find the Map of Mordor!

For those of you new to The Land of Shadow.com, take moment to enter our interactive Map of Mordor. Lay your staff on all the secret locations deep within it's dark confines and discover every vale and mountain peak...