Director Jay Russell is updating his MySpace website more times than the average 14 year old schoolgirl. Take a look at a ton of very cool pre-production images from New Zealand and Scotland! The talent behind the camera on this project continues to impress; mega-producer Barrie Osborne (The Matrix, LOTR Trilogy), Production Designer Tony Burrough (Hotel Rwanda, A Knight's Tale), Art Director Dan Hennah (King Kong, LOTR) & Visual Effects Guru Joe Letteri (King Kong, LOTR). Take a look! [More]

On 2/6/07 Lionsgate will release The Last Unicorn: 25th Anniversary Edition — a widescreen digitally remastered DVD version of the animated classic, including additional features and material — with special Conlan Press distribution on behalf of author and screenwriter Peter S. Beagle. The Last Unicorn has been a worldwide success in its theatrical film, cable, VHS, and DVD versions. But to date, author and screenwriter Peter S. Beagle has never been paid anything from the millions of dollars the film has earned. [More]

Be sure to check out our weekly Sideshow Collectibles update! Each week we provide an update on your favorite Sideshow goodies, from busts to premium figures and more! Take a look! [More]

Peter S. Beagle is known worldwide for his novels, non-fiction, and screenplays. His most famous work, The Last Unicorn, has sold more than six million copies and routinely polls as one of the Top 10 fantasy novels of all time (Its follow-up, "Two Hearts," just won the 2006 Hugo Award). Peter is deeply involved in Middle-earth, having written the famous introductory page in Ballantine's LOTR paperback editions and the screenplay for Ralph Bakshi's Lord of the Rings. This coming February 6, 2007, Lionsgate Entertainment will release a special 25th Anniversary DVD of The Last Unicorn, with a screenplay by Beagle. [More]

From: 1up.com: Under the condition of anonymity a source revealed to 1UP that the ambitious, licensed, RPG that was to be Lord of the Rings: The White Council is no more. The RPG, a game that was titled Project Gray Company before the Lord of the Rings' veil was lifted in July, was to be a game where players participated in the battle for Middle Earth, but not as one of the Tolkien-series' main characters. [More]

Codemasters has released a new trailer for Turbine's upcoming Lord of the Rings MMORPG, which it's publishing later this year. Available exclusively through Eurogamer TV, the trailer shows off lots of Shire-y locations. And if you've not checked it out in the past, you ought to take a look at our Shadows of Angmar gamepage, where all the cool hobbits hang out. [More]

Cate Blanchett is on the way to winning her second Academy Award in three years, but Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman had their Oscar hopes dashed. The Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG) nomination ceremony, a key indicator for next month's Oscars, was held in West Hollywood with Blanchett scoring two nominations. Australians Toni Collette and Alan Dale were also nominated. Watts, for her performance in The Painted Veil and Kidman for Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, were both snubbed by SAG voters. [More]

115 years ago today, the late great Professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born. On behalf of your fans around the world, male and female, young and old, we raise our mugs and toast your spirit, your life, and your great good works.

Win 1 (of only 3) exclusive 'REVELATION' framed gold discs, including a commemorative plaque personally signed by Christopher Lee, and personalized with YOUR NAME!!! Just answer five skill testing questions, enter your personal information, and three winners with the most correct answers will be selected at random. The answers will be posted on Jan. 13, 2007, and Christopher Lee himself will conduct the winners draw which will be webcast live! [CLICK HERE TO ENTER!]

TheOneRing.net is teaming up with New Line Home Entertainment, EA Games and Sideshow Collectibles to present our 2006 Holiday Giveaway! Ten lucky Ringers will walk away with a prize pack worth nearly $450! Ringers from all over the world are entering - don't miss out! Check back on January 8th to see who wins! [Enter Today]

Ian McKellen ("The Lord of the Rings," "X-Men," The Da Vinci Code) has signed on to voice the narrator role in Matthew Vaughn's romantic fantasy Stardust for Paramount Pictures, says The Hollywood Reporter. The film, which boasts a cast including Claire Danes, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer and Charlie Cox, wrapped production in the fall. McKellen is recording his part during postproduction before the film's July 27 release date. [More]

caoil writes: On Wednesday, January 3rd, Mellynannui (the Rings fan group for the Lower Mainland of BC) is hosting another Professor's Birthday Toast. The event starts at 7pm, and will be held again this year at Red Robin at Metrotown. (#112 - 4640 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC). Hope to see some local Ringers out!

John D. Rateliff moved to Wisconsin in 1981 in order to work with the Tolkien manuscripts at Marquette University. He has been active in Tolkien scholarship for many years, delivering papers on Tolkien and the Inklings. While at Marquette, he assisted in the collation of their holdings with those Christopher Tolkien was editing for his History of Middle-earth series. A professional editor, he lives in the Seattle area with his wife and three cats (only one of whom is named after a Tolkien character). His upcoming book, History of "The Hobbit," is described by TolkienLibrary.com as "An essential resource book for the forthcoming movie adaptation of The Hobbit."

TheOneRing.net asked John to comment on the recent activity regarding The Hobbit, here is what he had to say: As I see it, there are two paths a film of THE HOBBIT could take, one being to stress its affinities with THE LORD OF THE RINGS and the other to emphasis its independence (it was after all originally written as a stand-alone story). [More]

Lynnette Porter is the author of Unsung Heroes of The Lord of the Rings: From the Page to the Screen and other books about popular culture, including Unlocking the Meaning of Lost: An Unauthorized Guide. She contributed essays to Lembas for the Soul and a chapter in the forthcoming book, How We Became Middle-Earth. She is a frequent speaker about film, television, and popular culture at academic conferences such as the Popular Culture Association, Tolkien 2005, and Hawaiian International Conference on the Arts and Humanities, as well as fan events like ORC and ELF . She has been conducting research at the Tolkien archives at Marquette University and will soon return to New Zealand in preparation for writing two Lord of the Rings-related books.

TheOneRing.net asked Lynnette to comment on the recent activity regarding The Hobbit, here is what she had to say: The importance of the choice of the director making The Hobbit depends on your perception of whether Tolkien’s world can be easily captured on film. Many fans of Tolkien’s book weren’t happy with Peter Jackson’s adaptation of LotR and probably wouldn’t be thrilled with his adaptation of The Hobbit. [More]

Amy H. Sturgis is a scholar of science fiction and fantasy and Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Belmont University. She is the author of multiple books, book chapters, and articles, and a regular guest speaker at universities and conventions across the U.S. and Canada (including the recent ORC and Gathering of the Fellowship events in 2006). Some of her most recent works include contributions to Tolkien on Film: Essays on Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings (2005), Mythlore (2006), and The J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment (2006). She is the editor of the first scholarly English edition of Baron de la Motte Fouqué's epic precursor to Tolkien, The Magic Ring (2006), as well as the forthcoming Past Watchful Dragons: Fantasy and Faith in the World of C.S. Lewis (2007). This year Sturgis was awarded the 2006 Imperishable Flame Award for Tolkien/Inklings Scholarship by Heren Istarion, the Northeast Tolkien Society, and was the Scholar Guest of Honor for the Mythopoeic Society's annual Mythcon conference. Visit amyhsturgis.com.

TheOneRing.net asked Amy to comment on the recent activity regarding The Hobbit, here is what she had to say: I find the current situation between New Line Cinema and Peter Jackson to be unfortunate, because 1) this turn of events offers disappointment and even bitterness in place of the love and enthusiasm many Ringers feel for Tolkien's source texts, their adaptations, and the larger Tolkien community, and 2) it also may dissuade future filmmakers with passion, commitment, and vision from pursuing their dreams as Peter Jackson has done, for fear of encountering the same frustrations Jackson has described. In short, it seems bad both for fandom and business for such controversy to repay such success. [More]

Osse writes: I would like to inform that Part Two of the opera "Leithian" by Adam Klein – the story about love of Beren and Luthien based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "Silmarillion" - will be performed on April 14 and 15, 2007 at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 225 West 99th Street, New York City. Click here for more info.

We would also like to inform you that at our Tolkien website has an interview with Adam Klein, the composer of the opera. The interview is also available in English. We invite everybody to read it and get to know what a wonderful person Mr Adam Klein is and how long he took to write the opera "Leithian".

Kristi writes: Tolkien Forever's 5th annual Tolkien Toast. Come celebrate The Professor's birthday, Jan 3rd 2007 at The Cat and The Fiddle restaurant in Hollywood, CA (6530 Sunset Blvd.) at 7pm. We Toast "To The Professor" at 9pm. For more info about The Tolkien Forever Fellowship click here or go to tolkienforever.net

Director Jay Russell has created his own Myspace account and is flooding it with coolness about 'The Waterhorse'! Take a look at 7 storyboard pages from the film. He promises more fun stuff to come! [Jay Russell's MySpace]

This being the holidays the studios have decided not to release any films of significance, instead we get the bottom of the barrel films as enjoyable as a post-New Years Eve party hangover. The one film that looks interesting, mainly from a 'so bad its good' point of view is 'Snakes on a Plane'. Take a look at the rest of the short list here! [More]

TORN Staffer Altaira writes: The Misty Mountains Smial of the Tolkien Society will hold their 5th annual Tolkien Toast at the Celtic Tavern in downtown Denver on Wednesday January 3 rd, J.R.R. Tolkien's birthday. Enjoy birthday cake, share your favorite Tolkien reading and have a chance to win "The J.R.R. Tolkien Companion and Guide," donated by Houghton Mifflin, as well as other prizes! [More]

Be sure to check out our weekly Sideshow Collectibles update! Each week we provide an update on your favorite Sideshow goodies, from busts to premium figures and more! Take a look! [More]

Seems like there is a lot of news coming out of Sideshow Collectibles these days! This time, collectors have a second chance to purchase the Legolas and Gimli on Arod Sideshow/Weta Polystone statue! There are only 20 being offered to collectors, which means they will probably go quickly. (In fact, this was only offered to Sideshow newsletter subscribers just a few hours ago). We've also linked a review of this piece if you were sitting on the fence about the purchase. [Order] [Review with Additional Imagery]