Various images of Orlando Bloom in Tokyo Wednesday, April 13, 2005. He was Tokyo to promote Ridley Scott's 'Kingdom of Heaven,' the saga of a battling knight, played by Bloom, in the Middle East during the Crusades era. [More]

Turgon writes: We've just posted a new Science of Middle-earth Column by Olog-Hai, a brief update to one of his previous speculations. This update is called "Sex and the Single Orc". [More]

John Rhys-Davies will be in the new NBC series 'Revelations' tonight (April 13th). Take a look at the website for this biblical thriller! [More]

New Zealand’s newest and largest international sound stage was officially launched by the Rt. Hon. Helen Clark today. It is a 24,500 sq. ft., 40 ft. high, soundproofed, fully enclosed studio space in which filming can take place uninterrupted by weather and other noise. This facility, the largest in New Zealand, is on a par with the biggest and best sound stages in Hollywood and London. The new sound stage joins the numerous other screen production resources in Miramar developed by Camperdown Studios Ltd., co-owned by Oscar® winners Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor and Jamie Selkirk. [More]

Michael Meads from the Neonatal Trust writes: I am a trustee of a charitable organization called the NeoNatal Trust, based in Wellington NZ. We are responsible for raising funds to buy life support equipment for premature babies and to give support and guidance to those parents and families of babies that have a difficult start to life. [More]

Johnny Depp may make an appearance in Wellington in February – joining fellow Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom. Depp is to join Bloom – who lived in Wellington for more than a year filming The Lord of the Rings – and another Pirates of the Caribbean star, Keira Knightley, on the crew of a boat in the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race. The yacht will be named the Black Pearl – after the pirate ship in the film – and its sail will feature a giant skull and crossbones as part of a promotion for the sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. [More]

Cinema Online will host a live webcast interview with Orlando Bloom, star of upcoming war epic "Kingdom of Heaven" this Wednesday. The live stream is broadcast from Tokyo and will be accessible this Wednesday, 13 April at 5.45pm Malaysian time. The show will kick off with footage of Orlando's arrival at the airport. From 6.00pm onwards, there will be a selection of live broadcasts from the red carpet and clips from a previous press conference. [More]

The folks at movies.monstersandcritics.com have some images from Ian McKellen and Marton Csokas' latest film 'Asylum'. Take a look! [More]

A visibly slimmer Peter Jackson has revealed his secret to losing about 13 kilograms in weight – muesli and yoghurt. Jackson, in the final stages of filming King Kong, revealed his diet regime to Britain's Daily Telegraph yesterday. "I just got tired of being overweight and unfit, so I changed my diet from hamburgers to yoghurt and muesli and it seems to work." Jackson also acknowledged that he is so well known in New Zealand he rarely ventures out in public because strangers want to talk to him, take his photo or get his autograph. [More]

Magpie writes: The Children's Theater Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota is presenting The Hobbit from APRIL 26, 2005 to JUNE 19, 2005. The Children's Theater produces plays for children but their productions are on par with any adult theater in the area. In 2003 it won the a Tony Award for best Regional Theater... the first theater for young people to ever receive that award. [More]

Turgon writes: Henry Gee has posted some news at his website on the UK book tour for his book, THE SCIENCE OF MIDDLE-EARTH. The first date is today (12 April) in Tolkien's own city of Oxford, where he'll be speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival. Clikc here for the full schedule. [More]

linuxelf writes: Yesterday night on the program Close Up At 7, there was an artical aired about the hobbit stage play. It is listed under Close Up: Close Up: Hobbit on Stage. [More]

Sean Astin is slated to be a guest on ABC's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' LATE tonight/tomorrow at 12:05AM. Set those TiVo's!

The New York Philharmonic present 'Music from the Movies' tonight (April 12th) in the Big Apple. The event is essentially made up of many famous movie themes, going all the way back to music like the love theme from Spartacus, the overture to El Cid and all the way to Far and Away, Schindler's List and....LOTR! [More]

David Wenham and Sarah Wynter strode the red carpet at Dendy Opera Quays last night at the premiere of new Australian movie Three Dollars. Based on Elliot Perlman's best-selling novel, the movie stars Wenham, Wynter and Frances O'Connor. It tells the story of Eddie Harnovey (Wenham), an honest man who finds himself with a wife (O'Connor), a child, a mortgage, but only $3 to his name. Guests included actors Richard Roxburgh, Sacha Horler, Sybilla Budd, Hugo Weaving and Joel Edgerton. [More]

The latest issue of SFX Magazine features this article on Ringers: Lord of the Fans, take a look! [More]

A Line Party has been setup for the John Howe booksigning event in Toronto! Be sure to sign up and be the first in line! The first 45 people will receive a copy of EA GAME, “The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle–earth” a real time PC strategy game. We will also be giving away “Lord of the Rings Symphony” posters that John Howe can autograph. You are welcome to come in costume! Come April 23rd, Toronto goes Geek! Please note: The Line Party is for the April 23rd event ONLY, the EA Game and posters will be available at the 22nd event in Kitchener as well. Sadly, I will not be there myself. More info on the John Howe Booksignings. [Toronto Line Party]

Elizabeth T writes: The Georgia Renaissance Festival starts this weekend. In the Royal Area of their games/rides section, they mention a new Lord of the Rings area. Check out the link for more information on tickets and directions. [More]

Deenan writes: I wanted to let the gamers and Elijah Wood fans know that he will be hosting a half hour show introducing the new Xbox 2 on MTV. [More]

Ringer Spy mattman sends along scans from the latest edition of Entertainment Weekly (issue 815) which features this look at Dominic Monaghan and his hit show 'Lost'. [More]

Sean Astin will voice a cat raised as a dog in Imagi Services upcoming computer-animated movie Cat Tale, says The Hollywood Reporter. Elisha Cuthbert, Stanley Tucci and Alan Cumming round out the feline cast. [More]

Ringer Spy Celebriel sends along these images from the LOTR festival this past weekend in Vacaville, California! Looks like the locals had wonderful weather, and a great time! [More]

Lomara writes: Animator Ralph Bakshi will be appearing at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood at the end of April for an in-person tribute. The films scheduled for screenings include his animated "Lord of the Rings", of which few prints remain. His own personal copy will be the one used. You can find more information at the Egyptian's website. [More]

Sabrina writes: I just got the pamphlet for the 2005-2006 Season for the Concert Association of Florida and noticed that Renee Fleming will be performing. She performs on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 8:00 PM at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. This is the opening night of the Rowland Scharfer Premier Series. [More]

TORONTO - Outside the Estonian House on Broadview Ave. yesterday, 2,000 wannabe hobbits, orcs and elves lined the parking lot and driveway, like the hordes of Sauron preparing to attack Gondor. Okay, actually, they were more like a lot of high school and college kids who cut class for an American Idol-like lottery shot. [More]

rohanlady writes: Just found out that David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence" starring Viggo Mortensen will be shown at this year's Cannes Festival as well as "Sin City" starring Elijah "Frodo" Wood. Thought you might be interested. [More]

"When Manwë heard of the ways that Melkor had taken, it seemed plain to him that he purposed to escape to his old strongholds in the north of Middle-earth; and Oromë and Tulkas went with all speed northward, seeking to overtake him if they might, but they found no trace or rumour of him beyond the shores of the Teleri ..." (The Silmarillion Chapter 8 -- Of the Darkening of Valinor) [More]

Ancanar, an independent Tolkien-inspired film that seems to be coming up on its 4th year of post-production, has released a new trailer. Take a look at it here! No word on a release date, in any format. [More]

"The Good German" has captured the attention of George Clooney and Cate Blanchett. Clooney is in talks about the project, and Blanchett has entered into negotiations to topline the romantic thriller, which Steven Soderbergh is directing for Warner Bros. Pictures. Soderbergh and Clooney are producing through their Section Eight Prods. [More]

Frodo_for_President writes: So, I got my Premiere magazine in the mail today, and was quite excited because it's all about Revenge of the Sith and upcoming summer movies. So I'm flipping through, and I see a caricature of Dom, so I screech to a halt. It's a blurb about Ringers!! "Three Lord of the Rings movies and a year's worth of DVD extras still not enough hobbit for you? Don't worry, there's a new documentary to take you back to the Shire..." [More]

Jef writes: Andúnië, the Atlanta, Georgia smial of the Tolkien Society, will be holding its spring meeting this coming Sunday, 4/10, from 6-8pm at the Emory University Catholic center. Smial members will be be discussing the Silmarillion from "Of the Ruin of Doriath" (Chapter XXII of the Quenta Silmarillion) through the end of the book. All with a philosophical/theological interest in Tolkien's work are welcome! [Directions]

(PRWEB) April 7, 2005 -- In this month issue of Melroze Web Magazine get to know Orlando Bloom. Bloom has been tipped to play a young James Bond in a movie series designed to endear the suave master spy to younger viewers. Bloom also stars as a 12th Century commoner who finds himself thrust into a decades-long war, in Kingdom of Heaven. [More]

Orlando Bloom, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Bono, Tom Hanks and Jamie Foxx have all joined the war on poverty — in a 60-second public service spot to air globally Sunday on ABC and MTV networks. Liberal doyenne Susan Sarandon, Christian conservative Pat Robertson, hip-hop kingpin Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and 33 other entertainers, preachers and politicians will help promote "One: The Campaign to Make Poverty History" and its Web site, www.one.org. [More]

Howard Shore has an 800-pound gorilla on his back that's cancelling his trip to Des Moines. Shore, an Academy Award-winning composer, was scheduled to conduct the Des Moines Symphony's performance of the "Lord of the Rings Symphony." But he is tied up with his latest film project, "King Kong," and won't be conducting any of the other 20 dates the "Rings" symphony is scheduled to be performed around the country in the coming months, according to his agent. Guest conducting in Shore's place will be Munich native Markus Huber, a chief conductor in Bulgaria and guest conductor of a variety of orchestras in Germany. [More]

The Middle Earth Festival will be held in downtown Vacaville, CA starting today (April 7th) until April 10th. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien's tremendously popular "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, the festival will coincide with the 50th anniversary of Houghton Mifflin's publication of "The Fellowship of the Ring." The Middle Earth festival is family-oriented and features numerous old-time demonstrations including: chain-mail making, calligraphy, spinning and weaving. Artisans, crafters and food vendors will add to the festivities. Many other activities will help draw participants into the Middle Earth experience. [More]