Master of Ceremonies-spectaculaire Marc B. Lee wrote in to tell us that Billy Boyd is the latest addition to this years Ring*Con in Bonn, Germany! read more about it here or visit the official website at RingCon.de!

Great news for Aussie ringers in or near Brisbane! The Supanova Convention (18th and 19th September, RNA showgrounds) is boasting some big names, including Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies and John Noble, as well as some of the WETA Workshop crew! [More]

Isembard Took writes: Dominic Monaghan is scheduled to appear at the "ABC Primetime Preview Weekend" at Disneyland's Californian Adventure (in Anaheim, CA, right next to Disneyland) on Saturday, September 11, there to promote his upcoming Fall show on ABC, "Lost". There is no information on tickets/reservations at the moment, it just says check back soon. [More]

Satarina writes: Bruce Hopkins has just been added to the guest list for DragonCon 2004. [More]

Rebekah writes: The Fremont Outdoor Cinema is showing Fellowship of the Ring, August 28th. It’s going to be a fantastic evening with Jet City Improv and the Northwest Tolkien society teaming up for some great pre-show activities, contests and prizes! The doors open at 7:30, film begins at dusk. Don’t forget your costume! [More]

Kailin writes: News has just been updated about when the Lord of the Rings musical will premiere in London. It's been moved from Spring to Autumn of 2005. Check out the news story below, and the official website below that. [More]

Keith writes: Sean Astin's mother, Patty Duke, finally got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The unveiling was on August 17, 2004. [More]

Frodo writes: The French version of the LOTR Symphony will be broadcast in Canada on Monday September 13th at 8PM on ARTV (The french equivalent to Bravo!). [Artv.ca]

BEAVER — A dozen days ago, this tiny town of 95 at least tripled in size as people waited for the filming of Elizabethtown, written and directed by Cameron Crowe, to start. Film crews darted around Eureka Springs and Berryville on Aug. 3, including stops at Dinosaur World and the Great Passion Play grounds. [More]

The poster spotted around the net and reported about here just a few days ago is apparently a fake. Folks from Universal claim the creative is nothing they've approved or seen to date. More info soon.

As September draws near, various Ringer groups around the world will be gearing up for their Bilbo's Birthday celebrations. Ringers in the San Francisco Bay Area have established a tradition of hobbity picnics which are great fun. The next one is on September 25.[More] Remember folks, you can use TORN's Line Party page to organise or search for similar events in your part of the world.

Melody Of the Shire writes: The Dallas Symphony will be giving two performances, Thursday, October 7th and Friday October 8th. Tickets just went on sale for individual seats. Good seats available for Thursday. Friday seats are very limited. [More]

Kevin writes: I found this while surfing. So far I' haven't been able to make it all the way to one million. You will need Shockwave to play this game (Click here to download). Slight Language Warning [More]

Lee writes: Computing magazine in the UK is running a poll on the Greatest Computer-Generated Movie Sequences. Todays nomination is for the battle of Minas Tirith; the poll is at the bottom. [More]

LaWise writes: Swiss film director Marc Schippert is currently filming a LotR spoof movie called The Ring Thing. The script is by Christoph Silber, who was co-author of the script to 'Good Bye, Lenin'. The story is more or less the following: The Dark Lord Sauraus (meaning "PigOut" in German) wants to cover all of Middle Earth with Fondue. The bank clerk Friedo is turned into a hero without wanting to be one, because he falls through the toilet of an airplane into an adventurous world of fairytale in the middle of the Swiss Alps and has to save Middle Earth from the boiling, yellow cheese-fluid. The film will be in Swiss cinemas as of 9th December 2004. [More]

Ted Nasmith has confirmed that he will be signing copies of his new illustrated edition of the Silmarillion at Forbidden Planet, 179, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR on September 15th from 5.30-6.30. [More]

The lineup just keeps growing. The latest addition to the LOTR-cast-shudded Fellowship Festival is none other than Karl Urban! Get your tickets while you still can... [Fellowship Festival website]

John Cook writes: Just an email to say I've posted a new Lord of the Rings cartoon. This one has Elrond presenting a dodgily reforged sword to Aragorn. Check it out here!

Ian McKellen has signed up to provide the voice for the magical character Zebedee in Pathe's movie version of the U.K. children TV classic The Magic Roundabout. He joins a voice cast that includes Robbie Williams, Jim Broadbent, Ray Winstone, Kylie Minogue and Bill Nighy. [More]

Sad news this morning as TORN learns that Peter Woodthorpe, who brough Gollum's voice to life in the BBC radio presentation and animated version of The Lord of the Rings, has died. According to monkeyheaven.com Woodthorpe had not been too well for a while. He was 72.

Various websites are reporting about a possible teaser poster for King Kong deriving from CHUD.com. According to sources the poster was spotted at the film exhibitors conference in Queensland, Australia this week. Hit the thumbnail for a larger version!

Ringer Spy Taniwha writes: I just got home from Eva Dixon's in Miramar, and outside on the patio having coffee was Sarah Peirse, star of Rain and the ill-fated mother in Peter Jackson's own Heavenly Creatures…now, what would she be doing in Miramar, do you think?

In the opening scenes of new spy thriller The Bourne Supremacy, a Russian hitman packing an arsenal of weapons pursues Matt Damon's character, Jason Bourne, through a bustling seaside village in Goa, India. The hitman in India, an assassin named Kirill, is played by Wellington-born Karl Urban, and Marton Csokas, who hails from Invercargill, plays the German killer, Jarda. It begs the question, why does Hollywood think New Zealanders make great assassins? [More]

gilgalad70 writes: At the recent Memorabilia show (attended by Sala Baker and Lawrence Makoare, amongst others) it was announced that Eomer himself, Karl Urban was to be attending the upcoming Milton Keynes Collectormania this coming October 1st to 3rd.

Fletch writes: In the British football magazine, FourFourTwo, there is an article/interview with Elijah Wood, his support of West Ham, and work on 'The Yank.' [More]

A British opera singer-turned-actor is the latest to join Peter Jackson's NZ$200 million King Kong, which starts shooting in Wellington next month. Lobo Chan, who has sung in British productions of Turandot, La Boheme, The Marriage of Figaro and other operas, and in BBC dramas including Sweet and Sour, will play a character called Choy. [More]

For film editor and Oscar-winner Jamie Selkirk, the peach carpet of Government House was "a bit more nerve-wracking" than the red carpet of Hollywood. Mr Selkirk was honoured at an investiture ceremony at Wellington's Government House yesterday as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. [More]

Bruce Hopkins aka Gamling the Old pointed out that since both he and Bernard Hill will be at the Fellowship Festival in London later this month, this would be a rare opportunity to see both of them actng together. Rumours are that some lucky fans may get to be involved in some interactive drama with them - but this is only a RUMOUR at this point. But if you want another reason to book a ticket to the Festival, just remember - every ticket purchased enters you in the draw for a free trip to New Zealand to tour LOTR locations - courtesy of Red Carpet Tours.

Thanks to Cedric, who contacted us about a local craftsman making LOTR-style pipes in his area of Lincoln, NE. They're featured on E-bay here. "They are styled after the Macqueen pipes, though they are longer in the stem by a few inches."

Thanks to Olog-hai for sending this in - check out the last strip on this page of "Nemi." [More]

Still need a good reason the attend the Fellowship festival in two weeks time? Well, here ya go: Mark Ferguson (Gil-Galad) has written a special comedy play starring the rest of the cast attending which will be performed exclusively just for you at the forthcoming Fellowship Festival. This won't be repeated anywhere else in the world. It is aptly entitled: "Lord of The Rings 4: The Return of the Towering Fellowship". [Fellowship Festival website]

(I guess the 'towering' bit means Craig "platform shoe" Parker won't be involved ;) - leo)

With all respect for Prof. Tolkien, Mr. Jackson, and Anheiser Busch, I put together this Lord of the Rings beer commrecial just for the heck of it. [More]

While it's not my drink, I couldn't resist posting this for you thirsty LotR humor fans! Thanks to Nicep M for sending it in!

The latest newsletter is ready to go! Do you want to receive our free weekly newsletter? Packed with tons of info to keep you up to date on the latest? Plus filled with exclusives from time to time! Join the crowd of over 21 700 mailing list members! Sign up now! [More]

When IESB asked if he would be willing to return to the big screens and reprise his role of Bilbo Baggins, "That would be fantastic, there has been talk about doing the Hobbit and I know that Peter would love to do it but there are some legal issues with two studios but once they get that handled I would love go back and do it, but that will be a few years from now, you know Peter is working on King Kong." [More]

The Hollywood Reporter Announced details about the Cate Blanchett starrer "Little Fish," by Australian production unit Porchlight Films. Penned by Jacqueline Perske and directed by Rowan Woods, "Fish" follows Blanchett as a former drug addict trying to rebuild her life. Nguyen will take on the role of Blanchett's ex-lover, a onetime druggie-turned-stockbroker. Martin Henderson, Hugo Weaving and Sam Neill also star in the film, set in the Little Saigon section of Sydney's suburbs.

Linuxelf writes: Sean Astin will now be attending the Armageddon Pulp Expo Con in Wellington. Another guest added is Jed Brophy, best known for his roles in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy as Snaga and Sharku as well as Void in Peter Jacksons Brain Dead. Due to filming commitments Jed will only be attending Armageddon on the Sunday 26th September. [More]

Lúthien Rising writes: Ralph Wood, author of 'The Gospel According to Tolkien', will be giving a talk and a more informal seminar in Toronto, September 17 and 18, 2004. A poster for the event is attached. [More]

Suzanne writes: They are in Victoria, BC. Some are visible, and some are hiding. I am speaking of fans of J.R.R.Tolkien. Martha, Kat and I forged a friendship this year and became part of a wonderful adventure that changed our lives. This happened on July 24th, and this is the story of how it happened. [More]

Satarina writes: I just wanted to let you know that at DragonCon this year all three movies will be shown on Sunday back to back. They start at 12:30 pm as part of the conventions Film Festival. [dragoncon.org]

Folks from The Fellowship Festival write: For the Londoners amongst you, go and buy today’s copy of Evening Standard, London’s biggest newspaper and you can win the chance to enter a competition to be transformed into an Orc by Gino Acevedo from Weta Workshop at the forthcoming Fellowship Festival (28th – 30th August 2004, Alexandra Palace). Gino will be transforming three lucky readers, one for every day of the show into a gruesome Orc as part of his live make-up demonstration. For details on how to enter this once in a lifetime competition, go and buy The Evening Standard.

Natalia writes: I thought you would be interested in seeing this. A couple in the Philippines had a Lord of the Rings wedding. The couple planned every single wedding detail around middle earth. [More]

The folks from twenty-five-percent.com write: News got out today that Karl Urban (Eomer) will attend RingCon in Bonn/Germany by the end of October. The website is not updated yet as the webmaster is on holidays. But Karl Urban's appearance is confirmed. Tickets are still available at ringcon.de

universalmusicstore.com is auctioning off some interesting items for 'Songs of Hope'. CanadianCricket writes: As of this time bids for this Return of the King/Into the West sheet music signed by Annie Lennox are only at $51! I have to believe that with a little help from exposure on TORN's main page that much much more could be raised for this worthy cause! [More]

Matt in Minneapolis writes: Naomi Watts appeared on Leno Thursday night. She mentioned that she loves monkeys and then they brought one out for her. Then she mentioned meeting Fay Ray. She went with PJ and Fran to the top of the Empire State Building, and much higher than most people get to go.

It is proving to be the one book to guide them all. When Ian Brodie first approached director Peter Jackson with an idea to write a book based on locations from the Lord of the Rings movie sets around New Zealand, he wasn't expecting to be given the green light. Now, more than 200,000 copies later, a larger coffee table version of the book has been launched. [More]

Director Peter Jackson – in the midst of preparing to shoot his version of King Kong in Wellington – said he felt "an enormous sadness" over the death of Fay Wray, star of the original 1933 film. [More]

Ringer Spy Tamara writes: Missed the Barlibash in Boston? Not to worry, the Boston Line Party is still going strong and there will be another opportunity to join your fellow Ringers on a journey to the Museum of Science. [More]

Silmarien writes: Last night's TV One News had an item about the Kiwi Olympic Team settling down into the village. Someone has thoughtfully provided the road-sign showing Middle earth. [One News Sports Section]

It's been a busy day for Narnia News. Narniafans.com reports that Sala Baker [whom you last saw as Sauron] is rumoured to have signed on to LWW, though not as a cast member. [More] From the same site: the release date has been moved from Christmas 2005 to Dec. 9 2005. [More]