I'm not even going to speculate what bits of history will occur at what point during the three movies. With LOTR, Jackson spread the history around quite a bit, and repeated it as often as he felt necessary. And we didn't get to see Smeagol's murder of Deagol until the beginning of ROTK, so I don't think backstory events can be deduced from where they would logically occur. I'm just content to wait and let it unfold before my hungry eyes.

And folks, we're into September now. That means two things. First, the final theatrical trailer will be out some time this month. Second, come the middle of the month, we will only be three months away from the debut. This is all finally starting to seem a bit more real for me.

[quote=""Fingolfin""]Well, the key certainly looks dwarven in design, regardless.


Regarding the history of the elves of Mirkwood: let's not forget how much of that is pure conjecture. I think that the Last Alliance in the Tale of Years and in The History of the Elves and Sauron in Unifinished Tales is the only time we actually hear of Oropher. It could be that Tolkien included the name Oropher, and he was "thrown in the pile" so to speak with other elves of confuzzled history such as Amroth, Galadriel, and Celeborn, and Amroth's other father whose name I can't remember. The history of the elves of Wilderland was never really set down well. Now, assuming that Oropher was the father of Thranduil and was meant to be the original king of Greenwood in Tolkien's mind, it would certainly make sense that he was born in Doriath, due to the fact that he was leading the Sindar exiles who travelled back beyond the Mist Mountains. He must have been somewhat great and held in respect by the other Sindar to be chosen to lead both them and the Silvan elves. Now, as for Thranduil, he could have been born in Doriath as well. Considering that most of this history is conjecture anyway, one could assume that since he was the one who built the Halls in northern Mirkwood and not his father, if he was in fact drawing inspiration from Menegroth than he likely lived there at some point. So, in my wild and vivid imagination, I like to believe that Thranduil was born in Menegroth, and Elrond's contemporary. Now regarding Elrond, there are specific dates from his birth (I believe), but don't ask me to look them up because my copy of The Sil is on the other side of the house. But all the same, he did not fight in the War of Wrath, at least to my recollection. I don't believe that any Noldor of Beleriand fought in the War of Wrath, only the remaining Edain, and they were later reinforced by their leader Earendil with a host of Eagles. Pardon my long wind-edness, history lesson now comes to a close.


Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, I like Thranduil's design. [/quote]

What about the Histories of Middle Earth?

They describe how to make lembas bread for goodness sakes. Jam packed full of information.

The HoME are not entirely reliable canon. We all know that Tolkien changed his stories frequently, and the HoME is basically a published form of all his speculations on his own story. Some of it was written while he was still in the trenches of Europe. If Tolkien were alive today, he probably would scrap the idea of, for instance, a human traveler making his way to Tol Eressa.

hey folks i saw that kili's sword is a prize from the hobbit design contest and its made by united cutlery. heirs of durin confirmed this.

http://thorinoakenshield.net/2012/09/01 ... n-contest/

There's the link. Best contest ever? I think so!

It's an awesome contest, especially because they allow you to enter 4 times (once in each category), but it couldn't have come at a more inopportune time for me.
I just need to figure out how to squeeze it in with everything else on my plate.

The prizes are equally awesome! I like how they call the weapons category
A Middle Earth armory, I have to enter this one at least for a chance at a free Orcrist.

Quickly, take the link down so there are less entries!

Luckily, it is US and Canada (Exclude Quebec), so that limits the number of entries for us. I started working on mine already.

Well, I suck at drawing, so I probably won't enter. But good luck!

Yeah, I used to be really good years ago but stopped and would be terribly out of practice now. Shame, because all of those prizes are really nice.

13 new pictures!

https://plus.google.com/u/1/11472780924 ... BEC32GFvjt

+16!

https://plus.google.com/u/1/11472780924 ... H4Ecqo2LnJ

The only complaint I still have is that dern axe in Bifur's head. I just think it looks silly.

Dwalin looks like a bad ace and the pics of Fili fighting and Thorin with the bow are awesome!!

And the scroll has changed to fit a less jam packed first movie!

http://pdl.warnerbros.com/wbmovies/theh ... scroll.jpg

Inside shot of Bilbo's pantry FTW (one of the them anyway).

Costumes and accessories are great!

Tim

[quote=""RevAnakin""]The only complaint I still have is that dern axe in Bifur's head. I just think it looks silly.[/quote]

LOL, you're not alone in thinking that. I guess it's the sequel (prequel?) to Gimli's comment at the end of TTT that "he's got my axe imbedded in his nervous system!"

So... according to the new scroll, we will not be seeing Mirkwood in the first movie?

I'm guessing now it will probably end after they leave Beorn's place and arrive at the forest gate. Gandalf delivers the startling news that he must attend to some 'business' in the south, leaving the company with a sense of foreboding as they prepare to enter the ominous wood without the guidance of the grey wizard. Sound about right for a good ending point?

[quote=""Valkrist""]So... according to the new scroll, we will not be seeing Mirkwood in the first movie?

I'm guessing now it will probably end after they leave Beorn's place and arrive at the forest gate. Gandalf delivers the startling news that he must attend to some 'business' in the south, leaving the company with a sense of foreboding as they prepare to enter the ominous wood without the guidance of the grey wizard. Sound about right for a good ending point?[/quote]


Makes sense.

[quote=""timdp""]Makes sense.[/quote]
Agreed, we'll give you a medal if you end up right

Now I know it isn't a bench or just any table that Bombur breaks sitting on it. Looks like a really fine credenza that no doubt belongs to Elrond. I can see Hugo's e xp ression already.

I don't know about Beorn in the first movie though. There is nothing in the scroll that would point towards it. I have a feeling after they escape from the wolves, they will go off in the distance and END. Beorn (or at least the bulk of it) will probably be in the second.

There's lots of things that are not in the scroll, yet we know they will be in the first movie. Thus, I don't follow your reasoning. Ending before Beorn would be highly anti-climactic.

My reasoning is completely based on the fact that when the scroll was longer, most people were claiming that it was going to end with the audience seeing the company floating down the river, because that was the last thing on the scroll. Last thing on the scroll now would be the eagles. So the ending could be them escaping the wargs, flying away in the distance on the eagles backs.

On another note, they translated the tatoos on Dwalin's hands:

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/09 ... ins-runes/

For some reason, I have been strangely unconcerned about where the breaks may occur. Since PJ is incorporating backstory from the LOTR appendices, one of those elements could be an ending, for one thing. On the whole, my curiosity about the movie has, unfortunately, been more along the lines of, how annoyed am I going to be at his plot changes?

Let us hope that Orcrist and Tauriel are the two biggest changes It is like a belief in a religion, we just have to believe until we see it

[quote=""RevAnakin""]Let us hope that Orcrist and Tauriel are the two biggest changes It is like a belief in a religion, we just have to believe until we see it [/quote]

You're forgetting the whole captured Witch King thing, but yes, I agree with your sentiment.

Unfortunately you're forgetting all the changes and inventions surrounding the history and events about Dol Guldur. Thrain fighting Gandalf and imprisoned Nazgul in dangling cages have left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Remember, Aragorn originally fought Sauron at the Battle of the Black Gates, not a troll. There is still hope

I've pretty much resigned myself to; what ever they throw at me I have to live with.
I feel for you Tolkien purists because I'm quite certain there will be plenty cringing for you while it all unfolds.
I'm hoping to enjoy it for whatever it is, and that it will at least allow for another journey into Middle Earth with a lot of fun.

I've said before that I think Bombur is going to be the character that keeps me smiling through the whole thing. I also e xp ect he's going to be a surprising kick butt kind of dwarf with that ladle of his.

[quote=""Thranduil""]I've said before that I think Bombur is going to be the character that keeps me smiling through the whole thing. I also e xp ect he's going to be a surprising kick butt kind of dwarf with that ladle of his.[/quote]

I agree. I like that we get to see different personalities of the dwarves. I know many people hate the way Gimli was written, but I always thought of Gimli like a Viking Prince always ready for battle, and rude at the dinner table.

I am excited to see some more scholarly and refined dwarves in The Hobbit.

I had no problem with Gimli's rudeness or battle-hunger, it was just the fact that PJ also turned him into a buffon, as well as the butt of every low-brow humour joke. It really robbed the character of any dignity after a while. I certainly hope these dwarves prove more diverse.

[quote=""Valkrist""]...Nazgul in dangling cages....[/quote]

Ooh, ooh, will they be gyrating to bad 80s hair metal?

Yep, just like in a Motley Crue or Helix video... take your pick.

New trailer this week!

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/09 ... kien-week/

More new photos:

http://mediagallery.usatoday.com/%27The ... y%27/G4337

[quote=""RevAnakin""]On another note, they translated the tatoos on Dwalin's hands:

http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2012/09 ... ins-runes/[/quote]

I love it. It's the perfect phrase for a battle hardened dwarf, seeing as they shout it every time they go into battle.

And I can't wait for tomorrow's trailer!

More new pics http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=94919

That one of Bilbo is actually quite genius. You have this quaint, humble hobbit with that total look of ease on his face, but yet he is in this epic area.

It's just now dawning on me how much I LOVE Martin Freeman as Bilbo. Honestly, it's just a perfect match.

See the new trailer here! http://io9.com/5944520/new-hobbit-trail ... socialflow

Just saw it HD on youtube! I cannot wait! I am geekin' out right now!

Oooo, it's nice seeing Wargs that look like wolves rather than hyenas in the trailer. And it's good to hear Gandalf speak again, finally seems like the Gandalf I know and love (in previous trailers, his voice sounded rather slow, kinda frail).

Elrond is examining Glamdring in the third picture:

Just watched the new trailer. The orcs all appear to be CGI. Am I seeing it right? I have to say that, for me, it's all taking on more of the "feel" of a children's story, less of LOTR. Maybe it's Radagast and the rabbit-powered sleigh? Regardless, it's going to be an epic theater e xp erience!

Only time will tell. Could be that the trailer is being used to try to reach a wider audience. They've captured the die-hard fans already, and most everyone who enjoyed the LotR trilogy. Perhaps now they are trying to pull in other audiences. Plenty of films do that, where the trailer really doesn't reflect the mood of the whole film.

Or it could be more like the Harry Potter films (in my opinion), where the first film starts friendly and fun then grows more 'grim and epic' until the final film.

I love how that link says "Sting" for Glamdring!

That last scene though worries me. I hope that is a cave troll falling on them all not one of the three stone trolls.

Looks good overall.

Radagast and the sleigh look like they belong in Narnia more than Middle-earth but I give the Brown Wizard a lot of leeway and am looking forward to seeing him no matter what.

The orcs do indeed look like they are all CGI. We know that Azog, Bolg(?), and the Great Goblin have been cast, so at least some will be real actors, but then I wonder since they are called goblins in The Hobbit as opposed to orcs, if PJ is trying to show them as somewhat smaller, which would have been costlier to do as people in suits. However, the Moria 'goblins' were successfully depicted in LOTR already and they were not CGI, so to be honest, I'm not sure why the shift now. It worries me because with this 48fps image clarity coming in, it's becoming harder and harder to blend CGI in with real people and sets. It just looks too fake.

Rev, as for that last scene, it definitely does not look like one of the stone trolls. I would surmise that they are somewhere in Goblin Town and that's a cave troll, like you said.

I'm too tired to say a lot, so I'll just say I liked what I saw.
Laughed at last scene, the kind of humor I e xp ected.

funny enough it is the great goblin.

I LOVE it. Perfect. I love the mix of Freeman's Bilbo's wit and the seriousness of Gandalf's conversation with Galadriel, and Thorin's fiery talk in contrast to Radagast's serious talk but goofy demeanor. I can't wait for this film, it's looking better and better. It was weird seeing Thorin next to Elrond though, which I guess is a testament to how they make Thorin look so regal and mighty in the company of the dwarves.

The One Ring.com has HD screen caps up and the goblin fighting Bilbo looks "real" to me not CGI.

Something amazing to me is that they put this trailer out with 5 different endings! I wonder if all 5 will be available in theaters, or only one of them?

Still puzzled about the scene of Radagast and the hedgehog.... Is he tickling it, or what is the story on that?

The "Bilbo" alternate ending got a good laugh out of me! I've often wondered how Bilbo will be portrayed in this movie. In the book he comes across often enough as a total ninny. I think this scene with him passing out may honor that aspect of the written character without demeaning him overall. We'll see!

[quote=""Olorin""]Something amazing to me is that they put this trailer out with 5 different endings! I wonder if all 5 will be available in theaters, or only one of them?

Still puzzled about the scene of Radagast and the hedgehog.... Is he tickling it, or what is the story on that?

The "Bilbo" alternate ending got a good laugh out of me! I've often wondered how Bilbo will be portrayed in this movie. In the book he comes across often enough as a total ninny. I think this scene with him passing out may honor that aspect of the written character without demeaning him overall. We'll see![/quote]


In the video games and all the images I see of Radagast, he closely touches most the animals he is "talking" to.

Woah, I missed something, alternate endings?

Yes, on the official movie site (www.thehobbit.com), you can choose 5 different versions!

What is that block of ice or crystal that they are standing around in Rivendell?