Looks like there are black clouds gathering over the production of the Hobbit movies. On May 30th Guillermo Del Toro announced that he is no longer directing the two movies based on J.R.R Tolkien's "The Hobbit". The reason behind stepping down was supposedly that Guillermo just didn't feel he could commit six years to living in New Zealand, exclusively making these films, when his original commitment was for three years. reports TheOneRing.net . New director of the two Hobbit movies has not been announced yet.

Not being a fan of Del Toro I'm rather pleased with the news and I'm crossing fingers that new director (could it be Jackson?) will do a better job. Peter Jackson (director of the LOTR trilogy) claims to not want to be the director for Hobbit, but maybe he'll change his mind after Del Toro's departure? We'll just have to wait and see.

There are many rumors circling around the idea of Hobbit movies. Peter Jackson, executive-producer of the movies, recently mentioned to MovieFone.com few facts about the production.

What Peter said about the Hobbit:
It's not really been delayed, because we've never announced the date. But there's so much interest that people -- newspapers and magazines, of their own account, say, ah, it's likely to film in May, it's likely to film in June, it's likely to film in September. People make this stuff up. And then if it's not filming in June, you get a story saying, "'The Hobbit's' been delayed." But it's never actually been announced.

TheOneRing website translated interview Peter Jackson gave to German site, moviereporter.net, where he announces that filming will begin towards the middle of next year, which would mean that originally proposed release date of the first movie, December 2011, could be pushed to 2012.

Here is what Peter Jackson said:
We?re currently working on the second script which we hope to have completed by the end of this year or beginning of next. When the scripts are completed, we can begin with the exact calculation of the necessary budget. We hope to start filming in the middle of next year. However, we?ve received no green light from the studio yet.

This obviously is sad news, even more so that producers might want to release the movie in December, which could mean an entire year of additional waiting. I guess we just have to be happy that the movies are going to be made at all.

If you want to learn more about the Hobbit movie take a look at our previous articles:
Hobbit movies get a green light!
ComiCon Hobbit update
Hobbit Movie: The legal battle

Looks like the Hobbit movies are going to happen after all, reports SF Scope. The legal battle between Tolkien Estate and New Line Cinema, which we wrote about some time ago (read the article here) was settled outside the court. The details of the settlement are not known to the public, however we do know that The Tolkien Estate is going to be paid for the original Lord of the Rings movies and New Line Cinema will go ahead with the Hobbit movies.

This is a great news for LOTR fans who enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy directed by Peter Jackson. Even though Peter is not going to direct the Hobbit movies (he's going to be the producer), the original cast should make an appearance there making sure there is continuity between those two projects.

Adam from The Wertzone writes in detail about the legal battle between Tolkien Estate and New Line Cinema, the company responsible for the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. Year and a half ago Tolkien Estate filed a lawsuit against New Line for non-payment of agreed royalties.

To cut the long story short, Tolkien Estate claim that they have not been paid the contractual 7% of the movie trilogy gross, which is roughly $200 million. On top of that there is another battle going on regarding the ownership of the rights to make The Hobbit movies. Tolkien Estate seems to claim that the rights are still theirs. If judge rules in their favor, then the Hobbit films will have to be abandoned.

The case will be heard in a Los Angeles court in October. Production of The Hobbit is expected to begin in December or January and continue for over a year. The Hobbit is to be made into two movies, planned for release in December 2011 and 2012.

To read entire article go to The Wertzone.

Suvudu reports from the Hobbit Panel on Comic-Con. The convention was a perfect place to reveal some of the secrets regarding the production of the prequel to Lord of the Rings. Here is a quick summary of what was announced there:
- The Hobbit adaptation will be split into two movies.
- The first draft for both films is already finished.
- Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis and Hugo Weaving are "95% sure to be reprising their roles for The Hobbit."
- Hobbiton is in the midst of being replanted and rebuilt in New Zealand for filming next year.

To read the entire story visit Suvudu website.

HarperCollins UK has acquired worldwide electronic rights to all of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. They've already launched Tolkien: The Official Online Bookstore, which already has The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings (both collectively and individually), and The Children of H?rin available. Prices range from ?4.86 for The Hobbit to $pound;5.56 for the other single titles, to ?13.90 for the complete LotR trilogy. The Legend of Sigurd & Gudr?n, The Silmarillion, and Unfinished Tales will go on sale 5 May, "with further titles later in the year."

The books are currently available in the Adobe EPUB format.

There has to be something in saying that JRR Tolkien was most productive after he died. Even though that he's been dead for many years he is releasing new books on regular basis.

The latest book by JRR Tolkien is named "The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun" and is based on the epic Norse tales of Sigurd the V?lsung and The Fall of the Niflungs. Christopher Tolkien edited the book and provided commentary for the poems. The book will be released on May 5th.

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun is available in Amazon.com .

Yahoo News: Del Toro, who is directing the movies, will team with the "Lord of the Rings" filmmaker and "Hobbit" executive producer Jackson to adapt the J.R.R. Tolkien book and write its follow-up. Also joining them in the writers' room are Frank Walsh and Philippa Boyens, both of whom collaborated with Jackson on the "Rings" trilogy.

Read the entire article here .

I'm sure that every Lord Of The Rings fan at some point in time asked himself (or herself) a question: did it all have to be so difficult? Was there no other way? Well, maybe there was... Take a look at this short fan made animated movie:
http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=gxlu0cpvra

If you were entertained, you can share your feelings on our Tolkien Forum.

SciFi Wire talked to Guillermo del Toro, who will be directing the two-film adaption of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit".

"I'm trying to be faithful," said del Toro "I'm trying to re-create on the screen the feeling I had when I was 11 in my bed reading the book. How excited I got. How great I thought it was. That's what I'm trying to honor."

"I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."
"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."

The Fellowship of The Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien

All that is gold does not glitter, not all who wander are lost, the old that are strong do not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring, renewed shall be blade that is broken, the crownless again shall be king.

The Fellowship Of The Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE (IPA: /ˈtoʊlkiːn/) (3 January 1892 ? 2 September 1973) was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the high fantasy classic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from 1925 to 1945, and Merton Professor of English language and literature from 1945 to 1959. He was a close friend of C. S. Lewis ? they were both members of the informal literary discussion group known as the Inklings. Tolkien was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 March 1972.

The Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel written by the English philologist J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit (1937), but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in stages between 1937 and 1949, much of it during World War II.

Tolkien's Son Fights To Shut Down The Hobbit? This could really be the case. According to CinemaBlend Christopher Tolkien try to get a judge to halt the production of The Hobbit. Christopher Tolkien has been against his father's books being made into movies since the very beginning. He hates the idea of them being made into movies in general, and he?s been fighting Peter Jackson and the half-dozen other people who own pieces and parts of the movie rights every single step of the way. Not because he doesn?t like what Jackson is doing, he simply hates Hollywood.



Read more at CinemaBlend.com .

Variety.com: In a major step forward on ?The Hobbit,? Guillermo del Toro has signed on to direct the New Line-MGM tentpole 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.



Read more on Variety.com .

March 25th is the Annual Tolkien Reading Day sponsored by The Tolkien Society. This day is a chance for everybody to read Tolkien's stories and share the thoughts in theonering.net's Reading Room or even meet up in the real world!

A radio interview with J.R.R Tolkien has been published on YouTube. The interview is recorded 1964, released 1971. Hear the interview here and see the transcript here.

On January 3rd Tolkien fans around the world are invited to raise a glass and toast the birthday of this much loved author.

The toast is "The Professor".

Sign up for the toast here

The organisers do not condone drinking alcohol if it endangers the health or safety of the drinker or others, or contravenes the law.

TheOneRing.net: Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, December 18, 2007) Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:



* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, "The Hobbit" and a sequel to "The Hobbit". New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.

UKsfBookNews.net: HarperCollins UK have announced the publication of a 500-copy limited edition of The Children of H?rin - the 'lost' Tolkien novel that was pieced together by J.R.R.'s grandon Christopher and published earlier this year - which is available now from the Tolkien webstore.

`You cannot pass,` he said. The orcs stood still, and a dead silence fell. `I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udűn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass.`



The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien

What do you mean? Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good on this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on? (Gandalf)



J.R.R. Tolkien, Hobbit

Many that live deserve death, and some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death and judgement, for not even the very wise can see all ends.



J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord Of The Rings