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The Lord of the Rings fans have long debated Peter Jackson’s one move that could have changed the trajectory of the movies. While many find the decision infuriating, others agree with the final version of the films. In any case, the debate has gone on for decades without a reprieve.

Liv Tyler as Arwen in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

That is, of course, Jackson’s decision to change the movie’s original idea of making Arwen appear at the battle of Helm’s Deep. The original concept of the movie relied heavily on this plot to shape Arwen and Aragorn’s love story.

As such, many think Jackson’s idea of taking this away made their story weaker. Liv Tyler, the one who portrayed Arwen in the movie, however, justified his decision wholeheartedly in an interview. Interestingly, a lot of fans...

Spoilers for "The Electric State" to follow.

There are great film adaptations, like Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, and there are bad film adaptations, like Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Then there's 50 feet of crap (as Brad Pitt puts it in "Moneyball"), and then there's "The Electric State." Netflix's allegedly $320 million Russo Brothers extravaganza is a complete disaster from start to finish, filled with unnecessary cameos, embarrassing screenwriting, and set pieces that beg the question: What happened to all that money?

Under normal circumstances, a movie like this would just go down as a simple misfire, and that would be that. But it's even more upsetting because the book on which it's based, Simon Stålenhag's "The Electric State," is incredible. It's also still pretty niche despite Stålenhag's work having become a bit more mainstream over the last several years. That means that for many,...

The Lord of the Rings is one of the most iconic and beloved franchises of all time, and for good reason. Building on the classic work of J.R.R. Tolkien, the franchise has been running for decades and giving excellent stories while it is at it. The world it has created has far outlasted its film series, having several spin-off projects over the years.

Elijah Wood in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | Credit: New Line Cinema

While many fantastical creatures can be credited for making the series as immersive and interesting as it is, the most iconic and important have to be elves. Several elves have been part of the franchise, with the most important being Galadriel.

However, it would seem that when the films first introduced Cate Blanchett’s character, things could have been a lot different.

Cate Blanchett was very overwhelmed when she was turning into an...

While a perfect film is almost unheard of, this isn’t the case when it comes to perfect sequels, and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is arguably one of the best to ever do it. Not only the sequel, The Two Towers, was seen as a step above the already impeccable The Fellowship of the Ring, but the threequel also transcended the bar set by its predecessors.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Credit: New Line Cinema

However, despite being a perfect sequel and a great conclusion to the Middle Earth saga, just like any other artwork the medium has to offer, Return of the King isn’t immune to flaws, especially when it comes to Gandalf.

Peter Jackson’s Return of the King didn’t do Gandalf justice

Although magic and wizards in Tolkien’s works don’t embody our typical understanding of wizardry in media,...

The Lord of the Rings star Cate Blanchett shares how she almost made a surprising cameo in The Hobbit as a different character. Following the massive success of the three Lord of the Rings movies in the early 2000s, director Peter Jackson returned to J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world of Middle-earth in 2012 with the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Serving as the first installment of three that tell the story of Tolkien's The Hobbit novel, the film features Martin Freeman in the lead role as Bilbo Baggins, with Blanchett returning briefly as Galadriel.

During a recent appearance on the Condé Nast Traveler YouTube channel, Blanchett and her Black Bag costar Michael Fassbender discuss Blanchett's time in Middle-earth. While reminiscing about filming one of the Lord of the Rings movies, Blanchett reveals that she asked Jackson to return as a bearded dwarf for a cameo, in addition to her planned return as Galadriel.

Anyone who has ever watched Game of Thrones or picked up a book from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series knows that s*x plays a big role in that fictional universe. Love it or hate it, the franchise did set a standard for how s*x is portrayed in fantasy television. While some moments could be empowering, others were downright disturbing and George R.R. Martin never shied away from the details, making his stories more intense, leaving an everlasting impression on fans.

Game of Thrones (2011-2019) | Credits: HBO

When asked about the creative decision of going big on Nsfw content in his books, George R.R. Martin very confidently spoke about the importance of s*x. He also talked about how the absence of it from Lord of the Rings will forever be a mystery for the fans.

Why George R.R. Martin...

While many felt Oppenheimer was filled with A-listers from right to left, Christopher Nolan is taking it a notch up with The Odyssey, which comprises some of the most notable stars of this generation. As of now, the cast includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, and Mia Goth.

Matt Damon as Odysseus | Credit: Universal

Moreover, given that the filming for the Greek epic had already commenced in February, the first look at Holland has finally surfaced, and it’s not hard to draw his correlation with Lord of the Rings.

The resemblance between Tom Holland and the Hobbit is uncanny The Hobbit | Credit: New Line Cinema

With The Odyssey, Nolan is set to delve into some uncharted territory, which is nothing out of the ordinary for the filmmaker. As for what fans can expect from the Oscar winner’s Greek epic,...

Adrien Brody has two Oscars, but there’s one role that still haunts him, because he turned it down. Back when The Lord of the Rings was gearing up, he had a chance to be part of Middle-earth. Instead, he passed, thinking it wasn’t for him. Then the movies became a global phenomenon, and Brody realized he might’ve miscalculated.

Adrien Brody in The Pianist (2002) | Credits: Universal Pictures

Sure, he’s got an Oscar-winning career, but even then, he can’t erase the “what if?”

Adrien Brody’s Oscar wins can’t erase his Lord of the Rings regret Adrien Brody in The Brutalist | Credits: Brookstreet Pictures

Adrien Brody could have been part of Middle-earth, but he turned it down. The Oscar-winning actor revealed that he passed on a role in The Lord of the Rings – a decision he instantly regretted after watching the film in theaters.

Recalling that...

Plot: After defeating Ishamael, one of the most powerful of the Forsaken, at the end of Season Two, Rand reunites with his friends in the city of Falme and is declared the Dragon Reborn. But in Season Three, the threats against the Light are multiplying: the White Tower stands divided, the Black Ajah run free, old enemies return to the Two Rivers, and the remaining Forsaken are in hot pursuit of the Dragon… including Lanfear, whose relationship with Rand will mark a crucial choice between Light and Dark for them both. As the ties to his past begin to unravel, and his corrupted power grows stronger, Rand becomes increasingly unrecognizable to his closest allies, Moiraine and Egwene. These powerful women, who started the series as teacher and student, must now work together to prevent the Dragon from turning to the Dark…no matter the cost.

Review: Prime Video has undertaken massive projects in recent years,...

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert rolls into Monday with about a week's worth of topics to discuss. So what should late-night TV fans expect to see on CBS tonight?

President Donald Trump's tariffs have thrown the stock market into disarray. Meanwhile, his administration continues to work with Elon Musk to cut jobs and shrink the federal government's size. These policies and more have been met with hefty criticism, especially from Stephen Colbert.

Expect to hear more of the same from the comedian on CBS Monday night. There will be a brand new episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert tonight.

Colbert's monologue will likely take its fair share of shots at how Trump's economic plan and trade wars are shaping up so far. He could also weigh in on Canada's new prime minister and what that means for relations between the U.S. and its northern neighbor.

Ian McKellen wants his fellow actors to embrace their gender and sexual identity publicly. In an interview with The Times of London Sunday, the Lord of the Rings actor urged famous LGBTQ people hiding their identity to come out of the closet.

“I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it,” McKellen said, who came out himself in 1988. “I feel sorry for any famous person who feels they can’t come out. Being in the closet is silly — there’s no need for it.”

“Don’t listen to your advisers,...

Ian McKellen said in a recent interview with The Times of London that he feels sorry for fellow actors who feel like they can’t come out as gay. The “X-Men” and “Lord of the Rings” icon has been one of the most prominent gay actors for decades. He publicly came out in 1988 at age 48 during a radio interview on BBC. He is now urging performers to not keep their sexual identity a secret.

“I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it,” McKellen said. “I feel sorry for any famous person who feels they can’t come out. Being in the closet is silly — there’s no need for it. Don’t listen to your advisers, listen to your heart. Listen to your gay friends who know better. Come out. Get into the sunshine.”

McKellen observed that there’s never been an openly gay Oscar winner for best actor,...

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film starring Leonardo DiCaprio — which, in quintessential PTA fashion, still doesn’t have an official title — packs a budget that’s not just several time higher than anything the 11-time Oscar-nominated director has ever worked with, but far bigger than his films have ever earned at the box office.

Some reports pegged it at $180 million, but an individual with knowledge tells IndieWire it’s actually $130 million. That almost as much as what Anderson’s most successful film to date, “There Will Be Blood,” made globally in 2007 ($76 million), if you factor in inflation ($143 million).

It’s also way more than the budget of his previous film, 2021’s “Licorice Pizza,” which seemed like a big gamble, even with $40 million. Turns out, it was: that film only grossed $33 million globally. But though Anderson has moved from MGM to Warner Bros., the same film chiefs gave Anderson both of...

The 85-year-old actor, Sir Ian McKellen, is urging young gay actors to come out and live openly. In a recent interview, he shared his thoughts on why hiding one’s identity is unnecessary and how being open can make a difference, both in acting and beyond.

McKellen, who revealed he was gay in 1988 at age 48, believes that coming out is a step worth taking. “I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it,” he said. “I feel sorry for any famous person who feels they can’t come out.”

He encourages actors to ignore cautious advice from agents and instead follow their instincts. “Being in the closet is silly — there’s no need for it. Don’t listen to your advisers, listen to your heart. Listen to your gay friends who know better. Come out. Get into the sunshine,” he said.

The actor compares the challenges faced by...

As the format continues to gain traction, here’s our regularly-updated list of upcoming 4K Ultra HD disc releases in the UK.

Sitting alongside our list of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases (that you can find here), we’re also keeping a calendar for those who support the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. As we learn of new UK releases, we’ll add them to this list.

We have started adding shopping links too. We’d be obliged if you clicked on them, as it really helps us in our quest to make the Film Stories project of magazines, website and podcast profitable. We’re a 100% independent publisher, and we quite like drinking coffee. It’d be lovely to afford some more.

Without further ado, here are the titles we know about…

Out now

24th February: Star Wars: The Mandalorian season 3 (Steelbook)

24th February: Crossing Delancey (Criterion)

24th February:...

Sir Ian McKellen is encouraging young gay actors to embrace their identities.

The 85-year-old actor said in a new interview that gay performers should help fight against discrimination in the entertainment industry by being open about who they are.

“I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it. I feel sorry for any famous person who feels they can’t come out,” Ian told The Times of London.

Keep reading to find out more…

Ian himself came out as gay in 1988, and now wants others in his community to follow in his footsteps.

“Being in the closet is silly — there’s no need for it. Don’t listen to your advisers, listen to your heart. Listen to your gay friends who know better. Come out. Get into the sunshine,” he added.

If you didn’t see, Ian made an appearance in December 2024 to support Lord of the Rings...

Do you know what happened this past week in the worlds of sci-fi, fantasy, movies, TV and books? Very soon, you will, because we're going to recap it all here in WiC Weekly.

First up, we have some news about an iconic character coming to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for its third season. And you just may recognize who's playing him:

Jamie Campbell Bower may play iconic Lord of the Rings character in The Rings of Power season 3: https://t.co/LcPjaunThz https://t.co/LcPjaunThz

— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) March 9, 2025

Brandon Sanderson has been the biggest name in fantasy literature for years, but are his books in danger of collapsing in on themselves?

Can Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere avoid the fate of the MCU? https://t.co/krmzTF3yZB https://t.co/krmzTF3yZB

— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) March 9, 2025

If this had happened on Severance,...

Screen and stage veteran Sir Ian McKellen urges young gay actors to come out, liking their situation to star footballers in the UK premier league.

The English actor, most famous for playing wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings franchise, toldThe Times of London newspaper:

“I have never met anybody who came out who regretted it. I feel sorry for any famous person who feels they can’t come out. Being in the closet is silly — there’s no need for it. Don’t listen to your advisers, listen to your heart. Listen to your gay friends who know better. Come out. Get into the sunshine.”

McKellen added that, although the UK remains more tolerant than the US where multiplate states are seeking to end legal same-sex marriage, he lamented there has still never been an openly gay best actor Oscar winner, something he likened to...

James Bond is going through 99 problems right now, and Jeff Bezos is one of them. The franchise that has reigned over Hollywood since the 1960s has finally hit a rough patch that’s even worse than Roger Moore’s era as 007. Meanwhile, fans still clamor over the absence of Henry Cavill, as the 41-year-old actor is all but done with playing the MI6 superspy.

No Time to Die [Credit: Universal Pictures]

However, Cavill’s missed opportunity is not the saddest part about the Bond franchise. Jeff Bezos’s power move as Amazon annexes Eon Productions under its wings has wrecked, shocked, disheartened, and terrified Hollywood, critics, and fans alike. Now, further scrutiny shows that Cavill being shunned as a Bond contender and Amazon buying out 007 may just be linked, after all.

Henry Cavill snub could be linked to Amazon buy-out Henry Cavill in The Man from U.N.C.L.

Trading epic quests for sitcom laughs? That was the dream for one Lord of the Rings star after years of solving crimes with Mark Harmon in NCIS. Tired of the procedural grind, he hoped to ditch the drama, do half-hour comedies, and just watch his kids grow up. But Hollywood had other plans.

Mark Harmon in NCIS | Credit: CBS

Did he escape the long hours and serious roles? Well, let’s just say his story didn’t wrap up as neatly as a sitcom finale.

Sean Astin wanted to ditch crime dramas for comedy after NCIS role with Mark Harmon Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee in Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

Sean Astin has played everything from beloved sidekicks to tragic heroes, but his next career move? He’s hoping for laughs. The Lord of the Rings and Stranger Things star, who once worked alongside Mark Harmon in NCIS,...

South Korea’s leading entertainment company Cj Enm has appointed former Acemaker Movieworks CEO Jung Hyun-joo as its head of film business.

Jung takes the role with immediate effect and joins directly from Acemaker, a financing, distribution and production company that she founded in 2018. Cj Enm said the executive would “bolster the competitiveness” of its films, in what is an increasingly challenging market.

Previous head of film business Jerry Kyoungboum Ko has been named global project leader and will focus on Cj Enm’s global film projects in his new role.

With more than 20 years in the business, Jung is...

Turns out, when you’ve won Best Picture, most of the time, the only place you can go after that high is down.

Opening this weekend at the box office is “Mickey 17,” the first film from director Bong Joon Ho since his film won Best Picture for “Parasite” back in 2019. “Parasite” was something of a unicorn, an international film that crossed all borders and became a $259 million global commercial hit and an awards circuit sensation. Even with Robert Pattinson helping his cause, that’s going to be a tough benchmark to surpass. Warner Bros. is projecting a $40-50 million global opening weekend.

The difference this time is director Bong is working with a major studio, Warner Bros., rather than indie distributor Neon, and “Mickey 17” will open wide on 3,400 screens domestically, whereas “Parasite” at its peak only hit 2,000.

But when a director’s movie wins Best Picture, does their next one perform better?...

Given the phenomenal success of “Game of Thrones,” which began broadcasting 14 years ago, it’s somewhat surprising that “In the Lost Lands” represents only the second time author George R.R. Martin’s work has been adapted for the big screen (the other being 1987’s low-budget sci-fi horror “Nightflyers”). Fans of that cable series and its spinoffs shouldn’t expect the same scale or intricacy of epic storytelling from this feature, which is taken from a short story. But on its own terms, the ninth collaboration between director Paul W.S. Anderson and star Milla Jovovich is perfectly serviceable popcorn fantasy entertainment — an attractive, action-packed ride, making up for in fun what it lacks in depth.

A begrimed Dave Bautista as mercenary drifter Boyce begins relating this “tale of magic and witches, of quests and of monsters, of good and of evil” in direct camera address. Actually, that description is a bit grandiose for what ensues,...

The xenomorphs will soon be crashing to Earth, and now we know a few more people they may or may not be having for lunch. Later this year, FX will premiere Alien: Earth, its new television series from Fargo creator Noah Hawley. Set two years before the original Alien film, the series will explore how the massive corporations ruling Earth came to learn about the xenomorph.

Alien: Earth wrapped filming back in July 2024, but many of the details about the series have been kept under wraps. That's starting to change. Earlier this week, The Hollywood Reporter revealed 11n new cast members who will play guest starring roles in Alien: Earth. The new actors joining the series are Richa Moorjani (Fargo), Karen Aldridge, Enzo Cilenti (Game of Thrones), Max Rinehart (Unforgotten), Amir Boutrous (The Crown), Victoria Masoma, Tom Moya, Andy Yu (Fargo), Michael Smiley (Bad Sisters), Jamie Bisping (The Rings of Power) and Tanapol Chuksrida.

As we ease ourselves out of winter, March arrives with new and returning television titles. The big release is the latest from Marvel as the MCU officially brings Daredevil into the fold as a continuation of the original Netflix series. But there’s plenty elsewhere if superheroes aren’t what you want. From the final season of the cult favorite “The Righteous Gemstones” to John Mulaney bringing his particular brand of absurdism back to Netflix and an epic fantasy that isn’t related to “Game of Thrones” or “Lord of the Rings,” there’s enough to hold us over.

Continue reading 12 TV Shows To Watch In March: ‘Daredevil,’ ‘MobLand,’ ‘The Studio’ & More at The Playlist.

The 2025 Oscars delivered several memorable moments as one of the biggest nights of Hollywood. However, despite the massive award ceremony, the Academy failed significantly when it came to the ‘In Memoriam,’ which excluded several notable late actors, including Bernard Hill, who passed away nearly a year ago.

Bernard Hill in Titanic | Credit: Paramount Pictures

Hill made a lasting impact as an integral part of three Best Picture Oscar-winning movies. However, despite an illustrious career and contributions to some of cinema’s most celebrated films, his absence from the tribute has been a glaring omission.

The Oscars 2025 snubbed Bernard Hill from the In Memoriam segment

After presenting the night’s awards at the 2025 Oscars, the ceremony transitioned to the ‘In Memoriam’ segment, honoring several industry legends who passed away over the past year.

Among the honored names were Gene Hackman, James Earl Jones, David Lynch, Donald Sutherland, and Maggie Smith. However,...

There are a lot of crossovers and connections within Middle-earth media. Even with completely separate projects, like Prime Video's "The Rings of Power" series and Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, you can see the throughlines. Some are obvious, like the similarities in Balrog design between Jackson's movies and Prime Video's show. Others are more subtle, like the ways "The Rings of Power" tries to recapture the magic of Jackson's Middle-earth movies. And then there is the human link.

Overall, there isn't too much personnel crossover between the Warner Bros. and Prime Video Middle-earth universes. However, there is one actor who has managed to pop up in both of them: Jed Brophy. Even more impressive? He managed to land full-blown character roles in all six of Jackson Middle-earth films and has since shown up on "The Rings of Power." He's even developed a...

Last week it was announced that Jamie Campbell Bower, the actor best known for playing the monstrous villain Vecna on Stranger Things, was making the leap to Middle-earth. Campbell Bower has officially joined the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for its third season, along with Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan). It's still too early to be certain who Campbell Bower is playing, but a new rumor stoked by the actor himself puts him in the shoes of one of the most iconic villains in the Lord of the Rings saga: the Witch-king of Angmar.

Gamesradar+ noticed that Campbell Bower had made a change to his X profile sometime during the past week, changing his bio to simply read "Witch King." This is obviously not anything concrete; would Campbel Bower really give away the game in such a simple way without any official reveal by Amazon?...

George R.R. Martin is a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien, but he never shied away from criticizing The Lord of the Rings and sharing what he thinks is wrong with its templates. A Song of Ice and Fire has always been placed side by side with the famed fantasy series, and while they are both set in the medieval world, their depictions are quite different.

George R.R. Martin via TIFF Originals / Credits: YouTube

Even the creators of Game of Thrones share the same sentiments that Martin holds. They believe that the violence in The Lord of the Rings is not as gruesome as what we’ve seen in the HBO show.

Game of Thrones showrunner didn’t want to portray Westeros the Tolkien way

Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss took the massive responsibility of bringing to life George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.

“The Hunt For Gollum” will have to wait a beat. “Lord of The Rings” fans aren’t starving for new projects with Amazon’s popular Second Age prequel series “The Rings of Power” heading into its third season (five seasons are expected before everything wraps up). We’ve also seen a renewed effort on the part of New Line Cinema and Warner Bros.

Continue reading ‘The Hunt For Gollum’: Director Andy Serkis Says His New ‘Lotr’ Movie Has Been Delayed To December 2027 at The Playlist.

Jason Momoa and Jack Black lead the pack in Warner Bros’ long-awaited video game adaptation. Take a look at the new A Minecraft Movie trailer below.

We’ve known for a while now that Warner Bros is making a movie based on the incredibly popular game franchise Minecraft. As of 2023, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time, so there’s a lot riding on the film’s cubic shoulders. No one quite knew how the studio would make the so-called sandbox game work in narrative form, but we’ve now got trailers to give us some more clues.

Take a look at the new A Minecraft Movie trailer.

And here’s the original trailer too…

As you can see, the film stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks as well as Sebastian Eugene Hansen and Emma Myers. Jennifer Coolidge is also involved, as we see her hit a...

When The Hunt for Gollum was originally announced, the Lord of the Rings spin-off was given a tentative December 2026 release date. However, director Andy Serkis told The Direct at Fan Expo Vancouver 2025 that the film has been pushed back by a full year.

“Yeah, it is not 2026. It was originally going to be December 2026. It is going to be December 2027,” Serkis said. “We are right at the beginning of the writing process. We will be prepping later this year. Prep takes a good chunk of time, six or seven months, and then we will be shooting next year. So, it backs into that December 2027 release date.“

Related Lord of the Rings writer really wants Viggo Mortensen to return for The Hunt for Gollum

The Hunt for Gollum takes place during the same time period as The Fellowship of the Ring, with co-writer Philippa Boyens saying that it’s set shortly...

When it comes to news about The Rings Of Power, here at Empire we adopt what could be called a Gollum-like approach: we wants it, we needs it, we must have the preciousss. Handily then, just a fortnight after we learned that Season 3 of Amazon's billion dollar fantasy epic has officially been greenlit at Prime Video, today has brought with it word of the upcoming series' first two newcomers to the cast. Per Deadline's reporting, Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower and Supacell's Eddie Marsan will be making their way to Middle-earth when J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay's Lord Of The Rings prequel returns.

Officially, as you'd expect, Bower and Marsan's roles in the series ahead are being kept hush-hush as pre-production on the show's return ramps up, but Deadline's reporting offers up some room for speculation. Set to join as a series regular, Bower's character is...

[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 and book plot.] The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has crossed the one-billion minutes watched mark on Prime Video, according to the Nielsen streaming charts for the week of August 24-September 1. Based on forward-looking statements from the cast and creators after the Season 2 finale in October, it’s been presumed that the series would be getting a third season. On February 13, Prime Video confirmed that The Rings of Power has been renewed for Season 3. They’re already in pre-production in the UK, and they’re planning a huge time jump to a time in the books that even those with casual knowledge of Lord of the Rings will recall. Here’s everything there is to know so far about The Rings of Power Season 3. When does The Rings of Power Season 3 premiere? Prime Video confirmed that Season...

A film getting unexpectedly delayed or moved back is part and parcel of the film industry, and more often than not, every other film goes through this delay. While the film industry might have grown accustomed to this delay, fans certainly have not and are quick to display their anger. Recently, an upcoming Lotr film has become the subject of fans’ anger.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Credits: New Line Cinema

Directed by and starring Andy Serkis, The Hunt for Gollum has been delayed for over a year, as per recent reports. While most fans have already labeled the film as ‘pointless’ due to its subject matter, many are, nonetheless, upset about the delay.

Andy Serkis’ Lotr spin-off, The Hunt for Gollum, delayed Gollum in The Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

Last year in May, Andy Serkis had revealed that he would...

The sudden closure of Monolith Studios by Warner Bros has created ripples of shock among gamers in more ways than one. It’s not just the loss of what could have been an excellent take on Wonder Woman from the studio that created Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War either.

The Nemesis System that Monolith had developed for its Lord of the Rings-based titles that was set to appear in Wonder Woman is now locked away until at least 2036, considering that WB Games now holds the patent to it and is unlikely to allow its use in externally developed titles.

Wonder Woman Will Have to Wait for Her Gaming Debut A Wonder Woman game from Monolith may have taken the character to new highs. Image Credit: Monolith Studios.

Fans of Monolith’s work may have been quite excited to see what the American studio may have had in...

Jamie Campbell Bower and Eddie Marsan are set to join the cast of Amazon Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for the upcoming third season. Bower will be a regular in the series, while Marsan will appear in a recurring role. The new season is in pre-production now and will begin filming this spring at Shepperton Studios in the UK.

Bower is widely recognized for his role as the villain Henry Creel/Vecna in Netflix’s Stranger Things. He’s also appeared as Mick Jagger in Urban Myths: Mick & Margaret, Christopher Marlow in Will, and King Arthur in Camelot. He even voiced Skiff in Thomas & Friends.

Related: 10 Ways ‘The Rings of Power’ Is Different than ‘Lord of the Rings’ (& 5 Why It Is Better)

Marsan is best known for playing Terry Donovan in the Showtime series Ray Donovan, which ran for seven seasons. He...

Middle-earth just gained two more inhabitants.

Jamie Campbell Bower and Eddie Marsan have joined the cast of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” for the Amazon Prime Video series’ upcoming third season.

Bower will be a series regular, while Marsan will appear in a recurring role. The season is currently in pre-production and will begin filming this spring at Shepperton Studios in the U.K.

Bower is perhaps best known for playing the villain Henry Creel/Vecna in Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” He also played Mick Jagger in “Urban Myths: Mick & Margaret,” Christopher Marlow in “Will,” King Arthur in “Camelot,” the voice of Skiff in “Thomas & Friends” and 11-12 in the remake of “The Prisoner” alongside Sir Ian McKellen.

He made his film debut in Tim Burton’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” opposite Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter. He...

Andy Serkis offered a disappointing release update for his upcoming Hunt for Gollum movie. 

After last appearing in the famed fantasy franchise back in 2012's Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey as his Gollum/Smeagol character, Serkis announced last year that he would be returning to Middle Earth in a new film project.

In May 2024, Serkis was revealed to be taking on directing duties for a new Lord of the Rings movie titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which he would also star in. The film was announced with a nebulous 2026 release date, being the first in a new batch of movies set in J.R.R. Tolkein's iconic literary world. 

Read full article on The Direct.

Craig Duncan, head of Xbox Game Studios just announced that the highly awaited Fable reboot has been delayed to 2026. Duncan explained that the game still needed some more time but would be worth the wait. But that’s the PR reason. It’s also very likely that Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) also affected the decision.

GTA is just that big of a deal. | Image Credit: Rockstar Games

Keep in mind that we don’t even know the release date for GTA 6 outside of the 2025 release window that Rockstar has promised. So it seems like a lot of other developers are adjusting their release dates depending on when Rockstar plans to release GTA 6. And quite frankly, fair play to them. No one wants to be the next Horizon Zero Dawn.

GTA 6 may be the reason for the Fable delay And that’s super fair, to be honest. | Image Credit:...

Mike Flanagan is moving forward with his adaptation of The Dark Tower, one of Stephen King’s most beloved fantasy series. Flanagan, known for his work on Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game, has reassured fans that his version will closely follow the books. Now, he has an even stronger connection to King’s world—Stephen King himself has confirmed he’s directly involved in the project.

At IGN Fan Fest 2025, King was asked if he would contribute new material to the adaptation, similar to what he did for The Stand TV series in 2020. King responded, “All I can say is it’s happening. I am writing stuff now… I’m in process right now, and to say too much feels like a jinx.”

King first started writing The Dark Tower series back in 1970, and the books have become a massive part of his literary universe. While it’s unclear exactly...

There are method actors, and then there’s Theo James, who apparently took things to a whole new level while filming The Monkey. You might know him as the brooding, tough-as-nails Four from Divergent or the slick, sharp-suited playboy in The White Lotus, but in his latest venture, James embraced the sheer chaos of horror like never before.

Directed by Osgood Perkins and based on Stephen King’s chilling short story, The Monkey follows two brothers who discover a sinister toy monkey that wreaks havoc on their lives. The film promises plenty of eerie moments, jumpscares, and a foreboding sense of dread.

A still from The Monkey | Credits: Neon

But behind the scenes? It sounds like James was in a completely different horror movie, one where the real fear was what he’d do next in the name of acting. And yet, some of his wildest moments never even made it to the final cut.

You know that feeling when you’ve played a game that’s so immersive, so intricate, that you can’t help but wonder if it could jump off the screen and onto the big screen? Well, that’s where Elden Ring stands. A game that’s captured hearts, minds, and a slew of awards, Elden Ring feels like it could be the next Lord of the Rings in the making.

And guess who just dropped a bombshell that’s got fans buzzing? None other than George R. R. Martin himself. The brilliant mind behind Game of Thrones has recently let slip the tantalizing possibility of adapting the 2022 hit Soulslike game, Elden Ring, into a major motion picture.

George R.R. Martin | Credits: YouTube/New Mexico in Focus

Yes, the man—who brought dragons to life in a way that made us all question our allegiance to the Iron Throne—has recently...

Have you noticed how every trailer of a festival film has a critic describing the film as ‘unlike anything you’ve seen before’? As if that’s the highest praise a film could get. It means that the critic, who has seen a lot of films, couldn’t find a single film to compare it with. This phrase reveals a lot about how we watch movies. We don’t watch a film objectively, we watch a film about other films. For instance, while watching an epic fantasy movie, you’re constantly comparing it with Lord of the Rings or another movie that’s a benchmark for you. It takes tremendous effort to shatter viewers’ preconceived notions of what a film of a particular genre should be and make them see a film for what it is.

To put it simply, Tumbbad blew me away. It managed to surprise me. It...

Who knew Middle-earth’s biggest plot twist had happened off-camera? Richard Armitage, the brooding dwarf king Thorin Oakenshield himself, spilled the beans on The Hobbit’s ever-evolving script. By the time filming wrapped, the script had been rewritten so many times, it was a wonder the cast didn’t get whiplash trying to keep up.

Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbits | Credits: New Line Cinema

From plot twists to character arcs, nothing had been safe from last-minute changes.

Richard Armitage’s Hobbit journey: Rewrites, heavy armor, and on-set surprises Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbits | Credits: New Line Cinema

The Hobbit wasn’t just an adventure on screen; it was a full-blown rewrite marathon behind the scenes. Richard Armitage revealed that the script changes were relentless.

The rewrites weren’t random, though. As filming progressed, the characters’ voices evolved, and the writers – Philippa Boyens, Fran Walsh,...

Less than a year after he left audiences haunted with his Nicolas Cage-led indie horror hit “Longlegs,” writer-director Osgood Perkins is back with another singular cinematic nightmare. His latest film, “The Monkey,” is a darkly comic, hyper-violent thriller that promises to offer a far more playful but no less dark horror experience than his previous, extremely popular yet divisive effort.

Following the recent releases of “Companion” and “Heart Eyes,” among others, “The Monkey” is also the latest entry in what has been a surprisingly strong wave of crowd-pleasing horror comedies to kick off the year. Here’s how, when and where you can watch “The Monkey.”

When does “The Monkey” come out?

“The Monkey” is set to be released on Friday, Feb. 21.

Is “The Monkey” streaming or in theaters?

As of this writing, “The Monkey” is only available to watch in theaters. We’ll update this page once “The Monkey...

After 61 years of iron-fisted creative control over cinema’s most iconic spy franchise, the Broccoli family is stepping back from James Bond, handing the creative reins to Amazon MGM Studios while maintaining co-ownership through a newly formed joint venture.

The move brings to an end one of Hollywood’s longest-running family creative dynasties and gives Amazon something money alone couldn’t buy: the power to reinvent Ian Fleming’s spy for the streaming era.

“With my 007 career spanning nearly 60 incredible years, I am stepping back from producing the James Bond films to focus on art and charitable projects,” producer Michael G. Wilson said in a prepared statement on Thursday morning. “Therefore, Barbara and I agree, it is time for our trusted partner, Amazon MGM Studios, to lead James Bond into the future.”

The shift represents the final piece of Amazon’s $8.45 billion MGM acquisition puzzle – and a coup for Amazon...

Stephen Colbert issued a blistering response to President Donald Trump following the latest developments in the Ukraine-Russia peace talks. The Late Show host heard more evidence confirming his belief that Trump does not care about Ukraine.

Colbert reported that President Trump sent Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Saudi Arabia for Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations. The only problem? Ukraine wasn't invited.

The comedian noted how hard it is to "find peace" when one side isn't involved. Colbert compared it to a couples therapy session in which the wife stays home, leaving the husband and therapist to conclude it's all her fault.

"It's clear that Trump is pro-Russia," Colbert said. He called out Trump for arguing Ukraine will have to make major concessions to end the war. But when it came to addressing what Russia would have to give up, Trump claimed "maybe Russia will give up a lot, maybe they won't.

Read part 1 here.

Hosted by John Waters, the 16th annual Independent Spirit Awards (allow us here to retcon this as the 16th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards) took place on March 24, 2001, underneath the big white tent at the ceremony’s now-regular home on the beaches of Santa Monica. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the afternoon’s big winner, with Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream) and Willem Dafoe taking home top acting honors.

The next day, Gladiator would win Best Picture at the 73rd Academy Awards. But perhaps more significantly, this was also the night that the fifth episode of Season Three of HBO’s The Sopranos aired. Though not a particularly memorable episode in and of itself the show was nevertheless peaking in public adulation, marking the ascent of the so-called “Golden Age of Television”–a global shift in audiences’ consumer preferences which continues to influence and impact cinema,...

J.R.R. Tolkien was a genius, no doubt. But even geniuses have their what were you thinking? moments. Case in point: he once considered making The Lord of the Rings‘ most dangerous artifact a casual birthday present. Yeah, imagine Sauron’s all-powerful Ring of Doom getting wrapped up with a bow.

J.R.R Tolkien released The Lord of the Rings book series in three volumes starting with The Fellowship of the Ting | Credits: New Line Cinema

But if that sounds wild, wait till you hear the name he almost gave Gandalf. Spoiler: it wouldn’t have carried the same wise, mystical grandpa energy.

Tolkien’s original scrapped Gandalf name and the One Ring’s birthday gift twist Ian McKellan as Gandalf in a still from The Lord of the Rings trilogy | Credits: New Line Cinema

Jrr Tolkien’s drafts are full of wild surprises, and not just for the fans. His son,...