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Pop Cult News

Today in Geek History – November 11

by April Carvelli
written by April Carvelli
Today in Geek History - November 11

Geeky tidbits that we find interesting and hope you will too.

If you have other fun or geeky facts you want us to add, let us know in the comments below.

1918 – The Allied powers signed a ceasefire agreement with Germany at Rethondes, France, at 11:00 a.m
1940 – Willys unveiled its General Purpose vehicle (“Jeep”)
1952 – The first video recorder was demonstrated by John Mullin and Wayne Johnson in Beverly Hills, CA.
1954 – Publication of “Two Towers”, 2nd volume of “Lord of the Rings”, by J. R. R. Tolkien by George Allen and Unwin in London
1961 – “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller is published by Simon and Schuster in New York
2013 – “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” directed by Francis Lawrence starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson premieres in London

DISCLAIMER:

1. All geeky facts have been verified to the best of our ability. If we have an incorrect fact, please let us know.

2. All images are public domain or fair use. If any image is in violation, please let us know immediately.

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Pop Cult News

Today in Geek History – October 20

by April Carvelli
written by April Carvelli
Today in Geek History - October 20

Geeky tidbits that we find interesting and hope you will too.

If you have other fun or geeky facts you want us to add, let us know in the comments below.

1818 – 49th parallel forms as border between US & Canada
1930 – “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” debuted on NBC radio.
1955 – Publication of “The Return of the King”, the 3rd and final volume of “The Lord of the Rings” by J. R. R. Tolkien by George Allen and Unwin in London
2017 – “Coco” Pixar animated film, the first nine-figure budget film with all-Latino cast premieres at Morelia film festival

DISCLAIMER:

1. All geeky facts have been verified to the best of our ability. If we have an incorrect fact, please let us know.

2. All images are public domain or fair use. If any image is in violation, please let us know immediately.

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Novels/BooksPop Cult News

[Streaming] Andy Serkis to Read ‘The Hobbit’ Live Online For Charities

by Tori Ann
written by Tori Ann

One of the few blessings right now is the plethora of online content to keep us occupied while many of us are stuck at home. Aside from the usually streaming entertainment options, ordinary folks and celebrities alike are doing livestreams both to entertain and raise money for essential services and charities.

Lord of the Rings and Star Wars actor Andy Serkis will be doing just that in order to raise money for NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings. NHS Charities Together is a collection of over 250 charitable organizations that support the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. Best Beginnings is another UK-based charity and works to reduce inequalities in child health.

In order to raise money for the two organizations, Serkis will be reading the entirety of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel The Hobbit via livestream and plans to do so of the course of 12 hours. The actor voiced the character Gollum in both the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, so clearly he has a fondness for Tolkien’s work. Serkis announced the event on a somewhat cryptic video Sunday, but the cat was pretty much out of the bag once he panned over to a Gollum statue in the room, saying that the character would somehow be involved.

His description of the event, which has been dubbed a “Hobbitathon,” is as follows:

From an unexpected party to the last stage, join Bilbo and me on this tale of high adventure. Together we’ll face the might of the trolls, journey to the magical Rivendell, encounter the giant spiders in the labyrinths of Mirkwood, and the evil goblins living among the roots of the Misty Mountains, until we meet the dragon Smaug, and see the Battle of the Five Armies.

https://www.facebook.com/180115459433/videos/1373139309537538/

Serkis won’t be doing just a straight reading, but plans to inject a bit of fun and nods to the other characters that have embodied the characters. “I’m not going to be doing impersonations of the great voices like Ian McKellen’s and Martin Freeman’s in our film but I will probably nod to them in some way.” He also assures there may be a few stumbles, trip-ups, and moments when the cat jumps in, but that’s happens when you do something live, right?

Donations can be made here, and Serkis promises a “special surprise later in our journey” if the goal of £100,000 is reached.

The livestream will happen May 8th, and will start at 10am GMT/5am EST/ 2am PST. The link will be shared shortly before the event starts.

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FantasyPop Cult News

Massive J.R.R. Tolkien Collection Comes to the U.S.

by Tori Ann
written by Tori Ann

Known as the father of modern fantasy literature, author J.R.R. Tolkien has touched many lives through his books and the creation his fictional world, Middle-earth. Fans of his work can read the books themselves, view artwork inspired by the books, or watch the movies created by Peter Jackson. Now for a short time, fans in New York City (or those willing to travel there) will be able to view “the most extensive public display of original Tolkien material for several generations.”

The Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth exhibit at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York has brought together maps, manuscripts, original drawings, and more from the Tolkien Archives at the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, Marquette University Libraries in Milwaukee, the Morgan, and private lenders. The exhibit will open January 25 and will run through May 12, 2019.

The library’s website provides this description for the exhibit:

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” With these words the Oxford professor J.R.R. Tolkien ignited a fervid spark in generations of readers. From the children’s classic The Hobbit to the epic The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien’s adventurous tales of hobbits and elves, dwarves and wizards have introduced millions to the rich history of Middle-earth. Going beyond literature, Tolkien’s Middle-earth is a world complete with its own languages and histories. Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth celebrates the man and his creation. The exhibition will be the most extensive public display of original Tolkien material for several generations. Drawn from the collections of the Tolkien Archive at the Bodleian Library (Oxford), Marquette University Libraries (Milwaukee), the Morgan, and private lenders, the exhibition will include family photographs and memorabilia, Tolkien’s original illustrations, maps, draft manuscripts, and designs related to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.

The video below provided by the library gives an overview of the exhibit.

The Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth exhibit runs January 25-May 12 at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City.

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FantasyPop Cult News

[Pics] Live the Shire Life at This Hobbit Hole Airbnb!

by Tori Ann
written by Tori Ann
Hobbit Airbnb

For many fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s stories of Middle-earth, the ultimate trip would be journeying to New Zealand where the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies were filmed. But if you can’t quite manage that, this Airbnb in Fairfield, Virginia might be the next best thing.

Built into a hill with a grass roof and circular, wooden door, it would fit in perfectly with the Hobbit holes described in Tolkien’s novels. There is a cozy feel to the place, including two large armchairs right by the faux fireplace. The porch seating and bench by the garden are perfect for sitting and enjoying all that nature has to offer.

The guesthouse is out of the way and surrounded by fields, so you can feel like you truly have gone to the Shire for a short stay. The owners also clearly know how to lean into the theme of the house, providing guests with a complimentary bottle of wine and seed cake upon arrival, as well as Rune stones bearing Gandalf’s mark and a “Party invitation” as keepsakes of your stay. The website for the location shows several photos of guests in their Tolkien-themed outfits, so this would be the perfect place to get those shots of your Hobbit, Elf, Ranger, or Wizard cosplay!

The residence books year-round, and there are several stunning photos of the place covered in snow. The kitchen features a coffeemaker with assortment of coffees and teas, a small hotplate, microwave, and fridge. It comfortably sleeps two, but can accommodate up to four people.

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Movies / TV

[Movie News] ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is Returning to Theaters This Weekend!

by Tori Ann
written by Tori Ann
LotR feature

With a new TV series coming to Amazon Prime, now seems the perfect time to see Peter Jackson‘s Lord of the Rings films in theaters once again.

Starting this weekend, August 12th, Marcus Theatres will be screening a The Lord of the Rings Retro Series on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays. They will be showing the extended editions of each film, so fans of the films won’t miss a single second of the movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy. The Sunday shows will begin at noon, and the Monday and Wednesday shows will begin at 7pm each night.

The Fellowship of the Ring will be shown August 12,13, and 15. The Two Towers will show August 19, 20, and 22. The Return of the King will show August 26, 27, and 29. Tickets cost just $5 per film.

Not all Marcus Theatres will be showing the film series, but there are locations in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin. To see if there is a location near you showing the films, you can go here to the event’s landing page.

The Lord of the Rings films debuted between 2001 and 2003, and are based on the literary trilogy of the same name written by J.R.R. Tolkien and are set in the fictional world of Middle-earth. The films follow the Hobbit, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as he and the Fellowship embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring, and thus ensure the destruction of its maker, the Dark Lord Sauron. The trilogy of films has won multiple awards, including 17 Academy Awards. Both The Fellowship of the Ring and The Return of the King won the award for Best Picture, and The Return of the King won every Academy Award that it was nominated for.

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FantasyMovies / TV

[TV News] Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ Series to Follow a Young Aragorn

by Tori Ann
written by Tori Ann
Amazon Aragorn

Lord of the Rings, Tolkien

Late last year, it was announced that Amazon would be creating a show based off J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Earlier today, Tolkien fansite TheOneRing.net tweeted out that the first season of the show will follow a young Aragorn.

 


Until now, we did not know much about the series. All we knew was that it would be 5 seasons, and would reportedly cost one billion dollars. With this new information, it gives us a better picture of the show itself.

Aragorn, played by Viggo Mortensen in the three Lord of the Rings films, was a member of the Fellowship that accompanied Frodo Baggins on his quest to destroy the One Ring. He is also the heir of Isildur and the rightful King of Gondor and Arnor. He spent much of his life unaware of this. He also spent several decades traveling across Middle-earth and as the Chief of the Dunedain Rangers of the North. At the time of The Lord of the Rings, the character is 87 years old and has a rich history, providing plenty of time for the Amazon series to cover.

While there is certainly enough material for the show to be only about a younger Aragorn, it is interesting to note that he will only be the subject of the first season. This leaves four other seasons to explore the history of Middle-earth. If you know anything about Tolkien, you know how expansive his world-building was. The Appendices of The Lord of the Rings could fill multiple series, let alone his other books covering Middle-earth. Since the first season of the Amazon series will focus on Aragorn, this leads many to believe that the show will take an anthology approach. Each season would explore a different character/area or time period of Middle-earth written about in the Appendices.

It is unknown yet who will be involved in the series creatively. Many are hoping for director Peter Jackson to come aboard. Jackson reportedly is interested in joining the series, but has not yet made a decision to pursue this or a DCEU film.

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FantasyMovies / TVPop Cult News

Amazon Orders ‘Lord of the Rings’ TV Series

by Tori Ann
written by Tori Ann

Last week, there were rumors that Amazon was interested in developing a television series for its Prime streaming service based off the world of author J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Today it was announced that Amazon had indeed picked up the series, making a multi-season production commitment to telling the story of Tolkien’s epic fantasy world known as Middle-Earth. The deal also includes the option of a potential spin-off series.

This would be the first television series based on Tolkien writings, as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were both turned into movie trilogies by director Peter Jackson. But would the series be a retelling of these stories? In a word, no.

What Could This Series Cover?

Tolkien’s writings on the world of Middle-Earth cover much more than just the events of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. His epic tale The Silmarillion covers thousands of years of history in the fantasy world, all taking place before Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The Return of the King, the final book in the Lord of the Rings series has substantial appendices at the end, covering events that take place at before, during, and after the events of the series outside of the story’s main action. These could all be sources for the Amazon series.

However, the most likely situation would be that the series would take place either before The Hobbit, or between The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos

In a Vanity Fair article last week, it was said that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was personally involved in the negotiations between the studio and the Tolkien Estate. Bezos is known to be a fan of high fantasy and science fiction, so it seems that he would greatly enjoy having his company involved with such a well-known fantasy story.

Matt Galsor, a representative of the Tolkien Estate, said, “We are delighted that Amazon, with its longstanding commitment to literature, is the home of the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings. Sharon and the team at Amazon Studios have exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s original writings.”

Since the deal for the series has just been made, no cast or premiere date have been announced yet.

Are you excited about the announcement of this new Amazon series? How did you feel about the previous Middle-earth film trilogies? Let us know your thoughts!

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