A new Fox Searchlight trailer might have a familiar ring to it, but this journey to Middle-earth comes via the true story of the magical world’s one-of-a-kind creator. Tolkien, in theaters this May, stars Nicholas Hoult as author J.R.R. Tolkien, born in South Africa, raised in England and elevated to immortality on…

There’s never been any indication that they celebrate the Fourth of July in Middle Earth, but fireworks of legal independence will be going off anyway. After a grueling five-year court battle, Warner Bros. and the estate of author J.R.R. Tolkien have settled an $80 million rights dispute over The Hobbit and The Lord of…

I don't know many prime ministers. Actually, just one, John Key, who has been prime minister of New Zealand since 2008. So I was chagrined to see that Key is planning to resign his post as of December 12, clearing the way for a succession vote, and capping the political career of The Hobbit‘s best friend.

In 2010, Key …

EXCLUSIVE: Evangeline Lilly has signed with UTA. The actress, best known for starring in Lost and the second and third installment of The Hobbit, aligns with the agency as she moves up to co-lead in Ant-Man And The Wasp, the sequel to Marvel’s Ant-Man. Lilly played Hope Van Dyne opposite Paul Rudd in the first film…

Hobbits, Orcs, Ents and maybe even some Na’vi are getting their own museum in New Zealand’s capital city. A long-gestating $90M project backed by private interests led by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and their longtime collaborator Richard Taylor today won approval from the Wellington City Council.

A combined movie museum…

Stepping up efforts to mine literature for new projects, New Line Cinema has created the new internal position of Literary Scout, and the company has tapped Jake Bauman, formerly of Chernin Entertainment, for the job.

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This is why it’s a good idea for studios to diversify. MGM’s theatrical and home entertainment revenues were down in Q1, but global TV licensing saved the day, according to the privately held company’s financial report to its investors today.

MGM generated net income of $56.8 million, up 27.4% compared with the period…

Andrew Lesnie, the cinematographer on all six of Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit movies and an Oscar winner in 2002 for the seminal franchise kickoff The Fellowship Of The Ring, died Monday. He was 59. The Australian Cinematographers Society confirmed “the sudden death of Andrew,” according to Australian…

The best item on last night’s Saturday Night Live menu wasn’t live at all. It was a filmed bit in which freshman host Martin Freeman and Team Michaels mashed up Bilbo Baggins, from The Hobbit/Lord Of The Rings and Tim, from The Office, in an episode of the TV series set in Middle Earth.

The full SNL team — cast, crew…

EXCLUSIVE: The arbitrator in the legal battle over Middle Earth money made his decision today, and Bob and Harvey Weinstein were not the lucky ones. Warner Bros has won the fight over profits from The Hobbit sequels, I have learned, after the Weinsteins filed a $75 million lawsuit late last year that was…

Peter Jackson wraps his epic Hobbit trilogy this December with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, which today unveiled the somber main trailer that Deadline premiered last Saturday at our awards season kick-off event The Contenders. Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), and the…

Tony DeRosa-Grund brought some big guns to his war with Warner Bros and its New Line Cinema division today. Already battling the studio in the courts, The Conjuring producer has now charged New Line and its Biz and Legal Affairs head Craig A. Alexander with violating federal racketeering laws.

“The case has no merit, a…