Welcome to ThorinOakenshield.net
You have come to the house of the Heirs of Durin, foremost of the dwarven clans. Here will you find information pertaining to the dwarves of Durin’s line.
All efforts are made to keep this site up to date with the latest Hobbit movie news, photos, speculation, and fan-created works, at least as it relates to the dwarves.
Feel free to send questions to the site admin.
Recent News & Updates
June
6/17/13
-Trevor Wheate, member of the Brisbane Tolkien Fellowship, explores the character of Bard the Bowman, what it means to shoot a “great yew bow”, and how the Black Arrow is connected to the smiths of Erebor.
6/12/13
-I’ve added a gallery of screencaps from the new trailer.
-Peter Jackson posted a new video showing Lee Pace, Orlando Bloom, and Evangeline Lilly in costume (check out Thranduil’s armor!) reacting to a video of fan reactions to the new trailer. Silly elves.
6/11/13
-There are several higher quality images from the new trailer courtesy of Collider.com.
-The teaser Trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is here. Big spoiler – there be dragons!
6/9/13
-From the official Hobbit Facebook page comes this news and poster featuring Bilbo at the Gate of Erebor:
The new teaser trailer for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug will be unveiled this Tuesday, June 11th, at 10am PST / 1pm EST!
6/6/13
-Stuff.co.nz has a new image of the set of post-Smaug Dale, along with an article on when filming will resume in Wellington.
6/5/13
-EW.com just released the first official photograph of Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel, along with some information on her character.
-The entire Hobbit panel at Armageddon Expo 2013 was recorded by GoldDragonflame on YouTube. Adam Brown, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Graham McTavish, Stephen Hunter, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, James Nesbitt, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Luke Evans, and Sylvester McCoy were in attendance.
May
5/29/13
-Popcorn Taxi has released 25 minutes of the Q&A event with Richard Armitage from last month.
5/27/13
-The Sword of Kili is now available to pre-order from BUDK.com, along with the Sword of Fili. Check out these and the rest of the United Cutlery Collection here.
-Guest author Ewelina the Wonderer’s essay delves into the possible inspirations for Gandalf the Wizard, and the origins of the Dwarven names in The Unexpected Origins.
5/25/13
-Weta Concept artist Andrew Baker posted several designs for goblins and warg riders, and some early concepts for Thorin, on his blog.
-Evangeline Lilly talks about her character of Tauriel in Total Film.
5/19/13
-Weta Concept artist Paul Tobin shares some of his artwork for the film on his blog.
5/15/13
-Ori’s Quill continues analyzing the complicated history of the Rings of Power in the second part of a three-part essay that ties in the Concerns of the White Council, with the power of the Great Rings. The third essay will connect Thorin Oakenshield with the Lord of the Rings. Those who have not read the books will find this information vital in understanding what may happen in the The Desolation of Smaug and There and Back Again. Those who have read the books might benefit from a review of this information and find some facts intriguing.
5/13/13
-In this guest post, Anjy Roemelt considers “What’s So Special About These Dwarves?”
-Benedict Cumberbatch talks to WSJ about his early exposure to The Hobbit as a child, and why the character of Smaug has always been fascinating for him.
-Most of the videos from the Japanese site mentioned yesterday are also on Youtube, and have been gathered into this post.
-Popcorn Taxi interviews Richard Armitage. Talks about Peter Jackson’s and Andy Serkis’ directing style, and leaving behind Thorin’s racism for the elves when working with Orcrist.
5/12/13
New promotional videos from a Japanese site give background info on the dwarves of the Company, using behind-the-scenes clips and interviews with the actors. Many thanks to Gloin on Facebook for the heads up! A couple of the clips are on Youtube as well:
-United Cutlery will release the Sword of Kili this year, most likely in August, according to BudK. This authentically detailed replica is a reproduction of the actual filming prop built by Weta Workshop. The Sword of Kili is 28 3/8” overall, featuring a solid stainless AUS-6 steel blade, solid metal and hard acrylic handle with leather wrapped hilt parts, all authentically “aged” and “battle worn” with a distressed, acid-etched finish to duplicate the original movie prop as closely as possible.
5/9/13
-IGN interviews Richard Armitage about how Thorin will evolve in films 2 and 3 in this video:
5/7/13
-WarnerBros had a Q&A with Richard Armitage which, among other things, asks if he were Thorin, would he stay in the Blue Mountains to rebuild, or take the risk of the Lonely Mountain.
5/4/13
-Themusic.com.au interview with Richard Armitage contains something of a spoiler for the next films in terms of the “gold lust that will eventually consume Thorin,” and his salvation via his relationship with Bilbo.
-TheOneRing.net has the full transcript of Richard Armitage’s on-stage interview with Popcorn Taxis in Sydney Australia.
-Movies.MMGN.com interview mentions how “The relationship with Bilbo for example changes quite a bit and you’ll see that but eventually everything around Thorin, including the relationships, they become quite destructive, so it’s an interesting turn for the character as the story progresses”.
5/3/13
- On CNET Australia Richard Armitage talks about acting with green screens, staying in character throughout the shooting day, how he likens Thorin to a bison in terms of overall stockiness, and how the Silmarillion influenced his portrayal of Thorin, even if it is not spoken of directly on film.
-SFTVau interviewed Richard Armitage:
5/1/13
-An interview with Richard Armitage on News.com.au discusses the very expensive prosthetics required to make Thorin what he is.
-In another interview from Localtoday.com.au, he talks about happily working with Hugo Weaving, and sadly not working with Cate Blanchett.
-The Vine.com.au has a long interview about what he imagined when looking at Azog (since Azog had not been created yet), his idea of Thorin as an elemental rather than pompous character, and what historical inspiration he drew on to form his vision of the dragon attack on Erebor.
-The Vine also hosted a Twitter Q&A where he shares some insights into the personal backstory he created for Thorin, among other things.
-A vaguely spoilery interview on NineMSN mentions *not* filming scenes with Tauriel (or “towel rail”) yet, the biggest challenges of the role, and also shoots down my dream of seeing Thorin playing the harp. There is a video interview at the bottom of that page.
-GraffitiWithPunctuation.net has an audio interview which contains a tiny little spoiler for movie three, and mentions the perpetually changing structure of film two (but without any details). Richard also describes his favorite moment in the Lord of the Rings films.
-Popcorn Taxi on Facebook has a gallery of pictures from the Q&A with Richard held in NSW Australia today.
April
4/27/13
-Ori’s Quill joins us on Heirs of Durin with the first part of a three-part essay looking at the “Concerns of the White Council”. It shows the evolution of the Necromancer’s rise to power, and explains the connection between Thorin and the One Ring. It also attempts to reconcile the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien and An Unexpected Journey, but also to point out the discrepancies.
4/23/13
-William Kircher talks about experiencing stardom after a lifetime of acting, and how Bifur is the Keith Richards of the dwarves.
4/21/13
-Interview with Richard Armitage on unterhaltung.de.msn.com explains how the character will remain with him long after shooting ends.
-Interview with James Nesbitt on unterhaltung.de.msn.com talks about how he was new to the fantasy genre before starting work on the film.
4/12/13
-In a fascinating interview with Manu Bennett in Empireonline.com, he discusses how the roles of Bolg and Azog interchanged between Conan Stevens and himself, and how he brought a touch of the Maori warrior to Azog. And if you think it was hard for Ian McKellen acting alone during some scenes while the dwarves partied in the next room, spare a thought for poor Manu, who had to do his entire performance without any other actors present.
4/9/13
-Interview with Dean O’Gorman in SootMagazine.com talks about what he expected at his audition, and his favorite scene in the movie.
-In a video from YahooMoviesUK, Richard Armitage talks about how the relationship between Bilbo and Thorin is built up in movie two, only to be destroyed in movie three, as per the book. James Nesbitt and Andy Serkis also discuss the upcoming film in terms of tone.
-Weta Workshop’s latest book, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles II: Creatures and Characters is shipping from Amazon.com now. It covers “heroes and villains, beasts and beings that populate Middle-earth…Richly illustrated with behind-the-scenes photographs, digital renders and film stills, this comprehensive book goes species by species, character by character, through the film’s huge ensemble of characters and bustling menagerie of creatures, both physical and digital, telling the stories of how each came to be realized for the film.”
4/8/13
-HeyUGuys interviews Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, and Andy Serkis.
Richard Armitage talks about what’s in store for Thorin in the next film, including his improved relationship with Bilbo, his worries about impending dragon sickness, and the need to reclaim the Arkenstone which “gives him the right to be king”.
-James Nesbitt describes bringing some Irishness to the role of Bofur, how the tone will change in the second film, and how he imagines the last scene of filming to be the battle of five armies.
-Andy Serkis talks about how Gollum is different 60 years before The Lord of the Rings, and how the growing unease more prevalent in LOTR begins to seep into the second film.
4/7/13
-Richard Armitage mentions the hazards of being in character throughout an entire shoot in this interview with The Independent.
4/6/13
-ArchedCory gives her account of HobbitCon and meeting Dean O’Gorman.
4/5/13
-Richard Armitage talks to SFX about various techniques used to achieve the dwarves’ proper scale – including feeling like a kid at Beorn’s table. Also his opinion of internet memes, and which dwarf actor is most like their character in real life.
-SFX does NOT interview James Nesbitt about how to play a dwarf, but does ask about The Hat. He shares a secret about what he hated most about his costume.
-SFX interviews Andy Serkis about Gollum and being second unit director.
-James Nesbitt, Richard Armitage, and Andy Serkis are interviewed by Digital Spy about The Desolation of Smaug.
-Richard Armitage was interviewed by Sarah-Jane Crawford on BBC1. He discusses the reason Thorin is not initially keen on the idea of taking Bilbo.
-Manu Bennett, the man behind the malevolent Azog, shares details of why he joined the project so late, how his input helped give Azog more depth, and what might be in store for the character in future films.
-Weta’s Joe Letteri explains in detail how the beauty of Gollum (and Azog) is not just skin deep, in this interview with Bleeding Cool News.
4/3/13
-Magnavision Home Video has interviews with several of the cast on their Facebook page:
Andy Serkis
Richard Armitage
Peter Jackson
Martin Freeman
Ian McKellen
-IGN interviews Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage and James Nesbitt about Smaug.
-I’ve redone the Best Buy Exclusive: A Hobbit’s Tale screencap gallery with HD images from the Blu-ray.
4/1/13
-Dean O’Gorman and Graham McTavish were interviewed by Blairemagazine.com. Both are also scheduled to appear at Supanova this month.
March
3/30/13
-Andy Serkis interviews James Nesbitt and Richard Armitage in this iTunes exclusive. I found Nesbitt’s opinion of Peter Jackson very interesting.
-There is an interview with Hobbit prosthetics supervisor Tami Lane in the Spring issue (Vol 19, issue 2) of Bradley Hilltopics. It can be read online or downloaded as a PDF.
3/29/13
-Kids’ web channel Bin Weevils interviewed Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, and Andy Serkis about their Hobbit experience.
3/24/13
-The live event hosted by Peter Jackson (and accessible only with a code obtained from a pre-order) is happening today. TheOneRing.net has an FAQ of what you need to know.
3/21/13
-Going frame by frame through a film can turn up surprises, such as the inclusion of unexpected poetry. Read more about it in The Hobbit and the Highwayman, and add your discoveries in the comments section.
-A reminder about the sneak peak coming this Sunday.
3/20/13
-GettyImages.com published an amusing interview with Richard Armitage last week.
-Screencapped.net has a massive collection of HD shots from The Hobbit in this gallery.
-UPI.com asks Richard Armitage why Peter Jackson was inspired to cast him as Thorin.
-A new video promoting New Zealand tourism features Richard Armitage and the cast of the Hobbit relating their love of the landscape. Be sure to watch in HD if you can.
.
3/19/13
-I’ve added a gallery containing screencaps from the 30 minute documentary “A Hobbit’s Tale: The Journey Begins”, which is included in the purchase of the exclusive Best Buy Blu-ray combo.
Update: Best Buy on Youtube posted a 2 minute excerpt from this video featuring Bilbo and Gollum.
3/18/13
-Short interviews with Andy Serkis, James Nesbitt and Richard Armitage by Entertainment Celebrity Extra.
-Richard Armitage talks to TheOneRing.net about how Thorin managed to retain his status as a leader after the loss of Erebor. Also confirms that Thrain disappeared 100 years before the start of their quest.
-Andy Serkis talks to TheOneRing.net about saying farewell to the character of Gollum, and what he hopes will make it into the Extended Edition in December.
3/17/13
-XBox has uploaded a clip of an exclusive video from their Blu-ray package featuring the relationship between Thror, Thrain, Thorin, Fili and Kili. It also mentions dragon sickness, and where Thrain may have gone off to. HD Screencaps from the video can be found here.
.
-Interview with Richard Armitage in the May issue of Total Film gives spoilers for the relationship between Bilbo and Thorin in film 2 and 3. richardarmitagenet.com has taken screenshots of the iPad edition, here and here.
3/13/13
-Another Q&A with Dean O’Gorman was recorded at Armageddon Expo. It is divided into many video segments, so I’ve gathered them together on one page for easier viewing.
3/8/13
-A fan recorded some of Dean O’Gorman’s Q&A session at Armageddon 2013. Talks about what Peter Jackson is really like to work with, filming the barrel scene from the next movie, and who he would enjoying working with in the future.
3/7/13
-Weta Digital goes into more detail about the software which won them an Academy Award for the CG effects on creatures like Gollum and Azog.
-Andy Serkis, James Nesbitt, and Richard Armitage talk about the Hobbit Blu-ray release.
-Richard Armitage was interviewed on the Lorraine show today. Video available via RAnet.com.
-Martin Freeman interview on CraveOnlineVideo. Talks about script changes, Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug, and Andy Serkis as a director.
3/5/13
-Tomorrow Richard Armitage will be answering fan questions via the official Hobbit Movie twitter account. You can submit questions today to @TheHobbitMovie by including the hashtag #AskThorin.
3/4/13
-HobbitCon will be taking place in Germany from March 30 – April 1. This is the first convention dedicated to The Hobbit film. Scheduled guests include Dean O’Gorman, Stephen Hunter, Graham McTavish, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, Sylvester McCoy, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, and James Nesbitt, as well as Weta Workshop artists Paul Tobin and Daniel Falconer. Tickets and passes are still available according to the website.
February
2/28/13
-The final film in the Hobbit trilogy has been rescheduled for release in December 2014, rather than July, according to deadline.com.
2/27/13
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com in DVD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3D. It is available three different ways:
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Two-Disc Special Edition) (DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy)
If you live in the UK you have four different versions to choose from on Amazon.co.uk, including an exclusive Steelbook edition (I have no idea what that is, but aren’t you lucky?)
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy)
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy) [Region Free]
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copy) [Region Free]
Don’t forget there is a special offer when pre-ordering the Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, or Limited Edition Steelbook versions on Amazon.co.uk (this does not appear to be included with the regular DVD version, nor do I see it listed for any edition on Amazon.com):
Receive a unique code to access a sneak peek preview of the second film in the trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug at 7pm on Sunday, March 24. Offer strictly subject to availability. One code will be issued per customer. An internet connection is required to redeem the incentive. Offer valid when dispatched by Amazon.co.uk. Promotion valid on all existing pre-orders. Amazon reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time. The live stream is only available at 7pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013. The codes will no longer be active after this date.
This advertisement from the official site implies that codes will be included in more editions than just those in the UK, and Amazon.de lists each edition as including a code if purchased before March 17.
2/23/13
Interview in SheWired with make-up artist Tami Lane about making a break into the profession, and her preparations for Oscar night this Sunday.
2/20/13
Michelle Nevins enlightens us with an Introduction to Runes in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, an essay detailing the different runic systems present in the film. Coincidentally, she finished this work just as linguist David Salo was debuting his own website, Midgardsmal, which will swiftly become the ultimate source for information about Hobbit runes and languages, including Khuzdul, the language of the dwarves.
2/16/13
-United Cutlery is producing the Sword of Fili the Dwarf in stainless steel. Blade center is currently taking pre-orders, with an expected shipping date in May.
2/15/13
-New essay by Anjy Roemelt: Once a Dwarf – Always a Dwarf? From the Nauglath to the Heirs of Durin – Part 1. Discusses the evolution of Tolkien’s dwarven races, and how the films fit within this frame.
-There are plenty of images of the upcoming Toy Biz Hobbit figures in this gallery at Figures.com.
2/13/13
-Entertainment Weekly interviewed VFX supervisor Joe Letteri about refining creatures such as Gollum over the years, and also new beasts on the horizon, like Smaug. There is also a 4 minute video showcasing the transitions between behind the scenes shots and finished effects shots in the film which you won’t want to miss.
2/11/13
-Paul Tobin and Peter Lyon offer their thoughts about the design of Orcrist, and the making of the scabbard for the Master Swordsmith’s edition replica.
-Vanity Fair interviews Peter Swords King about the makeup and hair design on the film.
2/4/13
-Idle Hands has preview photos of the new wave of Bridge Direct Hobbit figures including more dwarves, Azog, Radagast, and a larger scale Bolg.
2/1/13
-Check out this page for a collection of updated information about Thorin’s sword Orcrist, including where to buy replicas. Weta Workshop has just announced the release of their Master Swordsmith’s version.
-I previously missed this interview with Richard Armitage in NewStraitsTimes from Dec. 27. Mentions Thorin’s no-fun attitude, his susceptibility to gold, and hunting for the Arkenstone. Also about working with Ian McKellen and Martin Freeman.
January
1/25/13
-Fan Fiction: 6 stories added to the fan fiction page including; “Unfinished Business” by Ceallaig, which features Thorin tying up loose ends after the Battle of the Five Armies. And LadyPearlofArguile wrote “A Firelight’s Flicker and a Shadow’s Memory” – Thorin remembers an important person in his past life; “A King’s Words and a Warrior’s Heart” – Gimli wishes to accompany the Heir of Durin on his quest to Erebor; “A Road Song” – one take on how the Hobbit Walking song came about; “Whispers in the Dark” – Bilbo overhears Gandalf and Thorin talking before setting out on the Quest of Eriador; “An Unforeseen Adventure” – Thorin and Bilbo become separated from the main company.
1/24/13
-This essay by guest contributor Anjy Roemelt highlights characteristics of Dori, Nori, and Ori, either visible in the film, or gathered from the movie tie-ins, and also from Tolkien’s text.
1/21/13
-Scans of the interview with Richard Armitage in Fault Magazine can be found on richardarmitagecentral.co.uk. Talks about finding Thorin’s voice, and a little about his role in the upcoming film Black Sky.
1/19/13
-Screencaps of Manu Bennett’s behind-the-scenes work as Azog from the video mentioned in the news from 1/17 are now featured on my “Wuz up with Azog?” page. So that’s not really the title, but it should have been.
-Interview with Richard Armitage in the Brisbane Sunday Mail last month was posted on richardarmitagenet.com. Mentions the “paranoia” that Armitage believes Thorin suffers, “‘Why has this come to me? Why am I expected to carry this burden? All the men don’t think I’m up to it and they may be right…they may be wrong.’”
-20 minute Hobbit special shown on tennews.com.au last month.
1/17/13
-The LA Times has an article this week on the VFX for the film with a mention about the Goblin King, Gollum, and the making of Azog. As many have already deduced, Azog was originally not a CGI character at all, but they decided they needed something more impressive than what had already been filmed, so they had to very quickly create what we see now as the Pale Orc with help from a motion capture performance by Manu Bennett. Check out the last video on that page for some of the first officially released behind-the-scenes images of Manu as Azog.
1/14/12
-More entries in the Dwarf Costuming Gallery, including a canine version of Thorin from Pugstarsonoma.com, and a very elaborate Kili by Eloquiell.
1/11/12
-Possible translations of the Khuzdûl lines in the film can be found on Elendilion.pl.
-Somehow I missed this interview Richard Armitage gave Movieline last month talking about dwarf sign language and physicality. On page 2 he mentions the Arkenstone being held up mockingly before Thorin in a later film, the subtle influence of Shakespeare on his portrayal, and he explains how Thorin views his grandfather Thror’s greed, as well as the effect the gold has on him once he enters the Lonely Mountain in the third film.
1/9/12
-My essay Legacy of the People: The Burdens of Thorin Oakenshield and Boromir of Gondor discusses the similarities between the two characters, while Susan Messer Chan’s essay Tolkien’s Antithetical Heroes: Thorin Oakenshield & Boromir of Gondor focuses on their differences.
1/7/12
-Fan Fiction: Two new stories. Saraleee writes about “The Adventures of Dwalin the Dwarf”. Summary: Before the beginning of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” Thorin’s loyal friend Dwalin has some adventures of his own. He meets a beautiful and mysterious female dwarf, and also some of the dwarves who become members of Thorin Oakenshield’s Company.
Task Mistress tells the tale of the “The Silent Partner”. Summary: Although it was believed that Thorin Oakenshield had never taken a wife, an account of the days of exile with Thorin’s seal indicates he did in fact take a wife secretly, to protect her identity from the line of Azog.
-Leathercrafter Rassaku has done a fine job of recreating Thorin and Kili’s bracers from the film. You can view them (and find out about purchasing a pair for yourself) in this gallery.
-Fan Art: There are many additions to the Hobbit Art Gallery from these fine artists: Jorael, Camila Abondano, Karama-wari, Jeanne-Lui, Pulvis, Finnguala, Maelstromarts, Soft-tofu, Reapersun, Alessia Pelonzi, CamoKitty, GreyKitty, Unda-RM, Rayhyuuga, Baricka, KatyRomance, AngieParadiseeker, Lasse17, 11syphuama, Xenelith, Eljay93, Frene, Kotorigaro, Ochopanteras, Kallielef, Evergard, Ramida-r, Kisaki-shattoriboshi, Thewholehorizon, PeckishOwl, Oznerol-1516, AnnieBradsw, Francoclun, TyrineCarver, Oikeus, Koke, and Teanna. You can view all the newer works starting from here.
1/6/12
-Group interview with Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Richard Armitage, and Martin Freeman at the Apple Store last month.
1/4/12
-ArchedCory considers the fauna featured in the film in a new essay entitled: Middle-earth’s biology as shown in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Archive of previous news and updates can be found here.
