But seriously given the father/son stuff they are developing, and the presence of Thrain in the film, I'd hedge a guess at Moria as he dissapears.

I'm still not too worried about Tauriel: nothing that's been said about her in this article would bother me much if she were a male captain of the guard, so I figure she'll just be a Jackson-style Elf.

Being a subscriber I was lucky enough to receive the issue through the post just now. I am writing this at a bit a rush so I'm not sure if this post will make much sense!!. Anyway most of the spoilers seem to be along the lines of what we have gussed, but there are a few new tidbits, and it is very clear Jackson is not making a hobbit film per se. And yes Legolas most defintely has much more than a cameo

Legolas will seemingily have his 'hero moments' like in the trilogy, but none are specified, Bloom was concerned about returning, but says his role makes 'sense'.
, he is slightly less worldly and more dwarf adverse. 'One of the many explorations DOS makes beneath the twee exterior of The Hobbit is to account for Legolas's subsequent departure from his homeland in Mirkwood'-that wasn't in the appendices was it?

'Yesterday Evangeline Lilly's Tauriel-a young Silvan Elf-resuscitated a dying human girl with a liquid burst of Elvish'-It notes that Lilly bought he fluency in French to the pronoucniation of Sindarin-were the two languages ever linked?

For all the special effects that will be bought to bear on The Hobbit trilogy, Jackson is still dangling actors on piano wires and constructing sets enshrouded in the own wintry patterns. 'This is his roots isn't it?' says Bloom
-Looks like TABA will be taking place in the winter

There is alot of mention of piano wires, so the matrix elves may a recurring motif!

Laketown-'Contary to the town on stilts of Tolkien's famous illustration the cramped streets are level with the waterline, giving it the dishevelled aspect of a Dickensian Venice, a labyryth of gimcracks walkways, bridges and buildings that stoop beneath the burden of the heavy roofs. Its a foogy cladestine sort of place where things skulk amongst the shadows'.
'
'As the Dwarves arrive, by barrel at the waterborne human habitation withtin trading distance of Erebor, so the orcs have traked them, pursued in turn by our nimble elf, having made his entrance in the Elven Halls of Mirkwood'

'This will probably get me struck off The One Ring party list but I am enjoying deviating from the book'-Jackson.

There are further references to the orcs hunting the party in Laketown, and confirmation of more 'appendices' materil.

Mirkwood is trippy with Mushroom spores. 'The bedtime lilt of Tolkien's debut novel however charming is long gone'

'You read the books, the appendices, the letters and the interviews that Tolkien gave. Jackson observes, 'and you realise you are dramatising some of the things he was hinting at' However far they deviate from the text they are taking Tolkien with them. *Azog*

The two strands of Bilbo and Gandalf's journeys will be interweaved till the end of the film, with offshoots to legolas (not Thranduil apparently) the Master of Lakewton, and Bard's new backstory.

There is less humour in thsi film as it wasn't considered appropriate, the films will be getting more and more serious

By the end of the First act Gandalf will have a pretty good idea of who the Necromancer is-we will meet him in the film and see Cumberbatches 'mo-cap thing' come to life.

Azog is still after the company and will be joined by Bolg (though it isn't enitirely clear how he slots in)

Tauriel has big ears, and is roughyl 300 years old, much less wise and more dangerous than Legolas. She is 'chafing against Thranduil's isolationist policy.' Thranduil has a contemtp for what is going on out there. The elves won't resemble the 'fairytale creatures of the book' acoording to the articles writer.

Lee Pce looked Oberon and the Fisher King as inspiration, hikes overnight into NZ countryside to get into menidset, and says the corrupted nature of Mirkwood relects who he is. Thranduil is 3000 years old in the film-as far as I can remember this wasn't stated in the books. Thranduil has a Katana like sword, and soen't readily choose to use his force 'He has the reputation of being the greatest warrior in Middle Earth'

At least 5 orcs will pursue the dwarves into Laketown

Fathers and sons is a big theme in the film, it will examine the Bond between Throrin and Thrain in great detail, there is a flashback to his dissapearance outisde Moria, they will explore the 'complicated' issues between Legolas and Thranduil. Bolg IS the son/spawn of Azog,

'Desolation will commence somewhere familiar, but unexpected'. It will conclude with one of the 'biggest things' Jackson has ever created.

'Jackson has always felt the book lacked a definte confrontation between the dwarves and Smaug. He's rectified that. There will be bombs, inferanl artillery, and one mightily pissed off dragon. 'It gets pretty crazy'.

Is he sure he has enough left for the final film 'Oh yes, there is much to come. We have a battle with five armies' he says. 'You never know, it might be seven, eight or nine armies by the time we finish'

As I said I ahve just torn through the article as quickly as I could, so I may have missed a few things. All in all it seems Jackson has some interesting ideas up his sleeve, but this will not be an adaptaion of The Hobbit we know and love.

Sorry Daniel, the talkinf purse dosen't seem to make an appearance.

But imagine what there mum looks like!

From what it says in the article (still in the possesion of my brother damn him) Pj reffers to Bolg as Azog's spawn not son, gievn the Orcs being created by Sauron stuff inserted into The Two Towers, I think they will go down the route of Azog and Co being bred by the Necromancer and sent into Moria to stir up trouble.

On a side noted anyone else think Azog looked a little like the Engineers from Prometheus?

The movie does explain it. The Orcs fled, the Dwarves had such heavy casualties ('beyond the count of grief', if memory serves) the few survivors can easily be understood not to have had the wherewithal to carry the fight to the Orcs further.

Apparently he went missing during it. It would perhaps make sense if he spotted Azog being dragged back in and tried to follow him inside. Possibly he could glimpse the Balrog inside, which exacerbates his grief and madness.

Just re-watched that scene. Basically Balin said after Azog got his arm sliced off, that the dwarves rallied and drove the orcs back, and the enemy was defeated. However, no feast because their dead was beyond the count (of grief). Afterwards, he was only concerned about finding a new leader.

Now, how can the orcs be defeated, if they still controlled Moria?! PJ never explained where the Dwarves went after the Battle... I assume they continued being nomads? Hopefully this will be explained in either the EE or in DOS.

From seeing the Balrog.

Now, how can the orcs be defeated, if they still controlled Moria?! PJ never explained where the Dwarves went after the Battle... I assume they continued being nomads? Hopefully this will be explained in either the EE or in DOS.