The Nerd of the Rings

During my time in Wellington, I caught up with Philippa Boyens (The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit trilogies)! Here, she discusses her latest adventure in Middle-earth: the anime film The War of the Rohirrim! We are also introduced to screenwriters Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou in their first official interview for the film! The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim releases December 13, 2024. Taking place 260 years before The Lord of the Rings, the story finds Rohan invaded by the Dunlendings. The story eventually finds Rohan’s king, Helm Hammerhand, taking refuge in the fortress that will one day bear his name.

Dr. Tom Shippey joins us to talk about his new book on Beowulf, Tolkien, and why his favorite character is...an orc? Enjoy this great conversation with one of the world’s leading Tolkien scholars! Purchase the NEW Beowulf: Translation and Commentary: https://amzn.to/3FndkZx Other links for Dr. Shippey & his books: J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century: https://amzn.to/46z4Udm The Road to Middle-earth: https://amzn.to/3tJvX7u Dr. Shippey’s website: https://tomshippey.com/ Dr. Shippey has taught at six universities, including St. Johns, Oxford, and Visiting Professorships at Harvard and the University of Texas. At Leeds, he held the Chair of English Language and Medieval English Literature (a post held by Tolkien in the 1920s.)

Chatting with Bear McCreary about his work on The Rings of Power, God of War, and more! We’ll talk about his work creating the themes for the show, connecting to The Lord of the Rings’ Third Age, and what’s in store for Season 2!

We chat with Gino Acevedo about his road to New Zealand, pranks with John Rhys-Davies, making the transition from practical to digital effects, and more!

We chat with Maxim Baldry about Isildur in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, including diving into the text, a more in-depth look at the dynamics in Númenor, and seeing Isildur as the hero he is in the books.