The Hobbit's Andy Serkis to Direct Animal Farm

Actor-turned-director Andy Serkis is making the leap from J.R.R. Tolkien to George Orwell.

The Hollywood Reporter says the Lord of the Rings and Rise of the Planet of the Apes actor will direct a feature film adaptation of Orwell's literary classic Animal Farm. Serkis' company The Imaginarium will produce the film, which recounts Orwell's allegorical tale about an animal society rebelling against oppression only to find their quest for justice and progress has led to a different kind of totalitarianism.

Serkis may also play a role in the movie, but for now he's concentrating on developing the project as its director.

Serkis -- the leader in performance-capture acting best known for his roles as Gollum, King Kong, and Apes' Caesar -- stepped behind the camera to direct second unit photography on The Hobbit.

“I think we found a rather fresh way of looking at it,” Serkis told THR. “It is definitely using performance capture but we are using an amalgamation of filming styles to create the environments.... We are in proof of concept stage at the moment, designing characters and experimenting on our stage with the designs."

Serkis added, “We’re keeping it fable-istic and [aimed at] a family audience. We are not going to handle the politics in a heavy-handed fashion. It is going to be emotionally centered in a way that I don’t think has been seen before. The point of view that we take will be slightly different to how it is normally portrayed and the characters—we are examining this in a new light.”

Source : ign[dot]com

"New" Tolkien Epic Hitting the Shelves

He may be known for his vast fantasy world of hobbits, dragons and orcs, but there was a time when J.R.R. Tolkien had ventured a little closer to home. And while his Lord of the Rings trilogy detailed the adventures of Frodo, Gandalf and Aragorn, the author's previously unpublished work set in ancient Britain centered on King Arthur.

Earlier this week, HarperCollins announced that Tolkien's never-before-seen poem The Fall of Arthur will be released for the first time this May. Featuring over 200 pages, the story depicts the final days of Arthur's reign, as the old king attempts to save his country from Mordred the usurper, opening as Arthur and Gawain go to war.

Tolkien began writing the book a few years before he wrote The Hobbit. For editor Chris Smith, the news that Tolkien's Arthurian epic had been completed was a bit of a surprise. "Though its title had been known from Humphrey Carpenter's Biography and J.R.R. Tolkien's own letters, we never supposed that it would see the light of day," Smith told The Guardian.

He continued, "[The Fall of Arthur] breathes new life into one of our greatest heroes, liberating him from the clutches of Malory's romantic treatment, and revealing Arthur as a complex, all-too human individual who must rise above the greatest of betrayals to liberate his beloved kingdom.

"Though Tolkien's use of alliterative verse will mean the poem is of more specialized interest than his other work, we would like to think that the subject of King Arthur is one that will resonate with readers of his more celebrated works."

Tolkien's son Christopher Tolkien has edited the story for publication and provided commentary.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Hobbit Toys Hit Shelves, Tauriel Revealed

Good news for Tolkien collectors today: it looks like Bridge Directs' new action figure line from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has begun appearing in toy stores. What's more, the packaging has given us our first official glimpse at Evangeline Lilly's Elven character Tauriel. Check out the images below for a closer look (via TheOneRing.net):

Tauriel has been a point of mild controversy since she was first announced -- the character was an original creation for Peter Jackson's film and is not a part of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth canon.

While the toys are specifically labeled for An Unexpected Journey, the site notes that Tauriel's appearance may not come until the second film, The Desolation of Smaug.

Source : ign[dot]com

What if George Lucas Wrote Lord of the Rings?

Imagine if someone else had written The Lord of the Rings besides J.R.R. Tolkien. That's exactly what Alison Brooks did with her site Alternative Authors Versions of Lord of the Rings, which was pointed out to us by io9.

The site offers parodies in the writing styles of different great authors (including Joyce, Hemingway, Lewis Carroll), film and TV icons (Star Wars' George Lucas, Star Trek's Gene Roddenberry, The Simpsons' Matt Groening), and music stars (Meat Loaf, Andrew Lloyd Webber).

Here's the "George Lucas" version of LotR:

"Did you ever wonder who your father was, Frodo?"

"Uncle Bilbo was my father, Obi Gan Dalf."

"Your Uncle is a fine man, but he is not your father. Your father was a fine warrior and a great captain, strong in the Force. He was called Sarumann the Wise, and he was a good friend."

"Was? Is he dead?"

"He is no more. It is your destiny to avenge his death, young Baggins."

How about if James Bond creator Ian Fleming had written LotR instead of Tolkien?

Aragorn placed his hand on the cool, ivory hilt of his 6.38 Anduril sword, half-holding it in as casual manner as possible. His eyes swept the room of the Prancing Pony, eyeing up the potential threats. He took out his pipe, made from the warmed heartwood of a mature oak. In the palm of his left hand, he unwrapped his leather tobacco pouch filled, as he preferred, with Gondorian Silk Cut. Aragorn preferred it to the harsher, stronger Numenorian blend...

Check out even more of these "what if?" parodies of Lord of the Rings here.

Source : ign[dot]com