The highlights and things I didn't have time to post from this past week!

Following the tradition started at the end of November, here are the latest interviews, videos, news bits, and everything else from the world of Tolkien fandom!

So... A lot of stuff has happened this week

Most importantly the world-wide opening of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug! (A review is coming soon, so don't worry.) But that is certainly not all. Go beyond the break to check out the latest reviews, interviews, spoilers, and much, much more! 

OK. It's only six hours where I live (EST), which is the soonest anyone in USA can see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug!

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug has already made a big hit in France, drawing in 2.8 million its opening night, according to BoxOffice.com. This will probably be my last post before I go to watch it, but check back tomorrow for some cool stuff about the debut of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug! One last spoiler: Girion of Dale, the father of Bard the Bowman, is played by... 

Warner Bros. has finally given free reign to interviews, set visits, and plot spoilers!

This news is a few days old, I know, but life is busy. Anyways, if you have not heard, seen, or read any of the following, here is a list of interviews and set tours that contain many, many spoilers, yet, believe me, they are worth seeing.

Slowly yet surely the filming of the Hobbit movies comes to a close,

as one by one the actors say they farewells after a job well done. Now it is time for Martin Freeman to say goodbye to Bilbo. Peter Jackson recently posted this photo on his Facebook page, and noted that

"Tonight Martin Freeman finished his last shot as Bilbo Baggins. The end of an incredible two and a half years. I cannot imagine anyone else in this role – a character that Martin has nurtured and crafted with love and great skill.

We have said goodbye to our elves, humans, wizards and now the hobbit. We now enter our final 2 weeks of pick-ups, and it’s wall to wall dwarves. These pick-ups have been gruelling and intense, but I’m so happy with what we’ve been shooting. These next two movies are going to be pretty great!"

Luke Evans and Graham McTavish have also completed their roles as Bard the Bowman and Dwalin.