Even better news!
2002-01-16
Okay, so they still won't be adding Tom Bombadil to the Fellowship of the Rings movie. However, many other favorite scenes that didn't make the movie's final cut may yet make it into the Tolkien epic. Last month, director Peter Jackson dropped comments that while no director's cut was forthcoming, the DVD release of the first Lord of the Rings film would include about forty extra minutes' worth of cut scenes as bonus features.
Today, the news gets even better. According to TheOneRing.net, producer Barrie Osborne told 1010 WINS radio of New York City that there would be an extended director's cut edition available after all. And according to Dark Horizons, CNN's Showbiz Today segment confirmed the news, saying that the Fellowship DVD director's cut would be over four hours in length.
There's no official word on what all will be included in this extra-length version, but here are a few scenes that were filmed and might make their way into the film:
More footage of the hobbits' escape from the Shire
An attack by Orcs and Goblins as the Fellowship enter Lothlorien, with Haldir and the Elves coming to the rescue
More character interaction and development among the Fellowship
Gimli falling for the beauty of Galadriel
Aragorn speaking Elvish with Galadriel (according to a comment made by Cate Blanchet and reported at TheOneRing.net)
So when will this DVD be released? There's no firm release date as yet, though producer Osborne promises it will be out before the release of The Two Towers in December. Rumors have surfaced about an early April release, but the safe money says to expect the DVD sometime in late summer. There's no word on whether a VHS version will also be made.
Update: The Daily Digest has put together a compendium of screenshots and commentary from deleted scenes, culled from a number of sources – movie trailers, promotional photos, Decipher game cards, Games Workshop material, etc. Many of the scenes expected to make the director's cut DVD can be seen there.
