The Empire Film Podcast The Shameless Plug: The Fellowship Of The Plug
Jan 29, 2026
A lively celebration of 25 years of The Fellowship of the Ring, including reunions with the four Hobbits and Sir Ian McKellen. Behind-the-scenes planning, archive stories with Peter Jackson and Philippa Boyens, and Andy Serkis writing about Gollum. Plus features on Sam Raimi, Gore Verbinski, industry news on box office and AI, and a memorable Gollum impression.
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Hobbits Reunited For One-Day Shoot
- Nick de Semlyen reunited the four Hobbits and Ian McKellen for a photoshoot in August and filmed videos where they discuss matching tattoos.
- Elijah Wood and Sean Astin flew in straight from the airport to make the one-day shoot possible.
Big Issue Required Six Months' Work
- The issue was a six-month labour with intense coordination to get cast worldwide to participate.
- The scale and cast enthusiasm reflected the films' enduring cultural importance.
Mithril Cut Rumour Addressed
- Peter Jackson denied the rumoured "Mithril" longer cut when asked during Ian Nathan's feature interview.
- Nick quips Peter may have simply forgotten it, joking it's lost down the back of the sofa.
