It had been rumored for some time that the new Hobbiton set in New Zealand would not be struck after filming for ‘The Hobbit’ was completed. Instead, it would be turned into a park for tourists to visit.
Well, it’s now official that the park will happen. When Peter Jackson announced that ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ will make its premiere in Wellington, he also announced the creation of the new park. The new permanent Hobbiton will be run by Shire Tours and will feature 44 hobbit holes and The Green Dragon pub.
It hasn’t yet been announced when the park will be open to the public, but this Ringer certainly feels that the incentive to visit New Zealand has never been higher. A link to the original article on stuff.co.nz can be found here.
Born a scant few months before a little movie called “Star Wars” hit the big screen, Josh was destined to be a sci-fi fan. Raised in a suburb of Philadelphia with a geeky family, Josh has never known a time when shows like “Star Trek” and “The Twilight Zone” were not a part of his life. As he grew up, his tastes expanded into fantasy, horror and any genre that held potential for great stories. Having dreams of being a writer and director, he studied film at Temple University. In 2001, he took the plunge and moved to Los Angeles with a few thousand dollars, precious few contacts and a dream. He soon crossed paths with the growing fan community for “The Lord of the Rings” and lucked into a job working in DVD which has since blossomed into an award-winning career. Organizing events for the Ringer community, he has become a fixture in local geek culture. His work in DVD has given him the opportunity to work with many of his favorite franchises like “Star Trek,” “Farscape,” “Stargate SG-1,” “Cowboy Bebop,” and “Highlander” to name a few. Never giving up on his dream of being a writer, he published his first novel in 2004. In 2008, his DVD work won him a Saturn Award. Josh still loves exploring the nooks and crannies of Los Angeles that cater specifically to the sci-fi/fantasy geek and considers himself a “geek adventurer.” While he has accomplished many of his dreams, he still unironically hopes to one day go into space.
