orlandopassion

Yes, indeed. And in October George Takei will be in Birmingham! xx

Brilliant. I want to meet him! We must treasure the old TOS stars whilst we still can xx

Thank you for the WB. I expect to find many changes, but some things i'm sure will be much the same as they were. I notice that autograph prices have shot up! xx

I'm a returner after a decade away due to illness. My passion is still Lord of the Rings but I love countless other films, series and TV shows. I look forward to meeting old and new friends xx

May I say that I for one, will attend this con should only ONE minor LOTR guest attend! If there was sufficient interest on both guest and attendee levels at this stage, then more positive progress would have been made. These events, as wonderful as they are for enthusiasts, are run for profit, not loss. No guest wants to 'headline' at a doomed con. So we need to keep the faith and hope that we will eventually be able to reconvene in Middle Earth asap. My own feeling is that this event may not be feasible until after the screening of the first HOBBIT film. If so - that's fine. We will continue to follow the road, if we can and for however long the journey. I will gleefully crew this event for free. No joke intended! your faithful servant, in eternal Fellowship

If a total of 4-6 guests are being suggested by the organisers the budget must be very small. I think this will rule out elijah and other big names. If we were all to buy gold tickets in advance, very soon, the situation might change.

I honestly don't mind who the guests are but it would be lovely to meet these very nice guys again. Bearing in mind the financial constraints I list, in no particular order: Bernard Hill Billy Boyd Shane Rangi Lawrence Makoare Jonathan Harding Bruce Hopkins Craig Parker Mark Ferguson

I will be glad to distribute more and also to give some to my pal in Hull who works in a secondary school - a large Academy. She will be happy to hand out and plant these flyers both now and when the term starts again in September!

A huge thank-you to SM for enabling me to meet so many wonderful LOTR guests. As with others here LOTR was the reason I started to attend cons in the first place. I have memories, and photographs, I will treasure forever. Oh and let's not forget the autos and signed merchandise! We need to honour those days by turning out in force for RETURN TO MIDDLE EARTH. Show that the LOTR fandom is alive and well and eager to meet treasured cast members again.

I'll be there. You bet. The ten-year anniversary is a big deal. It brings a tear to my eye, too! And I beg true believers - please buy tickets in advance for this event. If you do you will be helping to secure more, and maybe better, guests. Buy the cheapest ticket if that's all you can manage but please do buy one. If you don't then the organisers will be unable to produce anything spectacular - and you can be certain that they would love to. You can't hope for great guests and not help to provide the cash to pay for them. Show that you care! lol.

Everyone and anyone! All LOTR guests are of interest to me and most are friendly and very funny. However I would particularly like to see Shane Rangi back again. He is a lovely guy and has a lot of time for fans. He genuinely loves talking to us LOTR nutters lol. I think we need to be realistic about suggested guests. We are not going to get the biggest names because frankly just one of them - Orlando for example - would bankrupt the event before it even gets started! And that is just for a five minute wave-to-the-crowd appearance! No way are A List stars willing to sit at a wee desk for hours and sign autographs. They really don't need the exposure and publicity. Please people, if you love LORD OF THE RINGS and you can't wait for the Hobbit, support this con. I am going and am breaking the bank to order a GOLD ticket this week. Put your money where your fandom is. If you want Rings cons to be held in future, show that there is a loyal fanbase willing to pay up. Cons are terrifyingly expensive to run: flying cast members from NZ and the USA etc, alone, and picking up the tab for their hotel, doesn't come cheap. And they have to be paid!

Finally I will dress as the Elf I have been in my heart since age 14. About time!

First timers - fantastic! Can't wait x

I cannot wait for this event and I will gladly leaflet my university and the large college next door! I will happily leaflet my local area.

Fantastic. Marina is a wonderful guest. Warm, funny, friendly. One of the nicest guests I've ever met or worked with.

Hi Anne. I live in Woodston. I've already booked my return train tickets for Mancs but at any point in future, should you be offering a lift, I would be delighted to take you up on it. Pauline x

Well... I'm thinking of donning a beautiful LOTR gown bought from (and made by) a friend. I haven't 'dressed up in costume' since I was a kid. So this would be a real departure for me. The 'Lady of Rohan' gown is lovely. I am an Elf Princess by trade ( lol) but since I am of the race of Men I should, perhaps, wear fitting garb. Lord of the Rings seems to make many yawn, now, alas. Those who yearned for another show UK and are truly sad at its loss, please consider appearing in costume at G-Mex and future cons.

I was trying to save SM money. Could I now ask for crew hotel room to be arranged, and paid for by me? Sorry if this causes any hassle. I guess I wasn't thinking straight! P x

Pauline here. I need hotel share/floor space for G-Mex. Crewing both days. I can bring sleeping bag and mini-pillow. XX

Recruiting right now! LOL. Pauline x

Holds up a second banner - SAVE UK another show!! Please guys, let's make it happen. Please SM, get another good guest. For my part they are ALL good guests. Elves, Orcs, Hobbits, Rohirrim, Uruk-Hai, Men, Women etc etc - I love meeting them. They are the bread and butter of all such gatherings and they remember fans. They are way more approachable, too, than some of the more successful headliners. You can have a laugh with them, long into the night, at times. It's not too late. Not yet. xx

I'd just like to add that as a passionate LOTR fan, I want this con to happen, and to be a success. I want fans to be able to enjoy the company of LOTR actors, extras technical peeps, indeed anyone who had anything to do with the films/books, because these people all contributed and they all have fascinating and often riveting stories to tell. Some people here are saying, well I met this one or that one before, so... I don't really wanna meet him/her again. Jeez! This is a themed con, not an autograph fair. We are paying for the privilege and joy of being with other enthusiasts, all gathered under one roof to celebrate LOTR and to meet and listen to and talk to those involved in creating three adored films. Book Kiran Shah - please! He's a delight. Book lovely Shane Rangi. Book the Benzon brothers - long time no see. Book Lawrence Makoare. Book Stephen Ure and even Peter Tait and Sandro Kopp and Craig P and Mark F and Sarah McLeod and some costume designers, artists, tea ladies - indeed anyone within shouting distance who will agree to come! I WANT to meet them all again. Very much. If you can get Fellowship actors, too, and Daisy and JRD as well as wonderful Andy S, we may count ourselves lucky. Get a Hobbit or two or three or four if humanly possible. Get Miranda - beg her, chuck money at her. Get lovely Robyn Malcolm. Get Sala Baker. And Jed Brophy. Just fill the venue with wonderful peeps who together created the best fantasy action movies EVER filmed. Support this gig, please. We will all lose so much if it should end up being cancelled.

With the addition of David Wenham and JR Davies I will DEFINITELY book for another show. I have been yearning for a UK LOTR gathering for two years now and feel that, with support, it CAN be done. Fans, if you want this event, and hope for it to be around next year, also, and maybe the year after, BOOK YOUR TICKETS. The event will stand or fall on our support, or lack thereof. Perhaps more tickets sold in advance will mean more chance of other much wanted guests. It's a business, after all. We all want and love the 'usual suspects' and any and all LOTR peeps are welcome guests in my eyes, but if we want extra special ones we need to show willing. The alternative is no another show UK, now or ever. Too sad for words.

YES, PLEASE! Richard Taylor, Tania Rogers and if possible Daniel Falconer, all of WETA WORKSHOP. Wonderful, warm, enthusiastic and gifted people. xx

LORD OF THE RINGS. And I simply can't wait to meet him and get a few autos. YAY!