4/09/03 : A really early
rumor that a ROTK trailer will be attached to screenings
of The Matrix Reloaded are debunked via "Insider
sources" at TORn.
6/05/03 : There were so many
people emailing TORn asking about a ROTK teaser trailer
being attached to showings of TTT still in theaters that
Xoanon wrote:
The ROTK trailer will not be
attached to the end of TTT anywhere. It WILL be seen as
a regular trailer (the type before a film starts)
sometime soon but NOT IN JUNE. Take a screenshot of this
page, print it out, stick it on your fridge...tell your
friends or family or the guy who hands you your food at
the next drive-thru you go to....just get the word out.
This is confirmed in July by
what appears to be an official document.
6/11/03 : Rumors begin
suggesting that the trailer will be attached to
Secondhand Lions, scheduled for a Sept. 26th release
6/23/03 :
The folks at New Line write:
I wanted to take the
opportunity to personally thank you for your votes in
the first ever Online Voter's Choice for The Hollywood
Key Art Awards. Thanks to your dedication, the official
website not only received the industry panel award, but
the Online award as well!
According to our friends at
the Hollywood Reporter, the votes for our site exceeded
the others by several hundred - and we know that is due
to the passion and loyalty of the fans.
We really appreciate your
support. Stay tuned for a new poster and trailer soon
for the next installment, The Lord of the Rings: The
Return of the King!
On the same day, a
ROTK media release schedule is leaked through
various sources. Although the authenticity is uncertain,
the last item had already been verified. The trailer
information on this schedule reports:
Teaser Trailer - The short
trailer prepares for start in middle of the summer. From
the point of view of general campaign of representation
of film it is important, that it differed from
impression made by a working trailer of "Two Towers".
Final Trailer - Full-length
final trailer with special effects for the first time
will appear in September pasted to copies of "Secondhand
Lions"
7/3/03 : Someone (who's name
and position were snipped)
tells TORn that, "a teaser trailer will be released
buy the end of July and a theatrical trailer buy the end
of September." (just to be clear... there was no 'teaser
trailer' at the end of July)
7/30/03 : A file offering an
'exclusive first look at the ROTK' was sent to TORN.
Almost immediately, it is removed from the site at the
request of NewLine Cinema. A few days later, maegwen
wrote:
You have mailed us by the
hundreds, nae, thousands... "Where can I find the ROTK
sneak trailer?" "How can I find that trailer?" and even
more, "Hey, you haven't posted the trailer, but I know
where it is!"
The fact is -- We DID post
the 'trailer,' and were one of the first sites to do so.
However, New Line Cinema politely requested we remove
all links to it, and to not direct people towards other
unsanctioned postings of it. We believe in New Line's
right to make this request.
How does this relate to you?
Well, since we cannot post links, files or screencaps,
we'd like you to STOP e-mailing us with the requests for
and directions to the ROTK teaser footage -- our inbox
truly overfloweth!
In fact, the footage was
available on many other sites. I've accessed some of
those old files and it is not what was subsequently
released as a trailers.
9/8/03 : Secondhand Lions,
to which the ROTK trailer was scheduled to be attached,
is bumped up to a Sept 19 release date. The ROTK trailer
was not expected to be ready by then so
the plan is to attach it to the movie for the second
weekend.
9/9/03 :
In a magazine article, Jackson said he preferred to
release a ROTK trailer after the summer because...
"summer was filled with big
SFX films, X-men 2, Matrix 2, Terminator 3, Hulk, and it
would have been a bit confusing. Plus, ROTK is so
spectacular, it has so many special effects that many of
the main sequences could not be used in a trailer yet."
9/23/03 : An announcement is
made that the ROTK trailer will be made available online
on Sept. 29.
9/24/03 : A TV commercial for Secondhand Lions
contained a micro-trailer of ROTK... announcing that one
can view the ROTK trailer before showings of Secondhand
Lions. Reports of advance viewings start to trickle into
TORn. As new information trickles in, TORn
posts a recap of what is known:
-- Trailer is now attached
to showings of 'Underworld' at some cinemas in the UK.
-- Trailer will be attached to showings of "Secondhand
Lions" in *most* US markets beginning Sept. 26 (check
with your local theater).
-- AOL Members will get an early look at the trailer
beginning midnight Sunday the 28th.
-- The trailer will go into general release online at
the official site on Monday.
-- E! Live will also show the trailer on Monday.
