The Celebrities From Lord of the Rings Have Visited the Shooting Ring, The Late Studio, and the Premiere Theater

The Lord of the Rings fans arriving at Wellington Airport in New Zealand may be pleasantly surprised. After all, this is the only one in the world that can mark the domineering title of "MIDDLE OF MIDDLE-EARTH" (the center of Middle-earth) in the terminal Airport! That's right! Here is the gateway to Middle-Earth! The most eye-catching sign of the entire airport may be the 13-meter-long Gollum sculpture in the restaurant. This huge "Gollum" sculpture hangs from the ceiling and is reaching out to capture his favorite fat fish. Hair, arm muscle lines, all these textures come alive! There is also the dragon from the "Hobbit" (Smaug) and Gandalf riding an eagle! These statues were created by Weta Studios, which produced the special effects and props for the Lord of the Rings & Hobbit series. In addition to these huge and realistic statues, the airport's conveyor belt has also become a Hobbit hole from Middle-earth.

Weta Workshop was founded in 1993 by Peter Jackson, the famous New Zealand director and creator of the legendary movie, and his two friends. The headquarters is located in Wellington, New Zealand, and there are three other locations. Since 1998, Vita has tailored the Lord of the Rings trilogy to include clothing, armor, special effects makeup, set and post-computer special effects production, and has won the best visuals of Oscar for three consecutive years in 2002, 2003 and 2004. For the third year in a row, Xiaojin, who won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects Award, has won 4 of the 11 Oscars won from The Lord of the Rings! In addition to the Lord of the Rings, Weta Studios has also produced props and digital effects for many films such as Avatar, King Kong, and the Adventures of Tintin. The part of Weta Studios that is open to visitors is called the Weta Cave, which features movie props and life-size statues, as well as a variety of movies to buy and watch.

If you want to check out Lord of the Rings, then Wellington is the place for you to go. It is an important location for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Director Peter Jackson's hometown is also home to the special effects company Weta Studio, and has a world premiere Embassy Theater! Known as “Middle of Middle Earth (Center of Middle-Earth)”. The hiding place of the Hobbits in the film to avoid the Ringwraiths’ attacks was taken in Mount Victoria, located in the city center. Also, the elves' residences Rivendell, the Gardens of Isengard, the River Anduin, etc. are also located in and around Wellington. Take a half-day or one-day tour of the Lord of the Rings theme, and the guides familiar with the inside scoop of the movie will take you to these locations, including Weta Studios, and explain the behind-the-scenes story.

Remember the beautiful home from the movie in Rivendell? The location is actually inside the Kaitoke Regional Park, north of Wellington, New Zealand. Although the film set and props have been stored away and the park has returned to its original appearance, this area is still a beautiful picnic spot. It is recommended to take the Wellington Rover Tour while in Wellington. The guide will take you to Wellington and all the surrounding locations (including Katow Park) and tell you the stories behind the film.

If you want to see the city, the harbor, and the surrounding area, head to the 196-meter-high Mount Victoria; located east of the city center. The circular observation deck on the top of the hill is a 360-degree view of Wellington and a beautiful view of the stunning harbor. Mount Victoria is also the first location in the film "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. The hiding place of the Hobbits in the film to avoid the Ringwraiths’ attack is here. Not far from the observation deck is a triangular cone; a monument dedicated to the famous Antarctic explorer, Major General Richard Byrd. At night, follow the extended line on the edge of the triangular cone to find the location of the Southern Cross.

The famous Embassy Theater is the premiere location of the films Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Built in 1926, the theater is a landmark in Wellington. Renovated in 2003 for the world premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", and later hosted the Oceania premiere of the film "King Kong" and "Lovely Bones" by Peter Jackson. On November 28, 2019, the theater once again hosted the premiere of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey". It has become a place that fans of the "Lord of the Rings" come to all year round. Many movie fans have come to Wellington for a long time, so that they can watch one of the movies here.