Air New Zealand has created what they have dubbed “The Most Epic Safety Video Ever Made,” and it would not be easy to argue otherwise.

The safety video is inspired by the world of Middle-earth and the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogies that are set there. It features cast and crew from those movies, such as star Elijah Wood, director Sir Peter Jackson, actor Dean O’Gorman (Fili), actor Sylvester McCoy (Radagast), and Weta co-founder and five-time Oscar-winning special effects, makeup, and costume design wiz Sir Richard Taylor.

Click on over to the other side to watch the Air New Zealand safety video.

It isn’t entirely unusual to see a the price tag for a blockbuster tentpole films to have an eight or even nine-figure budget. But when the franchise is as large as The Hobbit trilogy, you’ll probably be doing more than just burning a hole in your wallet. Trying to figure out the cost of said films wouldn’t be easy, considering you have to pay the talent, the production crew, the cameramen, the visual effects artists, the writers, the director, cinematographers, and then there is hauling the equipment, traveling, reshoots, and much more. But when you have a successful franchise like The Hobbit, you generally would have even more money to work with to make a sequel more exciting.

We are now learning how much you would need to produce a film of that magnitude, and it is a pretty big number. It has cost WB approximately $745 million to make The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. And since the film is a trilogy we can expect that number to only skyrocket. But it is okay considering that the two Hobbit films combined grossed nearly $2 billion worldwide. Hit the jump for more info.

There’s a wealth of memorable moments to be found within Peter Jackson’s massive Lord of the Rings trilogy. One of these moments comes in the third and final movie, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, when hobbit Pippin (Billy Boyd) is ordered to sing a song for the Steward of Gondor, Denethor (John Noble), to whom he volunteered his service. As Pippin sings his sad song, titled “The Edge of Night,” Denethor feasts away carelessly while his son Faramir (David Wenham) and his soldiers, who were sent into an impossible battle by the Steward, are met with waves of orcish arrows.

If you too are fond of this scene and Pippin’s song, depressing as it is, there’s some good news to be had today. It’s been announced that Billy Boyd will be semi-returning to Middle-earth by recording the end credits song for the third and final movie in The Hobbit trilogy, titled The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.

You can read more and check out Boyd singing “Edge of Night” in Return of the King below if you don’t remember it or just want to see it again.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the sitcom Friends, so it’s not surprising that there are celebrations, like the reunion on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

On Conan, host Conan O’Brien decided to pay tribute to both Friends and The Hobbit for “Hobbit Week” with a little mash-up of the two properties.

Check out the video mash-up of The Hobbit and Friends here below.

The upcoming Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor from Monolith Productions and WB Games is one of the most anticipated video games being released soon, set in the same world as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit (set between the two stories, as a matter of fact).

A new live-action short film has been made based on the game, which follow a part-wraith ranger named Talion seeking revenge for the murder of his family. The film sees a group of orcs crossing paths with the game’s protagonist, and includes one of the big features you’ll be able to use in playing: the ability to take control of an enemy and have them do your bidding.

Be sure to continue below to watch the Shadow of Mordor live-action short as well as a trailer. NSFW warning is in effect for some bloody good part-man/part-wraith-on-orc violence.