Seeing as it's JRR Tolkien, it's only right that a fellowship of people are coming together on a noble quest.
Ian McKellen, Annie Lennox, Martin Freeman, John Rhys-Davis, Derek Jacobi, and many authors and artists are leading a fundraising effort to purchase the former home of JRR Tolkien in Oxford, England.
'Project Northmoor', in reference to 20 Northmoor Road where Tolkien wrote both 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings', is seeking to raise £4 million to purchase the home and an additional £500,000 to renovate it and turn it into a literary centre for Tolkien's works and legacy.
In a press release, John Rhys-Davis - who played Gimli in 'Lord of the Rings' - explained that "unbelievably, considering his importance, there is no center devoted to Tolkien anywhere in the world." Julia Golding, who has spearheaded the campaign, told the New York Times that "there are centers for Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy, and, arguably, Tolkien is just as influential as they are." Golding also added that if every Tolkien fan donated £2, the project could be easily funded.
Seeing as how 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' combined made around $4 billion, you'd think New Line Cinema or Warner Bros. might cough up some of the money to help make this happen.
Still, if you want to donate, you can follow the link here.
