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Blanchett Lands 'Rings'
Dade Hayes

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Cate Blanchett, Oscar-nominated this year for ``Elizabeth,'' has joined the cast of New Line's ``Lord of the Rings.'' Shooting begins Monday in New Zealand.

Blanchett, who will play Galadriel, elf queen of Lorien, joins cast members Elijah Wood, Liv Tyler, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee and John Rhys-Davies.

New Line maintains the shoot will break new ground with three features shooting at one time in an integrated fashion. The budget is said to be at least $130 million.

The pictures are based on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel trilogy. Houghton Mifflin is publishing a new paperback edition to coincide with the start of shooting, and a limited-edition boxed set of hard-cover tomes also is due.

Peter Jackson (''Heavenly Creatures'') is directing from a script he co-wrote with Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Stephen Sinclair.