Rings Will Cost $675 Million -- Report
Staff Reporter

The Lord Of The Rings movie trilogy will cost $675 million, about $315 million more than previously reported, according to American magazine Vanity Fair.

The budget blowout, if correct, would make the Rings trilogy the second most expensive movie production ever, after the three new Star Wars films which will cost about $736 million.

The magazine's October issue features several photographs of the stars, including Liv Tyler and Sir Ian McKellen, in costume. American actor Tyler plays the elf Arwen and British actor McKellen Gandalf the wizard.

The cost of making the Rings films had been estimated at $360 million. But Vanity Fair has reported that the production will cost $US270 million - about $NZ645 million. Even taking into account the low value of the Kiwi dollar, it is still a substantial cost increase.

The Evening Post has tried several times to confirm the Vanity Fair story with Rings production firm Three Foot Six. The company has not responded.