The pitch: Part II of the continuing adventures of four hobbits, one Elf, one Dwarf, one king (to be) and one Wizard (back from the dead).
The spin: There are claims that LOTR's effects have made amazing advances even since the release of the Fellowship. The battle at Helm's Deep, involving 10,000 Orcs attacking an ancient fort, is purportedly ten times more detailed that the scrum-down seen in the first film's sweeping prologue.
With new characters and a complex narrative, Two Towers looks set to be more diverse and dazzling. Peter Jackson agrees: "The second feels very different from the first film, which I think is a positive thing. If audiences go to Two Towers expecting more of the same, they are not going to get it."
Key to this is the full debut of Gollum, the CGI-generated trickster who will lead Frodo and Sam into Mordor and a date with destiny.
"He's a really sick, twisted little guy," Jackson says of the character created through motion capture technology, allowing actor Andy Serkis to act the role before he's digitised, "It's looking pretty good so far."
The bottom line: After nearly $850 million at the box office, 13 Oscar nominations, five Baftas, three Empires and a cult following to match the Jedi camp, how can it fail? Then again, that is an awful lot to live up to. Take the incredible trailer recently released and any doubts will disappear. Surely Jackson can't be cheated out of an Oscar this time?
ETA: December 18
