Lord of the Rings Fell Beast atop Embassy Theatre

The Return of the King world premiere got closer this weekend with the erection of a giant Fell Beast on top of Wellington's Embassy Theatre.


Fourteen weeks work has come to fruition with the erection of the 20-metre long winged creature.

It took 20 technicians at Weta Workshop to build the three-and-a-half-tonne Fell Beast, which was hoisted into place during the early morning hours on Sunday.

In The Lord of the Rings the Fell Beasts carry the evil ring wraiths, the Nazgul, as they fly across the battlefields of middle-earth searching for the one ring.

The giant Fell Beast on top of the Embassy Theatre will be the dominant feature of Courtenay Place for the world premiere of the third Lord of the Rings film, Return of the King on December 1.

Spokeswoman Melissa Booth said staff were working round the clock and everything was going well for the premiere.

She said the Fell Beast is probably bigger and better than anything else anyone has ever seen.

Weta Workshops has also built a second creature to perch on top of the Reading Cinemas which will also screen the movie to many of the invited premiere guests.

- Newstalk ZB and Herald staff

Herald Feature: Lord of the Rings