CUT TO:

EXT. BARAD-DUR -- NIGHT

The jagged ruins of" BARAD-DUR. THE DARK TOWER! TEASING
IMAGES: THE HUGE DARK TOWER OF BARAD-DUR is being rebuilt!
Thousands of ORCS crawl over the surface, hauling stone and
iron up the towering heights.

WIDE ON: MOUNT DOOM...A HUGE, BILLOWING CLOUD OF BLACK FILTH

grows and spreads across the red streaked sky...casting a
shadowy pall over the nightmarish landscape.



                                                  (CONTINUED)

                                                           24.
CONTINUED:


                      GOLLUM (O.S.)
          Baggins! Shire!!

                                                        CUT TO:

EXT. MINAS MORGUL -- NIGHT

NINE BLACK RIDERS burst out of Minas Morgul and charge toward
Camera.

EXT. THE WEST ROAD, GONDOR -- DAY

WIDE ON: A LONE HORSEMAN gallops to the crest of a hill on
the west road. The main highway south to Minas Tirith...he
looks toward the saw toothed mountains of Mordor...
...seeping out across the blood red sky, his face grave. He
spurs his horse on.

                                                        CUT TO:

INT. CITADEL, MINAS TIRITH -- NIGHT

ANGLE ON: GANDALF

making is way down into the lower depths of the Citidel.

                                                        CUT TO:

INT. CITADEL CHAMBER, MINAS TIRITH -- NIGHT

CLOSE ON: Pages flipping as Gandalf searches ancient scrolls
and books placed high on a wooden table. His eyes settle on
one old parchment. He murmurs hurriedly to himself, reading.

                    GANDALF
              (reading)
          The year 3434 of the Second Age...here
          follows the account of Isildur, High King
          of Gondor, and the finding of the ring of
          power.

                                                   DISSOLVE TO:

CLOSE ON: ISILDUR, TRIUMPHANT, REACHES FOR THE ONE RING, HIS

EYES FIXATED ON IT.

                    GANDALF
              (reading)
          It has come to me...the ring of power!
                    (MORE)



                                                   (CONTINUED)

                                                             25.
CONTINUED:
                    GANDALF (CONT'D)
          It shall be an heirloom of my
          Kingdom...all those who follow in my
          bloodline shall be bound to its fate, for
          I will risk no hurt to the

                    GANDALF (CONT'D)
          ring...it is precious to me, though I buy
          it with great pain...

CLOSE ON: ELVISH LETTERING MARKS ON THE FADED OLD DOCUMENT

IN GANDALF'S HAND.

                    GANDALF
              (reading)
          The marking upon the band begin to
          fade...the writing which at first was as
          clear as red flame, has all but
          disappeared...a secret now that only fire
          can tell...

                                                      CUT TO:

EXT. HOBBIT FARMHOUSE -- EVENING

FARMER MAGGOT is chopping wood in his garden CLOSE ON:
SNORTING HORSE NOSTRILS...as the shadow of a black rider
looms over a Hobbit House. Terrified, FARMER MAGGOT cowers in
his doorway...FANG, his dog, Whimpers and backs away.

                    BLACK RIDER
              (hissing)
          Shire? Baggins?

                    FARMER MAGGOT
              (terrified)
          There's no Bagginses around here! They
          are all up in Hobbiton...that way.

The BLACK RIDER GALLOPS AWAY AT SPEED