Bilbo buzz as 'Rings' moves in on Pottermania

Move over Pottermania, it's time for Frodo fever and the Bilbo buzz, with the imminent arrival in Ireland of the first film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Fellowship of the Ring opens tomorrow in almost 100 cinemas around the State. It may be somewhat fewer than the 140 screens that showed Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, but the film based on J. R. R. Tolkien's novel is predicted to be the holiday season blockbuster. Toyshops and bookstores are already reporting a healthy interest in spin-off toys and games based on the $270 million film.

According to its Irish distributors, Abbey Films, critical acclaim has led to increased interest and a surge of advance bookings. Well they would say that, wouldn't they? None the less, the arrival of the film has been good news for bookshops, for whom The Lord of the Rings has always been a steady seller. According to Mr Alan Warnock, manager of Waterstone's on Dublin's Dawson Street, sales of Tolkien's book have shot up.

"We're talking about a trebling of sales, and that's before the film launches."

In true modern marketing style, there are original versions of the book, film tie-ins, audiobooks, board games and even a spoof version called Bored of the Rings. The Banba Toymaster store on Dublin's Henry Street is selling jigsaws and board games based on the film.

The first public showing of the film will take place this evening, at a charity premiere in the Savoy Cinema, Dublin, in aid of The Arthritis Foundation of Ireland.