I never give spoilers away, this time is no different. However, if you want to read a huge spoiler, keep an eye of Aintitcoolnews.com over the next 2-3 days. Someone from the cast or crew, has leaked some information to Harry Knowles.
As far as I know, New Line is trying to prevent this spoiler from being published, but I doubt they will succeed. It concerns Mr. Lee's character, personally I cannot wait until it gets out so I can publish the list of liars and fabricators, who have been bothering Mr. Lee with the spiked wheel trash. Revenge is always sweet 
I have been planning this for over two years, but still there is only 3 weeks to go.
Their site seems to be down, go to theonering.net. They are always good at copy and paste jobs.
Anyway, the whole point of that long read is that Saruman does not have a single sceene in ROTK, you will just have to assume that he was killed. You will need to buy the EE DVD to see what happened to him, if they decide to include it.
Any chance of getting a comment from Mr. Lee about this?
I read this news just tonight and am a bit shocked myself, but I would have to think Mr. Lee will be a bit more suprised or saddened. Ironically though I'm glad I know this now as otherwise I would have spent half the run-time of my first viewing of ROTK wondering what where the heck Saruman/Lee was.
I love Jackson and all of his films (hell, I'm doing PhD work on some of them) but this piece of news, if true, is really disappointing. The scene should have probably ended the The Two Towers (Jackson even states that it was orginally meant for that film -- so why didn't he simply put it in the Extended Edition??). I can't understand the logic, whether it be New Line or Jackson (and face it-- we'll never really know who's decision it was).
Note: the following statement is void if P.J. is puling a fast one on us all. But I don't think he is.
I have a world of respect for Peter Jackson and his handling of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. But this is simply a horrendous decision, imo. It is one of the major climatic moments, and the subject of much discussion amongst fans as to how it would be handled. I think Jackson is doing a terrible disservice to both Tolkien and Christopher Lee admirers.
And I am absolutely positive that both critics and audience members will very much notice the omission.
The comment made about making this film one begin as a new film is absurd. everyone and his mother knows that all three films go together as one story. I don't know a single person who went to The Two Towers and didn't see Fellowship first. So, his reasoning behind this decision is not terribly sound, imo. And so much for Jackson's comment on ROTK's running time as being as long as it needs to be.
This is the first time in Peter Jackson's entire career,of which I've watched and seen every film of his and loved them, that i find myself really, really angry with a decision he's made, and have thought it absolutely detrimental to the film. I really hope he regains his sanity and changes his mind.
My enthusiasm, which has been incredibly high, has also dropped quite a bit, as this decision makes me wonder what else he's done.
Hola! me gustaria dar mi apoyo a Sir Cristopher Lee, pues me imagino, que el no aparecer en el retorno del rey debe ser horrible. Y mas, cuando es una falta total de respeto hacia Tolkien, hacia el actor y hacia los mismo fans. Lo siento pero Peter Jackson ha cometido un error, un gran error. Y lo peor es que es tan solo por 7 minutos. 
Saludos 
Lay
Psd. Im sorry becouse i dont write in English very well, for this I made this reply in Spanish.
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and face it-- we'll never really know who's decision it was
It was PJ's decision, I know that for a fact. I also knew that this information was going to be leaked by Harry Knowles and that New Line would just be seen as trying to stop him.
Mr. Lee is not prepared to comment at all on the matter until the film is released. Contrary to another actor, who cannot keep his mouth shut, he intends to honour his confidentiality agreement.
Mr. Lee is disappointed, I don't think anyone has any doubts about that.
Hi, I am new here. I am from Brazil!
But can you tell us if, only the death scene was cut? Or Mr. Lee was all cut from the Theatrical Version?
PLEASE.................................
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Hi,
All of Saruman's sceenes where cut. The character will not be appearing in ROTK at all. Maybe in the EE DVD.
Christopher Lee's name will not even be in the credits.
Sadly, thank you...
This is a disrespect...
Felipe Boreli Filho.
Just couple of more things...
1 - Saruman will be metion?
2 - How they will explain the palantir?
3 - Isengard will appear?
It would had been a good idea if Peter Jackson let Mr. Lee know first.
That is the disgrace and not the fact that his part is cut out. If for the good of the story it has to be that way, then Peter Jackson as the director has the freedom to do as he sees fit. What is not fair to Mr. Lee is the way in which the situation was handled.
It must have been very sad for Mr. Lee to read PJ's letter to Harry Knowles and yet not receive a telephone call.
But hey, that is showbusiness. life goes on.
I still can't believe this. How can Peter Jackson completely leave out a veteran actor (and quite possibly the most wiling member on the team) from the movie, and not even give Mr. Lee any warning beforehand? It really is upsetting.
Has it been confirmed that the RSWD will not be in the Extended Version?
Admin, I'm confused. You mentioned that PJ hasn't formally notified Lee that he's been cut from the film and that he had to find out by reading the article on AICN, but you also say that all of Lee's scenes have been cut, and that he won't even appear in the credits, which is more than Knowles' article claims. Has someone from the production let you know this?
Whatever the case, I'm as unhappy as everyone else.
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which is more than Knowles' article claims. Has someone from the production let you know this?
Read the very first post of this thread. What does it say? Someone leaked the information first, before PJ or Hary Knowles.
Trust me, he is not at all in the film or even the credits. I was with Mr. Lee all day yesterday.
Now New Line are trying to prepare a statement for Mr. Lee to give to the press. A pack of lies, I pressume.
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Yes. Peter Jackson let Mr. Lee go to interviews and talk about his involvent in the film, when he knew that his part was already cut out.
That, really, is the worst part of it, isn't it. I suppose having one's scenes cut is always an unwelcome possibility, and promoting the film anyway might be a contractual obligation. But there's an appearance of trying to mislead the audience that could work against Jackson - in letting the interviews go ahead as before, he raised expectations which he knew he wasn't going to meet - and he involved other people in that without their knowledge. It's one thing to be contractually required not to reveal facts, it's another not to be told - you can give an interview to stress different points if you know.
Hi! I didn't realise this conversation was going on here - this is what I posted elsewhere on the site:
"This is one of the downsides in the rise of the DVD format. There seems to be this attitude now during the filmmaking process of "well, we can stick this on the DVD for the fans." What happened to artistic integrity? Surely when you edit a film and present it to the world that should be it? It's nice to see deleted scenes on DVD, but I'm not so sure about restructuring the film itself (as was done with the re-release of 'Star Wars').... anyway I could go on and on, but the point is what about Saruman being cut from ROTK?
In my opinion I think someone somewhere has made a bit of a gaffe - Saruman should really have died at the end of The Two Towers, but someone took the decision to to save his death for the ROTK... only to find at this late stage that it doesn't cut together (perhaps that's why the original book was divided in the way it was? ). From a filmmaking point of view I think its essential that his death be in this new film as those cinemagoers who don't know the background to events like we do will be asking - "hey, what happened to the villain from the last two movies? Where's he disappeared to?"
Rant over."
My rant isn't quite over: I cannot understand this decision - why wasn't his death at the end of the Two Towers? I've got a pretty good idea why - because it would have stolen the film. I can't say this is Peter Jackson's fault because I have absolutely no inside knowledge, these are just my own assumptions. I think at some point during the Two Towers the studio or some other ego involved decided that they could not have Christopher Lee as the focus for the climax of the film. I can't think of anyone I know who won't notice Saruman is missing (and that's without me telling them!).
As for your news Juan, that Mr Lee was never even informed of this decision, it just rubs salt in the wound. As stu b mentioned above, Mr Lee has been doing publicity for the film - New Line MUST have known he was going on radio and television to sing the film's praises..... disgusting.
I also posted this in another topic.
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This move has totally shocked me.
I think this is one BIG mistake that Peter Jackson and his team have made regarding these films.
I am an avid Tolkien fan, and this scene was the one I was most looking forward to watching. Saruman, is one of my favourite characters from the book, and Mr lee's portrayal of Saruman, in my eyes in nigh on perfect.
Having the audience think that the Ents have taken care of Saruman is an insult, as any Tolkien fan in their right mind would know that this is not what the Ents did or would do! They kept him prisoner in his Tower, and kept him 'Safe' from doing anymore harm.
As for the comments that this scene feels like it's wrapping up events from the Two Towers, and they should be moving into Return of the King, well again, I think it's rubbish, Lord of the Rings should be viewed as one 9 hour film, just like the book should be viewed as one book, and not three.
Unforgivable if you ask me!!
Hopefully Peter will come to his senses, and with the last week for editing, will re-submit the scene back into the film.
Sorry for the rant!
Regards
Pallando
I too still find this 'judgement' hard to swallow, I really am at a loss as to how stupid this decision really is!
It's also an insult that Peter Jackson did not call Mr Lee himself to tell the bad news and explain the reasoning behind it all, instead of getting some 'lackey' to do his dirty work instead. That to me is exceptionally bad manners!
Sorry for my English knowledge. I'm from Galice (Spain).
Bien, ahora en español XD Siento vergüenza ajena de esta injusticia. En fin, no sé ni necesito saber cuál era el contrato del Sr. Lee, pero creo que a un gran actor como él no se le puede marear de esta manera, y tampoco a los miles de fans que verán sus películas. Si no iba a meter a Saruman en The Return of the King, pues que muera Saruman en Las Dos Torres, pero que le avise con antelación a Christopher Lee, es lo mínimo. Bueno, lamento no tener un diccionario a mano.
There is a petition online for protest for that injustice.
Viva Galicia! Yo tambien soy Gallego.
Esto es todo una mafia. Nosotros sabiamos esto desde hace tiempo pero no a traves de Peter Jackson o New Line, sino por la manera de tratar al Sr Lee. No habia prisa ninguna para completar el dialogo e incluso los fallos ni importaban para nada. A un chaval lo puedes enganar, pero a un hombre con la edad y experiencia del Sr Lee?
No puedo hablar en Ingles porque los buitres de New Line andan vijilandome para que no hable. Estan acojonados. Ahora cuando salga la pelicula y su contrato haya terminado, al Saruman no va a ver Dios que lo pare. El hombre esta que mata.
:twisted:
Sorry, second email on the subject, but having just read the other replies, I am now incensed that Mr Lee was not informed by Peter Jackson himself of the decision to cut ANY scene in which Mr Lee appeared. To treat an actor of Mr Lee's calibre in this way is beyond belief.
All I can say to Mr Lee is - as a fan I am dumbfounded - I cannot imagine how you feel yourself, if this is how Mr Jackson has treated you, then he does not appreciate you as an actor or the efforts you put into the first two films - you made the films......
Alison G
two years? you've got the patience of Job, Juan!
hehehe