The release of the new The Lord of the Rings film this December looks set to spark a resurgence of interest in the works of the late Oxford professor JRR Tolkien.

The New Zealand-made film, expected to be the first of a trilogy of films, will star Liv Tyler and Elijah Wood.

JRR TolkienAnd a flurry of new games are set to hit games shops across the country in the coming months in the run-up to the release of the much-anticipated movie.

For decades Oxford has provided an important focal point for Tolkien devotees.

The writer - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien to give him his full name - was appointed Merton Professor of English language and literature at Oxford University, in 1945.

He came to Oxford as an undergraduate at Exeter College and was a contemporary of the author CS Lewis, whose works include the Narnia stories. After the First World War, Tolkien worked on the New English Dictionary.

The Hobbit was written in 1936. Tolkien sent the manuscript to the publisher Sir Stanley Unwin, who passed it on to his ten-year-old grandson Rayner, who insisted that it should be published.

Tolkien had written The Hobbit at his home in Northmoor Road, north Oxford, and his other best-selling works in the garage of his home in Sandfield Road, Headington.

He retired to Bournemouth in 1969, but following the death of his wife two years later, he returned to Oxford and lived in Merton Street.

Each year Tolkien fans from all over the globe come to Oxford for the annual Oxonmoot event, organised by The Tolkien Society, which was founded in 1969.

The event takes place on the weekend closest to September 22 (the birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins as given in The Lord of the Rings).

Around 150 people are expected to attend this year's event, which runs from Friday, September 21, to Sunday, September 23.

They will stay at St Antony's College and take part in formal and informal talks, seminars, workshops and a wreath laying at Tolkien's grave in the Catholic section of Wolvercote Cemetery, where he was buried in 1973, aged 79, alongside his wife Edith.

They are also expected to stop off at The Eagle and Child pub in St Giles, where Tolkien and CS Lewis, members of the exclusive Inklings group of writers, used to meet.

It is hoped Canadian-born artist Ted Nasmith, a society member who has already illustrated the 2002 Tolkien diary and calendar, will exhibit some of his Tolkien artwork at the Oxonmoot event.

The games manufacturing firm Hasbro has re-launched its The Lord of the Rings game.

The board game, which was given a low profile release last year, is being re-released so manufacturers can cash in on interest generated by the film.

The object of the game is to work in fellowship with the other players to defeat the evil forces of the Dark Lord, Sauron.

The players assume one of The Hobbit characters and progress across the board, undertaking a variety of testing challengers along the way, with the ultimate aim of casting the magic ring into the volcano at the top of Mount Doom.

A second part of the board game is due to be launched this autumn, with a double-sided board. People will be able to use it to extend the original Hasbro game, introducing two new adventures to the game.

The game's designer, German-born Reiner Knizia, says: "The Lord of the Rings captured the imagination of many people across the globe.

"Through the design of the game, I believe, I have captured the key elements of Tolkien's story and have translated them into a game packed full of adventure and challenges.

"Tolkien fans will relish the chance to embark on their own mission to enter the world of The Hobbit and destroy the magic ring."

Another board game, called The Hobbit, produced by Fantasy Flight Games, illustrated by celebrated Tolkien artist Ted Nasmith, is due to be released this autumn.

Ian Collier, spokesman for the Tolkien Society, says: "This year is an exciting year for the society. Tolkien and his work have always had a dedicated following but the film will boost the profile of The Lord of the Rings and make it far more mainstream.

"We are very much looking forward to seeing the film. We were not consulted in any way with regards to interpretation but the general impression that we have is that it is being made by Tolkien fans and not be someone who is out to make a fast buck."

**The Tolkien Society website can be contacted at www.tolkiensociety.org. Day tickets for the Oxonmoot event can be booked online or by writing to The Bookings Officer (Oxonmoot), 28 Loverock Crescent, Rugby, CV21 4AR.