Art, Peter confirmed even before the first film came out that the Scouring wasn't going to be in there.

Which makes sense. When you've had the massive battles of Pelennor Fields and all that, why finish the film with a bunch of hobbits in a small local scrap? In the book, that was mainly useful to demonstrate the development of Pippin and Merry - the film can show their characters changing much better, though, so not needed.

Saruman was cut for time reasons, and the fact that he no longer poses any threat to anyone, particularly once the Scouring had been removed. Rumour is that the cut scene has Saruman killed by Grima at Isengard - basically the same scene as from the Scouring, but transported to Isengard. Scenes were filmed but had to be cut at the last minute, hence Christopher Lee is very dischuffed. It'll be back in the extended version though. Incidentally, I thoroughly recommend the extended versions as they're much better films for the stuff that got cut - hopefully one day the cinemas will show the whole extended versions instead of the original theatrical versions, and if they do, I'll be in there like a shot!

Liz, there's little chance that anything else will be filmed whilst Christopher Tolkein (JRRT's son) is alive. He won't grant film rights to *anyone*, because he fundamentally doesn't believe that a film can show his dad's work properly. LotR only got made through a legal technicality, where the rights got sold back in the 60s and then were traded around (via the animated film) until Peter Jackson got them. PJ is currently trying to get rights to film The Hobbit, but CT is basically saying "over my dead body". His nephew supported the films (and has a bit-part as a Gondorian), and CT as a result has cut him dead and refuses to speak to him for the rest of his life. That gives you an idea of what his mind-set is. :-(

Graham.