Rings director worried about Two Towers title

Lord Of The Rings director Peter Jackson is reportedly concerned about the title of the second film in the trilogy, The Two Towers - but says he won’t try to change it.

Because of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre’s twin towers in New York, New Zealander Jackson admits he has qualms about the second film’s title, the same as the second novel in the trilogy by JRR Tolkien.

‘‘It’s true that I’ve thought about what that title means now,’’ he said. ‘‘I just pray that by the time the second movie comes out, it won’t cause any controversy.’’

If the title is changed, ‘‘Tolkien fans would kill us’’, he said of the millions of dedicated readers of the fantasy trilogy.

The film will include a pivotal and ‘‘very bloody’’ action scene in the battle between the sides of good and evil for a castle known as Helm’s Deep, said Jackson in his first indication of what the second film would contain.

There will be more of Gollum, or Smeagol, the treacherous night creature who seeks to regain the all-powerful Ring.

Gollum is the only main character from the trilogy that is computer-generated, he said.

The Two Towers will be released in December 2002 and the third film, Return Of The King, at Christmas 2003.

The first Lord of the Rings film, The Fellowship Of The Ring, had its worldwide release on December 19.