US EditionA giant sculpture of Gandalf riding an eagle departs Wellington airport for good
- Wellington Airport announced on Monday, May 5, 2025, that the giant sculptures of Gandalf riding eagles will depart the terminal this month.
- These 50-foot wingspan sculptures, weighing 2,600 pounds each, were created by Wētā Workshop to celebrate Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films since 2013.
- While the sculptures delighted tourists and sometimes scared children over the years, Tolkien-themed tourism in Wellington has recently declined.
- Airport CEO Matt Clarke noted that the airport's storytelling has prominently featured Lord of the Rings themes, and added that Wētā will be unveiling a new display there later this year.
- The sculptures will be placed in storage after Friday, with hopes they find a museum home, while a large Smaug sculpture remains at the airport.
Insights by Ground AI
Does this summary seem wrong?
25 Articles
25 Articles
All
Left
6
Center
15
Right
2
Associated Press News+21 Reposted by 21 other sources
A giant sculpture of Gandalf riding an eagle departs Wellington airport for good
Sculptures of two giant eagles from the “Lord of the Rings” films will be removed from New Zealand's Wellington Airport this month after looming over travelers for 12 years.
·United States
Read Full Article
Gandalf must go. We want something new, says airport boss
For more than a decade, passengers at Wellington Airport in New Zealand have been able to admire statues of two flying eagles from the Hobbit film saga. One of them even carried the wizard Gandalf himself on its back. But now the departure hall is facing a new chapter as the sculptures are being moved to storage.
·Čestlice, Czechia
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources25
Leaning Left6Leaning Right2Center15Last UpdatedBias Distribution65% Center
Bias Distribution
- 65% of the sources are Center
65% Center
L 26%
C 65%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
Ownership
To view ownership data please Upgrade to Vantage
