Movies

Elijah Wood -- who plays Frodo in the new "Hobbit" movie -- is convinced ... the wranglers who claimed 27 animals died during the production of the film are just out for a payday ... but their diabolical plot will fail.

Elijah was at the airport in L.A. when we asked about the story -- that the production's animal handlers claim the living conditions for the film's horses, chickens, sheep, and goats were so bad ... as many as 27 animals died horrific preventable deaths.

Elijah called the story "heartbreaking" -- but said the complaints were grossly exaggerated, telling us, "I never saw any of those conditions when I was down there."

He added, "All of the technicians who worked on the film take the utmost care of the animals."

Elijah believes the timing of the complaints -- a week before the film premieres -- is extremely suspicious ... and tells us, the people behind them are just out for a quick buck.

One review of Lindsay Lohan's performance in "Liz & Dick" matters more than all the others combined -- Elizabeth Taylor's! Yep, we've got sources ... even up there.

As many as 27 animals -- from horses to chickens -- died horrific (and preventable) deaths during the production of "The Hobbit" ... this according to people who handled the animals ... though producers say the number has been grossly exaggerated.

Several wranglers who worked on location in New Zealand have come forward -- claiming horses, sheep, goats and chickens died unnecessarily from 2010 to 2011 because the Wellington farm where they were housed was full of dangerous sinkholes, shoddy fencing, and other "death traps."

According to the wranglers, some of the animals -- mostly horses -- would fall into the sink holes and break their backs. At least one horse had to be euthanized.

The wranglers claim several chickens were unprotected and were mauled to death by dogs ... some of the goats froze to death ... and a horse gashed its leg open on an unsafe fence. Other animals allegedly died from eating bad feed, contracting worms or other forms of negligence.

Two wranglers say conditions for the animals were so bad ... they quit in 2011 and complained to the production company about the situation.

A rep for Peter Jackson admitted two of the horse deaths were avoidable -- but says producers "completely reject" accusations that 27 animals died due to mistreatment.

As soon as producers became aware of the animals' living conditions in early 2011, the rep says they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to improve them.

The American Humane Association investigated the situation later that year and gave the production a passing grade ... noting that no animals died on the set.

But the AHA admits their grade only reflected on-set conditions -- and not the animals' housing facilities, which the group admits was subpar.

Nicolas Cage continues to chip away at his massive tax debt ... one sequel / three-quel at a time ... 'cause the actor paid off another tax lien, to the tune of $600k!!!

TMZ broke the story ... Cage was hit with a federal tax lien back in 2011 ... for $624,934.64. Seems he forgot to pay taxes on some really expenses gifts he gave out between 2004-2009.

According to the IRS all that's behind him now ... Cage is now paid in full, making him a super-duper-tax-lien-payer-offer ... considering last April he paid off another lien for $6 million. But Nick isn't out of the woods ... he still owes roughly $6 mil to Uncle Sam, but every little bit helps.

Apparently those new (old) roles ... i.e. "Kick-Ass 2", "Ghost Rider 2", "National Treasure 3" and now "Ghost Rider 3" are really paying off.

We're kidding ... "Ghost Rider 3" isn't real. Yet.

There are some advantages to not being elected President of the United States -- like you can go to see the new "Twilight" movie without making a big fuss ... which is exactly what Mitt Romney did this weekend.

After the movie, Mitt and Ann (with no bodyguards in sight) hit up a pizza place across the street. We're told he was super friendly to everyone, even posing for a few pics.

Lindsay Lohan is unfazed by the scathing review about her performance in "Liz & Dick" ... because she refuses to read it ... this according to sources close to the actress.

We're told ... Lindsay has a strict NO-CRITICS policy ... and refuses to read any professional reviews of her performances, EVER.

Lindsay has told friends she doesn't want to let the reviews -- positive or negative -- "take away from her experience on the project."

In a gas station ... not too far, far away (from our office) ... "Star Wars" actor Billy Dee Williams dropped a potential BOMBSHELL about the greatest franchise in the galaxy to a TMZ reporter.

It all went down when our guy Ryan (pictured below) decided he was in the mood for a refreshing Icee ... the blue kind, naturally.

Once Ryan -- a HUGE "Star Wars" nerd -- entered the gas station, he happened to notice Billy Dee ... who played Lando Calrissian in the original "Star Wars" flicks ... and totally freaked out.

Here's what happened next, according to Ryan:

"I told him I was a huge fan and worked at TMZ. I asked if I could film him for the show and ask about the new Star Wars trilogy, but he declined.

So I said, 'that’s cool … but everyone is dying to know, has anyone reached out to you about being in the new film?' He said, 'No.'

So I said, 'Well if the new trilogy is based on the same characters from the movies you were in, do you wanna be in it?”

And he said, 'I suppose so.'"

Translation -- LANDO'S DOWN FOR A COMEBACK!!!!!

We reached out to Disney for comment -- so far no word back.

BUUUUT ... in case you were wondering, Ryan says the Icees were delicious.

The author who created "Mary Poppins" had a spoon full of HATRED for everyone affiliated with her movie ... this according to "Poppins" star Dick Van Dyke.

DVD -- who played Bert in the 1964 classic -- was out in Malibu yesterday ... and told us he was super-excited about Tom Hanks playing Walt Disney in an upcoming movie about the making of "Mary Poppins."

But Dick explained ... there was some MAJOR DRAMA behind the scenes, telling us author P.L. Travers -- who created the Mary Poppins children's books -- battled Disney for 20 years before begrudgingly allowing him to make the film.

"She didn't want to do it," Van Dyke says ... "She just hated the idea ... she hated Julie [Andrews] and she hated me."

In fact, Travers hated the movie so much, she put it in her will that NO AMERICANS shall ever be granted permission to work on a Poppins project ever again.

We also asked Dick if there was any truth to the urban legend that Walt's head was cryogenically frozen -- but it's clear DVD ain't buyin' the rumors.

Matt McConaughey -- or what's left of him -- arrived at LAX this weekend looking skinnier than ever ... just as he planned.

As we previously reported, the usually buff and shirtless 42-year-old is wasting away to play Ron Woodruff in the movie "The Dallas Buyers Club" -- the true story of a man who contracted HIV through drug use in the '80s and has to smuggle life-saving medications from Mexico.

Matthew is reportedly slated to begin production on the movie in New Orleans today ... and he's reportedly the lightest he's ever been ... down more than 30 pounds from his usual weight.

According to People.com, the actor plans to keep his current weight for another month ... and then the weight gain begins.

James Bond aka Daniel Craig, 44, and his "Skyfall" enemy, Oscar winner Javier Bardem, 43, proved they are both ridiculously handsome at the movie's premiere in London recently.

Question is ...

The upcoming Disney-owned "Star Wars" movie will star a much older Princess Leia ... at least if Carrie Fisher gets her way -- because the actress tells TMZ, she'd love to star in the next installment.

Carrie was at LAX yesterday when we asked if she'd accept a role in "Episode 7" -- currently in development at Disney -- and she said, "Yes. Sure. Wouldn't you?"

It would make sense too -- because "Episode 7" would follow "Return of the Jedi" in the Stars Wars timeline, meaning Leia could conceivably be a lot older in the new movie.

Carrie also said Disney low-balled George Lucas with its $4.05 billion deal -- saying he should've gotten about $500 million more.

Lil Wayne is pissed off that he lost his lawsuit against Quincy Jones III ... not because of the money, but because he thinks the judge should have given him time to recover from his illness so he could have made his case to the jury.

Wayne is telling his boys he's positive jurors were "pissed off" because he didn't show up and testify.

Wayne says he could have turned jurors and convinced them that Quincy's documentary on him was defamatory. He's also convinced the jury would never have awarded Quincy more than $2 mil for lost profits as a result of Wayne trashing the flick.

But the big thing is ... Wayne says he was sick, couldn't fly to L.A. and was dealing with a "medical emergency situation."

But he's leaving out one important fact. He wasn't so sick he couldn't take his tour bus from Louisiana to Miami to sit courtside for the Heat game.

"Breaking Bad" star Jonathan Banks tackled a classic and hysterical movie topic -- but one TMZ staffer wanted a more in-depth topic. What exactly ... he can't seem to spit out.