What is happening down there?

Here's the latest scoop...

From across the internets screams news of continuing work and more from everyone's favorite island based FX powerhouse.  Not since ILM has an FX based workshop created so many fans and interest.

From Mad Max to Wind in the Willows, WETA seems to have quite a full schedule!

Read more about the latest news after the jump!

Meet them in San Diego

Weta writes: The team at Weta would like to welcome fans on TheOneRing.net to come visit us at Comic Con.

Attending from Weta will be Richard Taylor (Creative Director and Co-founder of Weta), Greg Broadmore (Lead conceptual designer for District 9 and creator of Dr Grordbort’s) and his beard, Dave Tremont (Senior Model Maker, and builder of Grond from LOTR) and his tools, Ri Streeter (who “really” runs the workshop) with her I-phone that never stops, Kate McCormick (nice, helpful person lurking behind the counter) and Tim Launder (tall guy) with his long arms. Please come and say Hi, and tell us you post on TORn.

We also have MrCere, Quickbeam and Deej hanging out with us from TORn, so you can expect mayhem and chaos !

We’ll have the new TORn T-shirts on sale (all profits going back to TheOneRing.net) as well as Weta’s range of LOTR collectibles, Hobbit Ears, Weta bugs and merchandise

As usual, we are sharing space with Dark Horse Comics at booth #2615. See you there !

MAD MAX

Weta Workshop will create costume and dummies for the next Mad Max movie.

The Wellington-based special effects experts said they were "very excited" to be working with director George Miller, who also directed the three previous Mad Max movies.

But the fourth will have a new Max with British actor Tom Hardy taking over from Mel Gibson, who took the lead in the previous films.

Starring alongside Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road are Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult.

The film is for release in 2012.

Weta would work on conceptual design, specialty makeup effects, costuming and dummies for the film.

Wind in the Willows

Weta is also working on a brand new production of The Wind In The Willows, according to reports.

Variety reports that Ray Griggs will direct and produce the $30 million feature, based on the 1908 tale by Kenneth Grahame. Richard Taylor from Weta will handle special effects.

The film is an animatronic based movie, based on the classic story that originated from 1908.

“The Wind in the Willows” centers on the quartet of talking animals — Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad — in a story that mixes adventure, morality and camaraderie. It’s been adapted as a feature several times, including the 1949 Disney animated film “The Adventures of Ichabod Crane and Mr. Toad” and Sony’s 1996 live-action version directed by Terry Jones.

In WETA Artistic News -

"With encouragement from his friend, Clarke created a world and story about Lonely Dog which appeals to both children and adults.

Then, in a significant step for the Lonely Dog enterprise, Weta Workshop's Richard Taylor showed interest in the concept and started making bronze statues of some of Clarke's Lonely Dog characters."

Now the team's in talks with Warner Brothers and it looks as though production of the film might start at the end of next year, rather than in five years' time as Clarke first thought.