I was never a big fan of the “Lord of the Rings” novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, but I adored the feature films directed by Peter Jackson. Not so much with the three bloated “Hobbit” prequel films also directed by Jackson. I thought Jackson really nailed the grandeur of the magic world of Middle Earth, especially with 2002’s “Return of the King.”
After spending an obscene amount of money ($250 million!) for the rights to the Middle Earth novels, Amazon Prime has unveiled the first teaser trailer for their ambitious TV adaptation. Subtitled “The Rings of Power,” this first season is set thousands of years before the events of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings.” The cast is a mix of new and returning characters like Galadriel (played by Cate Blanchet in the films), and from the two-minute preview, the show doesn’t stray from the grand visual palette Jackson created for his big screen take.
“The Rings of Power” has episodes directed by J.A. Bayona, who helmed the acclaimed hits “The Orphanage,” “The Impossible,” and “A Monster Calls” (we won/t hold “Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom” against him). Judging from the epic shots, he took notes from the Peter Jackson playbook. And the show looks big and expensive, inviting comparisons to HBO’s “Game of Thrones” minus all the rape, nudity, and gore.
The series is set to debut on Amazon Prime September 2, 2022. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Looks like a hit (albeit an expensive one)!
Cool side note. In 1966 the Beatles were offered to develop and star in “Lord of The Rings” as a way to fulfill their three movie contract. What a mind trip that would have been!
It looks like a hit if you want the most anti-tolkien LOTR imaginable. Puhhhleeeasse Gary.
Can’t wait to see Sir Galadriel debut without her canonically correct husband. Ugh, sjw people.
I have not watched any of the Rings films. I did read there were a few eyebrows raised when they announced when it would drop, one week after the HBO Thrones prequel. I think both of them will find their audience, though I’d be shocked if House Of The Dragon came anywhere close to Game Of Thrones viewership.
You should check out the first Lord of the Rings films, as they are beautifully done. And it certainly looks like the Amazon series uses the same visual vocabulary as the Peter Jackson films. I”ll be curious to see how it compares to the House of the Dragon.