It's been quite a while since we first got word of Amazon's Lords of the Rings [1] TV series MEGADEAL, and we've had several exciting updates since it was announced back in November 2017. In June 2018, Head of Amazon Studios Jennifer Salke revealed to The Hollywood Reporter [2] that the studio was in the process of talking to writers. "All of us would love a big, addictive show that is executed at the top of its game," she said. "I have sat with three or four different groups of writers . . . My hope would be to put together a group of talented people, which will obviously have a leader who can embark on this big ambitious endeavour."
A few months shy of a year later, the official Twitter account [3] for the show posted a series of tweets [4] that reveal a bit of what all that hard work behind the scenes is going into. Among other things, We now know that the series will be set in the Second Age, a few thousand years before Aragorn (the heir to the kingdom of men in The Lord of the Rings, played by Viggo Mortensen [5]) was even born! And while the LOTR series may still have a long way to go, all the details we're getting so far seem to promise a worthwhile prequel to one of the biggest fantasy trilogies to ever grace the silver screen.
Are you curious about the story and the creative process? Wondering if any familiar faces from the original trilogy will make appearances? Are you trying to mark your calendar with a premiere date? Keep reading to check out everything we've managed to scrounge up so far!
The Creative Process
The powers that be are working very closely with J.R.R. Tolkien's estate to flesh out the story and create something cool and original. In June, Variety spoke with Salke and she gave an update on the process [7]. She said the deal only finally closed in May, and the studio is now meeting with writers. Salke also said she spent three hours with Simon Tolkien, Tolkien's grandson.
Salke said Amazon's deal with Tolkien's estate "covers most, but not all of the material connected to the author's Middle Earth saga," but it's too early for specifics. "It's not a remaking of the movies, and it's not a whole new thing. It's something in between. It's not, 'Oh, it's Lord of the Rings, but you don't recognise anything in it,' but it's not totally familiar to you either. So it's original." Sounds vague and confusing, but we sort of get it.
The Budget
According to Deadline [8], the company paid $250 million to Tolkien's estate, publisher HarperCollins, and New Line Cinema to create a series set in Middle Earth. The terms of the deal also specified that Amazon must begin production on the series within two years, which is hopefully enough time to save up for how much the show is going to cost. Early reports suggest between casting, producers, and visual effects, it will likely shake out to more than $1 billion. Do you know how much lembas that could buy you?!
The Story
Fans initially believed the show would focus on the younger years of Aragorn [9], as Tolkien's other writings cover "huge swaths of time" during this period. On 7 March, 2019, the show's Twitter account revealed that the series would take place during the Second Age by releasing a series of tweets that showed several maps of Middle-earth. Then, on 12 Jan., 2021, TheOneRing.Net reported the official synopsis [10]:
"Amazon Studios' forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth's history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone."
Jackson's film trilogy is technically set during the end of the Third Age and the beginning of the Fourth Age of Middle-earth. The events that unfold during the Second Age — the rise of Númenor, the rings are forged, Sauron creates the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom, and finally, the downfall of Sauron — all lead into the events of the Jackson trilogy, so the show title perfectly fits! This also means we'll be delving more into the lives of the elves and men who were briefly mentioned or seen in other Jackson films.
The Familiar Faces
In light of the major announcement, a few stars from the LOTR film series have already begun to throw their hats in the ring. Ian McKellen is totally down to play Gandalf again. Back in December, he discussed the Amazon series [11] during a visit on The Graham Norton Show. When Norton suggested that they may have to cast another Gandalf for the show, McKellen wouldn't hear it. "What do you mean, another Gandalf? I haven't said yes because I haven't been asked. But are you suggesting that someone else is going to play it? Gandalf is over 7,000 years old, so I'm not too old." Sounds like he wants dibs, Amazon.
Dominic Monaghan, meanwhile, isn't opposed to reprising his role [12] as Merry, either. "It just depends how they do it, really. . . . If they do the older hobbits sitting around reminiscing on their journeys, of course I'd do that. I love that world, and I think introducing new generations to that world only brings them back to the Peter Jackson trilogy, and to the books."
But not everyone is on board to return (even if Amazon asks). John Rhys-Davies, who played Gimli in the original trilogy, isn't a fan of the series. In fact, he dislikes the idea [13]. "Why we quite need Lord of the Rings as a TV series baffles me slightly . . . I mean, the extraordinary money they're getting from online gambling and stuff like this, it's just a disgrace."
Andy Serkis, who memorably portrayed Gollum and Smeagol, also isn't inclined to return [14]. He was a bit kinder about the prospect of a TV series, though. "It sounds incredible, but I don't see myself being any part of it," he said. "I think it's a completely fresh, new approach to it all, so I don't think I'd imagine myself to be anywhere near it really."
The Timeline
We don't know exactly when the series will premiere, but luckily, Amazon's deal will force it to adhere to certain parameters. Back in 2018, Salke offered a bit of hopeful insight [15] to The Hollywood Reporter. When it comes to the premiere, "2021 is the hope. But there are other people who wish it was 2020." It's 2021 now, and as the cast are currently filming in New Zealand, the first season is expected to debut either late this year or in 2022.
The Showrunners
On July 28, Amazon Studios announced JD Payne and Patrick McKay will develop the series. The pair have most recently worked on Jungle Cruise and Star Trek 4. In response to their involvement, they said, "We feel like Frodo, setting out from the Shire, with a great responsibility in our care — it is the beginning of the adventure of a lifetime."