One ring to rule them all...

[rogueslayer452]

As I'm sure most are aware by now that Amazon is going to produce a Lord of the Rings television series with a multi-season order. Christopher Tolkien has also resigned from the Tolkien Estate, which may coincide with this recent news.

There have been a lot of mixed reactions to this, as suspected. Purists are upset about this, some are scratching their heads wondering why this even was considered since nothing will ever top the films, while others are tentatively curious. I, myself, was rather skeptical when this was first announced, although it's been said that this will be a prequel and not a remake of the films, which made me relax a little. In truth I've come to the conclusion that, in the right hands, a television series that explores different areas of Middle-earth that we didn't see in the films would be interesting. I've always believed that television gives more room for exploration and development than films do, and if done right it can give us so much more content taken from that world and universe and expand it further. I do agree that when it comes down the faithful adaptations, Peter Jackson's films are the closest we'll ever get and nothing else will ever compare. But even his films were a mere interpretation of Tolkien's world, which was a risk at the time when he was starting making them. Who is to say that nobody else should take a chance at it as well? True, it could end up being completely disastrous, or it could surprise us and actually end up being really good. This is the gamble with adaptations. At the moment we don't know anything about the series yet since it's still in the early stages and was just announced, but I do have a couple of qualifications of things I want to see happen with this series.

Don't make it grimdark. We don't want or need another Game of Thrones-style show. Lord of the Rings is the antithesis of that series anyway, so there is no need to make it something that it isn't. I know that this series will probably be made to fill in that void once Game of Thrones has ended and no doubt it will be compared to it, but it should not follow in its footsteps. Fantasy, particularly high fantasy, doesn't have to be "dark and gritty" in order for the audience to be engaged.

Have more women be included in the story. One of the things I appreciated was Peter Jackson trying to include women in the films (Arwen having a more included role, the creation of Tauriel and the women of Laketown picking up arms to fight alongside the men in The Hobbit), though I do wish there could have been more inclusion. So having more women characters in various roles is something I want to see in a television series, no doubt about that. Also, I want more women to be involved with the production of the series, this means women writers, directors, and producers.

Actually hire and have significant roles for minorities. Speaking of inclusion, this should be a no-brainer. There needs to be more representation of non-white actors portraying fantasy characters, something that neither film trilogy did which was disappointing.

Film in New Zealand. Or, at least film somewhere that has gorgeous scenery and landscapes.

As a whole, this is going to be interesting to watch unfold. I'm still a tad apprehensive, but at the same time I'm also intrigued on where this could potentially lead if done well.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

I'd like to see more heroic fantasy on TV. I absolutely love Shannara, S1 was great and S2 was even better, adding a lot of diversity. But I don't think I'll watch a LOTR TV show, because the movies already felt too long for me. It's nice for those interested in seeing more, but there are so many fantasy book series out there that could have been chosen instead. Hopefully, this won't stop here and other networks will option some of these other book series.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I do wish that there were more variety when it comes to fantasy shows. There are a lot of scifi and paranormal shows out there of varying degrees which is fantastic, but you hardly see much when it comes to fantasy. We need more of things like high fantasy, urban fantasy, lighthearted fantasy, heroic fantasy, and so on. Not everything has to be grimdark and dreary. And I'm pretty sure there are plenty of fantasy books out there which are perfect to adapt from, or even just an original idea from a creator who wants to do something new and interesting with the genre itself.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_profiterole_/]

TV shows based on original ideas are quite rare these days (though probably not as rare as movies based on original ideas), but yes, they could definitely go there too.

Nightrunner was quite popular way back. They could adapt it. And Temeraire was supposed to be made into movies by Peter Jackson, but he never did anything with those rights.

[honeymink]

Fantasy, particularly high fantasy, doesn't have to be "dark and gritty" in order for the audience to be engaged.

Case in point, "The Shannara Chronicles" though I have only watched the first season so far but really enjoyed that.

I never watched "The Hobbit" movies but I'm thinking about it.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

For me it was Legend of the Seeker, it was such a fun lighthearted fantasy show that deserved more attention (and a third season, dammit). And interestingly, it was also filmed in New Zealand. Fantasy can be fun and engaging and interesting without going into dark places. You can explore dark themes and plots without succumbing to being grimdark in nature, if that makes any sense.

I really loved The Hobbit trilogy. There had been some mixed reactions to those movies, mostly because people compare it to LOTR, but whatever I enjoyed them very much. Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield made it for me, personally speaking.

[honeymink]

Ah, I liked LotS fine but it was a lot of walking from A to B to C for me. But I loved Cara and Kahlan, and Jessica Marais guest starring was just the icing on the cake. And yes that makes a lot of sense, however, there's also this like of it being campy I guess which a lot of people fear. Not me obviously.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

there's also this like of it being campy I guess which a lot of people fear. Not me obviously.

Yeah, it seems like with fantasy most think it either has to be lighthearted (silly and campy) or serious (grimdark and depressing) with no in between. Which shouldn't be the case because there are ways of having those elements together without going to only one extreme or the other.

[erychan86.livejournal.com]

Amazon did a great job with some of its original series like The Man In The High Calstle and Mozart in the Jungle... it has the money to invest in this sort of project... so I guess that if there have to be a tv show, it’s good it’s in its hands... I think that HBO, Starz and Netflix are the networks that can handle this sort of shows in a great way... amazon can too... I am intrigued... :)

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I do think there are more options now to do a series of this magnitude than before, because while I couldn't see a LOTR series being made on a regular television network I can definitely see it being on something like Amazon or Netflix or similar alternative places. There is more room for genre shows on such places to thrive. I do hope that they do right by this and show the potential of expanding the story and that world.

[malicat.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't have wanted a reboot of the movie trilogy because to me the cast that we got was PERFECT! However,I also found that it was way too white and hopefully this show can remedy that while still have the setting that I love about the movies :)
They need to shoot it in NZ tho,nothing else is acceptable ^^

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree, the films were near perfection when it comes to the tone and atmosphere in bringing that world to life, adapting the book the best it could with the budget it had, and they got some of the best actors involved that I cannot see anyone else in those roles. However, it really was incredibly white with the cast, which is a sad thing because fantasy shouldn't be limiting to anyone, and yet it still is a huge unnecessary stigma. I do hope that the television show manages to not only cast non-white actors, but also have them be in roles that aren't stereotypical.

They need to shoot it in NZ tho,nothing else is acceptable

Absolutely. New Zealand has essentially become the home of Middle-earth, so to not film at least a portion of it there would be outrageous in itself.

[malicat.livejournal.com]

If STARZ can shoot Spartacus in NZ and MTV/Spike The Shannara Chronicle then I would assume that Amazon had the budget for that as well ^^

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Legend of the Seeker and Xena: Warrior Princess were also shot in New Zealand, as well. It seems to be the place to go for gorgeous landscapes especially for fantasy genres, and with good reason. If Amazon can buy the rights to do a LOTR series like it was nothing, they better have enough of a budget for not just amazing special and practical effects and costuming but also for locations. And that location being New Zealand.

[giallarhorn.livejournal.com]

Ha, I know people who consider the only actual canon to be what Tolkien himself penned, and the stuff that his son did to be hearsay at best. Ironically, they're also probably even less happy that there's no clear successor.

I won't say I'm surprised by the choice, though. GoT's lasting legacy I think is that showing movies aren't always the best/most successful way to go in building lasting franchises, unless you try to do a MCU.

I do think that at this point, the TV show is going to be considered something very similar to the way that GoT is compared to ASoIaF- glorified fanfic, or a divergent, loosely connected adaptation. Which may not be bad- breaking from the mold gives freedom. For all his virtues, Tolkien also did a lot of damage wrt the fantasy genre in the same vein that GoT did to TV with grimdark. The man didn't have enough thought to go beyond an Anglo-Saxon setting/cast, let alone consider that he might want to toss in female characters beyond the Silmarillion, and the genre's still struggling to break from his shadow (thanks also, D&D).

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Ha, I know people who consider the only actual canon to be what Tolkien himself penned, and the stuff that his son did to be hearsay at best.

I've heard this from other fans, as well. I'm not that deep in the Tolkien fandom so I don't know the general consensus of these sorts of things, but I've definitely heard similar thoughts from various sources. Which is why the news of his resignation from the Tolkien Estate to be rather interesting to how the fandom has been reacting.

I won't say I'm surprised by the choice, though. GoT's lasting legacy I think is that showing movies aren't always the best/most successful way to go in building lasting franchises, unless you try to do a MCU.

Yeah, I think in recent years it's been noticeable that movie franchises, unless planned out well, don't do well in the box office because usually studios want to get everything rushed and out the door within a limited amount of time. Lord of the Rings was a phenomenon that hasn't been repeated since when it comes to fantasy films. And as much as I loved The Hobbit trilogy, it also suffered a lot in regards to production issues and studios intervening and getting everything rushed. Which is rather sad considering the legacy that LOTR had in the box office when it first came out.

glorified fanfic, or a divergent, loosely connected adaptation. Which may not be bad- breaking from the mold gives freedom.

This is true. There have been numerous television adaptations that deviate from the source material and just go their own route and take a life of its own, and sometimes that isn't bad at all. As long as there is an understanding of what the world is about, it shouldn't matter what it does. It is true that certain adaptations lose its way on whether it is being true to the source material or doing its own thing, which is where people get frustrated. One of my favorite shows is Legend of the Seeker which was based off of the The Sword of Truth books, and while it didn't follow the books and it was still very solid and consistent with what it was and where it was going with the characters and plot. It is possible to do that, it's just getting the right people involved.

Besides, considering that this prequel seems to not have anything set in stone yet, there is definitely more freedom to what story they want to tell and how they want to do it.

I also agree that even though Tolkien is considered the grandfather of fantasy, people have been trying to imitate his work as a baseline for years which is really tiring and boring, especially since it's become the standard for anything fantasy related. I want there to be a break in the mold.

[meringues.livejournal.com]

You're completely right - it could be amazing or it could be a nightmare. I guess we'll just have to wait and see which one it's going to be!

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It's one of those things where I understand the arguments people have against this news, but since this is just the early stages I'm not going to condemn it until we've seen something from it.

[moongirl24.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree with everything you said. My sister and I discussed it this weekend after we'd finished our re-watch of The Hobbit movies, and I think we're both cautiously optimistic. We're both really attached to the movies and I don't think that anything can ever top those for us, but if this TV series is done well it could end up being a good thing. I agree with you on really hoping it won't be a Game of Thrones type of show, though. LOTR has always been something different and I really hope they don't mess with that.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, cautiously optimistic is the perfect term to describe my feelings as well. There are a lot of concerns people have which are completely valid, but I think we should be keeping an open mind and not immediately condemn the series just yet until we know more about it and actually see it for ourselves. It won't be exactly like the books nor will it be like the films that we've come to know and love, but that doesn't mean it'll be bad or disrespecting the world Tolkien created. I'm up for seeing what it can provide us with something new and interesting to add to the world through this particular visual medium.

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

I fell asleep trying to watch the movies... and this'll be a nope from me too. Too hyped up, too many expectations.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

That's fair, the series isn't necessarily for everyone. For me, I tried reading the books but they are just too difficult for me to get through, because as appreciative as I am of the world Tolkien created his writing style is far too complicated for my reading preference. I enjoy the films more because it's easier to understand, lol.

[xfirefly9x.livejournal.com]

It's sad because it sounds like something I should be very into. Just... heard too many things about it, I guess. I haven't tried reading the books. Not sure I will.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I do feel like because LOTR became such a huge phenomenon in pop culture due to the popularity of the movies that even those who haven't watched them or haven't even bothered to read the books know enough about it because it's been everywhere. Sometimes hype and popularity do ruin certain things for some people, and that is understandable.

[sixphanel.livejournal.com]

Totally agree with you! Specially with the Game of Thrones part *and* with the having more women in it! Please, lords of Kobol, hear our prayers and make this a good thing! We deserve it!

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

I know that some hardcore Tolkien purists will probably be foaming from the mouth in outrage at the concept of more women being involved in the story, but lol IDGAF. In this day and age, not having women be part of a story is just unacceptable. Same with not having POC getting roles. I love the films and all, but this was a huge glaring flaw that I'm hoping will be corrected with the new television series.

[haebin.livejournal.com]

I have to say, I am a little bit excited. I would love to see the different stories of Middle Earth. I would be totally a fan of filming the rise and fall of Sauron. Or the story of Beren and Luthien.
Just film everything and don't screw it up, please. ;_;

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Seriously, there are so many stories and arcs they could explore and expand on. It just has to be with the right people who a.) know what they're doing and b.) will still respect Tolkien's work while being given the freedom of expanding the universe on a visual medium. We got incredibly lucky with Peter Jackson with the films, so I hope whoever they get to be part of the production team will be just as good.

[haebin.livejournal.com]

Couldn't agree more with you!!! :)

[perpetual.livejournal.com]

I was vaguely indignant about the whole idea of the show, but if they use The Silmarillion as source material, I'll at least give it a try.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

It's highly doubtful. Christopher Tolkien/The Tolkien Estate still has a firm steel grip on The Silmarillion, refusing to sell the rights. I don't know whether that'll change in the future. I think the television adaptation will just use the Appendices as their source material, for whatever they plan on doing.

[blakmagjick]

"this will be a prequel and not a remake of the films" Agreed...if it was a remake of the movies/books that would be silly.

[rogueslayer452.livejournal.com]

Considering the industry's obsession with remakes, I'm glad that it's been decided that a television series prequel is the route to take. And since that world is massive in itself anyway, I'm very intrigued by the notion of exploring more in that format.

[blakmagjick]

Right?! I'm so sick of remakes...there are a bunch that I haven't even bothered to see...cause I'm just over it.
Or ones that I'm not planning on seeing...cause seriously, why do they have to remake everything?! Oh right, cause they are apparently out of ideas.