The Lord of the Rings has been making a resurgence in film and television after a lengthy hiatus. J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy has been receiving TV and film adaptations since the 1970s. However, the most successful adaptation was Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This acclaimed trilogy was followed by another film trilogy based on Tolkien’s The Hobbit. The last Hobbit film was released in 2014 and, for several years, fans were unsure of what the future held for the TV/film realm of The Lord of the Rings.
After all, Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy was considered quite groundbreaking and came closer to capturing the magic of the books than anyone had thought possible. Additionally, it wasn’t too long ago, making it unlikely any filmmaker would tackle the daunting and unnecessary task of remaking or rebooting the film franchise. Meanwhile, with the rights to The Lord of the Rings being divided between several studios and the Tolkien estate, not just anyone can make a Lord of the Rings adaptation. But by 2017, a significant development occurred when Amazon purchased the TV rights to The Lord of the Rings for $250 million.
Following this deal, the studio started making plans for a TV series set in Middle-earth and inspired by Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Meanwhile, several years later, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema also decided to delve back into the world of The Lord of the Rings with a new film. Here are the two upcoming Lord of the Rings TV and film projects, so far.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim
The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim is the only upcoming project that has a confirmed release date. The animated film is expected to release on April 12, 2024, after Warner Bros. announced they were fast-tracking its production beginning in 2021. The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rhoirrim will be a prequel film that takes place about 250 years before the events of Jackson’s trilogy and Tolkien’s masterpiece. It will tell the tale of Helm Hammerhead (Brian Cox), the legendary King of Rohan whose story is detailed in the appendices of Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. While Hammerhead doesn’t appear in Jackson’s trilogy, the fortress that was named after him, Helm’s Deep, appears in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘s second season is also confirmed to be releasing sometime in 2024. It is unclear if it will hit Amazon Prime before or after the release of The Lord of the Rings: The War of Rohirrim. The first season of the series premiered on September 1, 2022, and received mixed reviews. While it received generally positive ratings from critics, audiences’ reviews were far harsher. The Rings of Power is a very good Middle-earth-inspired fantasy series, but many wished it more directly and faithfully adapted Tolkien’s work.
Despite the mixed reviews, season 2 was ordered and confirmed back in 2019, with Amazon actually aiming for a five-season series. Filming commenced in October 2022, bringing the series one step closer to its tentative release window. If things go as planned, viewers can anticipate two Lord of the Rings projects in 2024.
(featured image: Amazon)
Published: Mar 31, 2023 05:45 pm