It’s been twenty years since The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring took audiences by storm. The movie brought the first book in J.R.R. Tolkein’s masterpiece Lord of the Rings trilogy to life on the big screen. It was followed by The Two Towers and Return of the King in the next two years, completing masterwork in filmmaking that also pleased old Tolkein fans, while bringing new fans to the mix.
Pretty much an unmitigated success on all fronts. Critics largely loved the films, fans did as well, and they raked in big box office profits. Fast forward to 2012 and The Hobbit received its own time in the spotlight with another film trilogy. These ones were still well-received but didn’t get quite the fanfare of the original film series. Possibly due to trying to extend one book into three movies.
Since 2015, when The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies was released, fans of Middle-Earth have been teased with the possibility of other, lesser-known Tolkein works potentially being adapted to the screen. Ever since Amazon announced that it would be creating a Lord of the Rings prequel series, fans have been anxiously waiting for more info.
Recently, the company released the first images of some of the characters. Rumors persist that we’ll see the first trailer during the 2022 Super Bowl. (By the time you read this, it may already be out!) In the meantime, let’s consider the images that have been released (via a great Vanity Fair article) and start thinking about what the series could cover when the first season is released on September 2, 2022. There are actually 5 seasons planned for the series, so get ready to be invested in a new show for the long term
What’s it About?
Well, we don’t know for certain. But, we know it will focus on a time thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings. It will cover a great deal of the short story and other Tolkein writing from this early time in Middle-Earth history. Expect it to follow multiple storylines, including things like:
- The forging of the rings of power - This will inevitably be the central theme, based on the title alone.
- The dwarven mines in the Misty Mountains - which we saw during The Hobbit trilogy. But we should now see them in their glory days.
- The elven kingdom of Lindon and the politics among the magical race, when they were at their peak of power.
- The human island called Numenor which was the center of their power during the time.
The Characters we Know of
Galadriel
It looks like one of the key characters will be a fan favorite from the previous film series, with a younger Galadriel taking center stage as the commander of the Northern Armies. We are told she will be a version of the character previously played by Cate Blanchett from thousand of years earlier. This is a younger, more headstrong version of the character. She will be among the first to recognize the growing evil that will soon face Middle-Earth, sending her on an adventure
Halbrand
This is a brand new character, developed specifically for the series. He will be a human who is running from something in his past when he crosses paths with Galadriel. Their destinies will become entwined in the coming battle with darkness.
Prince Durin IV
The dwarven prince of the subterranean realm of Khazad-dum.
Princess Disa
A dwarven princess who should play a pivotal role in the series.
Arondir
A silvan elf character that was created specifically for the series.
Elrond
Another character from the previous series, we will meet the younger version of Elrond, who we are told is a half-elf in the early stages of his political career among the elves.
Bronwyn
A human character and healer in the Southlands of Middle-Earth, who will have a forbidden relationship with the elven Arondir.
We will be back with more once the trailer comes out and we can begin talking a bit more about what this series should hold for Middle-Earth fans!
