Lord of the Rings TV show: early reactions are in
LOTR fans have been treated to some footage - this is what they think.
The Lord Of The Rings: Rings Of Power TV show is shaping up to be one of the biggest TV shows of all time. Amazon has spent millions - nearly triple the budget of Game Of Thrones - on bringing JRR Tolkien's vision to the small screen, using stories and characters that are adjacent to the LOTR movies which were adapted from the three-part book.
The official synopsis for the show is as follows: "Beginning in a time of relative peace, we follow an ensemble cast of characters as they confront the re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests 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."
While Amazon has released a trailer of the show, there has been little else shown but some lucky Tolkien fans have been given more of a look at the series and their first reactions are very positive.
Increased hype level
TheOneRing.net - as picked up by The Independent - has a great report on the footage it has seen, noting: "The good news is: the hype could be real, if the complete show (or even complete scenes) maintain the quality, look and feel of the footage shown. The vibe is right, the performances are superb, and the characterizations hint at resolving long-held gripes of previous adaptations.
"Taking the pulse of the Tolkien fan group assembled, nearly all shared an increased hype level. The biggest fears they shared have been calmed, and this lucky group are now comfortably anticipating future drops of RoP marketing."
Another site, TeaWithTolkien was also at the event put on by Prime Video and has this to say about the footage shown: "As I watched the footage, I began to feel immersed in Middle-earth in a way that I hadn’t when watching the teaser trailer released earlier this year. There were moments of breathtaking high beauty, exhilarating heroism, and beautifully captured humanity which evoked many of the same feelings I experienced when reading Tolkien for the first time.
The report continues: "It’s become very plain to me that Amazon knows the importance of earning the trust and approval of Tolkien’s most devoted fans. Without the approval of the Tolkien Estate, the show won’t be made; and without the approval of Tolkien fans and scholars, the show won’t succeed. In short, they can’t do this without us."
As for others who were invited to the event, here are some Tweets.
Last week, I was invited by the @LOTRonPrime folks, along with a bunch of other internet Tolkien folks, to attend an advanced screening of some footage from the #RingsofPower show and to meet the showrunners. I must say: after meeting them, I feel the show is in VERY good hands.
— Tolkien Professor (@tolkienprof) May 9, 2022
@LOTROnPrime had me and @tolkienprof to London last week to see bits of the #RingsofPower, Tolkien’s Oxford, & to meet the show runners, who kept up with the best of us. Their passion & knowledge made me feel like they were one of us;they get it. I’m feeling very optimistic! pic.twitter.com/dBWq3x4v9w
— Dr. Maggie Parke (@MaggieParke) May 9, 2022
Prime Video has been clever here, getting the big Tolkien fans on board before the September launch of the show.
Whether or not this enthusiasm for the saga will carry through to a mainstream audience is unknown but given the LOTR movie series is one of the biggest of all time, there is certainly appetite for this show.
The Lord Of The Rings: Rings Of Power will begin streaming on Prime Video 2 September, 2022 and stars Morfydd Clark, Peter Mullan, Benjamin Walker and many more.
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