Amazon LOTR

[Chucky1234]

What are people's thoughts on the announced series on Amazon and how do you think they'll split it down?

My preference would be a mini series with individual episodes covering major stories eg Hurin as an episode and one for Beren and Luthien etc rather than one large series covering the Silmarillion.

Just interested in what other people think.

[Chucky1234]

The link for those that are interested;
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radi ... -confirmed

[Ozzy.nl]

... Just... No... Please no

[Wytchee]

... Just... No... Please no

I am trying to cultivate a philosophy of not dismissing things that could possibly bring joy. Basically, "life would be better if I liked more things."

They may ruin LotR, but they may not. They are working closely with Tolkien's estate, and I'm positive the producers and any writers/directors know the burden they're taking up.

Cautious optimism is the best mindset to have in this case!

[Improv]

We're probably not going to get this but I'd be most interested in seeing new characters further exploring Middle Earth. I'll probably not watch if it's a re-telling of the books and movies.

Working with the Tolkein estate also isn't necessarily a plus in my mind. An authors descendents rarely have the same creative spark and usually err on the side of being overprotective and far too reverent. Bringing in new writers who love and understand Lord of the Rings and see ways to make a new TV series feel necessary is the ideal, hope that happens as well.

[Seven Sons of Sin]

As long as it's not awful as Shadow of Mordor.

[Wytchee]

Here's to hoping, though.

[TimeAdept]

Shadows of Mordor/War was hilarious and it was great to see what happen when people get to make literal LotR fanfiction.

[Hunter548]

As long as it's not awful as Shadow of Mordor.

Shadows of War is even worse, were that possible.

That said, I'm hopeful for a Silmarillion series, or something covering Aragorn's travels before Fellowship.

[The GrumpyCat]

I hope it's going to be good, but I must say I'm very cynical about this.

I'd much rather see an origional, for-TV fantasy property used, one they can specificaly design to be good... but all know that's a real fantasy.

LOTR has a very specific.... feel to it. One that will be hard to get right on a TV series. Again maybe I'm wrong. I'll be very happy to be wrong. But the very idea of a LOTR Series is... well... as I said, I'm extremely cynical about this.

[Wytchee]

LOTR has a very specific.... feel to it. One that will be hard to get right on a TV series. Again maybe I'm wrong. I'll be very happy to be wrong. But the very idea of a LOTR Series is... well... as I said, I'm extremely cynical about this.

To be fair, the same could be said about ASoIaF, but HBO did an exceptional job with Game of Thrones (at least up 'til seasons 3-4, after that it sort of falls apart imo).

[Sab1]

Will it be as long and drawn out as the movies?

[Dragonovith]

If they scrap plate armor and make everyone use chainmail, it'll be a 10/10 from me.

[The GrumpyCat]

LOTR has a very specific.... feel to it. One that will be hard to get right on a TV series. Again maybe I'm wrong. I'll be very happy to be wrong. But the very idea of a LOTR Series is... well... as I said, I'm extremely cynical about this.

To be fair, the same could be said about ASoIaF, but HBO did an exceptional job with Game of Thrones (at least up 'til seasons 3-4, after that it sort of falls apart imo).

As I said, I'll be happy to be proved wrong, I don't really object over much that they're making it, (I'd still rather something origional was done though...) and any real objections I have or dislike just comes from it being something I love, and thus wanting it to be done Right. But that's a personal thing - and at the end of the day if it's truly awful I can always just Not Watch It.

Still, it's one of those shows where I'd very much want to see the reviews before I considered giving it a go.

[TimeAdept]

LOTR has a very specific.... feel to it. One that will be hard to get right on a TV series. Again maybe I'm wrong. I'll be very happy to be wrong. But the very idea of a LOTR Series is... well... as I said, I'm extremely cynical about this.

To be fair, the same could be said about ASoIaF, but HBO did an exceptional job with Game of Thrones (at least up 'til seasons 3-4, after that it sort of falls apart imo).

Well thats because GoT was designed explicitly to deliver seasons 1-3, everything after that was an afterthought

(it shows)

[Chucky1234]

Maybe something like Robin Hobb's Farseer books would be a better venture that attempting to satiate all the different LoTR fans.....an equally immersive world and the potential to go for something new.

Maybe they're just trying to find more people to sign up for Amazon prime which is what is guaranteed.

[Wytchee]

But what if it's good?

This comes at no cost to us. If it's bad, it's bad. If it's good, we all have one more thing to enjoy in life. So I am definitely excited for this, esp now that GoT is garbo tear. I need my fantasy fix.

[Cerk Evermoore]

Looks like meat is back on the menu boys!

[Seven Sons of Sin]

As long as it's not awful as Shadow of Mordor.

Shadows of War is even worse, were that possible.

That said, I'm hopeful for a Silmarillion series, or something covering Aragorn's travels before Fellowship.

I'm thankful I never touched it, as tempted as I was to see Galadriel's assassin in action. /s

The exploits of Aragorn are noteworthy, but I also wonder if they'll target the old stuff, considering there are novels on Hurin and Beren & Luthien.

I also wonder if they'll go the way of other LOTR games, which I always felt were more thematically in-sync (while not as fun) like War in the North or the Third Age. It'd be awesome to see the War of the Ring expanded to encompass the other areas of Middle-Earth that were always mentioned in passing, but also given significance. But again, that doesn't "precede" LOTR in the strictest sense of the word.

[Black Wendigo]

Honestly. I'd rather people create original ideas inspired by things like LOTR rather than trying to duplicate what the original creators did and extend it. I fear that the source material already has enough of that as it is and does not need another.

[StumpyParagon]

Bad or Good i'll still enjoy it, another chance to experience more of the world? They could do a Shire Soap Drama and i'd watch it... I think if it fleshes out the races and that more, there nothing to lose.

[Undulat]

"Tolkien has become a monster, devoured by his own popularity and absorbed into the absurdity of our time," Christopher Tolkien observes sadly. "The chasm between the beauty and seriousness of the work, and what it has become, has overwhelmed me. The commercialization has reduced the aesthetic and philosophical impact of the creation to nothing. There is only one solution for me: to turn my head away."

"They eviscerated the book by making it an action movie for young people aged 15 to 25," Christopher says regretfully. "And it seems that The Hobbit will be the same kind of film."

[Wytchee]

"Tolkien has become a monster, devoured by his own popularity and absorbed into the absurdity of our time," Christopher Tolkien observes sadly. "The chasm between the beauty and seriousness of the work, and what it has become, has overwhelmed me. The commercialization has reduced the aesthetic and philosophical impact of the creation to nothing. There is only one solution for me: to turn my head away."

"They eviscerated the book by making it an action movie for young people aged 15 to 25," Christopher says regretfully. "And it seems that The Hobbit will be the same kind of film."

Well that's just, like, his opinion, man.

The books still exist. They didn't all shrivel up and blow away in the wind when PJ's Fellowship came out in theaters. The Hobbit movies were terrible, and there's a mountain I can make out of criticisms I have for the LotR film trilogy, but this is just plain silly hyperbole on the part of CT.

[Undulat]

His opinion and that of many other fans of the books, to a large extent myself included.

[RedGiant]

I agree with Wytchee again...oddly. I like both and will try to keep an open mind on this. The movies were like a painting to me....an "artist's rendition" of the LOTR. They are always going to take some liberties due to the format. But from the score, to the visuals, to the casting, there is an artistry to the movies that is just its own thing. Conversely, TV doesn't have some of the same strictures the big screen does, so lets see what they do with it, I say!