Lord of the Rings TV series gets multi-season order at Amazon

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/11/lord-of-the-rings-tv-series-amazon-prequel

Still, all the younger wizards and elves of Middle Earth can’t guarantee that this Lord of the Rings TV series will be the next Game of Thrones. For one thing, the HBO series started as a very faithful adaptation with a built-in audience of loyal book fans.

See? It's not that difficult to understand what fans want in a book-based series.

And considering that GOT book fans forgave the show quite a few deviations given that it captures the essence, the same could be applied to other fandoms as well.



The other thing about "the new GOT" is that it threatens to turn into this: a competition between Tolkien's characters and GRRM's works over who is more badass, which is not a comparison that will yield anything productive.

Oh my god... this is the hybrid. Foreseen by the prophecy which speaks of a hybrid of two warrior fandoms, which threatens the existence of the universe. The hybrid risks stopping time itself! Watch for some doctor involved in the affair.
(Cheers to all the Whovians more patiently awaiting the Christmas special)

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

And considering that GOT book fans forgave the show quite a few deviations given that it captures the essence, the same could be applied to other fandoms as well.

That's far from true in all corners of the fandom. There are places where there is frenzied rending of garments and gnashing of teeth at the changes...aggravated by the fact that the show is now at the point where we don't know what is a deviation and what isn't.

At least we didn't have to deal with that.

[davem]

Still convinced this will be a Sil adaptation. The Tolkien Estate don't own the film rights to LotR or The Hobbit, so they can't be involved in the sale of them to Amazon. It's Middle-earth related, so it's not Smith, or Niggle. And if Amazon have paid $200mil for the rights, its something significant. As to my feelings-well, it would be potentially amazing to see Feanor and the rebellion, the great wars, the Fall of Gondolin... but not if they're going for a GoT vibe.
That said, given that I avoid Amazon on principle, and will continue to do so until they sort out their business practices, its all a bit academic for me.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by davem

Still convinced this will be a Sil adaptation. The Tolkien Estate don't own the film rights to LotR or The Hobbit, so they can't be involved in the sale of them to Amazon.

Good point, but the article *calls* it a "LotR series" and says specifically that the deal concerns "global TV rights to 'Lord of the Rings'". Even the direct quote from the representative for the Estate and Harper Collins calls it "the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings".

[davem]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Good point, but the article *calls* it a "LotR series" and says specifically that the deal concerns "global TV rights to 'Lord of the Rings'". Even the direct quote from the representative for the Estate and Harper Collins calls it "the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings".

I'd take that mention of Lord of the Rings as a reference to something the public recognise. How many people know what the Silmarillion is, or would associate it with Lord of the Rings? And the main thing to keep in mind is that the rights to LotR still belong with the Zaentz Company, so what would Amazon be paying $200 mil to the Tolkien Estate for?

[Kuruharan]

My bet is on a young Aragorn, although some kind of adaptation of the Sil might be possible.

I guess if they really want to go full on Game of Thrones they could do the Kin-strife.

EDIT: I take it all back. It just hit me: The Children of Hurin.

It has the grimness, the unhappy ending, and the requisite incest.

EDIT EDIT: Although, who owns the rights to The Children of Hurin?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

My bet is on a young Aragorn, although some kind of adaptation of the Sil might be possible.

I guess if they really want to go full on Game of Thrones they could do the Kin-strife.

Warners have licensed the movie rights for the Aragorn story from Zaentz as it is, so there's no need for any Estate involvement, let alone the handing over of all that money to them. I wouldn't rule out some Third Age stuff, I'm just genuinely confused about what the Estate has to sell, if it isn't The Sil stuff.