TV series set in Middle Earth may be coming

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Gimli (born: 2879) would have been older than either Fili or Kili, but there's no reason to believe that Aragorn had ever met him before the Council of Elrond. Frodo was born in 2968, probably in Aragorn's fifty-second year in the films. The timeline of the movies raises many questions, some of which are hard to answer. I would just as soon be able to ignore it.

I had to go and look that up, and yes, at the time of The Hobbit, Gimli was 62, which was considered too young to accompany Thorin (Unfinished Tales p336). But you are off about who was older, as Fili and Kili were 77 and 82.

It also looks like Gimli was not introduced to any of the other major characters til the meeting that formed the Fellowship. That means there would be no way to use him in a TV series set before that without screwing with the timeline more than the movies already have.

So established characters who could be part of the series are Bilbo, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf. though Aragorn only if using the movie timeline, since at the time Erebor is reclaimed, Aragorn is only 11-12 years old.

But re-reading on the Wiki about Aragorn's pretty epic adventures between the years of 2956 and 2980, if condensed down to fit the movie timeline, I could see some fast-paced and exciting episodes, if done right.

[Otaku-sempai]

I had to go and look that up, and yes, at the time of The Hobbit, Gimli was 62, which was considered too young to accompany Thorin (Unfinished Tales p336). But you are off about who was older, as Fili and Kili were 77 and 82.

Sorry, you're right about GImli. I'm not sure where I got the idea that he was older than Thorin's nephews; I've edited that.

So established characters who could be part of the series are Bilbo, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf. though Aragorn only if using the movie timeline, since at the time Erebor is reclaimed, Aragorn is only 11-12 years old.

In Tolkien's legendarium Aragorn was ten years old during the Quest of Erebor, but what does that have to do with a possible show about young Aragorn? If the series does follow Tolkien's "Tale of Years" and not the timeline of the films then it would just be set some sixteen or seventeen years later, with Aragorn celebrating his twentieth birthday in 2951. As for established characters (from the films, I presume), you forget Elrond, Arwen, Galadriel, Thranduil, (possibly) Radagast, and others. And it might be that Aragorn never met Bilbo before the year 3000 (later in the books) when Mister Baggins relocated to Rivendell.

[Otaku-sempai]

We seem to have confirmation.

The television adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s seminal fantasy novels will be produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

The new series will take place in the world of Middle-earth but will explore storylines that took place before the events of Tolkien’s first Lord of the Rings novel, The Fellowship of the Ring. The deal also includes possible spinoffs from the first series.

I'm going to call it now: This will probably borrow extensively from "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen" and reflect the journeys and errantries of Aragorn. It might also incorporate other events that occurred between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings such as Balin's attempt to restore Moria, Sauron's descent into Shadow, and Gollum's attempts to track Bilbo Baggins and reclaim his 'birthday present'. I will guess that this will not incorporate the timeline changes from Peter Jackson's Middle-earth films, but could include other elements (Tauriel or a character like her?). I'm looking forward to more details.

And here is an article that includes the actual press release from Amazon.

[mrtoad]

We seem to have confirmation.

The television adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s seminal fantasy novels will be produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

The new series will take place in the world of Middle-earth but will explore storylines that took place before the events of Tolkien’s first Lord of the Rings novel, The Fellowship of the Ring. The deal also includes possible spinoffs from the first series.

I'm going to call it now: This will probably borrow extensively from "The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen" and reflect the journeys and errantries of Aragorn. It might also incorporate other events that occurred between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings such as Balin's attempt to restore Moria, Sauron's descent into Shadow, and Gollum's attempts to track Bilbo Baggins and reclaim his 'birthday present'. I will guess that this will not incorporate the timeline changes from Peter Jackson's Middle-earth films, but could include other elements (Tauriel or a character like her?). I'm looking forward to more details.

And here is an article that includes the actual press release from Amazon.

Yup, it's official. Exciting news to me, since the license is tied to the Tolkien literary estate, I'm optimistic about the TV series not being too big of lore or theme breaking. Not to say that some things need to be re-imagined or adjusted a little for TV, just within reason (which I realize "within reason" is an artistic measure that most people will have different expectations).

Also, since it's set roughly in the same time period as TOR and AIM, I'm pumped that this will indirectly build interest in playing those lines as well!

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Not sure if it is specifically said anywhere yet why this is being done with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, rather than with Middle-Earth Enterprises (Saul Zaentz), but looking at the home page for Middle-Earth Enterprises, they do not list television shows with all the other forms of media they hold the rights to for Middle-Earth.

[Otaku-sempai]

Also, since it's set roughly in the same time period as TOR and AIM, I'm pumped that this will indirectly build interest in playing those lines as well!

I don't know that we can say that for certain, at least not yet. That does, though, seem most likely to me.

[Otaku-sempai]

Not sure if it is specifically said anywhere yet why this is being done with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, rather than with Middle-Earth Enterprises (Saul Zaentz), but looking at the home page for Middle-Earth Enterprises, they do not list television shows with all the other forms of media they hold the rights to for Middle-Earth.

This might still involve the rights purchased by The Saul Zaentz Company (though I have seen it contested as to whether that includes television rights). Middle-earth Enterprises might not be directly involved because those rights are currently controlled by Warner Bros. and they are the ones in the position to make creative decisions. The involvement of the Tolkien Estate and Trust does seem to be a positive development as long as this does not prove to be too creatively stifling.

[Enevhar Aldarion]

I have been looking around the internet and alternately laughing and face-palming at some of the comments people are making about this deal. Despite most of the stories about this saying plainly that this will be a prequel to LotR, so many people are asking why a TV series of LotR is being made. But that is one of the banes of social media these days: people read the headline and then just straight to the comments to complain/troll and never read the actual article.

There also seem to be plenty of people automatically assuming a prequel to LotR has to also be a prequel to The Hobbit and are looking at The Silmarillion for story ideas. I still fully expect the initial series to be set in between Hobbit and LotR and center on a young Aragorn's adventures, since there is so much to be told there that would fit a fantasy TV show. I also hope somewhere in there that Aragorn and his companions visit with Tom Bombadil, since he was sadly left out of the LotR movies.

So, are there any already known actors who look like a young Viggo Mortensen? lol

[farinal]

[Concern Intensifies]

[Majestic]

This week's EW (Entertainment Weekly) has in 'The Bullseye' (their comedic, snarky pictures with captions at the end of the mag):

A picture of Sam and Frodo on Mount Doom (from the films) with:

Lord of the Rings TV series in the works at Amazon, for fans who felt the slow walk to Mordor should have been even slower.