Need more Middle Earth in your life? Who doesn’t! Amazon revealed a sneak-peak at the synopsis for its long-awaited Lord Of The Rings series Wednesday, and it will whet your appetite for second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon, afternoon tea…oh, you get the picture.
According to TheOneRing.net:
Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital 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.
In the herculean task of winnowing down the three Lord of the Rings books into three movies, creator Pete Jackson relied on some of the stories in the novels’ appendices to create bridges and to highlight subplots that helped maintain a flow among the movies. Purists of Tolkiens’ novels don’t always applaud the effort, but the majority of the movie-going public have lauded the films for their amazing special effects, a stellar cast of actors, and an epic story that deserved the recognition that it finally got (Oscars much?).
Filming is underway in New Zealand, the site of much of the original films’ live-action sets. New Zealand is practically Covid-19 free, which means fewer delays and concerns about the health and safety of cast and crew.
Speaking of cast, more than 30 actors have already been tapped to play roles, although some of their characters’ names and roles remain under wraps. Notably, Welsh actress Morfydd Clark will portray a young Galadriel, a role initiated by Cate Blanchett, and the “main villain” Oren will be played by English actor Joseph Mawle. In addition to Clark and Mawle, Amazon announced the series’ main cast will include Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Tom Budge, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, and Daniel Weyman.
Look for the pilot to air in late 2021 or early 2022. That’s not all that far away…if you’re a Dúnedain.