Amazon to produce new series based on Lord of the Rings

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The Hollywood Reporter has published a new article detailing how Amazon beat out Netflix for the rights to produce a new television series based on ‘The Lord of the Rings’. They are committed to producing at least 5 seasons at an estimated cost of $1 billion US. While there is still no start date, the article does say that -per Amazon’s contract- they must start production within 2 years.
This is from last November, 2017.
Did you hear this? It’s news to me.
 
If it is true, I am not optimistic that the TV screenwriters will be true to the books in content or spirit.
 
You’re right with that. Peter Jackson wasn’t. Look, there was a lot of good stuff in the movies, the cinematography was incredible, but those little twists (and most of you who have read the books know exactly what I mean) turned Tolkien’s story into just another fan-fic piece. Some fan-fic is great, some so-so, some lousy, but the key is that it’s all, no matter how good, someone ELSE’s vision of the original author’s work.

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but when I’m baking scones (as I just did) I don’t use imitation vanilla, imitation butter, bleached flour, or sugar substitutes. Mind you, I’m sure people can take those things and even turn out an adequate product and in some people whose palates have become inured and accustomed to imitation, they might even prefer to fresh and natural. . . but in the end, fresh and natural is the ‘original’. All others are just wanna-bes.
 
You are right about Peter Jackson’s movies, and you are making me hungry!
 
Yes, although I think somewhere Tolkien stated that he hoped others would continue to develop their own visions of Middle Earth. He wanted to create a folklore for England that others could contribute to. I think he would enjoy the movie versions.
And he probably wouldn’t object to a TV series. Anything that would encourage people to read the books, which can have amazing effects on one’s life.
 
I just hope they leave out all the nasty “love” scenes that they feel obliged to put in many TV shows nowadays. I’m sure Tolkien wouldn’t approve of that.

But I’m hoping that its good. It had better be. They are dumping $1 billion dollars into it.
 
stpurl said:
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but when I’m baking scones (as I just did) I don’t use imitation vanilla, imitation butter, bleached flour, or sugar substitutes.
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Utterly off topic, but I’m on my way over to help you with quality control.

😇

hawk
 
Entwhistler said:
I just hope they leave out all the nasty “love” scenes that they feel obliged to put in many TV shows nowadays. I’m sure Tolkien wouldn’t approve of that.
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I feel a Frodwise Gamggins coming on.

Though yeah, that would be one thing I hope doesn’t happen. I know there were criticisms of Jackson limiting the Catholic themes, but I do think there should be a decent chance that a new creator would at the least not overtly go against Tolkein’s beliefs.
 
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I heard about this a few months ago. I think it’s quite a (expensive) coup for Amazon. With Disney owning virtually every fictional character created by people since the dawn of time, they are looking to store up some intellectual property of their own that people recognize and are interested in and that Disney doesn’t yet own.

It’s sort of mind-blowing that Amazon is spending more money on making this TV show than was spent on the original LotR film trilogy.

I’m optimistic, though. I like the LotR movies, and even the Hobbit movies. Yes, I’m aware of their weaknesses and shortcomings. Yes, there are definitely a lot of things I would have done differently if I were at the helm. But I’d still rather have them than not have them.

There’s a lot of things they could explore from the whole realm of Middle Earth.

I definitely hope they don’t try to make it an R-rated venture, though. That would kill it for me.
 
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My understanding is that this is only set in Middle-Earth, and is not a retelling of the books.

We’ll see though. I don’t really trust modern media with classic literature, they always try to modernize it and force in themes that the original authors would probably outright condemn. (I’m not just talking moral themes either. Issac Asimov probably would have assaulted the writers who did that to I, Robot…)

I’ll stay cautiously optimistic till I know more. They could do something amazing. They could also create an abomination. That’s pretty much the starting point of any adaptation.
 
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ProdglArchitect said:
My understanding is that this is only set in Middle-Earth, and is not a retelling of the books.
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That was my understanding, too. I imagine they will take it as far as they can go, though. I’m sure Amazon is hoping to turn it into a conglomeration of multiple TV shows in the same way as Marvel.
 
I thought the last one was pretty good, as an action picture at least.
 
:grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: Yes, there is certainly plenty to criticize, but I still enjoyed them. 😜
 
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