The Lord of the Rings trilogy writer Philippa Boyens has revealed that she will not be watching The Rings of Power, at least not anytime soon. Although the divisive blockbuster streaming series is bringing in big numbers for Prime Video, it seems its record-breaking viewership will be missing one important audience member. That said, the reason for Boyens’ refusal to watch The Rings of Power comes from a place of consideration, and not a pre-conceived disdain for the show.
While speaking with Empire (via ScreenRant), Boyens, who co-wrote Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, talked about working on the upcoming anime movie The War of the Rohirrim. Several decades later, the acclaimed screenwriter finds herself still deeply involved in adaptations of J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy works. For this reason, Boyens feels as if it is best to distance herself from The Rings of Power until she is done writing for the franchise. On one hand, she doesn’t want to judge someone else’s interpretation of the Lords of the Rings novels, but on the other, she fears it may influence her own work in Middle-earth.
“I haven’t watched it, and I’ve done that quite deliberately because I’m not about to pass judgment on anybody else’s attempt to go back into that world. But the real reason to stay away is because we don’t want any cross-contamination. I don’t want to feel that it has influenced our storytelling. Hopefully one day I will watch it. I just need to get my own arse out of Middle-earth first!”
After The War of the Rohirrim, Boyens is set to produce two other Lords of the Rings films. With her near future comprised of mostly deep dives into Tolkien’s vast works, it makes sense that the screenwriter doesn’t want to double-dip in different universes. Although The Rings of Power takes several cues from Jackson’s trilogy, Boyens’ work remains on a separate timeline from Amazon’s big-budget show.
The Rings of Power Season 3 is in Development
Yes, while some still dislike The Rings of Power and nitpick its expansive take on Tolkien’s lore, it seems that has not stopped Amazon from continuing development of its five-season commitment. Season 3 has not been officially greenlit, but many expect an announcement sooner rather than later. Of course, Boyens’ hesitance to watch the series is not a sentiment only shared by her. The Rings of Power still has some work to do to become the beloved show Prime Video wants it to be, despite the encouraging viewership numbers. It made good strides in Season 2, but as the world of The Lord of the Rings continues to expand, the series finds itself among other adaptations in the works.
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In addition toThe War of the Rohirrim, an Andy Serkis-directed Lord of the Rings spinoff titled The Hunt for Gollum is currently in the works. The plot reportedly takes place just before the Fellowship of the Rings, chronicling the titular character’s journey based on conversations had between Gandalf and Frodo. It’s safe to say that some fan-favorite actors will make their return to Middle-earth for Serkis’ project, which is one of two new films in development. Unrelated to the aforementioned spinoff, a second new Lord of the Rings film is coming soon, which will also prominently include Ian McKellen’s iconic wizard.
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 takes 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.
- Release Date
- September 2, 2022
- Seasons
- 2