Amazon’s new “Lord of the Rings” series is set to debut September 2, 2022 and will feature 22 episodes with its first season. Despite some insightful clues, the show is still shrouded in mystery as fans attempt to make predictions on what is in store for viewers.
In November 2017, Amazon Studios had announced that they were going to produce a new "Lord of the Rings" series, which was first reported by TBI. Since then, the company has kept most details about the show secret, though they have revealed a few small sneak peeks.
On September 2, 2022, a new journey begins. pic.twitter.com/9tnR7WqDoA
— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) August 2, 2021
Right before their announcement in 2017, Amazon had managed to acquire the rights to the “LOTR” story, beating Netflix for around $250 million. The tale will be set thousands of years before the events of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” films and will feature some old characters, like Sauron and Galadriel, as well as some new ones.
The series won’t include the First and Third Ages of Middle-earth since the Tolkien Estate only authorized coverage of the Second Age. The official sypnosis of the show has already been released and has been confirmed by Amazon. It states:“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.”
The summary, along with a map released by Amazon, gives major clues as to what fans can expect to see within the series. For example, based on the inclusion of Númenor, the series production might tell the tale of its fall.
It is known that Númenor was once a grand kingdom of men, which was home to many great seafarers. Fooled by Sauron, the Númenoreans aided him in his battle against the gods. As a consequence, their previously flat world was transformed into a sphere and the island was submerged, drowning almost all of its citizens.
Those who survived later founded Gondor, which would one day become the home of Aragorn. It used to be thought that the series would feature the adventures of a young Aragorn, but since the confirmation of the show’s time setting, such a theory was debunked.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. #LOTRonPrime pic.twitter.com/7TuQh7gRPD
— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) March 7, 2019
The production is being filmed in New Zealand, just like the films. In order to celebrate wrapping up filming in the area, Amazon had released an image from the first episode, featuring a figure standing in the outskirts of a great city with the Two Trees of Valinor in the distance.
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| The first released image from episode one of Amazon’s LOTR series. Amazon Studios |
Fans have speculated that the city featured in the image might be Osgiliath, which was passed by Frodo and Sam on their way to Mordor. The city was in rubbles, having been destroyed in the War of the Last Alliance during Sauron’s rise.
Another theory is that the city is actually Tirion. The architecture of the buildings within the image somewhat resembles the art Ted Nasmith drew of Tirion, which is why some fans believe that is the location being shown. Though plausible, such a theories have yet to be confirmed.
Due to the inclusion of the two trees in the background, it has given fans a major clue as to what one big scene might be. The Trees of Valinor were responsible for the light in the world, since there used to be no sun.
Melkor had fought with the gods over the creation of Silmaril, which were three jewels created with the trees’ light. The war ended with the destruction of the sacred plants and forcing the creation of the sun and moon. These events take place way before the Second Age, suggesting possible flashbacks to a much further past.
It has been announced that the three lead actors will be Robert Aramayo, who will star as Beldor, Markella Kavenagh as a possibly empathetic elf named Tyra and Joseph Mawle, who will star as the lead villain Oren.
The show will be making a bold move by including Harfoots, which are another type of Hobbit. Based on Middle-earth’s history, Hobbits didn’t appear until the Third Age meaning the series will be breaking from canon with this addition, though it raises a good opportunity for multicultural representation.
It has also been confirmed that the production crew will include some big names, like showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, consulting producer Bryan Cogman and J.A. Bayona, who will direct the first two episodes.
Amazon is investing a lot in what could be the most expensive television series in history, with production costs rumored to be around $1 billion. The deal made with the Tolkien Estate promised five seasons and “LOTR” fans have high hopes for what is to come. Since Amazon’s last update in August, there has been no new leaks.
Updated Dec. 14, 2021 at 1:21 p.m. to fix grammar and style errors, add another theory and embed a video.
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