The Lord of the Rings franchise is easily one of, if not the most popular fantasy series of all time. Just as J.R.R Tolkein’s original stories have been lauded as genre-defining masterpieces, the subsequent film adaptations by director Peter Jackson in the early-2000s received similar praise.
After the release of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King in 2003, which won 11 Academy Awards and is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made, the franchise stayed mostly dormant. After delivering a solid but mostly disappointing film trilogy based around the prequel book, The Hobbit, it seems like the entertainment industry is back at bat with another Lord of the Rings project that has fans anxious and excited.
Everything You Need to Know About Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a prequel series that looks to expand the history of Middle-Earth, detailing an era long before the likes of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.
Let’s take a look at everything we’ve learned so far about The Rings of Power so that you’re ready to dig in when the show debuts on September 2, 2022!
What’s The Plot in The Rings of Power?
First and foremost, you shouldn’t expect tons of your favorite characters to make cameos in The Rings of Power, as the story is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. However, fans will be familiar with some of the focal characters, as the Rings of Power main teaser trailer implies that the series will follow a young Galadriel. Originally portrayed by Cate Blanchett in The Lord of the Rings films but now played by Welsh actress Morfydd Clark, this all-powerful Elven was integral in the quest to destroy the One Ring.
Judging by the most recent trailer from San Diego Comic-Con, it appears that The Rings of Power will display a time of post-war in Middle-Earth, with factions like humans, elves, and dwarves licking their wounds and returning to a time of peace. According to recent plot details, the war ended with the defeat of an evil god named Morgoth, while his apprentice Sauron vanished soon afterward. As the leader of the elves, Galadriel will seek to locate and slay Sauron, bouncing around Middle-Earth on a wild quest of discovery and danger. Presumably, the series will culminate with the creation of the titular rings of power, which caused the eventual corruption and turmoil seen in the main Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Galadriel’s journey will feature key locations and events from Tolkien’s work, including storied regions like the dwarven kingdom of Moria, while select characters like half-elf Elrond will make appearances. It’s important to note that Rings of Power is not a direct adaptation of any specific J.R.R. Tolkein book, but rather an amalgamation of events from the author’s work adapted into an original story created by showrunners J.D. Payne, Patrick McKay, and a full writing team. Several liberties will be taken with the original stories, as events that take place across several centuries have been condensed into one time period.
Amazon Has Spared No Expense for the Rings of Power
Although high production costs don’t always equal high quality, Amazon Prime Video has firmly stated a massive investment in The Lord of the Rings moving forward. Back in 2017, Amazon bought the television rights for the franchise for a cool $250 million, committing to five seasons of content worth a total of $1 billion. Development on The Rings of Power commenced shortly thereafter, with the first season filming in New Zealand throughout 2020 and half of 2021. Production for season two is also already underway, with location scouting occurring as recently as June of 2022.
Amazon is betting big on The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, billing it as a “50-hour epic” that will persist across multiple seasons. They’re backing up that bet with a budget that shatters the industry standard, with the first season reportedly costing $462 million to produce. To put that into perspective, the most expensive season of Game of Thrones (season six) cost approximately $100 million to make, while recent hits like Stranger Things: Season 4 cost around $270 million. In fact, the entire Lord of the Rings movie trilogy directed by Peter Jackson cost $280 million total, so it’s mind-blowing to think that one season of The Rings of Power nearly doubles that budget.
Ultimately, only time will tell if The Rings of Power was worth the massive money-sink from Amazon. Fans have been outspoken with both support and disappointment, but with a franchise as big as The Lord of the Rings, it’ll be impossible to please everyone. At the very least, we look forward to checking out The Rings of Power for massive CGI battles, imaginative fantasy, and a cozy return to Middle-Earth.
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