By Ben Pearson/Nov. 13, 2017 10:33 am EST
Here’s a description of the show, straight from the new press release:
It’s interesting that they’re choosing The Fellowship of the Ring as a marking point. Does that mean the show could be about Bilbo Baggins, the protagonist of The Hobbit? Jackson already directed three Hobbit movies – all of which paled in comparison to his previous LOTR adaptations – so it seems unlikely that someone else would come in and retread that same ground.
Set in Middle Earth, the television adaptation will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. The deal includes a potential additional spin-off series.
So what might this show be about, then? While we still aren’t certain about specific details, there’s plenty to choose from. Tolkien crafted a detailed history of Middle-earth called The Silmarillion, which covered the creation of the world, epic wars, intrigue, the downfall of entire societies, dwarf and elvish history, and much more. But the book is famously dense and difficult to read – only hardcore Tolkien fans make it all the way through – so a direct translation seems out of the question. (The book reads like some of the early chapters of the Bible: this person begat this person, who then begat this person…and so on.)
Also worth mentioning: there were plenty of clashes with Tolkien’s estate during the making of Jackson’s movies, and the family never seemed too fond of the director’s interpretation of Tolkien’s work. Their official involvement in this show seems like a big deal, not only because it means the show will have their stamp of approval, but also because it could signal a shift in tone for this adaptation. What exactly that shift means is yet to be seen, but I’m excited to find out.
Update: Deadline shared this bit of info about the price of doing business with the Tolkien estate:
