Lord of the Rings - The possible Amazon tv show

[Twit 2]

There are various side stories with widely used themes that could be expanded in a TV series, off the top of my head:

Smeagol having a fight with what is essentially mental illness
Faramir the scorned son and his relationship with Denethor, Boromir the chosen favoured elder brother
Aragon and Arwen
The corruption of Theoden by Saruman
The scouring of the Shire
Gandalf's mistreatment of Pippin and his attempt to strive for honour in his own right through serving Denethor
Gandalf's own story could be expanded on given he is absent for long periods
The Elves role in the story given they are preparing to leave for good
Lots more Mordor stuff, internal politics and so on
How Gondor deals with the looming threat
Rohan's mistreatment of the Dunland folk
All the Easterlings/pirates/Umber stuff barely touched on

However, I think to make it an interesting series and not on-rails they need to take the characters off-piste and heavily invest in the idea that large amounts will be new and basically made up whether Tolkein purists want it or not. To work, I would imagine 2/3 episodes at a time where we don't even see Frodo and Sam, then others where they are almost the only two on screen for the whole episode, that sort of pacing.

There is a ton of folklore to draw on to sustain conversations and make the world feel rich in culture.

All very well, but this will be shit for cunts and you know it. You shouldn't even want a TV series of it in the first place. It was wrong of you to entertain the notion. I hope you'll learn from this.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Oh, if it is allowed to happen I'm sure it will be unadulterated bullshit from beginning to end. Was just saying that there is enough source material to do a long series and if that was twinned with directorial bravery and a true desire to bring something new to proceedings it could be very good.

[Mr Eggs]

Tom Bombadil show, yes. Anything else, no.

As a mocked-up Blaxploitation series. Ice Cube in the lead.

[touchingcloth]

Yes, it's just a cynical attempt to fill the void after GoT finishes and further Amazon's world domination drive. Which is why it will be shit and must be avoided at all costs.

Will it ever end? People like tits, and so far as I can tell it's just Pete's Dragon with tits. Rinse, lather, retit until the end of time, then throw in more tits for good measure.

[Hemulen]

If Amazon really wanted their own answer to Game of Thrones, why not adapt one of a myriad other popular fantasy series that have yet to have any kind of adaptation, instead of one that comparatively recently had a supremely high-budget, generally well liked, Oscar-winning film franchise? The answer is obviously that they want to coast on the popularity of the source material, rather than build something new from the ground up. It's not like A Song of Ice and Fire was a household name prior to the TV show...

[MojoJojo]

Yeah, really don't think this could be a replacement for GoT - completely different tone and they can't stick a load of tits and guts in without pissing off the fans (never mind Tolkein's estate never allowing it).

The Shadow of Mordor game was set very well - not based on anything in the books directly but fitted into the world and atmosphere consistently. Hopefully they try do something similar with this, although I guess it's harder with an ongoing story - the plot of SoM couldn't be stretched out over more than 3 hours.

[biggytitbo]

If Amazon really wanted their own answer to Game of Thrones, why not adapt one of a myriad other popular fantasy series that have yet to have any kind of adaptation, instead of one that comparatively recently had a supremely high-budget, generally well liked, Oscar-winning film franchise? The answer is obviously that they want to coast on the popularity of the source material, rather than build something new from the ground up. It's not like A Song of Ice and Fire was a household name prior to the TV show...

A big budget version of Simon and the Witch would be good.

[Dex Sawash]

Lego lotr has been done already?

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

It might be interesting if they got Guillermo Del Toro involved. Then again, his plans for The Hobbit were presumably quite similar to Jackson's Middle Earth anyway. Just with more clockwork.

[Colin Sanction]

it's just Pete's Dragon with tits

Haha, that is excellent! I am stealing this as my own. You really made me laugh.

[greenman]

There are various side stories with widely used themes that could be expanded in a TV series, off the top of my head:

Smeagol having a fight with what is essentially mental illness
Faramir the scorned son and his relationship with Denethor, Boromir the chosen favoured elder brother
Aragon and Arwen
The corruption of Theoden by Saruman
The scouring of the Shire
Gandalf's mistreatment of Pippin and his attempt to strive for honour in his own right through serving Denethor
Gandalf's own story could be expanded on given he is absent for long periods
The Elves role in the story given they are preparing to leave for good
Lots more Mordor stuff, internal politics and so on
How Gondor deals with the looming threat
Rohan's mistreatment of the Dunland folk
All the Easterlings/pirates/Umber stuff barely touched on

However, I think to make it an interesting series and not on-rails they need to take the characters off-piste and heavily invest in the idea that large amounts will be new and basically made up whether Tolkein purists want it or not. To work, I would imagine 2/3 episodes at a time where we don't even see Frodo and Sam, then others where they are almost the only two on screen for the whole episode, that sort of pacing.

There is a ton of folklore to draw on to sustain conversations and make the world feel rich in culture.

Really though I think the nature of the setting/characters would make it very tough to craft this into a PG GoT in terms of focusing on complex character interactions and motivations.

A lot of the appeal of Tolkien I'd say way he builds atmosphere and any successful adaptation would need to focus a good deal on that. Perhaps something that goes that route with a more subtle(and budget conscious) eye than Jacksons epic focus although I spose its questionable whether people would put up with multiple episodes of that. You could obviously fill in a lot of the gaps Tolkien leaves as well with stuff like Gandalfs offscreen actions you mention.

[biggytitbo]

It might be interesting if they got Guillermo Del Toro involved.

He's too busy with the film version of Jossy's Giants.

[Phil_A]

The way to go would be to do a series set in Middle Earth incorporating Tolkien's characters and settings but not adapting any specific books(or at least not ones that have already been adapted). That way they could incorporate bits of established mythology or make new things up or do whatever they wanted. By making it specifically an LOTR series, not only would they be tying themselves to a story that everyone knows inside out, but would also severely limit the kind of stories they could tell within that framework. It's not got legs, essentially.

I agree there are many other fantasy sagas that would be better deserving of an adaptation at this point. It's about time someone did Earthsea properly, if only to wash away the bad taste left by the rubbish Sci-Fi Channel miniseries or the hugely disappointing Studio Ghibli effort.

[Spoon of Ploff]

if they do this they should include some good Orcs for balance... you know, they don't mind a good fight but they're a bit uncomfortable when it comes to slaughtering civilians.

[MojoJojo]

The way to go would be to do a series set in Middle Earth incorporating Tolkien's characters and settings but not adapting any specific books(or at least not ones that have already been adapted). That way they could incorporate bits of established mythology or make new things up or do whatever they wanted. By making it specifically an LOTR series, not only would they be tying themselves to a story that everyone knows inside out, but would also severely limit the kind of stories they could tell within that framework. It's not got legs, essentially.

Yeah, like the Shadow of Mordor game.

I agree there are many other fantasy sagas that would be better deserving of an adaptation at this point. It's about time someone did Earthsea properly, if only to wash away the bad taste left by the rubbish Sci-Fi Channel miniseries or the hugely disappointing Studio Ghibli effort.

Or maybe something else which hasn't already had two adaptions...

[Absorb the anus burn]

He's too busy with the film version of Jossy's Giants.

He's signed Michael Fassbinder to play Jossy.

[Phil_A]

Yeah, like the Shadow of Mordor game.
Or maybe something else which hasn't already had two adaptions...

Well, I don't know. Maybe you can shove it up your sarcastic arse instead then. Fuck's sake.

[greenman]

The way to go would be to do a series set in Middle Earth incorporating Tolkien's characters and settings but not adapting any specific books(or at least not ones that have already been adapted). That way they could incorporate bits of established mythology or make new things up or do whatever they wanted. By making it specifically an LOTR series, not only would they be tying themselves to a story that everyone knows inside out, but would also severely limit the kind of stories they could tell within that framework. It's not got legs, essentially.

I agree there are many other fantasy sagas that would be better deserving of an adaptation at this point. It's about time someone did Earthsea properly, if only to wash away the bad taste left by the rubbish Sci-Fi Channel miniseries or the hugely disappointing Studio Ghibli effort.

The problem for a lot of adaptation would be the rights, the Silmarillion is still owned by the Tolkien estate so there couldn't be anything based on that, it would need to be more filling in the gaps in Lord of the Rings so something like "young Aragorn".

I'm still hoping someone might be brave enough to give Book of the New Sun a go, you have a lot of GOTish elements there although in a much stranger setting.

[Dex Sawash]

The movies did skip about 1000 pages of walking and song singing.

[Twed]

I bet 5340345345 pounds that there will be a comic relief orc. Coming soon to gifs near you

[surreal]

Surely it would make a lot more sense to look at the Silmarillion - mostly un-adapted, plenty of world-building and monsters etc, and given that the entire Lord of the Rings saga is literally 2 or 3 lines you'd have tons more to work with.  You'd still have the odd crossover character for familiarity but could pretty much re-invent the rest as no-one ever reads more than the first few pages.

Of course that won't happen.  Everyone will complain if Legolas isn't in it, probably.

Episode 1:  Bollit, Willop and Chunt go off into the woods and discover a ferocious Spandock guarding a spooky cave.
Episode 2:  Tall Wizard 6 breaks his wand and enters the woods to find a new one.
Episode 3:  Bimbiff The Brave finds a new entrance to the woods and decides to explore where it leads.

This made me laugh a lot more than it should have. Really want to know what a Spandock looks like now.

[thraxx]

If Amazon really wanted their own answer to Game of Thrones, why not adapt one of a myriad other popular fantasy series that have yet to have any kind of adaptation, instead of one that comparatively recently had a supremely high-budget, generally well liked, Oscar-winning film franchise? The answer is obviously that they want to coast on the popularity of the source material, rather than build something new from the ground up. It's not like A Song of Ice and Fire was a household name prior to the TV show...

Well exactly.  There are a huge number of fantasy series that are ripe for being serialised.  Off the top of my head:

Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy, and the Dragonlance Twins trilogy.
Icewind Dale trilogy.
Feist's Riftwar Saga.
Dark Elf trilogy.

The Dragonlance ones and the Dark Elf trilogy, if done properly, could be absolutely brilliant.  Not in just in terms of the visual potential, but the story would be much easier to transcribe AND they are finished so no hanging about.

I'm sure there was a rumour a few years ago that Spielberg was looking at a Dragonlance script.

[Glebe]

Actually been wishing for a LOTR TV series for a good while now, I know it's a cynical move to fill the gap when GoT finishes, but still... with the time afforded by a series, we might actually get to see some more stuff from the books transition to the screen (although Tom Bombadil is still a tricky one)... there's every chance it could turn out shit, of course, but fingers crossed...

[doppelkorn]

Just film two lads playing Warhammer but point the camera more at the figures so it looks like they're the main characters and try not to get the lads in the shot at all really, come to think of it.

[Mister Six]

Surely it would make a lot more sense to look at the Silmarillion - mostly un-adapted, plenty of world-building and monsters etc, and given that the entire Lord of the Rings saga is literally 2 or 3 lines you'd have tons more to work with. 

Aye but the Silmarillion's rights are still held by the Tolkein estate. I assume this series uses the right that were already sold for the films.

Anyway, this is very obviously going to be shithouse. Wish they'd adapt a more interesting/forgotten series like those mentioned above - or something else entirely. Something set in the Planescape world would be amazing, although it would probably be too alienating to pull in the kind of audience numbers needed to justify a budget big enough to do it properly.

[thraxx]

Didn't realise that Drizzt already had a movie.  It's a good 'un too.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsO9qMdzsgM

[Replies From View]

I very much doubt that this series will achieve much that hasn't already been definitively covered by Around The World With Willy Fogg.

[Small Man Big Horse]

It's officially taking place: https://www.avclub.com/amazon-is-getting-its-lord-of-the-rings-tv-show-and-se-1820404874 - Not much is currently known, but apparently it will tell new stories rather than being another version of the books:

What is known is when the series will take place. Set prior to the events of The Fellowship Of The Ring, "the television adaptation will explore new storylines," suggesting that the dream of a Tom Bombadil stand-alone episode is still very much alive. Such is the magic of our present TV age, where it's not entirely outside the realm of possibility that a company that got its start selling books might one day spend upwards of nine figures just for the rights to weave the onscreen story of a character who has alternately delighted and vexed readers for decades.

[Endicott]

Fellowship is probably the easiest book to imagine a TV adaptation of I'd say since its pretty linear, something like...

Episode 1 - The party and the Nazgul chase in the shire
Episode 2 - The Old Forrest, Tom and the Barrows.
Episode 3 - Bree and the Escape to Rivendell
etc

The further you go though I think having to create some kind of dramatic climax every episode would become quite difficult.

Immediately made me think of the R4 adaptation. In its original form the episodes were 30 min long.

1   The Long Awaited Party
2   The Shadow of the Past
3   The Black Riders
4   Trouble at The Prancing Pony
5   The Knife in the Dark
6   The Council of Elrond

etc

[mothman]

Tom Bombadil show, yes. Anything else, no.

I'm thinking police procedural. Bombadil goes to modern-day Los Angeles (of course, where else?) for some reason, and starts assisting the LAPD in solving crimes through the use of whomsical nonsense verse. There's a hot-but-workaholic no-nonsense female detective who nonetheless develops an unresolved (until about the fifth season) sexual tension with Bombadil. Medanwhile Barkliman has sold up in Bree and also moved to LA to open a Prancing Pony there, but now it's a strip joint. Although determined to make a running of his business, he can't help but be drawn into Bombadil's whacky schemes.

Possible title: Tra-la-la-lally, Way Down In The Valley