2024 is gearing up to be a big year forThe Lord of the Rings. As Warner Bros. begins to develop more feature films that will operate as prequels and spin-offs of Peter Jackson’s acclaimed film trilogy from the early 2000s,The Lord of the Ringsis set to re-enter the pop culture discussion in a significant way. The first new film in a decade,The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, is set to release this December, and it will be an anime-inspired adaptation of the story of Helm Hammerhand, King of Rohan. However,The War of the Rohirrimis not the only newLord of the Ringsstory that will be hitting screens this year.
The Rings of Power
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.
The Prime Video seriesThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerwill also be making a return in 2024. The show will be jumping into its second season, following its debut in the late summer of 2022. The first season of the show did not get off to the great start that Amazon was likely hoping for, as it proved to be divisive among fans, and the viewership it brought in wasn’t quite high enough to justify the absurdly high budget of the show. That said, the studio is giving the show some more time to find its foothold with season two, which has already completed production and will likely premiere sometime this summer or fall.
While the quality of the first season ofThe Rings of Poweris not nearly as bad as some of the more vocalLord of the Ringsfans online would shout, it is still clear that there is plenty of room for improvement heading into the show’s sophomore outing. If the second season ofThe Rings of Powerwants to improve upon the first and live up to the immense potential of aLord of the Ringstelevision series, there are a handful of specific things that need to be done. Here are just a few:
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6Faithfully Adapting Tolkien’s Writing
The stories written by J.R.R. Tolkien are some of the most widely applauded and beloved works of fantasy literature of all time. The cultural impact and influence ofThe Lord of the Ringsis immeasurable. WhileThe Rings of Poweris adapting the stories of the Second Age of Middle-Earth, set long before the events of Tolkien’s most famous story, the author still developed countless incredible tales set within that time period.
The first season ofThe Rings of Powerdid a solid job of establishing the lands and cultures of Númenor, Lindon, Khazad-dûm and many other kingdoms of Middle-Earth; it now needs to do the work of weaving them together. Tolkien’s writings have already provided an incredible roadmap for how these stories connect, and if the show stays true to that map, then it will be heading in a great direction.
Don’t Give into Online Hate
With all of that said, this discussion cannot be had without acknowledging the sheer amount of vitriol that has been directed atThe Rings of Powerover the last few years. While there has undeniably been a lot of fair criticism regarding the show, there has also been more than a little toxicity that aims to tear the show down merely for deviating from Tolkien’s writings to any degree. While we agree that the show could do well to adhere closer to the writing its based on, its direction should not be changed merely because a handful of people typed some words in all caps online.
5Staying Committed to its Own Story
Around the time that the first season ofThe Rings of Powerpremiered, there was a lot of conversation surrounding the long-term plan for the show. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay talked openly about the five-season plan they had for the series. While the first season may not have been the great hit it had the potential to be, the worst thing to do with season two would be to panic and throw the previous plan out the window.
A few adjustments here and there could be helpful, but the overall bones and structure of the series needs to remain intact to preserve the integrity and longevity of the series. To draw a comparison to another major series, the modernStar Warsseries is still struggling to regain its foothold after the creatives behind-the-scenes panicked and over-corrected following the mixed reception toEpisode VIII - The Last Jediover six years ago.
Creative Freedom is Crucial
When adapting any material from one medium to another,changes need to be made. What works on the page will not always transfer effortlessly to the screen. No writer’s work is above that, whether it be Shakespeare, Stephen King, J.R.R. Tolkien, or anyone else. It’s important that the writers ofThe Rings of Powerhave the freedom to tell the story they are imagining for this series.
If Amazon wantsThe Rings of Powerto succeed more greatly in its second season, then the studio needs to be willing to trust the creatives they hired to bring the show to life. The show’s course was set in season one, and season two needs to continue to see it through in the way the writers envisioned.
Related:The Lords of the Rings: The Rings of Power - 7 Things the Prime Video Series Got Right
4Introducing More Familiar Characters
One more tangible way thatThe Rings of Powercan continue to gain the interest of both die-hard and casualLord of the Ringsfans is to continue to introduce familiar characters into the mix. The first season of the series already introduces Elrond and Galadriel, two of the most famous Elven characters in all of Tolkien’s writings. Two new actors stepped into the roles – Morfydd Clark as Galadriel and Robert Aramayo as Elrond – and they immediately made their mark on the characters.
We would even argue thatAramayo’s portrayal of Elrondis much closer to the books than Hugo Weaving’s version in Jackson’s films. By introducing more familiar and fan-favorite characters,The Rings of Powercan spark new excitement from both devoted viewers and those who may be on the fence about returning for the second outing.
Characters We’re Likely to See in Season Two
Clearly, Galadriel and Elrond will continue to play significant roles in the second season ofThe Rings of Power– alongside Maxim Baldry’s Isildur, Lloyd Owen’s Elendil, Ismael Cruz Córdova’s Arondir, Cynthia Addai-Robinson’s Míriel, Owain Arthur’s Durin IV, and many more. Despite the show’s already-packed cast, there is room for more. Charlie Vickers will be returning as Sauron, now able to portray the character as more openly wicked, but we would love to see him or another actor play the character’s deceptively beautiful alter ego Annatar as well. As for the men of the Kingdom of Númenor, we’d love to see the introduction of Anárion, the second son of Elendil and brother to Isildur and Eärien.
Looking to the Elves, the characters of Thranduil, Círdan, Celeborn and Celebrían would also be outstanding additions to this series. Finally, with the confirmation that The Stranger is one of the Five Wizards (likely Gandalf) at the end of the first season, the natural progression from there would be to introduce the rest of the Wizards: Saruman, Radagast and the two Blue Wizards.
3Getting Into the Thick of the Second Age
One of the other notable complaints regarding the first season ofThe Rings of Poweris that it took too long to really get going, and the finale ultimately failed to pay off many of the story lines the season had spent so much time building. In the second season, theLord of the Ringsseries can remedy that complaint by jumping right intothe complexities of the Second Ageand the first war against Sauron.
With how much time was spent teasing the Drowning of Númenor in the first season, that seems a natural direction to go in the second season. However, if the writers are keen on saving that major event for a later season, they need to supplement the grand scale and excitement of that with other material. They cannot spend the entirety of the second season further laying the groundwork for the better stories to come in later seasons.
Following Through on Promises Made
IfThe Rings of Powerwants to build and maintain its audience, then it needs to provide a satisfying narrative for those viewers to watch week-to-week. While the first season did feature the climactic eruption of Orodruin (Mount Doom) later in the season, most of its story lines were wrapped up with little fanfare, making the experience as a whole feel overtly incomplete. In a show like this, a full season needs to have a complete narrative to it, even if it is baked into a larger plan at work. Viewers need to feel that watching the show is worth their time every week, and that they won’t have to wait years for the satisfying payoff they are looking for.
Related:Lord of the Rings: Why Hasn’t There Been a Movie of The Silmarillion?
2Expanding the Scope of the Story
The first season ofThe Rings of Powerbalanced the stories of a lot of different characters, people and lands. However, it needs to keep expanding with its second season in order to up the stakes and overall scope of the story it is telling. This can be done through the adventures of the characters that have already been introduced, as they can travel to new lands and go on new adventures that are memorable and distinct from the last season. The end of season one saw the earliest actions of war with Sauron. This second season can delve further into that and give fans the exciting and epic battle sequences thatThe Lord of the Ringsis famous for.
Exploring Rhûn and the East
There is one specific way thatThe Rings of Powerhas already indicated its intentions to expand the story and world of Middle-Earth on screen. This is through the story of The Stranger and the Harfoot Nori. The Wizard, who is heavily implied to be Gandalf, is setting off on a journey to the Eastern land of Rhûn with the proto-Hobbit at his side. By exploring the lands of Rhûn,The Rings of Powerwill be entering one of the few major lands in Middle-Earth that has yet to be seen on screen.
There have been a lot of breathtaking lands explored in Middle-Earth on screen over the years, and through the exploration of Rhûn,The Rings of Powerwill be able to leave its own stamp on the world.
1Differentiating From Peter Jackson’s Films
Finally, one of the most important things that needs to be done with the second season ofThe Rings of Poweris that it needs to further the distinction between itself andPeter Jackson’s take onThe Lord of the Rings. The two Tolkien adaptations are entirely separated from one another, and they do not exist within the same continuity. Given that Warner Bros. is intending on expanding Jackson’s world with new films likeThe War of the Rohirrim, the Prime Video series needs to establish its own approach to Middle Earth that can stand apart from that.
Having a Distinct Approach to Middle Earth
The Rings of Powerwill only find success on its own terms, not by hiding in the shadow of Jackson’s movies. If the show can tell its own compelling story that does not rely on the nostalgia and love for the previous films, then it will be much easier to bring in new viewers and fans.
By operating in an entirely disconnected continuity from Jackson’s films,The Rings of Powerhas the unique opportunity to provide a fresh new spin on the world of Tolkien. It can be an entirely different vision for Middle Earth, and if it embraces that opportunity, it will be in a much better position to make a long-lasting impression.
