How Amazon Should Make A Lord Of The Rings TV Show

2. Have Free Reign Over The Mythology

The Lord Of The Rings The Fellowship Of The Ring
Warner Bros.

Peter Jackson's movies (LOTR, not The Hobbit) are about as beloved as book adaptations can be, but even then there's plenty he changed, added, and left out when taking Tolkien's work from the page to the screen.

Some may denounce such changes as blasphemy, but they're often necessary for taking something from one medium to another. More recently, we've seen how the Shadow of Mordor (and its sequel Shadow of War) have taken the mythology in new directions and, while not respecting canon, created exciting new stories within the world of Middle-earth.

A TV show need not go quite that far, but it shouldn't be overly beholden to either the texts or the movies they inspired, and instead given free reign to explore this world, craft new characters, and become its own unique thing that stays true to the spirit and tone of the books.

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.