After The Hobbit: 10 Reasons Peter Jackson Must Make The Silmarillion
Peter Jacksons first Hobbit movie has come and gone. And while some Tolkien fansand non-fanswere upset by how he interpreted the book, watching The Hobbit and the fall of the Necromancer on the screen is still an exciting prospect. Likewise, even though Jackson made some distasteful changes to The Lord of the Rings, those films are still excellent depictions of one of the greatest pieces of writing in English literature. So of course, some of us are wondering: will Jackson ever make The Silmarillion? And many others, in turn, are wondering: what is The Silmarillion? The Silmarillion is a collection of Tolkiens histories of Middle Earth, set thousands of years before The Lord of the Rings; they were unfinished when he died, and his son completed and published them. The titular tale, and the centerpiece of the book, tells of the rebellion of the elves against the gods and the fall of Morgoth, an evil Vala whom Sauron at the time served. The Valarthe gods in Tolkiens universebrought many elves to Valinor, the Undying Lands. There, a powerful elf, Feanor, created the Silmarils, wondrous jewels that captivated all who held them. Around this time, Morgoth attacked the Valar and stole the Silmarils. Feanor led his peoplethe Noldorto Middle Earth to recover the jewels, rebelling against the Valar in the process. The Silmarillion tells of the Noldors rebellion, the establishment of elf realms in Beleriand (then the western region of Middle Earth) the fight against Morgoth and the ultimate fall of the Noldor. Its a massive, tragic tale full of epic battles, exotic locales, heartwarming romance, and treacherous betrayals. The problem is, its told as a kind of history. Theres not much narrative, and even if there were it would take about 14 full-length books to tell the entire tale. But I am of the opinion that Peter Jackson could---nay, mustbring it to the screen. Im envisioning a seven-film series, like those used for Harry Potter and Twilight. This would keep fans in the theaters for years, and make the studios very happy. And, if done right, would be the ultimate tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien and the wondrous contributions hes made to the fantasy genre, and literature in general. So here are my ten reasons why Jackson should make The Silmarillion. For those of you who havent read the book, be warned there are several spoilers in here.