WB Demolished For Insane Lord Of The Rings Announcement

In a call that shocked everyone, Warner Bros Discovery Boss David Zaslav announced that more Lord Of The Rings movies would be made. The Original Lord Of The Rings Oscar-winning trilogy by Peter Jackson still stands today as the most fantastic fantasy-based franchise ever. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001 kicked off this movie universe. Peter Jackson’s Lord Of The Rings trilogy won 11 Academy awards for his efforts. This trilogy was followed by far less critically acclaimed Hobbit movies that still managed to break the box office.

This success, of course, is relatively easy to achieve when following the work of the late great J.R.R. Tolkien. Now, if only someone had taught Amazon this lesson as well. For a story written in the 1950s, Tolkien’s work was way ahead of its time. With a story containing this much history, it is only natural that fans would have a powerful connection to it. As such, they do not take too kindly to re-imaginings of the original work. With the announcement of the new movies, fans are understandably worried.

The Star Wars Treatment

The announcement for more Lord Of The Rings movies came out of nowhere. Although it was an unexpected announcement, most fans will likely not be shocked. We are living in an era of reboots and remakes. The days of trying to bring new IPs to life are long gone. In this ever-growing Corporate world of maximum profit, studios no longer want to take risks. It is much easier to bring Lord Of The Rings or Harry Potter back than try your luck on an untested IP.

Most fans immediately thought one thing after announcing the new Lord Of The Rings movies. Remakes or Reboots. After the latest slate of disastrous reboots, no one can blame fans for not wanting to stomach another re-imagining. Luckily, you do not have to fear. The original movies of Peter Jackson will stay untouched for now. The announcement of a new film will serve as an expansion of the existing universe. If we had to make a comparison, think Star Wars.

Over the last few years, the Star Wars Universe has expanded drastically. Star Wars: The Force Awakens kicked off the franchise era, raking in 2,066 billion USD at the box office. Since then, we have seen multiple new movies and series. Fans hail the Mandalorian on Disney Plus as a masterpiece. This extended Star Wars universe is not without its critics, though. Many fear that The Lord Of The Rings will fall into the same traps.

What We Know About The Lord Of The Rings Remake

For the upcoming extended universe, we still need to learn more. Warner Bros Pictures Group Co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Addy said. “For all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex, and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film. The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honor, and we are excited to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure”.

We can expect another trilogy as part of this vastly unexplored world. These movies will explore new characters never seen before. Most likely, these movies will either playoff long before the events of Frodo Baggins or long after. There is the possibility that they will make direct sequels, similar to what Star Wars did. Since they want to expand Middle Earth further, solo character spin-offs can also be expected.

Aragorn, Gandalf, and Galadriel could be on the receiving end of stand-alone movies. Insiders have released that WB wants to follow the Star Wars module very closely. This will mean multiple movies and likely TV series exclusive to HBO Max. It is worth noting that scripts still need to be written.

The Problem With Brining Back The Lord Of The Rings

Although fans might be excited about more Lord Of The Rings, many are also highly nervous. Expanding on this vast universe can be exciting. That excitement can also very quickly turn into a nightmare. Hollywood does not have the best track record for classic IPs. Terms like “updating for modern audiences” and “re-imagining” have left fear in the hearts of many disgruntled fans.

Classic IPs like Ghost Busters have been destroyed in this new era. Although it is possible to expand on an existing universe while staying true to the original, good examples of this method take time to come by. While series like Cobra Kai and Chucky have done a great job, many others still need to catch up. An extended universe within Lord Of The Rings does have the potential to be great. Handing off different pieces of Tolkien’s work to various directors can build toward something great.

The difference between The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars is quite significant. Star Wars had an extended Universe outside of the Prequels long before Disney got their hands on it. This does not exist for The Lord Of The Rings, but the potential is there. Most Fans will be relieved that Peter Jackson could be returning for some of these movies. WB did confirm that Jackson has been briefed on the potential for more movies. If Peter Jackson is involved, another trilogy is likely.

Been There Done That With Rings Of Power

When it comes to expansions, though, Lord Of The Rings is not entirely empty-handed. Amazon Studios made a massive investment into the franchise, acquiring the rights for $250 million. With production, it is estimated that they will spend almost a billion dollars on Rings of Power. While Amazon might be moving ahead with season 2, sadly, the audience has not received Rings of Power extremely well.

The show’s events play off thousands of years before the trilogy series. It follows an elf called Galadriel on her quest to hunt down an evil entity only known as Sauron. Many fans feel this series must fit into Tolkien’s original work. Due to this, many have decided to reject the series. It is, however, Rings Of Power that makes fans nervous about the upcoming movies.

Conclusion

With the rejection of the only Lord of the Rings series, WB will have an uphill battle with this extended universe they are trying to build. To regain the community’s trust, they will have to prove themselves. Sadly, their track record is not that good. Ultimately, only time will tell how good these new movies will genuinely be. We should get something better than Rings of Power with Peter Jackson involved.