Synopsis For Amazon's Lord Of The Rings Series Has Fans Hyped
Nearly 20 years ago, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, revolutionized filmmaking, and changed what you could accomplish within the fantasy genre. Based on the novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, the films depict the epic journey of Frodo (Elijah Wood) and his fellowship of heroes, as they attempt to destroy the One Ring. While fans were previously able to take another trip to Middle-earth via Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy, with decidedly mixed results, they'll soon get another adventure in the form of Amazon's upcoming series based on The Lord of the Rings mythos.
Fans have long wondered what this Amazon original will be about, and how it could potentially connect with the original trilogy. Recently, news as good as the Eagles arriving to Mount Doom arrived as the official synopsis was posted to TheOneRing.net. It states, "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 will take 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."
This makes it sound as though the treacherous Sauron will play a substantial role in the series, and the time period suggests Tolkien's The Silmarillion could influence the plot. While there's still much we don't know, including what characters will come into play, one thing's abundantly clear if you go onto social media — fans are hyped.
Fans are excited that Amazon's Lord of the Rings series could finally give us "Sexy Sauron"
There are many reasons to be hopeful about the upcoming series, especially since it won't be just a rehash of what we've seen before. The Amazon show will forge new ground and hopefully encourage people to check out Tolkien's underrated The Silmarillion, so that they can get an idea of what to expect going forward. If you don't believe us, just take the word of excited LotR fans on Twitter like @annelouechevin, who writes, "Absolutely love The Lord of the Rings... Love The Silmarillion even more, absolute masterpiece, cried reading it (many times). TV series looks like the best way to 'adapt' it, can't wait to see it."
A great deal of attention regarding the recently-released synopsis centers on the involvement of Sauron, and the thing that may surprise casual fans of the series is how many posts have to deal with "sexy, younger Sauron." The original trilogy centers on the Third Age of Middle-earth while Amazon's adaptation will take place far in the past, during the Second Age. This is the time when Sauron wasn't some giant villain with gray armor. He actually showed his face, and Twitter users like @Amralime_kili have stated, "My opinion on the lotr amazon show all depends on how sexy they make Sauron."
This isn't a lone opinion. If you search for "Sexy Sauron" on Twitter, you'll get posts like this one from @Emyn_Arnen, who writes, "All I ask is that they make Sauron sexy as hell. I need my villain to simp for."
Ultimately, it appears as though fans are cautiously optimistic the Amazon series will do justice to Tolkien's legacy. Production is currently underway for the show in New Zealand, where cameras were able to resume rolling sooner than expected thanks to the country's exceptional response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The release date is currently unannounced.