The One Thing The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power Has No Intention Of Doing

Fantasy fans are eagerly awaiting the premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," coming to Prime Video on September 2 after a legitimately years-long waiting period. A possible source of anxiety and anticipation amongst the fans who are ready to dig into the Amazon live-action show is how "The Rings of Powers" intends to build on the mythical world created by author J.R.R. Tolkien. It's a world introduced in 1937's "The Hobbit" and spanning myriad other novels and screen adaptations since its publication — while staying true to its spirit. As teased in the first trailer for the Prime Video series, we will be transported to the Second Age of Middle-earth. Fans will cross paths with some familiar characters, like Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and Elrond (Robert Aramayo), while meeting a vast group of new and intriguing figures. On top of this, the show will dig into key events that tie into the "Lord of the Rings" story involving — you guessed it — the rings of power.

Prospective viewers will have to wait until the show premieres for answers to nagging questions about how the show will work, whether "The Rings of Power" will boast too many characters or too-complicated mythology, or whether its special effects will satisfy their discerning imaginations. But we do know at least one thing the show will not attempt to do, thanks to a new interview with JD Payne and Patrick McKay, the series showrunners, as well as JA Bayona, who serves as director and executive producer for the hotly anticipated fantasy show.

Nowadays, the biggest challenge for any "Lord of the Rings"-related project is how to stand as a singular entry in the world of Tolkien adaptations while also sharing the spotlight with Peter Jackson's acclaimed "Lord of the Rings" trilogy from the early 2000s, which are some of the most beloved films of the century so far. This is the challenge that "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" currently faces and an issue the curious Tolkien fanbase is likely pondering in the months ahead of the show's debut.

So the question is, how will the new Prime Video show compete with the older trilogy? The answer is almost unbelievably simple: It won't even try to do so. That's according to a recent Empire magazine interview with the key creative about their new series. In it, showrunner Patrick McKay said, "Anyone approaching 'Lord Of The Rings' on screen would be wrong not to think about how wonderfully right [Jackson] got so much of it," but thinking about it doesn't necessarily mean trying to match it. McKay went on to say, "But we're admirers from afar, that's it. 'The Rings of Power' doesn't try to compete with him."

We won't know exactly how "The Rings of Power" will distinguish itself from the earlier big-screen "The Lord of the Rings" adaptation, but it's clear that the creative personnel behind the show don't see themselves as in competition with Jackson, nor do that want to take anything away from what he and his team accomplished years ago.