Prime Video exclusive. Fan reaction to trailers has been predictably mixed thus far, as The Rings of Power blends familiar faces (Galadriel, Elrond, Isildur) with tales from J.R.R. Tolkien's deeper lore and brand new characters made exclusively for TV.
Irrespective of one's opinion on The Rings of Power as a concept, it's not hard to see where that money has been spent. In production since 2018, an approximate figure of $462 million has been touted by reports for The Rings of Power's first season budget alone. That time and money has resulted in a string of stunning visual shots capturing the glory of Númenor, the horror of Galadriel's memory, the mountainous splendor of Middle-earth, the shadowy wonder of Khazad-dûm, and many more locations besides. The costumes boast unrivaled attention to detail, and the designs for everything from Harfoots to orcs are perfectly in-keeping with the award-winning achievements of Peter Jackson's movies. Aesthetically, The Rings of Power is exactly what anyone could want from a Lord of the Rings TV series.
Peeking under the hood reveals a different story entirely. The Rings of Power draws most heavily from The Silmarillion, and just as the posthumously-released collection (edited by J.R.R. Tolkien's son, Christopher) marked a jarring departure in tone and style to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Amazon's The Rings of Power will likely take fans of Peter Jackson's movies by surprise - despite their similar exteriors. Even those who can recite The Silmarillion cover to cover can't know entirely what to expect from The Rings of Power, as trailer footage makes perfectly clear how loudly Amazon is ringing the bells of change with numerous TV-only characters and storylines. Whether you're a Tolkien veteran or a casual fan of Jackson's movies, The Rings of Power offers precious little familiarity.
How The Rings Of Power Will Be Different From Lord Of The Rings
The Rings of Power will differ from Lord of the Rings in almost every conceivable way - beginning with story structure. Both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit follow a quest - journeys with clear destinations and goals featuring plucky bands of adventurers. The Rings of Power will take a far looser structure, focuon multiple different races and kingdoms from the hairy Harfoots to Gil-Galad's elves. Rather than a journey through Middle-earth, The Rings of Power will examine the landscape of Middle-earth, as a new evil arises to challenge the dominance of elves and men. In that respect, The Rings of Power sits closer to Game of Thrones - probably by design, since Jeff Bezos was seeking Prime Video's "answer to Game of Thrones" when purchasing the rights to Tolkien's Second Age.
Another massive departure for The Rings of Power compared to Lord of the Rings will be the timeline. Though The Lord of the Rings' main adventure actually takes place across an entire year, give or take, Frodo's journey feels cohesive and compact, and the same goes for Bilbo ing Thorin's company in The Hobbit. As confirmed by trailer footage, The Rings of Power will encom millennia, chronicling tales from Tolkien's First Age (the Two Trees of Valinor, the Kinslaying, the Oath of Fëanor) all the way through to Isildur's lifetime over 3000 years later. If The Lord of the Rings covered one pivotal period in Middle-earth history, The Rings of Power promises a broader overview of happenings from Tolkien legend, more akin to a biblical text full of old myths and forgotten tales from various realms.
The Rings of Power will, of course, have a central narrative, but therein lies another huge difference to Lord of the Rings. Judging from trailer footage, Amazon's Second Age plot revolves around a stranger who descends to Middle-earth like a flaming meteor. No obvious comparisons exist between this story and J.R.R. Tolkien's Second Age, suggesting The Rings of Power will be making far more sweeping lore changes than Peter Jackson ever did. Without a narrative backbone drawing directly from Tolkien's unmistakable pen, The Rings of Power faces a challenge to replicate the same feel as The Lord of the Rings, no matter how good the physical shell may be.
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