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Long before Peter Jackson took a swing at “The Lord of the Rings,” audiences got a glimpse into the fantasy realm of J.R.R. Tolkien via a trio of late-’70s animated projects: two animated TV specials produced by Rankin/Bass (of which “The Hobbit” remains fairly well liked) and a dark and ominous big-screen feature from Ralph Bakshi (director of sci-fi psych-out “Wizards”). So there’s not just precedent, but a certain kind of poetry to Jackson and screenwriter Philippa Boyens commissioning an intense, hand-drawn extension to the existing mythology, like the one represented by “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.”

When I say “poetry,” I suppose I’m referring to the kind you might find at your local Renaissance festival, accompanied by pipe music and a handful of costumed eccentrics doing a jig. The real selling point of “The War of the Rohirrim” is not that it’s animated,...

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In a couple of weeks, a new Lord of the Rings movie is coming to theaters: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated feature set over 100 years before The Lord of the Rings proper, about a conflict that leads to the construction of Helm's Deep, the fortress for the people of Rohan memorably featured in Peter Jackson's movie The Two Towers. It's a fairly obscure bit of lore, so why did producer Philippa Boyens, who also wrote the original Lord of the Rings movie trilogy alongside Jackson and Fran Walsh, think it was a good candidate to turn into a movie?

"Rohirrim was us testing the waters for ourselves," Boyens explained in the new issue of SFX Magazine. "Can we go back to Middle-earth? Should we go back? And it's been a joy to go back. I've fallen back in love with the whole story and the world,...

Peter Jackson may be the genius behind The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but even legends aren’t immune to raising a few eyebrows. In his quest to bring Tolkien’s masterpiece to life, Jackson made a bold decision to tweak one beloved hero’s personality.

Peter Jackson in The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee | Credit: Canal Cat Films

Fans were left scratching their heads, wondering why this hero’s natural grace was swapped for a touch of darkness. Sure, movies take creative liberties, but this change? It felt more like a betrayal than an adaptation.

From Hero to Plot Device: How Peter Jackson Fumbled Faramir’s Arc Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power | Credits: New Line Cinema

Peter Jackson made magic with The Lord of the Rings, but when it came to Faramir in The Two Towers, he straight-up fumbled.

When we think of The Lord of the Rings adaptations, Peter Jackson's seminal live-action trilogy immediately comes to mind. The trilogy swept the Oscars, with The Return of the King even claiming the elusive Best Picture award. The Middle-earth franchise would continue to grow with The Hobbit trilogy, and most recently Prime Video is seeing success with its prequel series The Rings of Power.

But decades before these live-action projects, in 1978, Ralph Bakshi created his very own animated movie based on J.R.R. Tolkien's famous book series. Bakshi's Lord of the Rings film wasn't without its controversies: for instance, the story remained unfinished; it only covers The Fellowship of the Rings and some of The Two Towers. Even so, in my humble opinion, it's one of the most charming films ever made. There are so many randomly placed comedic beats, like when Gandalf decides to frighten Sam for literally no reason whatsoever.

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Ask any local in New Zealand and they’ll tell you that it’s possible to experience all four seasons in a single day, no matter where you are in the country. On a recent trip to the island nation, we experienced that for ourselves.

We were staying in Blanket Bay, a tiny Queenstown community set amongst the shores of Lake Wakatipu and the dramatic snow-capped peaks of the Fiordland nearby.

The Lord of the Rings has never stopped being popular, not since the books by J.R.R. Tolkien first came out in the 1950s, but the franchise is going through a prolific period right this moment the likes of which we've rarely seen. Amazon is airing its prequel series The Rings of Power, Warner Bros. Discovery is releasing the animated film The War of the Rohirrim this December, and there are a couple new versions of Peter Jackson's original Lord of the Rings movie trilogy going up for sale, both of which come with your own version of the One Ring.

It's not the One Ring, obviously, the one into which Sauron poured all of his malice and his will to dominate all life. That one's not real; it's silly to think it would be bundled with a 4K Ultra home video release of a movie trilogy...but still, best...

Peter Jackson is the master of Middle-earth adaptations. The director and producer helmed the award-winning "Lord of the Rings" trilogy that launched a golden age of fantasy cinema. He returned a decade later to put together a less perfect but still epic trilogy for "The Hobbit" book that preceded Tolkien's Ring epic. The legendary filmmaker has also agreed to executive produce Warner Bros upcoming "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" anime prequel to "The Two Towers" and is busily helping put together a prequel film for Gollum.

While he spent most of his time behind the camera, Jackson also slipped into a scene here and there. In fact, while it remains to be seen if he'll do so with movies going forward, Jackson managed to get a cameo in each of the six Middle-earth movies he created across his two great trilogies. Here are those cameos,...

Lord Of The Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 has been released in full on Prime Video.

The Season 1 finale unmasked Sauron. If you remember anything beyond that, congratulations. If you’re like me before a chaotic rewatch that relied heavily on the fast-forward key: Sauron tricked Elven smith Celebrimbor into creating the first three Rings of Power; an army from idyllic Númenor sailed to Middle Earth and lost a battle to defend the Southlands, which was seized by Orcs; a halfling discovered a mysterious man known only as “The Stranger”; the Dwarves discovered the mystical ore mithril.

Season 2 begins shortly after these events. The three Elven rings create conflict among the Elves. Meanwhile, Sauron returns to Celebrimbor with plans to make more rings. Political unrest stirs as Númenorians mourn their losses from their battle in Middle Earth. The survivors of the battle navigate the ravaged lands.

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Viggo Mortensen broke two toes kicking a helmet in Lotr (Photo Credit – Facebook)

Viggo Mortensen’s commitment to The Lord of the Rings trilogy was legendary and sometimes downright painful. While filming The Two Towers, Mortensen’s Aragorn lets out an agonizing cry while kicking a helmet, thinking his friends Merry and Pippin are dead. That wasn’t just acting; Mortensen’s cry was an absolute scream of pain—he’d broken two toes in the process.

It’s become a classic Lotr trivia moment, shared (maybe too many times) by fans, but Mortensen’s injury was no small thing. Even director Peter Jackson couldn’t resist a chuckle, noting Mortensen’s reaction as he stayed in character despite his injury. Mortensen kicked that helmet with such force and precision that the pain became part of Aragorn’s journey.

Mortensen Took ‘Method’ to a New Level

Mortensen was no stranger to bruises.

Christopher Lee is one of the integral elements of the cinematic Middle-earth experience. The Saruman actor breaks bad in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and is the central antagonist in "The Two Towers." Lee reprised the role for the "Hobbit" prequel films, too, depicting an earlier version of the White Wizard of Isengard who was harboring ill intent but hadn't yet openly joined Sauron's cause.

While Lee played Saruman across two trilogies, his Middle-earth journey came to an end when the actor died in June 2015 — just half a year after "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" released. Since then, multiple studios have initiated various projects based on Tolkien's world. Prime Video's "The Rings of Power" was able to skirt the issue of recasting Saruman for multiple reasons, including the fact that Saruman isn't in its Second Age story (even if they did technically...

It’s a unique year for sequels and prequels at the Oscars. There are three films whose preceding installments won five or more trophies from the academy: “Dune: Part II,” “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” and “Gladiator II.” That opens the door for history to be made. If one or more of those films wins five times, it will be the first time in history that two films in the same franchise have won that many competitive prizes. For which film is that likeliest to happen? Scroll down to vote in our poll at the bottom of this post.

SEEExperts slugfest: ‘Gladiator II’ reactions, ‘Conclave’s’ Oscar hopes, and ‘The Substance’ in comedy

Even when you consider some of the most successful franchises of all time, none have accomplished the feat. “The Godfather” and “The Godfather: Part II” are the only film and sequel to both win Best Picture, but...

Before making its grand return to the big screen later this year, Middle-earth invaded New York Comic Con this week and gave attendees a taste of what to expect from "The Lord of the Rings: The War of The Rohirrim." The very existence of the film marks a first for this franchise. In a narrative and stylistic choice that harkens back to the property's roots with Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated "Lord of the Rings" adaptation and the Rankin-Bass "The Return of the King" two years later, the upcoming movie unfolds entirely as anime. Of course, certain purists may not feel like this style fully lends itself to J.R.R. Tolkien's wonderfully distinct world -- particularly one that takes place within the same continuity as Peter Jackson's "Rings" trilogy. But if there's any message that the film's cast and crew are hoping to send, it's that this is the...

Middle-earth is back, but not everyone’s celebrating. The new Lord of the Rings live-action announcement has fans raising eyebrows—and not in a good way. After Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy cemented itself as a cinematic masterpiece, taking home every Oscar imaginable and giving us a pop-culture juggernaut, the bar was set High. So, why even mess with perfection?

Peter Jackson. | Credit: Mike Walen/Cca-by-sa-3.0/Wikimedia Commons.

But could this new project be the unexpected gem we didn’t know we needed, or just a shadow of Jackson’s iconic vision? One thing’s for sure—the road back to Mordor just got a lot more controversial.

Middle-earth Madness: Are We Ready for More Lord of the Rings Movies? Karl Urban as Éomer in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | New Line Cinema

Hold onto your Elven ears, folks! The Middle-earth hype train just hit a new...

After spending years away from Middle-earth, Warner Bros. is getting ready to dive deep into the works of J.R.R. Tolkien with more "Lord of the Rings" movies in the coming years. Yes, movies plural here. These films are not going to be a remake of Peter Jackson's original trilogy, nor will they be a redo of "The Hobbit." For starters, we're getting a new "Lord of the Rings" movie titled "The Hunt for Gollum" that we first learned about earlier this year. Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in Jackson's previous films, is going to be in the director's chair for this one. In this case, one is actually a keyword as "The Hunt for Gollum" will indeed just be one film, as opposed to two.

Speaking with Empire, Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogy co-writer Philippa Boyens clarified that while there are two different "Lotr" movies in the works,...

Is there room at the best picture table for more than one “part two?”

This year, several installments in established franchises are banging on the Academy’s door, hoping for a coveted slot in the category. With no clear frontrunner, this could be the season that more than one sequel secures a place in the race. That has happened only once, in 2022 (“Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Top Gun: Maverick”).

The Oscars have long hesitated to embrace anything with a Roman numeral affixed to it. Historically, only nine sequels have been nominated for best picture: “The Bells of St. Mary’s” (1945), “The Godfather Part II” (1974), “The Godfather Part III” (1990), “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (2002), “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003), “Toy Story 3” (2010), “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015), “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022) and “Top Gun: Maverick” (2022). Just two — “Godfather 2” and “Return of the King” — won.

Viggo Mortensen is a three-time Oscar nominated performer who has been very picky with his projects, appearing only in a handful of movies in a 30-plus year career. But how many of his titles hold up as classics? Let’s take a look back at 12 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1958 in New York City, Mortensen made his big screen debut with a brief performance as an Amish farmer in “Witness” (1985). Supporting roles in “Carlito’s Way” (1993), “Crimson Tide” (1995), “G.I. Jane” (1997) and many others quickly followed. He achieved stardom in middle age playing the warrior Aragorn in Peter Jackson‘s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, released in 2001, 2002 and 2003. His first Oscar bid as Best Actor came shortly thereafter for David Cronenberg‘s thriller “Eastern Promises” (2007), followed by nominations for “Captain Fantastic” (2016) and the Best Picture-winning “Green Book” (2018).

In addition to his Oscar bids, Mortensen earned Golden Globe,...

Another year, another money-making Marvel movie in the running to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects. This time around it’s “Deadpool and Wolverine,” the third film in Ryan Reynolds‘ R-rated series and the first featuring Hugh Jackman‘s popular “X-Men” character. If “Deadpool and Wolverine” goes on to reap a visual effects bid, it would be the 18th Marvel entry overall to do so, when including those that contended before the Marvel Cinematic Universe officially kicked off in 2008. See them all below.

The most recent addition to the list was “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (2023), with its tech whizzes losing to the “Godzilla Minus One” team at last year’s Academy Awards. That was actually the third “Guardians” film to earn a Best Visual Effects nom after “Vol. 2” (it lost to “Blade Runner 2049” in 2017) and “Vol. 1” (it lost to “Interstellar” in 2014).

Both of the...

This article contains a massive spoiler for "The Rings of Power" season 2. Proceed with caution, and watch the finale first if you don't want The Stranger's identity spoiled!

Well, folks, the cat's out of the bag. After 16 episodes and two full seasons, the fading moments of "The Rings of Power" season 2 finale finally delivered the one word we've been itching to hear for endless hours of Middle-earth viewing: Gandalf. Yes, Daniel Weyman's mysterious and confused Istar is the one and only Grey Wizard. As the finale wraps up its various storylines and sets the stage for a likely third season to come, one of the last things we get is a scene between Tom Bombadil (Rory Kinnear) and The Stranger. As the sequence draws to a close, Bombadil coaxes the utterance of the inevitable from his companion, and the Wizard in training takes a deep breath and says that his name is "Gandalf.

This post contains spoilers for the season 2 finale of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."

"The Rings of Power" is brimming with homages and callbacks. The number of easter eggs I've found in season 2 alone is astonishing (and I didn't even include all of them in that list). Throughout both seasons, showrunners Jd Payne and Patrick McKay have gone outside of Middle-earth for inspiration countless times, including a Harrison Ford-in-"The Fugitive"-style leap into a waterfall in season 2, episode 1. (Ford's legendary stunt double for Indiana Jones also served as this show's second unit director; we spoke to him on an episode of the /Film Daily podcast after the big battle episode.)

The show also regularly goes back to Peter Jackson's film trilogy for creative and nostalgic moments, and I couldn't help but notice that "The Rings of Power" season 2 ended with not one...

One poster to rule them all…One month after we got a look at the first trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, we now have an official one-sheet ahead of the film’s December release. You can check it out embedded in the article.

Here is the official write-up from Warner Bros.: “Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim” tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for the death of his father, forces Helm and his people to make a daring last stand in the ancient stronghold of the Hornburg—a mighty fortress that will later come to be known as Helm’s Deep. Finding herself in an increasingly desperate situation,...

If Peter Jackson had dropped his iconic Lord of the Rings trilogy today, he’d probably face a social media firestorm, all thanks to a deleted Liv Tyler scene that never saw the light of day. Imagine the frenzy—fans outraged, hashtags trending, and think pieces flying left and right. Back in the early 2000s, Jackson made his directorial choices without TikTok think tanks or Twitter trolls.

Peter Jackson. | Credit: Mike Walen/Cca-by-sa-3.0/Wikimedia Commons.

But fast forward to today, and that one scene featuring Tyler’s Arwen could have sparked an internet riot. It’s a different world now, where one cut can lead to a viral uproar, and Jackson would have had to answer for every snip and trim made to his beloved saga.

Arwen’s Deleted Battle Scene: A Missed Opportunity in Today’s Call for Representation Karl Urban as Éomer in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers...

Stars: Charles Cottier, Dirk Hunter, Christian Willis, John Noble, Tobie Webster | Written by Steven Boyle, Toby Osborne | Directed by Steven Boyle

The Demon Disorder marks the directorial debut of Steven Boyle, it’s also his first credit as a writer, or rather co-writer along with Toby Osborne. He’s no stranger to film though, or to horror for that matter, having effects and makeup credits on films ranging from Daybreakers and Ghost Ship to Boar and Two Heads Creek. And he’s channelled that experience into a tale of dark secrets and demonic activity somewhere in the Outback.

It begins with a nightmare of an old man shackled to his bed turning into a waking nightmare as Phillip wakes up and finds his brother Jake in the barn looking at one of their pigs, skinned but still alive.

This prompts Jake to visit their other brother, Graham. Graham left the...

Christopher Lee not attending The Lord of the Rings premiere? Talk about unexpected drama straight out of Middle-earth! The legendary actor, known for his menacing portrayal of Saruman, shocked everyone when he decided to boycott the film’s big night. Why? Well, an ugly behind-the-scenes spat with director Peter Jackson left Lee feeling like he’d been dealt a bad hand.

Saruman the White – Lord of the Rings played by Christopher Lee | Credits: New Line Cinema

Fans who expected to see him celebrating alongside the cast were in for a surprise when his absence spoke volumes. For an actor as iconic as Lee, skipping such a monumental event was no small deal, and it added an unexpected twist to the Lotr saga—both on and off-screen.

Christopher Lee Ditched The Return of the King Premiere After Saruman’s Scene Got Axed Peter Jackson. | Credit: Mike Walen/Cca-by-sa-3.0/Wikimedia Commons.

Christopher...

Peter Jackson almost lost it big time during Lord of the Rings filming, and it wasn’t just over some elf drama. In the middle of shooting the iconic trilogy, Jackson’s cool melted when a massive issue threatened to derail the whole project. Imagine years of hard work on the line, all because of one potentially franchise-ending problem. Yeah, it got that heated!

Peter Jackson. | Credit: Mike Walen/Cca-by-sa-3.0/Wikimedia Commons.

Jackson, known for his calm demeanor, went full-blown fiery rage mode, determined to save Middle-earth from disaster. It’s crazy to think this legendary series almost got torched behind the scenes. But hey, sometimes it takes a little chaos to create a masterpiece.

Peter Jackson’s Fiery Stand: How a Heated Budget Clash Nearly Derailed Lord of the Rings Gandalf the White in The Lord of the Rings | Credits: New Line Cinema

“I’m doing the best job I can,...

There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of men for the treachery of spoilers. This article discusses events from the latest episode of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."

We're only four episodes into season 2 of "The Rings of Power," but the Prime Video series is already living up to its potential as an expansion of J.R.R. Tolkien's lore. Familiar characters like Galadriel, Elrond, Isildur, and, oh yeah, that Dark Lord Sauron have all been given several new layers through this glimpse into such early stages of their lives -- "early" being a relative term when talking about individuals who tend to live thousands of years, of course. Concepts taken straight from the source material (like the recent reveal of orc babies) have challenged all our usual preconceptions about this franchise and the fantasy genre as a whole. But episode 4 takes this to even greater heights,...

Eat earth, dig deep, avoid spoilers. This article discusses plot details from the latest episode of "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power."

You might say that "The Lord of the Rings" exists in the context of all in which we live and what came before. Whether it be the animated movies from decades past, the seminal live-action "The Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy, the various video games, or "The Rings of Power" series, all stand on the shoulders of what Professor J.R.R. Tolkien originally brought to life when he put pen to paper all those years ago. One needn't look far to find debates raging over whether a particular adaptation "feels like Tolkien" or not, which conveniently cuts right to the heart of the matter. While other IPs seem doomed to a death spiral of endlessly self-reflexive tendencies and references, season 2 of "The Rings of Power...

The year is 2045 and crime is at the brink of extinction, all thanks to the specialized crime-fighting department, Precrime. Directed by Steven Spielberg, Minority Report follows the story of Precrime chief John Anderton played by Tom Cruise. All’s well in the Washington metropolitan area but things quickly take a turn when John finds himself standing in front of the law’s accusatory finger.

Steven Spielberg’s Minority Reporter (2002) | Credits: 20th Century Fox

The film was a treat in itself. Unfortunately, it went unrewarded at the Academy Awards but Steven Spielberg probably remained unfazed. While he wanted nothing more than his team to gain recognition for their work, winning an Oscar was not a personal goal for the filmmaker and he had a perfectly valid reason for his indifference.

Steven Spielberg on Minority Report’s Oscar Fate A still from Minority Report | Credits: 20th Century Fox

Steven Spielberg’s filmography...

J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books have been beloved for nearly a century. Peter Jackson's movie adaptations are still watched regularly. As we speak, Prime Video is rolling out the second season of The Rings of Power, its Lord of the Rings prequel series. Why not add a stage musical to that lineup?

Way ahead of you. The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale has music by A. R. Rahman, Värttinä and Christopher Nightingale, with book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus. A version of the show premiered in London way back in 2007, so it's been around for awhile. It was revived recently and just ended a run at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. As it happens, I live in Chicago and couldn't pass up the opportunity to see it. It's going abroad soon, so you may get a chance to see it too.

“I come back to you now, at the turn of the tide.”

The immortal words spoken by Gandalf the White in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as he returns to his friends in the Fellowship.

And it seems that Sir Ian McKellen could be coming back to his beloved role as J.R.R. Tolkien’s wizard after revealing that he had been approached about featuring in the new Lord of the Rings films.

McKellen told The Big Issue: “Enthusiasm for The Lord of the Rings shows no sign of abating … I can’t tell you any more than that. I’ve just been told there are going to be more films and Gandalf will be involved and they hope that I’ll be playing him.”

The 85-year-old actor, who is recovering from falling off stage in Player Kings in London’s West End, added: “When? I don’t know.

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It’s time to return to Middle-earth: Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has returned for a second season. The Lord of the Rings series premiered back in 2022, taking viewers back thousands of years before the events of the films. Some new faces join the cast for Season 2, including Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones) and Rory Kinnear (No Time to Die).

At a Glance: How to...

This post contains spoilers for "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" season 2, episode 3.

Early in episode 3 of "The Rings of Power" season 2, Adar has a conversation with one of his orcs regarding their impending invasion of Eregion. As they stop talking, Adar goes on to meet the hill-troll Damrod, but the camera lingers on the orc, who hears a tiny gurgling cry behind him. He turns to another maternal-looking orc, who stands nearby cradling a tiny figure in its arms — presumably an orc baby.

Wait a second, though -- do orcs have babies? Do they even have multiple genders? Don't they emerge from the muck and slime, like we saw in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of "The Fellowship of the Ring"?

The question about how orcs reproduce and where they originate always make me hesitate -- not because there isn't an answer, but because there are too many of them.

It’s never a bad time for a “Lord of the Rings” rewatch, but the trouble can be tracking them down.

With both standard and extended editions for both the “Lotr” trilogy and “The Hobbit” trilogy, finding where to stream them from home can be a chore. But now that a new season of “The Rings of Power” on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to reacclimate to Middle-earth with a long binge.

Here’s where to stream all “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movies.

Where can you stream “The Lord of the Rings” movies?

There are a few places to stream “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and extended editions. Here’s where you can find them all:

“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001) – Max, Prime Video “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” Extended Edition – Max “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers...

Much has been made about the ratings drop in the first season of Prime Video’s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. According to Forbes, only 37% of subscribers who started Jeff Bezos’s wet dream of event television finished the first season. Admittedly, the series got off to a slow start, with pacing issues and an onslaught of characters to keep track of.

However, those loyal followers who stuck around were rewarded with an incredible season that was enchanting, engaging, and, at times, profoundly moving. Now, in its sophomore effort, The Rings of Power brings an epic cinematic quality to your small streaming screen. The new season is riveting, truly captivating, a spectacular triumph, and one of the greatest television adaptations ever made.

Certainly, it is the most significant American fantasy adventure series ever produced.

Morfydd Clark in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power...

In the quiet before the storm in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, a man who would be king meets a daughter who can never wear such a crown. The man is Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), son of Arathorn, and the lady is Éowyn (Miranda Otto), niece of the Rohan’s aged and infuriated monarch. They both come from great lineage, with Aragorn even praising Éowyn as being “a daughter of kings” and a shieldmaiden of Rohan. But as the hour grows late, and a foul threat blows from the south, Éowyn’s pride knows no joy.

“Women of this country learned long ago that those without swords can still die upon them,” she intones.

It is one of the best lines in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and it’s taken straight from Professor J.R.R. Tolkien’s text. When considered by itself, this is a grim...

Before "The Lord of the Rings" and before "The Hobbit," there was "The War of the Rohirrim." Merely the first of several new "Rings" movies currently in the pipeline, this animated film is set to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved fantasy world to life like we've never seen it before -- reinterpreting Middle-earth and its entire iconography through the heightened magic of anime. Warner Bros. debuted the official full-length trailer earlier today after only releasing snippets of footage at exclusive events over the last few years, finally giving animation fans and Tolkien nerds alike plenty of reason to join forces in anticipation of this next grand adventure. The epic tale is set almost 200 years before the events of the original "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, chronicling a key moment from the history of Rohan and its horse-riding people: the legendary tale of Helm Hammerhand and his war against the marauding Dunlendings.

Nearly 20 years after "The Return of the King" brought the original "Lord of the Rings" trilogy to a close, fans are about to go on yet another adventure in Peter Jackson's distinctive version of Middle-earth -- and it's utterly unlike anything we've seen from this franchise before. Prime Video's "The Rings of Power" has provided a welcome return to author J.R.R. Tolkien's groundbreaking fantasy world, but the series remains otherwise unconnected to the films that most audiences consider the definitive adaptations of the source material. That all changes with "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim."

Warner Bros. has finally unleashed the first official trailer for the prequel film (watch above), giving us a chance to sink our teeth into the new footage like Gollum taking a bite out of some fish, raw and wriggling. The official synopsis is as follows:

Set 183 years before the...

J.R.R. Tolkien was an English author and philologist who created a story intended only for his children as an interesting and exciting bedtime story. When a colleague discovered the story, Tolkien was encouraged to submit it for publication. To his surprise, The Hobbit was enjoyed by children and adults alike, prompting him to pen a sequel that would become his best-known work: The Lord of the Rings.

While most Tolkien fans are familiar with The Hobbit, its three-part sequel The Lord of the Rings, and even the sprawling prequel book The Silmarillion, it is not commonly known that several other detailed publications greatly expand upon the universe. Many of these books were published posthumously by Tolkien's son, Christopher Tolkien, who relied on his father's notes to and drafts.

Many people educated in the world of Tolkien suggest reading the books in the order of publication, as each one becomes more complex.

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As one of the most popular fantasy series of all time, there are hundreds of different editions of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, including plenty of collectible editions that are practically displayable art in and of themselves. With Lord of the Rings: the Rings of Power dropping on Prime Video on Aug. 29, it’s no surprise that another collector’s edition box set of Lotr is arriving in U.

Despite a lot of criticism and even hate, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power became a popular hit series on Amazon. As we have previously reported in multiple reports, the show will get a second season, and the eight new episodes of the upcoming season are scheduled to premiere on August 29, 2024. Seeing how everything plays out will be interesting, especially in light of the showrunners’ recent major disclosures.

We have already reported on numerous known and assumed aspects of the upcoming season, such as Sauron’s increased role, as well as the implied genre change, but also how the series will follow in the footsteps of the first season. We have also reported on how the trailers look much better and how the second season will seemingly be an improvement over the first one.

Now, days before the premiere, we have received confirmation that the second season...

There's no question that Amazon Studios' Middle-earth creation "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" has gone where no Tolkien adaptation has gone before. From its Second Age setting to depicting the island of Númenor to tackling the creation of the show's titular jewelry, showrunners Jd Payne and Patrick McKay aren't afraid to take chances. One of the most recent of those ground-breaking elements is the fact that season 2 has received a historically high rating for a project set in Middle-earth. According to TheDirect, the upcoming season is officially rated 18+ in some countries around the world — with America's close northern neighbor Canada being one of them. In comparison, season 1 was given the relatively tame rating of 13+.

How big of a deal is this for Middle-earth cinema? Let's look at some comparisons. The highest rating that each of Peter Jackson's film trilogies received was 16+, while "The Fellowship of the Ring...

War is coming to Middle-earth. The latest and final trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 makes that fact abundantly clear, featuring shots of epic battle scenes involving everything from marching armies and encroaching orc hordes to flaming debris and massive explosions. The scale of it all looks positively massive and certainly bigger than anything the show has attempted to date. But what, exactly, are we watching here?

While the trailer includes footage from several likely different battle sequences, the most obvious event season 2 will depict is the siege of Eregion. For those who don’t remember, the Elven realm is located in the shadow of the Misty Mountains, near the west gates of Khazad-dûm. It’s the location of Celebrimbor’s forge and the place where the bulk of the titular rings of power will be made. Previous trailers have already revealed that Sauron...

Amazon is about to spring the second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on us, and everyone is lining up to cash in. Not that there's ever a bad time to debut a new piece of The Lord of the Rings merch what with the series being consistently popular since the 1950s and all, but expect an uptick in all things Middle-earth in the near future.

We can start with this: in a couple months, the world will release onto us The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set, a binding of all three books in J.R.R. Tolkien's classic fantasy series — The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King — priced at $325. Why does a trio of books run that much? Here's what you're getting:

Hardcover editions of all three books bounds in cloth and leather, with original...

Cate Blanchett’s role as Galadriel in The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) was iconic for several reasons. The actress played the role of a royal elf with magical abilities and narrated the prologue scene. Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogy ended up becoming one of the most successful franchises.

The actress was a part of the later sequels of the 2001 movie, but she was not supposed to return for the prequel. This was because it was based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit prequel, which did not include Galadriel’s character. However, a playful email resulted in the movie version including the popular role, which pleasantly surprised fans.

Cate Blanchett’s unexpected return as Galadriel

Through her role in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Cate Blanchett immortalized the character of Galadriel. In an interview with GQ,...

Cate Blanchett set the record straight on her pay for filming The Lord of the Rings.

The star of the Peter Jackson-directed trilogy cleared up the misconception that it was a high-paying job.

While appearing on Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live, Blanchett played “Plead the Fifth,” in which host Andy Cohen asks his guest three hard questions and can only veto one of them.

Cohen asked Blanchett which one of her films gave her “the biggest paycheck.” The Borderlands star told Cohen to guess which film it was after he said he assumed it was Lord of the Rings.

“Are you kidding me?” Blanchett said. “No, no one got paid anything to do that movie.”

Cohen asked Blanchett if she got a cut of the film’s box office success, to which she said, “No, that was way before any of that.”

Blanchett said that she signed up...

Cate Blanchett may have two Oscars, but back in the day, she was glad just to get a free sandwich.

The actress revealed that her miniscule salary on “The Lord of the Rings” films only covered crafts services and her costumes. Blanchett played royal elf Galadriel in the film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson that began in 2001.

“I wanted to work with the guy who made ‘Braindead,'” Blanchett said during “Watch What Happens Live” in the below video. Jackson helmed the 1992 zombie comedy, which was released as “Dead Alive” in North America.

But “The Lord of the Rings” was far from Blanchett’s biggest paycheck.

“Are you kidding me?” Blanchett said when asked about her salary for the blockbuster series. “No, no one got paid anything to do that movie. […] I basically got free sandwiches, and I got to keep my [elf] ears.”

“Wwhl” host Andy Cohen later asked if...

“The Lord of the Rings” is the most successful film series in the history of the Academy Awards, winning 17 Oscars including two Best Picture awards out of 30 total nominations.

Both “The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Return of the King” won Best Picture while Peter Jackson won Best Director for the latter movie, which holds the joint record for most Oscar wins of all time with 11 victories (the same number as “Ben-Hur” and “Titanic”). However, the lauded trilogy only received one acting citation — that was for Ian McKellen for Best Supporting Actor for “The Fellowship of the Ring.”

But while the Oscars didn’t nominate nearly enough actors in this trilogy (shout out to Andy Serkis), “The Lord of the Rings” cast is full of incredible actors who have received multiple awards nominations for other projects. Considering it is Emmys season, we’re going to focus on Emmys.

Below...

Peter Jackson created a living history with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The director’s penchant for the realm of fantasy and all that it has to offer has in turn delivered the audience a land of endless escapism. Such a rich world of lore and mysticism crafted by J.R.R. Tolkien would have never worked in the hands of anyone other than the Kiwi filmmaker.

Lord of the Rings – The Shire [Credit: New Line Cinema]

Despite a strict authority over the lore of Tolkien’s universe, sticking too close to the source material would prove exhausting due to the complete surrealism of Middle-earth’s landscapes, scenery, and population. However, it was Peter Jackson’s unyielding faith in the adaptation and his ingenious inventions that crafted the Lord of the Rings trilogy as a modern-day classic in pop culture history.

Middle-earth Presents a Daunting Challenge to Peter Jackson

The responsibility of...

Prime Video is the place to be in August with an incredible month of new releases. The month kicks off with the premiere of the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader on Aug. 1. The series was produced by J.J. Abrams and The Batman‘s Matt Reeves. We also return to Middle Earth this month with the premiere of The Rings of Power season 2 on Aug. 29.

As far as movies go, the Amazon original Jackpot! arrives on Aug. 15 starring Awkwafina and John Cena. This comedy is set in a world where Lottery winners have to survive until sundown in order to claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot – anyone who kills them before that gets to claim their prize.

The Hobbit trilogy also joins the Prime Video library this month, as do 21 and 22 Jump Street, Superman I-iv, Superman Returns, Night Swim, Drive Away Dolls, and 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Here’s everything coming...

Karl Urban has starred in some of the biggest movies and franchises that catapulted his name in the industry. He has been in the Star Trek films, the MCU, The Boys, Riddick, and the Lord of The Rings franchises. The latter became his breakout project where he played Éomer, the leader of the Riders of Rohan.

Karl Urban as Éomer in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | New Line Cinema

The trilogy had some iconic scenes of battle as well as character-driven moments. One of them is undoubtedly the Forth Eorlingas scene in The Two Towers where Théoden and Aragorn are joined by Gandalf and the Rohirrim army led by Éomer. Urban kept Éomer’s helmet, which he wore in that scene in his personal collection.

Lord of the Rings‘ Karl Urban Has Éomer’s Helmet As Part Of His Movie Memorabilia

Karl Urban got immense love as...