MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
The Rings of Power is set to be one of the biggest television events of the year. Or at least on paper, it should be. Considering the strength and popularity of the show’s source material, it’s not a far stretch to expect this series to perform on similar levels to shows like Game of Thrones or even the newer Star Wars series on Disney+. However, considering how close to release this series is, there seems to be a lack of excitement surrounding it. Here’s why that might be and why there’s no need to worry too much at this point.
New Characters and a Different Continuity
One of the biggest reasons for apprehension regarding this show is how different it will be from the likes of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. There are two key reasons for the differences. Firstly, and most obviously, is the difference in time period. Seeing as The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before those stories, it would make sense that the world would be a very different place. There are a few characters that remain, such as Elrond and Galadriel, in addition to other characters such as Isildur and Elendil who were briefly seen during flashbacks in the films. However, the overall difference in time and setting gives The Rings of Power the freedom to introduce and explore a variety of entirely new characters.
Over the course of several seasons, The Rings of Power will likely build up to the war between Sauron and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men, which was depicted in the prologue to The Fellowship of the Ring. Since this show exists in a new continuity, it isn’t beholden to depict that war in the same way as the films. Assuming the show goes in that direction, and it is successful enough to get that far, the showrunners’ creative hands won’t be tied to what has already been shown, and they’ll be able to tell that story in whatever way they see best fit for this series.
Game of Thrones’ Effect
Why There’s No Need to Worry
Alright, now here’s the positive. The best marketing for any television show or movie is word of mouth. If The Rings of Power starts its run and is as incredible as it has the potential to be, people will start talking about it and the viewership will come with that. Thankfully, The Rings of Power actually looks pretty good. The new full trailer that was just released captures much of the elegance and grandeur that Middle Earth and The Lord of the Rings have become known for. The show looks to be exploring Middle Earth in a much deeper and more thorough manner than what has been seen in the films before. The trailer highlights the different cultures of men, elves, dwarves, and harfoots (the predecessors to hobbits), and it does an excellent job of establishing the growing evil within the world; an evil that will likely lead to the rise of Sauron.
