The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Amazon’s upcoming The Lord of the Rings series, is heading our way and quickly. And it’s going to take us back to the sprawling world we’ve grown to love through the classic The Lord of the Rings novels and the epic films crafted by Peter Jackson. But for those who are worried the scope may be too big, fear not, because even though we’ll get plenty of new adventures, and meet new characters such as the Harfoots, this Lord of the Rings series has a specific plan for its five seasons. And it doesn’t intend to go much further than that.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Will Have Only Five Seasons
These days, we’re used to universes going on forever. And it seems like The Lord of the Rings franchise, with its many nooks and crannies, might tempt creators into this kind of massive tale. But, according to a recent interview with Empire, that won’t be the case with this Lord of the Rings show. Showrunner JD Payne shares:
The rights that Amazon bought were for a 50-hour show. They knew from the beginning that was the size of the canvas – this was a big story with a clear beginning, middle and end. There are things in the first season that don’t pay off until Season 5.
And additionally, Payne notes about the LOTR series, “We even know what our final shot of the last episode is going to be.”
A bold statement in this day and age, but certainly a welcome one. Knowing the whole story from the beginning means that detailed payoffs, like the kind Payne mentions, can come to pass. And an incredibly coherent story can be told.
This Lord of the Rings Series Features Harfoots Not Hobbits
But, just because Rings of Power will have a strict, well-planned five seasons doesn’t mean this Lord of the Rings series won’t be chock-full of epic adventures. Empire notes “Across those five seasons, The Rings Of Power will weave a story of Elves, Dwarves, Harfoots and more set against an epic backdrop of major events from the history of Middle-earth—from the forging of the rings, to the rise of Sauron.”
While we’ve met Elves and Dwarves before, Harfoots might be a slightly less-known name to the casual Lord of the Rings fan. But the Harfoots will feel familiar when they appear because they are the ancestors of Hobbits.
No Hobbits existed during the LOTR time-period Rings of Power takes place in, a.ka. the Second Age. But Harfoots were definitely running around. Lenny Henry, who plays Harfoot Sadoc Burrows, shares more about these characters with Empire:
We’re a nomadic tribe, moving with the weather and the fertility of the crops. We have big caravans on wooden wheels and we’re very good at hiding things, because humans are much bigger than us and bring trouble.We’re the traditional Tolkien little guy. Traditionally, the little people in this world provide comedy but also get to be incredibly brave. You’re going to see us run the full gamut of emotions and actions in this adventure.
We definitely can’t wait to get to know The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power‘s Harfoots better.
Henry also shares more about the importance of his role. He notes, “Finally, in this show, kids are going to see people of colour taking up space in the centre of a fantasy series. We’re very visible in this world and that’s very exciting.”
More About The Rings of Power
Overall, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power promises to be a fresh take on Lord of the Rings. Its creators note it won’t try to imitate the movies or compete with Game of Thrones or any other fantasy series out there.
Showrunner Patrick McKay offers that this LOTR series will weave all of Tolkien’s threads together:
Some of these other competing properties – they play one octave really beautifully. But Tolkien was playing every note on the piano. He had that variety of tones. There’s the whimsy, friendship and humour that Harry Potter is so beloved for – but there’s sophistication, politics, history, mythology and depth, too. So for us, it was about going deeper into what we are, rather than worrying about what other folks are doing.
The first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres on September 2.
Originally published on June 6.