15 reasons Amazon’s Lord of the Rings will be the next Game of Thrones

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings is going to be the next Game of Thrones, and here’s 15 reasons why!

Recently, Amazon announced that it had paid half a billion dollars for the rights to produce a television series based on the work of author J.R.R. Tolkien, most famous for writing The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The e-commerce giant has dipped its toes into the streaming television pool before with offerings like The Man in the High Castle and Goliath, but the untitled Lord of the Rings project is by far its most ambitious outing yet. What has prompted what might end up being the most expensive television show in history? HBO’s Game of Thrones.

It’s no secret that Game of Thrones is a worldwide phenomenon, and like a homeowner jealous over their neighbor’s awesome new Ferrari, Amazon is looking to one-up them and buy a Lamborghini. Amazon is spending the cash to procure and produce a Lord of the Rings show because it’s one of the few properties capable of outshining Thrones. 

More importantly, with Thrones ending its run sometime in 2019, the television landscape is ripe for the next big thing. How and why might Lord of the Rings become the next Game of Thrones? We have a few ideas. Well…15.

1. Amazon can explore parts of Middle-earth the Peter Jackson’s movies couldn’t get to

As great as Peter Jackson’s movies were (and they were great), large parts of the source material were cut in order to save viewers from seven-hour movies experiences. Gandalf might have raced from one end of the continent to the other fast enough to make Littlefinger’s head spin, but Middle-earth is more than just Rohan, Gondor and the Shire. There were entire regions of the continent left unexplored by Peter Jackson, and even by J.R.R. Tolkien himself.

That gives Amazon a lot of room to play. Little is written about the North and Southeast portions of Middle-earth. Who’s to say there aren’t tropical jungles or deserts out there somewhere? What kind of creatures or people might be lurking in such new and wonderful habitats? The possibilities are endless, and as long as Amazon doesn’t take it too far, these regions could provide all kinds of adventures for our heroes (and villains).

Much as we enjoyed the Fellowship’s adventures through the Misty Mountains or the Battle of Pellenor Fields, we’d love to see a small Elvish colony living in a jungle somewhere, fighting off some orc-monkey hybrids. Or maybe not that exactly, but you get the idea. Sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery.

2. If the rumors are true, Aragorn will make an excellent lead character

We all know of Aragorn’s exploits during the War of the Ring and his eventual ascension to the throne of Gondor, but for Middle-earth’s most interesting man, that’s just scratching the surface. If the rumors are true, Amazon has chosen to base its series on the adventures of a young Aragorn, and with good reason. The guy’s seen some stuff.

When we first meet Aragorn at the Inn of the Prancing Pony, the future king is already 87 years old! Blessed with a longer-than-usual lifespan thanks to his Numenorean heritage, Aragorn had been there and back again long before he ever met the Frodo and company, spending years secretly defending the Shire from outside threats as the leader of an entire tribe of rangers. In between, Aragorn served in disguise in the armies of both Rohan and Gondor, befriended Gandalf, and even captured Gollum in search of the One Ring. That’s quite a life.

If Amazon’s series does focus on Aragorn, it’s an excellent choice. Few other characters in Tolkien’s legendarium have so rich and potentially relatable a history. Through Aragorn, we could explore virtually every corner of Middle Earth, and meet all manner of characters in the process. And even if Amazon chooses to focus on another character in the same time frame, Aragorn could be an excellent secondary character. You gotta have him. You just gotta.

3. With Amazon’s cash reserves, the show will have all the support it needs

Amazon recently hit a market value of over $800 billion, second to only Apple. And while HBO has hardly skimped on Game of Thrones, with reported budgets ranging between $10 and $15 million per episode in the latter years, they simply cannot match Amazon’s cash reserves.

Reports have pegged Amazon’s budget for the first two seasons of its Lord of the Rings series at $250 million (after paying a $250 million dollar fee to the Tolkien estate just for the rights). Depending on the number of episodes, that could be a heck of a lot of money per episode (For reference, The Two Towers had a reported budget of $94 million). What does that mean for the show?

On a series that could potentially feature everything from dragons to orcs to wizards, the budget is everything. As wonderful as Game of Thrones is, budget limitations have occasionally forced the show’s hand — the showrunners had to cut around a crucial battle scene featuring Tyrion Lannister in season 1, and fans are still wondering why Ghost the direwolf wasn’t in season 7. Amazon’s mountains of money can give its Lord of the Rings series everything it needs to be successful.

The setting will play into this, too, as not all eras of Tolkien’s Middle-earth as CGI-intensive as others, but with a sizable budget, producers should be able to bring anything they want to the small screen. And we should rejoice for that.

4. Middle-earth is full of unique cultures waiting to be explored in detail

One of the strengths of J.R.R. Tolkien’s work is its array of complex and fleshed-out societies. From the elves to the men of Rohan, each society comes complete with history, traditions and even unique clothing. With its extended running time, a television series set in Middle-earth can fully explore some of its lesser-known peoples, and that’s a good thing.

Take the Easterlings, a group that served Sauron during the Lord of the Rings. We get very little of them in the movies or the books. What’s their story? Did all of them want to serve Sauron? Were there divisions? Do they all have a warriors-first mentality like the Klingons of Star Trek? A multi-season show can dig into questions like that.

If Amazon wants to get really creative, it could replicate the mixed composition of the Fellowship of the Ring and send a band of heroes from every corner of Middle Earth on adventures through new and interesting lands. Fish out of water scenarios could follow, or perhaps some of our heroes could not be welcome back into their own communities as punishment for associating with filthy outsiders. Racial tensions were always an underlying theme in Tolkien’s work, and a series could explore these issues further.

5. The rich history of Middle-earth could make for awe-inspiring flashbacks

This might be more of a personal reason, but whichever era Amazon chooses to set their series in, we need not stay in that time frame. Through the magic of flashbacks, we can see other events and eras. And given how rich Tolkien’s invented history is, who wouldn’t want that?

In Middle-earth, ancient events echo down through to the present, affecting the lives and actions of our heroes. Going beyond simple or short flashbacks, that Amazon money could come in handy to give us a deeper exploration of the reasons beyond the conflicts we are seeing on screen, regardless of when or where Amazon chooses to set its series.

Like Game of Thrones, the Lord of the Rings saga is the culmination of thousands of years of fake history. But unlike Game of Thrones, the Lord of the Rings saga features characters who were still around when that story was in its early days. Sauron, the big bad, has been alive for eons, and fought during the awesome battles in Middle-earth’s beginnings, when dragons and Balrogs roamed the lands in great numbers. Flashing back to some of those heady times would be an absolute trip.

6. We’ll need something to watch when Thrones is over, and Amazon’s show will come along at exactly the right time

In the realm of television, fantasy or otherwise, Game of Thrones is king. And while some subscribe to the theory that to “be the man you have to beat the man,” Amazon is going to operate on the lesser known variant: “wait until the man retires.”

Sometime in 2019, Game of Thrones is going to end, and while there are other contenders out there, Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series could easily slide into the void it leaves behind. While Tolkien’s work doesn’t have the soap opera aspects Thrones does, there are enough similarities to get fans excited, among them dragons and a densely imagined world with medieval trappings. And with Thrones fever still hanging in the air, Amazon may play on that by amping up the political intrigue, purposefully given people still mourning the loss of their favorite show a reason to watch this new one.

It won’t happen by itself. Amazon will have to make the show good, obviously, but if its take on Lord of the Rings comes out in 2020 or so, it will be well-timed to fill the hole Thrones leaves behind.

7. The show could bring back characters and actors with whom fans are already familiar

We still don’t know what time period Amazon’s series will cover, but unless the series takes it all the way back to the dawn of time, chances are we’re going to see some familiar faces. Tolkien’s world is filled with characters who enjoy incredibly long life spans, if not immortality, meaning fan favorites like Ian McKellan’s Gandalf or could easily appear in the series without having to stretch belief past the breaking point.

And Gandalf could be the tip of the iceberg. Characters like Elrond and Lady Galadriel are thousands of years old, with the latter born basically before time began. What’s stopping Amazon from getting Hugo Weaving and Cate Blanchett on the horn? Orlando Bloom reprised his role as  Legolas (Orlando Bloom) the elf in the Hobbit movies years after The Lord of the Rings films wrapped up. And who can forget the biggest of them all: Sylvester McCoy as the crazy wizard Radagast?

We’re kidding about that last one, but you get the point.

Amazon would do well to bring a few of the established stars on board. They would provide an easy way in for fans, and give the show a good pedigree right out of the gate. Sure, they won’t come cheap — a lot of them are used to starring in big-budget films by now — but what’s the point of having all the money in the world if you can’t use it?

8. Amazon could make shows set in Tolkien’s world for decades to come

Based on the massive success of Game of Thrones, HBO recently ordered a pilot for a prequel series, with A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin revealing that plans for further prequel shows may also eventually come to series. There’s certainly enough backstory for it. Similarly, if Amazon’s Lord of the Rings show is a success, the company could draw on Tolkien’s rich legendarium and continue to bring us series set in Middle-earth until our grandkids are asking what a television is.

Like Martin’s world, Tolkien’s Middle-earth has a history that extends thousands of years into the past, with the Lord of the Rings saga serving as the climax to events set in motion long before any of our favorite heroes lived. And Amazon has the money to pay for series based on each decade.

Unbound by advertising or traditional broadcasting restrictions, Amazon could even go wild and air multiple interweaved Lord of the Rings shows simultaneously. Imagine watching the events on one show echo down through time to affect the characters on another show set hundreds or thousands of years later. We’re having a nerd heard attack just thinking about it. Ultimately though, the point is that Amazon has the resources to pull off anything it likes, as long as the first show lands.

9. Amazon can introduce to lots of characters from Tolkien’s work who never showed up onscreen

As much as we hope that old favorites like Ian McKellan’s Gandalf show up in whatever series Amazon chooses to make, we’re excited about the prospect of meeting some all-new characters. The Song of Ice and Fire novels are filled with characters who never made it onto Game of Thrones, and that’s a crying shame. Amazon can make sure it includes everyone it can from Tolkien’s writings.

From Glorfindel, an Elvish warrior who stood toe to toe with the Witch-king of Angmar, to the demigod Tom Bombadil, who treats every day like an episode of Glee, Tolkien’s work is filled with unique and interesting characters who’ve never made it to the big or small screens. Familiar faces are comforting, but also predictable. Characters we have yet to see would breathe fresh life into a world we’ve visited before.

Alternatively, Amazon’s could take the the Tauriel route, which is to say create a completely new character not based on Tolkien’s work; that’s what Warner Bros. did with Evangeline Lilly’s character in the Hobbit movies. That can increase tension. We all knew a character like Legolas would survive Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, no matter how many flying bricks he had to jump across. With Tauriel, the danger always felt real, and it’ll feel that way for any original character Amazon creates. Give us the danger Amazon!

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10. A Lord of the Rings show will inspire people to read Tolkien’s original books

Back before Game of Thrones took over the world, George R.R. Martin was a successful author, but not a household name. The show drove people to his books, which enriched author and reader alike. And while Tolkien’s work was beloved long before Peter Jackson ever turned it into Academy Award-winning films (and also those Hobbit movies), Amazon’s new series will no doubt drive people back to the source, and that’s always good news

Like Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire novels, Tolkien’s work is incredibly detailed, with the author describing everything right down to what the Hobbits eat for each of their many meals. Not everything can make it into Amazon’s series, and even viewers who fall in love with it will find fresh surprising waiting in the original novels, whether it’s a plot turn left out of the adaptation or Tolkien’s jaunty, creative use of language. There’s a reason Tolkien’s work has endured for this long, and the show could drive a whole new generation of fans to his work.

Also, it’ll make sure new fans get pop culture references like this one in The Martian. You don’t want to be left out like Kristen Wiig, do you?

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11. The arms race to give us “the next Game of Thrones” will result in some spectacularly ambitious shows, whether they’re good or not

Let’s be honest; Amazon (and everyone else) is searching for the next Game of Thrones because they want a piece of that show’s success. The HBO drama redefined what a successful television show looked like, transcending traditional fantasy demographics and appealing to the masses. It raised the bar, and everyone else is scrambling to catch up. But when they do, they could raise the bar once again, and that’s good for viewers.

Amazon is spending what it’s spending specifically because of what HBO has spent to make Game of Thrones a phenomenon. Assuming Amazon’s Lord of the Ring series is a success, it has the chance to raise the bar even higher, becoming the show others are compared to, maybe even that Game of Thrones prequel in development. Spending money doesn’t equal quality storytelling, but it doesn’t hurt, either. Every dollar Amazon spends is a dollar more that the next show has to spend, driving productions values up and up, just like Game of Thrones did.

Game of Thrones raised the bar in multiple ways, chief among them production costs. And if Amazon raises that level even higher, it might be a long time before anyone else catches up. Meanwhile, we get to sit back and watch as studios compete to show us ever more spectacular sights.

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12. A successful Lord of the Rings show will drive further interest in the fantasy genre

Just as the Lord of the Rings series has the potential to raise the productions values for shows that come after it, it could spur the production of more fantasy shows in general. The success of Grey’s Anatomy spawned a dozen medical dramas. Lord of the Rings could leave a wave of fantasy shows in its wake.

From Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books to to Ursula K. LeGuins The Earthsea Cycle, the fantasy genre is teeming with properties ripe for adaptation. The fantasy genre, by its nature, is full of original ideas, many of which would make perfect television series. Lila Bowen’s Shadow series follows a shape-shifting Comanche hunting monsters through the Old West. Now doesn’t that sound like fun?

The point here is that the success of shows like Game of Thrones and potentially Lord of the Rings drives television producers to search for other genre properties to adapt. Just look at how many lawyer shows we got after Law and Order became a hit, or every city that setup a CSI spinoff. Sure, not all of the inevitable offshoots will be good — no one wants to see a fantasy version of CSI: Cleveland — but CSI: Miami wasn’t half bad.

13. Amazon is spending a lot of money on this show, which means a lot of money pumped into the local economy of wherever Amazon films

The exact figures are hard to nail down, but Game of Thrones has been an undeniable boon for any country where it’s set up shop. Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the show does the bulk of its shooting, has reaped the most benefits, in much the same way New Zealand did while Peter Jackson filmed his movie trilogies there.

Movies and TV shows employ hundreds, if not thousands, of people. From drivers to caterers to carpenters and, of course, actors, entertainment is big business. With Amazon already greenlighting the first two seasons of its Lord of the Rings show (with a further three seasons rumored), the e-commerce can pump tons of money into wherever it decides to shoot. And even after it’s left, the local economy can benefit for years afterwards. Hell, Dubrovnik’s tourism industry is basically based on Game of Thrones these days.

But where will Amazon film the show? New Zealand is a likely choice, especially if Amazon wants familiar locales, and super-especially if Peter Jackson ends up getting involved in the production. But wherever it goes, the locals will reap the rewards.

14. Amazon has the money to make the Battle of Helm’s Deep look like a teddy bear’s picnic

Look, we enjoy all the talking on Game of Thrones, but at the end of the day you just want to see Jon Snow slice and dice his way through a horde of enemies, right? We’re exaggerating, but Game of Thrones is hailed as much for its battle sequences as for its depictions of feuding families and careful character work. Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series has the opportunity to follow in its footsteps and then some.

We still don’t know for sure what era Amazon will choose to set its series in, but rest assured it will contain more than a few epic battles. Tolkien’s world is one of strife and discord, perhaps not on the same level as the dog-eat-dog land of Westeros, but violent. From battles between the gods themselves to hosts of elves and men squaring off against legions of balrogs and dragons, Tolkien has scenes that would make an action filmmaker sweat with anticipation. And with Amazon’s budget, this show could do them justice.

Whatever kind of show Amazon makes, it can and should include action scenes to get the heart pumping. We’re guessing the violence will be less gratuitous than some of the over-the-top deaths we saw on Game of Thrones, but that doesn’t mean they will be any less exciting. Get ready to rumble.

15. Amazon can take the opportunity to bring more female representation to Middle-earth

Let’s be honest: as great as The Lord of the Rings is, it’s severely lacking in female characters. In the mainline series, it’s pretty much just Galadriel and Éowyn holding the torch; Peter Jackson had to beef up Arwen’s role so the movies weren’t a total sausage fest, and for The Hobbit he invented  Tauriel out of thin air so there would at least be one woman with more than two lines. If Amazon wants its show to be the next Game of Thrones, it’s got to make like George R.R. Martin and feature a mix of excellent male and female characters.

From Cersei to Daenerys, to Sansa and Arya, from Brienne to Margaery Tyrell, Game of Thrones has no lack of interesting female characters, and Amazon would do will to follow suit. They need not all be warriors or even initially be capable or heroic characters; they just need to be compelling characters who can grow into someone we can root for…or against.

Amazon is admittedly more hemmed in by Tolkien’s source material than HBO was by Martin’s, but that doesn’t mean they are without options. Tolkien’s legendarium is vast, and includes many characters worth exploring, and some un-remarked upon ones who could be explored. And there’s always the option to invent new characters; if Amazon is intending to show us something we haven’t seen before in this universe, it’s going to be doing that anyway, and it might as well correct Tolkien’s imbalance or male-to-female characters while it’s at it.

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