THE LORD OF THE RINGS: Warner Bros. And Peter Jackson Have Been In Touch About Plans To Expand Franchise

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: Warner Bros. And Peter Jackson Have Been In Touch About Plans To Expand Franchise

Warner Bros. has big plans for The Lord of the Rings franchise in theaters, and it's now been confirmed that Peter Jackson has met with the studio about their plans for Middle-earth. Read on for details!

News
By JoshWilding - Jun 15, 2023 08:06 AM EST
Filed Under: Lord of the Rings
Source: Vanity Fair (via SFFGazette.com)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is the most expensive TV series ever made, though we're still not sure if it led to a large enough increase in Amazon Prime Video's all-important subscriber numbers.

Regardless, the show will soon face unexpected competition from Warner Bros. Earlier this year, the studio announced plans to expand the franchise in theaters, suggesting we'll soon see two conflicting visions for Middle-earth on our screens. 

While there's room for both to coexist, the studio - which appears determined to regain past success through reliable and familiar IPs - is thought to be plotting a number of spin-off movies revolving around the beloved characters from Peter Jackson's trilogy.

That means expanding the franchise beyond even author J.R.R. Tolkien's novels, but who better to help them with that than the filmmaker who adapted both The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit into six critically and commercially successful blockbusters?

In an interview with Variety (via SFFGazette.com), Warner Bros. Film Group co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy confirmed they have big plans for Middle-earth. 

While no specific quotes were published, the trade reveals that they've "brokered a pact to make new 'Lord of the Rings' films, and visited Peter Jackson in New Zealand to reestablish the studio’s connection to the franchise’s original director."

How involved Jackson and writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens will be with these future projects remains to be seen, but this does bode well. 

Warner Bros. previously found itself embroiled in a legal battle with the Saul Zaentz Company-owned Middle-earth Enterprises about whether they were doing enough with the property, with plans for an animated movie - The War of the Rohirrim - deemed insufficient. New owners, Embracer, have settled matters as they look to take advantage of the franchise's popularity alongside the movie studio that released the previous six instalments in theaters. 

What are your hopes for The Lord of the Rings moving forward? Let us know in the comments section.

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philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 6/15/2023, 8:39 AM
MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 6/15/2023, 8:41 AM
I'll just stick with the three movies.
Fogs
Fogs - 6/16/2023, 10:24 AM
@MosquitoFarmer - Yes.

And maybe the Hobbit (Maple Edit)
MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 6/16/2023, 10:52 AM
@Fogs - Those movies are fine to really darn enjoyable, but I really don't want to have to sit through the whole of any of them. I will gladly watch the entire Smaug sequence from the 2nd though.
Fogs
Fogs - 6/16/2023, 1:06 PM
@MosquitoFarmer - yeah, I'm with you. The maple edit condenses all 3 in a single one though
Chasekeane
Chasekeane - 6/15/2023, 8:41 AM
I'm so confused who has the IP for LOTR, is it Warners, Amazon or Embracer? Or can they all just do whatever they want with it now?
Blergh
Blergh - 6/15/2023, 8:46 AM
@Chasekeane -
Embraced holds 100% of the IP now.

Amazon only has the limited rights of a television package that was offered to Netflix/Hulu/Disney in 2016 by the Tolkien Estate. These rights only included LotR, not the Silmarilion or anything else. Hence the very loose adaption of events in that series. Amazon essentially paid an arm and a leg for a rejected package. Embracer later got the full deal by taking the IP off of the Estates hands.
These rights start and end with the show.

WB is only a licenser under Embracer.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 6/15/2023, 12:55 PM
@Blergh - Saul Zaentz was previously legally going to argue that the film rights had reverted to Middle-earth Enterprises again after no further Lord of the Rings or Hobbit movies were in production. The announcement of the animated prequel movie War of the Rohirrim, following the life of the King of Rohan Helm Hammerhand, changed that, and it seems that Embracer’s acquisition of Middle-earth Enterprises has led to that argument being put to bed, as the two companies are now working together on more films.
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/15/2023, 8:42 AM
Well at least that is a good sign, even if we don't really need anymore Lord Of The Rings spin offs.
Blergh
Blergh - 6/15/2023, 8:43 AM
- The Silmarilion as an animated anthology series with Ian McKellan narrating, instead of active animation it’s more artistic in it being more of an audiobook with beautiful animated sequencing visualizing the tales.

- Legolas/Gimli buddy movie set during the epilogue of LotR, seeing the two build and defend the last town for dwarves and elves until Gimli eventually becomes the first dwarf to travel to the undying lands.

- The New Shadow Trilogy building on Tolkiens drafts.

- Morgoth War trilogy
Tasmaniac
Tasmaniac - 6/15/2023, 8:46 AM
NO. No no no no no. The OT is perfect. Now leave it the [frick] alone. Get him to direct Thor 5 FFS! A serious Thor 5! Come on Marvel, you hopeless bastards!
Blergh
Blergh - 6/15/2023, 8:47 AM
@Tasmaniac - Thor vs Hercules in a Ray Harrihausen style pls
ImBatman4realz
ImBatman4realz - 6/15/2023, 9:47 AM
@Tasmaniac - Thor becoming the goofball comedy of the MCU was a huge mistake. They need to bring the time back to epic fantasy-adjacent
McMurdo
McMurdo - 6/15/2023, 12:57 PM
@Tasmaniac - PJ wouldn't go near Thor or the MCU with a thousand foot pole
Blergh
Blergh - 6/15/2023, 2:05 PM
@McMurdo - why? Good money, shot right at his doorstep and tons of freedom
McMurdo
McMurdo - 6/15/2023, 3:29 PM
@Blergh - I means it's painfully obvious why.
Blergh
Blergh - 6/15/2023, 5:29 PM
@McMurdo - if Disney threw cash at me and told me to make a movie I’d do it…but I’m morally bankrupt
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 6/15/2023, 8:53 AM
I'm not thrilled with the idea of going beyond Tolien's work, but at least if Peter Jackson is involved it won't be an agenda pushing, box checking, force feeding of ideals.

Here is all one needs to know about why Peter Jackson's series is so beloved, and why Rings of Power is a goddamn joke:

Peter Jackson:
"We made a promise to ourselves at the beginning of the process that we weren't going to put any of our own politics, our own messages or our own themes into these movies. In a way, we were trying to make these films for him (Tolkien), not for ourselves."

Rings of Power creators:
"It felt only natural to us that an adaptation of Tolkien’s work would reflect what the world actually looks like.”

Peter Jackson's approach is how all adaptations should be done.
AscendedExtra
AscendedExtra - 6/15/2023, 8:57 AM
@CorndogBurglar - I wish more writers/ directors took Jackson's approach to adapting other work
TheRose
TheRose - 6/15/2023, 9:17 AM
@CorndogBurglar - Jackson's approach is arguably what makes these films so timeless. The themes are not topical, but universal. It's definitely a strong point of the series.

I know that many would like this same mentality put toward Comic Book/Superhero properties. I'm not so certain it applies. Tolkien's work was purposefully allegoric with broad enough themes not so confined to a single era. However, comics books have ALWAYS been topical. Captain America and Superman were fighting Nazis and Communists, The Fantastic Four are a commentary on family dynamics and the ethical boundaries of science, The X-Men have ALWAYS been a story of fearing other and change within scientific and sociological structures, Green Arrow and Green Lantern tackled substance abuse and breaking down racial barriers. These stories have always been vehicles for authors to tell narratives that are relevant to for the specific audience.

I'm not a fan of box-checking, but I can't deny that Superhero stories seem to be at their strongest when they are trying to speak to the audience. There has to be some middle ground that keeps the spirit of the characters while also keeping that energy devoted to the viewer.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 6/15/2023, 11:09 AM
@TheRose - All of those examples you listed from comics can all still be adapted into movies without putting in other messages or agendas.
TheRose
TheRose - 6/15/2023, 12:48 PM
@CorndogBurglar - I guess my point is that when they were introduced in the comics, they were pushing messages and agendas that were not present at the time. Are we really so surprised that the movies would do the same?

Again, I'm not a fan of pushing these concepts just to check boxes. Ex. PLEASE DON'T CHANGE ETHNICITY/SEXUALITY OF ALL THE XMEN, THEY ARE ALREADY A GREAT DISPLAY OF DIVERSITY AS THEY ARE. But I think no matter what changes or stories are put forth, there is always going to be someone offended because these narratives have always been on the pulse of these topics.
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/15/2023, 4:07 PM
@CorndogBurglar - I remember when they changed the name of The Black Panther because they were worried about being associated with the Black Panther political group.

Now these writers jump on whatever political bad wagon that is the current trend.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 6/15/2023, 5:11 PM
@TheRose - I think we're agreeing? I realize that comics have always had certain messages. X-Men is the easiest, so I'll use them. I would 100% want an X-Men movie to also include the message of acceptance. It's their whole thing. But if they made a movie and suddenly started race and gender swapping, or telling stories about topics that really aren't related to the X-Men in any way, then I think that's a bad move.

For example, I wouldn't expect an X-Men movie to have messages about being a vegan. Or, I wouldn't expect them to essentially change the world the X-Men live in. I wouldn't expect the Morlocks to be anything other than the morlocks.

With Rings of Power they did all these weird things, like race swapping certain races. Having Dwarves without beards.

Things like that.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 6/15/2023, 5:17 PM
@TheRose - But there is quite a difference also. LotR is a medieval fantasy world. Why anyone would think that putting our real world, modern day issues and changing things and races in that highly fantastical world is a good idea is beyond me.

Marvel at least exists in a realistic Earth. It mirrors our actual world with the exception of people having powers. Middle-Earth is a totally different thing lol. So why would anyone think it should mirror our world?
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/15/2023, 8:56 AM
Maybe they could adapt Lord Of The Rings:Gollum PS5.
ImBatman4realz
ImBatman4realz - 6/15/2023, 9:46 AM
@marvel72 - this gave me a much needed laugh 😂
AscendedExtra
AscendedExtra - 6/15/2023, 9:00 AM
IMO, Peter Jackson made 6 damn-near perfect movies. Unless Jackson himself directs an adaptation of the Silmarillion, I wish they would just leave the LotR franchise be. There are countless other book series deserving of live-action treatment out there. Find the next Peter Jackson to adapt one of those.
mountainman
mountainman - 6/15/2023, 9:05 AM
@AscendedExtra - About 50% of the Hobbit trilogy was good and the other half was quite bad. It could have been a solid adaptation like LOTR had they split the book in two and not 3 movies.
AscendedExtra
AscendedExtra - 6/16/2023, 11:13 AM
@mountainman - Well, I enjoyed Jackson's expansion of the Hobbit, so agree to disagree on that one
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