Lord or the Rings as a franchise could be saved by the heroes of the DC Universe. In a crossover. Yes you read that right.
Before you outright scoff at the idea hear me out for a moment. First of all as for the legal technicalities it's a little weird with the various rights but The Lord of the Rings franchise is under the wing of New Line which is an arm of Warner Bros. So Warner Brothers could feasibly shake up a new contract to use characters from LOTR in other media. So I asked myself which franchises are the most popular at WB at this current time? Why the entire library of DC universe characters of course!
So why do I think that crossing over such disparate franchises is a great, scratch that, fantastic idea? Simple, because Lord of the Rings is threatened with running out of source material. It has nowhere else to go that is truly interesting on paper. But mashing up the (remaining) characters of Middle Earth with the comic world makes for a compelling and incredible setup that breathes new purpose into both franchises without being tied to a specific actor or story. The morbid curiosity of the fans will also bring internet chatter and word-of-mouth plot seeking to new heights. Imagine the fun we will have as fans learning the details of this bizarre but thrilling new direction for our favorite heroes... and villains.
Doing a crossover will allow WB to pull the LOTR characters out of the trappings of a single, albeit much-beloved, generational tale of one hobbit family into the realm of character studies and spin offs. So far Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit have no fan-favorite characters that can truly hold a movie on their own (we'll get to Gandalf and the Silmarillion in a moment.) But pitting the elf king Elrond up against a brainstorming Lex Luthor who seeks to apprehend the rulers in the realm for his own industrial plans is a new spin entirely on LOTR's old yarn regarding the lust for power and the destruction of the very essence of nature to get it! The franchises are rife with this kind of potential.
So you may ask how could we combine the two universes without going all Mortal Kombat vs DC'ery on us? First there is no guarantee that a writer the studio hires wouldn't make the same inane plot jumps that the video game story made. Sure I'm certain many of you when first contemplating a crossover with DC were thinking that the aesthetics mix as well as Superman vs Masters of the Universe. Given the track record of crossovers there seems to be a negative aura from the mere mention of the idea. But here's the thing, crossovers don't have to be a joke. I'll repeat crossovers don't need to be jokey, nor heavy-handed or a series of trailerrama shots. The only reason why most crossovers come out clunky is because most of the time they are rushed between two different teams of writers or even worse are given half as much as the attention because the creators are splitting the profits. Also I think subconsciously, and this goes especially true for comic crossovers, the writers often need to dream up of dramatic tales that don't affect their main character's continuity forcing the producers to cripple the impact of the story up front. But this doesn't always have to be the case. Take Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash, it began as a script treatment (found here http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3502/) and was such great
fan service that although Sam Raimi wanted to take Evil Dead somewhere else and Friday's rights were locked up by Taratino, the script found new life in two 6 issue graphic novel releases. So paying homage while delivering excellence can be done in a crossover.
So how exactly could the universes connect? Both franchises have well-versed magical users from Arwen to Zantana. But instead of pulling some weird cosmic rune babble out of thin air perhaps we could use established LOTR lore to assist the plot? We have an excellent character already set up in Lord of the Rings as a mystic in tune with the workings of the multiverse already. Tom Bombadil!
As most Tolkien fans know the character of Tom Bombadil was suspiciously unconcerned with the trivialities of Sauron's takeover of middle earth and was distinctly unswayed by the lure of the Ring of Power. He was so carefree in the book that many readers interpreted his uncommitted nature as stupidity at best and hidden evil at worst. What if the reason why Tom Bombadil was so placid about Sauron's army was because he was a ringbearer of his own?
That's right. What if Tom Bombadil was actually Green Lantern? Well not an official one. Just like how the Green Lantern Alan Scott received his ring through a series of misfortunes occuring in ancient China, what if Bombadil receives his ring in a similar fashion? Even better what if Bombadil was a Guardian?!
Bombadil could actually be an immortal banished from Oa who chose to live for eternity in middle earth, perhaps as a more merciful imprisonment than, say, Parallax's. As he knew about other rings of power as well as other forces of creation there was no reason to concern himself with the activity in Murkwood. This would also explain behavior that is so uncharacteristic of green lanterns yet while still possessing the abilities of one. The entire plot could involve the ex-ring maker Bombadil fashioning a new ring to communicate beyond middle earth, reaching Earth 2, and the mind of one lunatic so scatterbrained by the multiverse he's the only being that would notice the mental siren from his cell in Arkham!
What could be the story you ask? Well how about a new Fellowship for starters! But this time instead of the Ring of Power the heroes must confiscate the rings of Sinestro whose minions see a way to bring back Parallax using the lava flows of Mount Doom threatening to change Middle Earth to land of fear bathed in yellow ugliness?
I am thinking a few lesser known DC characters would fit much better in this tale of magic and wildebeests. Imagine a subplot where Blue Beetle and Booster Gold find out what happened to the original blue wizards who were supposed to help Gandalf, and then fall for their same mistakes? Or one where the Martian Manhunter recruits Beorn using their shared isolation and distance from society no matter what form they shapechange into? Or one where Dr. Fate or the Specter had to find Sauron's globes over again?
And what of the big three? Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman? They are the most interesting of all! Wonder Woman's amazonian forces might be right at home in Middle Earth and Diana may face a reawakened battle thirst like never before. Batman, he might be faced with the reality that his prowess is better suited for a city-environment, spitting insults and gruff comebacks at the parlance of the dwarfs. Superman may be the most humbled of the three as his powers rely on the make up of the very solar system to activate. Middle Earth being a world enchanted by magic might play havoc on Supe's mind and body forcing him to go on a spiritual quest to address his deep-seated fear of being stranded in a place where he's not so super anymore.
So we can kind of gather how to position the DC side of things, but what of Lord of the Rings? The Lord of the Rings brand should be more than a matte painting for Superman and Batman, but at the same time we must consider that many of LOTR actors are getting up there and may not be available. Sir Ian may not want to reprise Gandalf for instance, who might be the most recognizable character of them all. But let's be honest with ourselves, any LOTR spinoff should have identifiable characters for modern audiences to relate to and the studio would probably want the most famous faces from middle earth front and center. As we are assuming this is later on after the Sauron tale – although that could change if need be – which characters could be available for use after the end of the tale where poor old Bilbo floats off with Galadriel to elven retirement home?
Bilbo. First of all Bilbo could return to the tale as a young man. Martin Freeman did an excellent job as the original hobbit hero and certainly the LOTR vs DC tale can find a way to rejuvenate Bilbo back to youth more or less. Perhaps SwampThing has to gain the trust of Treebeard and clan for access to a fountain of youth (that the trees use for their long lives? Hey it's fun.)
The Orcs. The trolls. Spiders. Yes these man sized pests could easily make their way back, especially through the poison of the yellow ring giving them renewed confidence to swarm the kingdoms of Middle Earth. The trolls could develop a resistance to sunlight – through the protection of Sinestro's yellow?
Frodo. Since this tale occurs later on, and makes a great excuse why the actors are older in appearance. Also wouldn't it be fun to have Frodo and Bilbo share an adventure together as a team with their experiences regarding greed behind them?
A new Gollum. Yep I went there. Gollum has to return. But in what form? I don't believe in a mere rehashing of Smeagol and his ring obsession. Perhaps Smeagol had offspring, very similar to him in demeanor and they come across a black ring of death beckoning the wandering spirit of Gollum to reside within them! The Gollum entity could be seen more as a multi-generational curse afflicting the Smeagol clan and fits in with Tolkien-like lore where the mistakes of ancestors hang like albatrosses on the necks of the offspring. This would also explain the dual personalities. Also Gollum never really got to punish Bilbo for stealing the original Ring of Power. A bit of revenge play may be in store for Bilbo when Gollum learns that he survived the great war.
Old Gimli. Old Legolas. Yep these two could come back in various forms perhaps as statesmen of their clans or perhaps as something unbecoming like a homeless wanderer? Something interesting and off beat. Unlike in the Hobbit maybe the elves are disheveled and the dwarfs superior in this case? The reason both shouldn't be kings is because it would seem weird that old chums would foster any animosity towards each other. The situation would be too boring if elves and dwarfs were just complacent with each other rather than if hostilities had reignited between the two races due to the presence of Luthor and foes. Maybe they secretly lust for the regenerative source that Treebeard has?
Smaug. Oh boy. Here's a big one. Smaug could definitely return, not as a flesh and blood creature, but as an energy form of Parallax. Maybe he finds a new treasure trove? Or perhaps he's dispatched to take care of the JLA's WatchTower?? The possibilities are endless for this menacing monster.
Young/Old Saruman. Christopher Lee has stated that he has retired from acting so the likelihood of him returning to the role is very slim. However the role could be recast even as his older version as the movie incarnation was covered in a white hair and a beard. Also his death didn't appear in the released movie version, only as a cut scene on the DVD. Saruman's return could very well take place in this later time period without any rejuvenation nonsense. He might be the one to find a yellow ring and substitute for Sinestro completely becoming the Yellow Wizard.
Young Gandalf. Ok this one's a stretch but audiences might forgive the actor who steps into this role with the knowledge that Sir Ian simply is too old for the role of heh, the old wizard. Perhaps we can have Gandalf come full circle? He could renew all the way back to his nascent and least powerful form of Gandalf the Black. That would at least keep things slightly interesting for audiences disgruntled at Ian's absence.
Anyway looking at the aspects and pinpointing the franchises strengths shows what could be incorporated into a film like this. But moreso than that fan interest and audiences hungry for spectacle could easily get captivated by a sprawling combination of familiar universes like this one. All it takes is a good writer.
The main reason for this push is to give the Lord of the Rings story a fresh angle and again to break it free from the singular tale of Sauron. This leads me to address the elephant in the room that I can feel many purists shoving my nose into its tail end, the story of the Silmarillion.
Many of you might feel that the Silmarillion has a strong tale all its own and that the idea of a crossover disrespects the original intent of the LOTR writings. Others may be so confident in the strength of the Silmarillion's tale that they believe a new trilogy could be made regarding the cosmic dust Middle Earth was shaped from. Sure the fact that a few characters in the Silmarillion are also found in the Lord of the Rings tale, such as Sauron and Gandalf might even add credence to their arguments. But I must disagree. The Silmarillion might be popular with a core group of die hard readers but beyond it being a massive travelogue with a bunch of vague characters there's not much to truly cling to. Now don't get me wrong, somebody at some point will make a Silmarillion movie. But...
What compelling story does the Silmarillion contain that makes it more interesting than a bombastic crossover? How many people are truly salivating at the mouths to finally see the conflict between the Valar and the Maiar (huh?) The tale is deliberately archetypical and generic (and boring) like most creation myths and so most of the plotting involves massive god-spirits stabbing each other in the back over who gets to mold the planet's first dandelion. Not to say there isn't a story there, but it is so open to interpretation and so empty and cosmic that it is hard to relate to. Many of the scenes from the Simarillion would involve essentially brand new characters that the director would have to breath life into like a Middle Earth Valar. Notice you never, ever, hear anybody quote the Silmarillion. No one imitates its characters. Not many could even name one character not mentioned in LOTR. Have you ever heard anyone, ANYONE say that they wished they could own a Silmaril stone? (I looked that up) Additionally no fan service the likes of Leonard Nimoy singing about Bilbo Baggins has come from the book. The book is raw concrete powder and water, essential ingredients that haven't been mixed and shaped yet. Not that a good movie couldn't come out of it, I think Thorin is a complex new character as far as the Hobbit is concerned.
The Silmarillion's main problem is the detachment from audiences and I'll bet that studio dictate would find any excuse in the book to toss Gollum or Samwise in there somehow with a magic stroke of Final Draft. But my argument is that with the Silmarillion waters being so untested you might as well just do a crossover while the principal actors are still living and breathing. At least in that case the audience can see their favorite characters from the novels and the actors who portrayed them in the movies in a fascinating new light. The Silmarillion is a tougher sell to the general public who, despite what you think, are probably not as inclined to regard it as a Lord of the Rings movie unless fans and commercials really make an effort to educate them. The fact that so few recognizable characters show up and how uninteresting the stakes appear “the elves may lose Two Trees! Oh no!” why not take the LOTR mythos in a daring and explosive new direction with several easily comprehensible unknowns involving beloved characters on both sides.
One more issue with The Silmarillion is that it also has the problem with rights. The rights to the book are still in question with the Tolkien estate and WB most likely would need to pay a pretty penny for this proto prequel. But why take that risk, they already have the rights to the best sights and sounds of Middle Earth? Instead of being ensnared by the legal Shelob WB could simply dust off their established universes and make a captivating world spanning adventure that tests the boundaries of heroism and magic (and good writing ha ha) at the same time. Also if they use a few lesser known DC characters in this crossover, they could drum up the appeal of these hetherto unknowns with fan buzz and comic database searches. If anyone wants a Lobo movie here's an opportunity where his character quirks could be briefly set up for both Tolkien and DC comics fans.
In the end all parties could benefit if done right. The characters don't seemingly mesh well, but could be spun as something interesting and unique as curiosity swells. The scenario breathes new life into the LOTR setting and gives the writers a workable angle to continue with the Middle Earth characters. Lastly the DC universe could be given many opportunities to showoff its hidden talents and the many creations that haven't had a proper testbed on screen. This answers where the Lord of the Rings should go. This is the arkenstone that brings the families together to fight a monster over the treasure trove. If I haven't made a case for this yet please someone pipe up.
(All site complaints should be sent directly to
[email protected])