Annatar from Rings of Power

The Rings of Power season 2 has received praise for its improvement, which should be a great sign for The War of the Rohirrim. The first season of the Prime Video series was met with mixed reactions. With such widespread adoration for Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies, it’s no wonder why it took time to adjust to an entirely new cast and aesthetic for Middle-earth. The Rings of Power season 2 has received far more praise for its approach to the Second Age of Middle-earth, an era of J.R.R. Tolkien’s written history that wasn’t explored much.

December 2024 will see the release of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, an animated film based on a pivotal era of Middle-earth’s history set in the Third Age of the Lord of the Rings timeline. Exploring an era of Rohan’s history, the movie is based on the histories covered in the appendices of The Return of the King, meaning it’s another story that hasn’t been examined thoroughly in any books. This relies on the writers’ creativity to interpret Tolkien’s world and ideas.

The Rings Of Power Season 2’s Success Bodes Well For The War Of The Rohirrim

Both Stories Are Based On Scarcely Explored Eras Of Middle-earth’s History

Adar running with an orc army behind him in The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power season 2
An Eagle landing on a platform in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2.
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel examining a ring underneath an overcast sky in The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power season 2 Charlie Vickers as Sauron walking across a stone bridge while fires rage behind him in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2. Owain Arthur as Prince Durin face each other in The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power season 2 Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil looking to the side with concern in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2.Adar running with an orc army behind him in The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power season 2 An Eagle landing on a platform in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2.
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel examining a ring underneath an overcast sky in The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power season 2 Charlie Vickers as Sauron walking across a stone bridge while fires rage behind him in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2. Owain Arthur as Prince Durin face each other in The Lord of the Rings The Rings of Power season 2 Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil looking to the side with concern in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2.

The idea of taking small tidbits of Tolkien’s writing and transforming them into complete narratives is incredibly risky. There are a significant number of Tolkien fans who still don’t believe The Rings of Power is faithful to Tolkien’s writing due to the changes made to fit the television medium. There’s a complex, otherworldly aspect of books like The Silmarillion that makes them immensely challenging to bring to life. However, the fact that so many viewers have come around to The Rings of Power season 2 is indicative of future success for projects like it.

The War of the Rohirrim won’t have a clear-cut narrative to adapt like Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies. There might be ideas that certain viewers find divisive, but what’s important is the acceptance that Jackson’s adaptation won’t be the only version of Tolkien’s writing to be brought to the screen. The Lord of the Rings books are classics that deserve to be held in high esteem, but like the works of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, or Shakespeare, they will see their fair share of adaptations and reimaginings in film.

These Projects Prove There’s Demand For New Lord Of The Rings Stories

Audiences Want To See More Than Just The War Of The Ring

Hera riding a horse in The Lord of the Rings The War of the Rohirrim

Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy are some of the most popular movies ever made, and the excitement surrounding the franchise hasn’t been as high since. Even still, The Rings of Power proves there’s a lasting interest that’s come from the cultural influence of those films. Now, what’s important is developing material that matches the prestige of those original movies, raising popularity and bringing new audiences to the magnificent, prolific work of J.R.R. Tolkien.