The creators of Amazon Prime’s “Lord of the Rings” unveiled the most comprehensive look at the series yet at the annual San Diego Comic-Con convention, promising an entirely different immersion into the fantasy world of Middle-earth.
The expensive series, subtitled “The Rings of Power,” is set 4,000 years before the events in the blockbuster movie adaptations of writer JRR Tolkien’s beloved books. The time period is known as the Second Age.
Peter Jackson’s films are set in the third era, which “was post-apocalyptic, all these kingdoms have fallen,” Patrick McKay, co-creator of the new series, told fans in a packed convention hall on Friday.
“Rings of Power” begins with Middle-earth in a time of peace, “vibrant and filled with light,” and depicts the gleaming island kingdom of Numenor, McKay said. The harfoots, the forerunners of hobbits, are nomads and “far from the Shire,” he said.
“It’s a meeting with all the people of Middle-earth in a different place,” McKay said.
Co-creator JD Payne said the calm at the beginning of the story is quickly threatened.
“Imagine your home, your family, your job, your cosplay costume, the things that matter most to you,” Payne said. ‘Then you suddenly imagine that everything will be taken away. How far would you go into the darkness to protect them? That’s the story we’re telling.’
McKay and Payne appeared with several members of a large cast, including Morfydd Clark, who plays the young elven warrior Galadriel, and Robert Aramayo, who plays the half-elven Elrond.
Amazon released a three-minute trailer to spark excitement for the series ahead of its September 2 debut on its Prime Video streaming service. The company plans to unfold the story in 50 hours over five seasons.
The online retailer spent approximately $465 million producing the show’s first episode, which was filmed in New Zealand, including Fiordland, making it one of the most expensive TV shows ever.