LOTR: The Rings of Power (TV Series)

[Araval]

Promotional images

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Spoiler for Map: 

Spoiler for Finrod overlooking Tirion upon Tuna and the Two Trees: 

Spoiler for Character hands posters: 

Prince Durin IV





Disa (dwarven princess)





Galadriel





High King Gil-galad





Elrond




Celebrimbor





Arondir (silvan elf)





Bronwyn (a single mother and healer)





Bronwyn's son Theo





Halbrand





Poppy Proudfellow




Largo Brandyfoot




Elanor ‘Nori’ Brandyfoot





Sadoc Burrows (harfoot elder)





Marigold Brandyfoot




Isildur





Miriel





Eärien (Isildur's sister)





Pharazôn





Kemen





Elendil





The Stranger ("Meteor Man")





Adar ("corrupted, tortured and twisted elf", leader of orcs)

Spoiler for Galadriel (played by Morfydd Clark) comes up for air: 

Spoiler for Galadriel, commander of the Northern Armies: 

Spoiler for Owain Arthur as Prince Durin IV, prince of the bustling subterranean realm of Khazad-dûm: 

Spoiler for The dwarven princess Disa, played by Sophia Nomvete, standing at Khazad-dûm’s entrance: 

Spoiler for The silvan elf Arondir, played by Ismael Cruz Córdova, is a character who’s been created for the series: 

Spoiler for Galadriel and Halbrand (Charlie Vickers) meet in dire circumstances: 

Spoiler for The half-elf Elrond (Robert Aramayo) is a politically ambitious young leader: 

Spoiler for Bronwyn (played by Nazanin Boniadi) with her forbidden love, Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova), in the village of Tirharad: 

Spoiler for Elrond and Galadriel are reunited in the majestic elven kingdom of Lindon: 

Spoiler for Nazanin Boniadi’s Bronwyn is a single mother and healer, seen here in her apothecary in Middle-earth’s Southlands: 

Spoiler for Director J.A. Bayona points the way for two nomadic hunters wandering the fields of Middle-earth: 

Spoiler for Charlie Vickers as Halbrand, a new character who is a fugitive from his own past: 

Spoiler for 4K textless Lindon scene still: 

Spoiler for Wearing a long red hooded cape, Bronwyn stands near a small pool of water that sits within a rocky mountain: 

Spoiler for Theo gazes at a broken sword he holds in his hands. The sword is old and jagged and the hilt is ornate: 

Spoiler for Empire Magazine covers: 

Spoiler for Snow Troll shot with improved CGI: 

Spoiler for Harfoots: 

Spoiler for Arondir on top of the Tir-Harad watch tower: 

Spoiler for Galadriel BTS: 

Spoiler for Celebrimbor: 

Spoiler for Gil-galad: 

Spoiler for Halbrand: 

Spoiler for Durin IV & Disa: 

Spoiler for Arondir and Theo BTS: 

Spoiler for Arondir: 

Spoiler for Lindon Ceremony: 

Spoiler for Durin IV, Elrond, Celebrimbor, Gil-galad: 

Spoiler for Bronwyn, Arondir, Theo and folks of Tir-Harad: 

Spoiler for Elrond: 

Spoiler for Durin IV BTS: 

Spoiler for Arondir banner: 

Spoiler for Orcs: 

Spoiler for Celebrimbor & Elrond: 

Spoiler for Numenor banner: 

Spoiler for New book cover featuring concept art of the ceremony in Lindon: 

Spoiler for Shipwreck scene BTS: 

Spoiler for Numenoream main characters: 

Spoiler for Pharazon: 

Spoiler for Queen Regent Miriel: 

Spoiler for Isildur: 

Spoiler for Galadriel and Elendil: 

Spoiler for Numenorean Cavalry: 

[Araval]

Promotional images

Spoiler for Character posters: 

Behind the Scenes

Misc.

Spoiler for Rings of Gil-galad by Into The Fire Jewelry: 

Spoiler for Ring of Durin IV by Into The Fire Jewelry: 

Spoiler for Dwarven set leak: 

Links

Vanity Fair first look
10 Burning Questions About Amazon’s The Rings of Power
IMDB page
Article about making of the orcs
Article about Celebrimbor
Article about Gil-galad
Article aboutfilming the shipwreck scene
Article focusing on Numenor

Some points from the Vanity Fair articles:

There will be time compression.

The goal was “to make a show for everyone, for kids who are 11, 12, and 13, even though sometimes they might have to pull the blanket up over their eyes if it’s a little too scary."

The hobbit ancestors in this era are called harfoots. They may not live in The Shire, but they are satisfyingly hobbit-adjacent. McKay and Payne have constructed a pastoral harfoot society that thrives on secrecy and evading detection so that they can play out a kind of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead story in the margins of the bigger quests.

“Shadow of the Past” is the title of the first episode.

Elendil's poster shows Narsil.

John Howe was involved for more than just the map.

Orcs are created with practical effects.

They only have rights for LOTR and the Hobbit.

Howard shore is composing for the show. [Doug Adams has tweeted that neither of the trailers have featured his music yet.]

The biggest stories they intend to cover are the forging of the rings, the rise of Sauron, the rise and fall of the island kingdom of Numenor and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.

The first season is all about the heroes. The second one will get deeper into the stories.

---

I figured we could have a new thread for this here as there have finally been released some actual things from the show.

I'm writing down some first reactions of mine.

They seem to be putting a lot of emphasis on completely made-up stories which I'm afraid will make them miss the chance to flesh out Tolkien's characters.

The design choices of the characters don't seem to be formally connected to Jackson's Middle-earth but seem to share some traits in cases. I'm not sold on them yet.

What's up with those huge antlers? Are these supposed to be harfoots carrying them?

Helcaraxë looks magnificent!

I the trailer's 'ear scene' Galadriel looks like a child!


EDIT:

Here's a link for a HQ version of the trailer (not sure how long it lasts!): https://s3-iad-ww.cf.videorolls.row....lc_128kbps.mp4

Added to the OP 4K textless Lindon scene still.

"Meteor Man" has been officially called The Stranger.

EDIT2:

Second article has been released by Vanity Fair: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood...rings-of-power

[Louis Lux]

They seem to be putting a lot of emphasis on completely made-up stories which I'm afraid will make them miss the chance to flesh out Tolkien's characters.

My thoughts exactly. Seems to consist mostly of made-up characters and stories. Don't have much hope of it being any good except for some cool visuals.

[Earl of Memory]

I like the visuals but they're a bit too much high fantasy for my taste. Those giant antlers look ridiculous in my opinion. Why carry such a thing around? In your back?! Young Elrond looks way too young as well, but my lore is foggy. Galadriel also looks a bit too young, what was she already? 584 years old by time of the second age? Oh my lore is soooo foggy.

[Louis Lux]

Galadriel was perhaps many thousands of years old already. The years before the first age are perhaps counted a bit differently. They're condensing the second age quite a lot I think. If the series takes place at the beginning of the second age Elrond would be a little over 100, still young for an elf.

[Araval]

I like the visuals but they're a bit too much high fantasy for my taste. Those giant antlers look ridiculous in my opinion. Why carry such a thing around? In your back?!

You mean the full plate armour or the highly detailed accessories?
Apparantly they're hunting for these antlers but I wonder why.

[Infidel144]

Helcaraxë looks magnificent!

If it is the Helcaraxe (which I don't think it is), that could be problematic. The Helcaraxe is not mentioned in LotR. Thus Amazon may not have the rights to use it.
A similar thing might happen with the map, While Numenor is named as Elenna in LotR, I am not recalling that it was described as star-shaped there:
Numenor in the App A:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As a reward for their sufferings in the cause against Morgoth, the Valar, the Guardians of the World, granted to the Edain a land to dwell in, removed from the dangers of Middle-earth. Most of them, therefore, set sail over Sea, and guided by the Star of Eärendil came to the great Isle of Elenna, westernmost of all Mortal lands. There they founded the realm of Númenor.There was a tall mountain in the midst of the land, the Meneltarma, and from its summit the farsighted could descry the white tower of the Haven of the Eldar in Eressëa. Thence the Eldar came to the Edain and enriched them with knowledge and many gifts; but one command had been laid upon the Númenoreans, the ‘Ban of the Valar’: they were forbidden to sail west out of sight of their own shores or to attempt to set foot on the Undying Lands. For though a long span of life had been granted to them, in the beginning thrice that of lesser Men, they must remain mortal, since the Valar were not permitted to take from them the Gift of Men (or the Doom of Men, as it was afterwards called).

[Infidel144]

Young Elrond looks way too young as well, but my lore is foggy. Galadriel also looks a bit too young, what was she already? 584 years old by time of the second age? Oh my lore is soooo foggy.

Well, in the most well know version, Galadriel would be about 2000 sun-years old at the End of the First Age, while Elrond would be in his 60's.
As Tolkien developed it, both would be in the human equivalent of their 20's (Elrond about 21, Galadriel in her later 20's).
I am going to have to re-read through it again, but in the latest conception, Galadriel may only be 20 when she departs Aman, and thus under 1000 at the start of the second age.
Tolkien spent a lot of effort trying to work out how Elven aging worked, both in Aman and in Middle-earth, and keep it reconciled with the Tale of Years and certain events (primarily births) that could not be changed. The last solution seems to be that Elves age like Men until they are 20 and then 1 year for every 144 sun-year after that.
He had tried working it so that even from conception Elves age at 1:144, or 1:100 (et.al.), but ran into issues with the ToY.
However, I am going to need to read through those materials again.

[Araval]

If it is the Helcaraxe (which I don't think it is), that could be problematic. The Helcaraxe is not mentioned in LotR. Thus Amazon may not have the rights to use it.
A similar thing might happen with the map, While Numenor is named as Elenna in LotR, I am not recalling that it was described as star-shaped there:
Numenor in the App A:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

As a reward for their sufferings in the cause against Morgoth, the Valar, the Guardians of the World, granted to the Edain a land to dwell in, removed from the dangers of Middle-earth. Most of them, therefore, set sail over Sea, and guided by the Star of Eärendil came to the great Isle of Elenna, westernmost of all Mortal lands. There they founded the realm of Númenor.There was a tall mountain in the midst of the land, the Meneltarma, and from its summit the farsighted could descry the white tower of the Haven of the Eldar in Eressëa. Thence the Eldar came to the Edain and enriched them with knowledge and many gifts; but one command had been laid upon the Númenoreans, the ‘Ban of the Valar’: they were forbidden to sail west out of sight of their own shores or to attempt to set foot on the Undying Lands. For though a long span of life had been granted to them, in the beginning thrice that of lesser Men, they must remain mortal, since the Valar were not permitted to take from them the Gift of Men (or the Doom of Men, as it was afterwards called).

You're right, I saw a rumour that it would be Helcaraxë but according to Vanity Fair she's travelling to Forodwaith.

If Amazon wanted to make the island circular then I think Tolkien Estate wouldn't allow it:

There’s a version of everything we need for the Second Age in the books we have the rights to. As long as we’re painting within those lines and not egregiously contradicting something we don’t have the rights to (...)

Also, I think this name would give enough of a reason to interpret the island as star-shaped just based on LotR.

For no doubt it was due above all to Middle-earth itself, and to the slow withdrawing of the gifts of the Númenoreans after the downfall of the Land of the Star.

[THIRDAGESUPER]

I'm sure the series is going to be a total unlore disaster. But, the only thing I hope is that they can make a enojyable and memorable product.

[Araval]

Two new images have been released.
Bronwyn:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Bronwyn's son Theo:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Infidel144]

If I am following it correctly, the single mother Browyn and her fatherless child Theo are supposed to be Southerners/Haradrim of some variety.
Their names seem rather Northern in style.

[Araval]

If that turns out to be true, then it'd be confusing for sure.

[Araval]

Empire Magazine releases new images:

Spoiler for Galadriel: 

Spoiler for Dwarf Prince Durin IV and Princess Disa, the rulers of Khazad-dûm: 

Spoiler for Poppy Proudfellow, Elanor 'Nori' Brandyfoot, and Sadoc Burrows: 

Spoiler for Snow Troll by John Howe: 

Spoiler for Snow Troll shot with improved CGI: 

Spoiler for Harfoots: 

Spoiler for Arondir on top of the TirHarad watch tower: 

Spoiler for Galadriel BTS: 

Spoiler for Celebrimbor: 

[Earl of Memory]

Well I like Galadriel's armor. Not so sure about those "stars", there was a rant on the internet about her wearing Feanor's symbol, not sure this is one of those.

[Araval]

New images from Empire:

Spoiler for Harfoots: 

Spoiler for Gil-galad: 

Spoiler for Halbrand: 

Spoiler for Durin IV and Disa: 

Spoiler for Arondir and Theo BTS: 

Spoiler for Arondir: 

Spoiler for Lindon ceremony: 

Spoiler for Largo, Nori and Poppy: 

Spoiler for Durin IV in Lindon: 

Spoiler for Bronwyn, Arondir, Theo and folks of Tir-Harad: 

Spoiler for Nori: 

Spoiler for Elrond: 

Spoiler for Harfoots: 

[Araval]

New promo video:

Spoiler for Durin IV BTS: 

Spoiler for Dwarven set leak: 

Spoiler for Arondir banner: 

[Araval]

Images of orcs have been released by IGN!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Female orcs will be shown. More about making of the orcs in this article: https://www.ign.com/articles/the-lor...orcs-exclusive

[Earl of Memory]

Finally back to orcs with props instead of digitally created clones! I like some of the designs. Not a fan of the many eyes on the clothes thing. The first helmet looks cool but impractical. Overall quite liking the orcs!

[Roma_Victrix]

I agree, the Orcs look badass, even if some of their armor seems a bit impractical. Otherwise I don't really like much of anything else I'm seeing, apart from the pretty scenery. The cinematography will probably be amazing, but the invented characters are probably going to be lame and diverge too much from Tolkien source material.