Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a certified hit, but it came about due to complex rights entanglements. This has left some of J.R.R. Tolkien’s source material off the table for the show as it goes into future seasons, and because of this, a star of the project has not bothered to read too much of Tolkien for fear of being disappointed if they cannot adapt something later on.
Actor Charles Edwards (Celebrimbor) told Collider there were no scripts for the project at first and, as a result, Edwards was careful with what he researched. Now he knows enough to talk, but adds he is not so well-versed with the world he will continue to learn about what takes place in the fiction written decades ago.
“But with this, there was a sort of balance of, okay, well, because we didn’t have any scripts and I knew there were issues with rights and things. So you go, well, but if I read too much, for example, in The Silmarillion, then they’re not allowed to do that, then I’ll be disappointed. But as it’s turned out, all has gone according to plan so far. I’m touching wood as I say that. And the research I’ve done has been thorough and certainly enough to talk about it, but not thorough enough to continue to learn.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Edwards adds there were initially two versions of his character’s story. In one, he is in love with Galadriel, but this could be a whole other series. Edwards also says Tolkien was fascinated by work that adjusts with the times and, with this in mind, it makes sense different hands will tinker with what he made in order to make it proper for audiences of their eras.
“And any tale over time, like Brothers Grimm or fairy tales, as we know, Tolkien was fascinated by, adjusts, morphs slightly depending on the age it arrives in. And as Tolkien said, whatever his quote was about new hands taking on my work. And inevitably it will shift. And according, due to the rights issue, there is stuff, if they had the rights to The Silmarillion, they would make The Silmarillion. But it’s not that. So, it’s inevitable and welcome.”
The full first season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is now streaming on Amazon Prime. The identity of Sauron has been revealed in the initial episodes, he will have a new form in the second season and apparently, he will have unexpected plans for Middle Earth rooted in ordering things and developing the area according to the vision he has out in Mordor.
