Very few TV shows in history will come burdened with the pressure and expectations that fall on the shoulders of Amazon’s mega budget The Lord of the Rings. Not only is it the first small screen episodic work based in the expansive universe created by J.R.R. Tolkien and a companion piece to one of the most successful movie franchises of all-time, but it also happens to be the single most expensive production in the history of television, with the streaming service shelling out a billion dollars for five seasons of content.
If the first run of episodes lands with a thud and disappoints audiences and critics, then The Lord of the Rings will come under even more intense scrutiny to deliver, given the massive investment required just to bring it to life in the first place. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom‘s J.A. Bayona will direct the first two installments, which are expected to hit Amazon before the end of the year, and you can guarantee that the viewership numbers are going to be huge.
20 new cast members were added a couple of months ago before shooting resumed after a break for Christmas and New Year, but so far the ensemble is relatively light on star power. However, that might be about to change if the latest rumors turn out to be true, with Russell Crowe linked to a pretty substantial part, as you can see below.
Pure rumors here but if these LOTR castings pan out this is ??? a show that I need to watch
Morfydd Clark ?♀️ Galadriel
Robert Aramayo ?♂️ Elrond
Joseph Malwe ? Lil' Annie
Ken Watanabe ?♂️ Pallando
Ghassan Massoud ?♂️ Alatar
Lenny Henry ⚔️ Blacklock
Russell Crowe ? Durin— TheOneRing.net (@theoneringnet) February 4, 2021
The Academy Award winner could be up for the role of Durin the Deathless, a dwarf king from the First Age, although several others have also inherited the name as part of his lineage in canon. Of course, you’re best taking this one with a pinch of salt for now when only half of the talent listed above has been officially confirmed for the cast so far, and as of yet, Crowe, Ken Watanabe and Ghassan Massoud haven’t signed on for The Lord of the Rings, though that could easily change in the very near future.
