Impact of the proposed Amazon Project on the Silm Film Project

What's next for the Silm Film Project?

  • Ignore Amazon's project. TV show? What TV show? Continue with Season 4 of SilmFilm as planned.

    Votes: 6 42.9%
  • Restart Riddles in the Dark to focus on Amazon's project while Silm Film goes on hiatus for a time.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • SilmFilm leaps ahead to the 3rd Age, covering LotR seasons before returning to Season 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • SilmFilm continues with Season 4, but with sporadic breaks for 'reaction episodes' to Amazon's show

    Votes: 7 50.0%
  • *keeping my fingers crossed for Corey Olsen's direct involvement in the Amazon Project*

    Votes: 7 50.0%

  • Total voters
    14
  • Poll closed .
Is it obvious? I'd have said obviously while he was still in charge. But he retired right around that same time...
 
Whoever is in charge now worked closely with him for years. If even I, who have never met him, knows this.....then how much more would someone who actually knows him?
 
I would like to think that Amazon Prime are taking full advantage of the restrictions with no Silmarillion rights and going back as far as they can to the beginning of the ?Second Age. They can then take as long as they like and they won't be constrained by hitting the known material (movies) for many many years.
 
The latest news about the Amazon Project is, as I guess you have seen, that there is a creative team, and that there's been a casting call for the characters Eldien, Beldor, Aric and Tyra (and Tyra is going to be played by actress Markella Kavenagh). The names sound at least partly human to me, rather than elvish. Does anyone have anything more insightful to say? A story of Men in the Second Age, it seems, but no names we know from Tolkien. The names don't sound Numenorean.
 
What's the likelihood that those are real names for real characters that will actually show up in the show? This far out, are they going to let that kind of cat of the bag?
 
What's the likelihood that those are real names for real characters that will actually show up in the show? This far out, are they going to let that kind of cat of the bag?

Sort of what I was thinking. Maybe they are just code names or placeholder names? Like, if it was Aldarion or whatever, that would be a bigger lore giveaway than anything we've seen yet.
 
Yes let's hope they're not real names. My mind is on two tracks on this: on one, they're not real and my hopes are up - on the other, they are the real names, and this is the beginning of a series of disappointments. Of course, things can take a lot of different turns.
 
But apparently Tom Shippey is involved somehow, so I guess the risk of things going totally wrong is not that great.
 
I saw an interview with him - he's either got a great poker face or he's not that deeply involved. I wonder if his main role isn't going to be making sure they don't stray from their mandate (the Tolkien Estate has a big veto apparently).
 
Here's an article with the Shippey interview, including a link to the interview itself. https://bgr.com/2019/07/31/amazon-the-lord-of-the-rings-season-1-release-date-plot-and-episodes/
(So I guess they will start the series in Middle-earth, somewhere around or after Sauron's return (500 S.A. actually, but probably later, nothing much happens before he starts to build Barad-dûr in 1000 S.A.). It will all end with the death of Sauron, naturally, but it seems they haven't decided on how to split the story in the five seasons they've said they'll do. )
 
Eldien and Beldor have some adanic sound about them... Tyra and Aric don't sound like Tolklang at all! I still hope these names Re placeholders, like Itaril in the Hobbit movies, though they also pretty much failed with many names they invented for those movies too, the most obvious example being Sebastian the hedgehog...
 
Didn't know where else to put this... i couldn't sleep and wrote my own rough outline for a "Rise of the Lord of the Rings"... i condensed the 2nd Age into 4 main parts:


Pt 1. Annatar in Eregion: c. 500 years

Possibly the 1st or ( 1-2) season.Pretty much everything that happens in Eregion, main characters are Sauron, Galadriel, Celebrimbor, Agaldor.Amroth,Agaldor the only human mortal, a middle-man.

  • Annatar comes to Eregion, Galadriel-Celeborn-Celebrimbor love-triangle, friendship of Celebrimbor and Narvi
  • Gil-galad turns away Annatar; Númenóreans begin to construct permanent havens.Elrond Gil-Galad's Herald.
  • Galadriel and Celeborn go to Lothlórien. Young Celebrian.
  • The Rings of Power are forged; Sauron departs Eregion.The Three Rings are forged. The One Ring is forged; Barad-dûr completed; Sauron openly proclaims himself;
  • Coming of Glorfindel, Rómestámo and Morinehtar
  • The Three Rings are hidden; War of the Elves and Sauron begins.Sauron invades Eriador.Amroth son of Amdír and Agaldor , seer of the Gwathuirim, form a friendship. Saurons forces sack the elven-realm of Eregion; Death of Celebrimbor.Surviving Elves found the refuge of Imladris.Dwarves assail Sauron from behind; Khazad-dûm closes.
  • Elrond meets Celebrian.
  • Sauron overruns Eriador. Saurons forces are finally defeated in Eriador by Elves and Númenóreans under King's Heir Minastir.First White Council held; Galadriel and Celeborn depart for Belfalas.
  • Death of Agaldor by Numenoreans.Amroth departs to Lothlorien.
  • Other characters: durin II/durin Iv, Aldarion?, Nimrodel and Mithrellas ? Sauron's sidekick/Fallen Elf (Celedring/Orophin)?Cirdan, Galdor?
Pt 2 the Nazgul: c.1400 years

Possibly the 2nd or ( 3-4) season.Pretty much everything happens on Numenor, main characters are, Tal-Elmar, a middle-man slave, The later Witch-King, his two associates, Amandil, his wife, a female druedain shaman, Sauron, maybe Morinehtar

  • Tal-Elmar is brought to Númenor by then ship-captain Tindomul.
  • Tar-Ciryatan takes the Sceptre. Death of Tar-Minastir.
  • Tindomul assembles a small fleet and leaves for Middle-earth. Tindomul arrives at Umbar.Tindomul goes to Barad-dur.
  • Númendil goes to Middle-Earth.
  • Ciryamir of Ciryatanorë commits suicide, bewitched by his vile son Herundil.Herundil ascends the throne of Ciryatanórë, rebelling against the King of Númenór.
  • Tindomul receives the first of the nine Rings of power.Herundil accepts the fifth of the nine Rings.Númendil accepts the seventh of the nine rings.
  • ascend of Tar-Ancalimon to the throne of Númenór, the Númenóreans are divided into two factions, friends and enemies of the Elves and the Valar.Elven tongue is forsworn in Númenor by King's Men.The Nazgûl appear for the first time. Young Amandil.
  • 2,280 - Umbar is turned into a great fortress of Númenor.Herundil flees to Mordor.
  • Pelargir is built. It becomes the chief haven of the Faithful Númenórean
  • Messengers of the Valar come to Numenor
  • Death of Ar-Sakalthôr; Ar-Gimilzôr takes the Sceptre. 3,117 - Birth of Tar-Míriel; Elves no longer permitted entrance to Númenor; Elven tongue forbidden in Númenor.
  • 3,119 - Birth of Elendil the Tall.
Other characters: Herendil, Poldor, wife of Amandil (Silissë), female leader of the Druedain (Âghi-deghi-Dhûr) ,messengers of the Valar (Eöture, Asuath, Leöllulo), Cirdan


PT3 the rise of Ar - Pharazon: ca.70 years

Possibly the 3rd (or 5-6) season.Pretty much everything happens in Numenor, main characters are Pharazon,Elendil, their wives, Sauron, Isildur, his wife, Anarion, his wife,Zimraphel, Pharazons son, maybe Herumor and Fuinor

  • Friendship Pharazon and Elendil.
  • Death of Ar-Gimilzôr, Tar-Palantir takes the Sceptre; Civil War in Númenor; Prophecy of the White Tree given.
  • Birth of Isildur Birth of Anárion
  • Death of Tar-Palantir; Ar-Pharazôn seizes the Sceptre.
  • Ar-Pharazôn lands at the Haven of Umbar. capitulation of the lord of the rings.Sauron goes as a captive to Númenór.
  • Birth of Elendur son of Isildur.
  • The Great Armament begins.
  • Amandil of Andúnië sails to Aman.
  • Birth of Meneldil
  • Ar-Pharazôn starts an attack on Valinor, Númenór is destroyed and the world changes.
Other characters:wife of Elendil (Vardamirë), Pharazonthon son of the king ,Orontor, Firiel, Terendul, Zimraphel, Cirdan


PT3 the Exiles: ca. 220 years

4th (or 7/8 ) seasonPretty much everything happens in Gondor and Mordor,Main characters are Sauron, Elendil, Anarion, Isildur,,their wives, Gil-Galad, Elrond, Galadriel, Celebrian, maybe Glorfindel and Isildur and Anarions other family.

  • the Elendili found the Kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor.
  • Birth of Aratan.Birth of Ciryon,Birth of Cemendur
  • Sauron makes war on Gondor. Sauron takes Minas Ithil.
  • Last Alliance of Elves and Men formed;
  • Last Alliance marches to Imladris.
  • birth of Valandil of Arnor.
  • Battle of Dagorlad;
  • Siege of Barad-dûr; deaths of Amdír and Oropher.Death of Anárion. *Sauron is thrown down, Deaths of Gil-galad and Elendil; The end of the second age.
Other characters:Thranduil,Valandil,Elendur, Children of Anarion (Elenalóto, Amanyë, Númeniel ,Meneldil ), Wives of Isildur and Anarion (Ilmalomë, Airalómë).Ohtar.Herumor, Fuinor - we meet again the season 1 elves and Durin (5)
 
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So interestingly, in interview Lenny Henry (who is playing a Harfoot, he revealed) described the Amazon show as being based on The Silmarillion. Now that might be more of a broad catch-all for ‘inspired by stuff not in Lord of the Rings but expanding on elements introduced in the legendarium’ but it may also be ‘picking up on entire threads and arcs and plot lines as a follow up to The Silmarillion’. Those trees for example could, I suppose, be not just a flashback but a whole episode. It’s interesting to see how much more of The Silmarillion this show might entail
 
Love Lenny Henry as a Harfoot I must say. The show will probably benefit from a solid Hobbit storyline (as long as they’re not a lot of comic relief).
Yeah the thing he said about the Silmarillion… It seems the producers acquired rights at more than one occasion, if I’m not mistaken? First a big chunk, and then the estate liked what they had done and agreed to let them have some more. I could be wrong and just forwarding a rumour. But if that’s the case, the first impression given (that it was going to be just Second Age stuff) could have been changed after the production had kicked off. But it could be just Henry making a mistake.
 
Love Lenny Henry as a Harfoot I must say. The show will probably benefit from a solid Hobbit storyline (as long as they’re not a lot of comic relief).
Yeah the thing he said about the Silmarillion… It seems the producers acquired rights at more than one occasion, if I’m not mistaken? First a big chunk, and then the estate liked what they had done and agreed to let them have some more. I could be wrong and just forwarding a rumour. But if that’s the case, the first impression given (that it was going to be just Second Age stuff) could have been changed after the production had kicked off. But it could be just Henry making a mistake.

I think all those variations at once are also possible lol
 
Love Lenny Henry as a Harfoot I must say. The show will probably benefit from a solid Hobbit storyline (as long as they’re not a lot of comic relief).
Yeah the thing he said about the Silmarillion… It seems the producers acquired rights at more than one occasion, if I’m not mistaken? First a big chunk, and then the estate liked what they had done and agreed to let them have some more. I could be wrong and just forwarding a rumour. But if that’s the case, the first impression given (that it was going to be just Second Age stuff) could have been changed after the production had kicked off. But it could be just Henry making a mistake.
There were a couple allusions to The Silmarillion in The Hobbit films, primarily the mention of Ungoliant and the mention of Sauron as a servant of Morgoth.
 
There were a couple allusions to The Silmarillion in The Hobbit films, primarily the mention of Ungoliant and the mention of Sauron as a servant of Morgoth.

They were more nods that skirted under the radar. But nicely built the world without distracting from the narrative. I think the Amazon show may be borrowing more heavily. As long as it has a solid narrative of its own and is a consistent story I don't really mind tugging threads from Silmarillion. It could borrow elements wholecloth. As long as it doesn't depend on familiarity with the book. Which I doubt heavily as it is frankly niche and unknown to much of the likely potential audience. But I'm sure it'll be solid as there is a lot of talent behind it.
 
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What do you make of the rumours that the person on the Valinor picture is Galadriel’s brother, supposedly Finrod? Speculations are running amok, people are guessing at actors in the cast who could play Finrod… But more importantly, if Finrod is named in the show, that implies at least some detail in the Silmarillion material they will use.
 
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