Is it time for a Middle Earth TV series?

[Tom]

With the Hobbit movie trilogy coming to the end and popularity for such genre shows as Game of Thrones, I am surprised there is not (at least that we can see) any push for a Middle Earth TV series.

A TV series could take place between the Hobbit and LOTR, with new, interesting characters that are not in the current movies.

Thoughts?

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Mini-series' covering other ages would be cool.

I'd be partial to a Númenórëmini-series. With 25 kings, it might need to be one episode per ruler or something like that.

 

[RoJoHen]

I would totally watch a Middle Earth or a Hogwarts TV series.

 

[Klaus]

My avatar tells you what I think...

 

[Allyn Gibson]

A television series that begins with Ar-Pharazon's invasion of Valinor and ends with the War of the Last Alliance would be awesome.

You'd pitch it at the Game of Thrones audience. The first episode sees Ar-Pharazon return to Numenor with Sauron in chains, and then everything goes downhill from there.

 

[Skellington]

I voted "Yes" on the basis that I could imagine a TV version of The Children Of Húrin entering pre-production around now. I think it could scratch a Game Of Thrones itch.

 

[Starbreaker]

I've never really put much thought into it, but seeing the massive success that is Game of Thrones leads me to believe that this would work. And the movies have thrived without the use of profanity or nudity or gore, so it could work well on any network.

 

[Hound of UIster]

No. Heartily against raping Tolkien's work for commercial profit especially when his family gets screwed everytime.

 

[Relayer1]

No. Heartily against raping Tolkien's work for commercial profit especially when his family gets screwed everytime.

I totally agree. I'd also watch the hell out of a TV show if it was done well.

Can't really reconcile those two.

How about if Christopher T. and the estate sold the rights to other parts of the I.P., got well paid and even had some creative input ?

Selling the Silmarillion rights would theoretically give access to pretty much all of Tolkiens characters...

 

[kirk55555]

No. As much as I love the LOTR Trilogy movies (and books) I think everything's been adapted that should be adapted from Middle Earth. I think a TV show would just not do anything justice, and would probably end up as a generic fantasy based in middle earth. Plus, every middle earth thing that isn't The Hobbit or the main books isn't really something worth adapting anyway, so I just honestly don't have a desire to see a series set in the universe.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

A television series that begins with Ar-Pharazon's invasion of Valinor and ends with the War of the Last Alliance would be awesome.

You'd pitch it at the Game of Thrones audience. The first episode sees Ar-Pharazon return to Numenor with Sauron in chains, and then everything goes downhill from there.

Don't I know it.

 

[Gaith]

Sweet Gandalf on a bicycle, no.

For one thing, WB owns the film rights to LotR and The Hobbit only, not to Middle-Earth in general or to any of the other works, and Christopher Tolkien of the Tolkien estate hates the movie adaptations, and will never sell off more of the IP.

For another, Middle-Earth stories are just too damn stately in tone for TV purposes. The minuses of not using a similar but different fantasy IP outweigh the benefits.

 

[Bisz]

Don't Care.

I'm not a fan of fantasy, ASOIAF being the exception. I've only seen the LOTR movies once and haven't seen the Hobbit movies at all, having read and disliked the novel in school.

 

[auntiehill]

No. As much as I love the LOTR Trilogy movies (and books) I think everything's been adapted that should be adapted from Middle Earth. I think a TV show would just not do anything justice, and would probably end up as a generic fantasy based in middle earth. Plus, every middle earth thing that isn't The Hobbit or the main books isn't really something worth adapting anyway, so I just honestly don't have a desire to see a series set in the universe.

^ Agreed. This really doesn't need to be done.

 

[Relayer1]

No. As much as I love the LOTR Trilogy movies (and books) I think everything's been adapted that should be adapted from Middle Earth. I think a TV show would just not do anything justice, and would probably end up as a generic fantasy based in middle earth. Plus, every middle earth thing that isn't The Hobbit or the main books isn't really something worth adapting anyway, so I just honestly don't have a desire to see a series set in the universe.

^ Agreed. This really doesn't need to be done.

Of course it doesn't need to be done. With the Hobbit and LotR movies, the rings story is told.

There are, however, other stories. Some of them featuring the same characters...

 

[USS Fardell]

Yes!

Each episode is based on one chapter of The Lord of the Rings. (14 episode seasons. 1st Season cliffhanger at the Ford.
2nd season - the Breaking of the Fellowship.
3rd - Helm's Deep and/or Faramir's capture of Frodo and Sam
4th - Cirith Ungol
5th - Mount Doom
This way, we get both Bombadil and the Scouring...)

 

[Mr Light]

I absolutely love everything Tolkein... but I think it demands the epic scale that only a movie can deliver on. So I'd say no.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I voted yes, but only if it's The Adventures of Tom Bombadil stretched out into six seasons and a movie. Maybe turn it into a procedural, with Tom as a rough and tumble country sheriff who doesn't like to play by the rules, and stops his enemies Boss Willow and the Barrow-wight crime syndicate with the help of his friends the otters and birds and a smile and a song.

Seriously though, with the success of Game of Thrones and the improvement in digital effects technology, it's certainly put adapting live-action Middle Earth stories within the realm of possibility, so I would be happy to see them do some stories that haven't been touched yet.

 

[HIjol]

Love the idea and would watch, but perhaps the issue of rights and releases, as well as the cost of doing a weekly (?) TV show "correctly" would be an issue?

 

[Kelthaz]

A Middle Earth series would be good, but anything that they do on television will pale in comparison to the movies. I would definitely watch it, but I'd prefer something new. I wonder if Malazan could be adapted for television.