New Lord of the Rings movie in the works centered around Tom Bombadil

Zaukrie · Wednesday at 10:25 PM

Koloth said:
Hope it turns out better then the ending for Game of Thrones after G.R.R.M. didn't produce the books for a proper ending. This seems like it could fall into the same trap. A movie set in a Tolkien designed setting but is a story largely not written by Tolkien.

How is that a problem?

Zaukrie · Wednesday at 10:27 PM

roger semerad said:
Good lord, Tom Bombadil is the last person you should center a movie around. He was always meant to be a cypher. Yes, the mystery around him is intriguing, and the theories are all interesting, but actually pinning down his story I feel will only diminish him. He's in the story for two reasons, to give a little whimsy before things get really dark and serious, and to show that the world is much larger than what is shown. Sometimes side characters are just meant to be side characters. If they feel the need to do more Middle Earth stories, do some more stuff from the Silmarillon, or grow a pair and do an original story.

People don't like original fantasy.... They want the books they've read or heard about. Studios didn't want to risk a hundred million on a new IP. Your last sentence is just rude, frankly, and shows a lack of understanding of how big budget movies are funded.

Koloth · Wednesday at 10:46 PM

Zaukrie said:
How is that a problem?

If it gets received much like the final season of Game of Thrones. HBO had to bring in writers off the bench after G.R.R.M quit writing GoT books. The final season is considered by many to be a botched ending.

A lot of Middle Earth fans have a vision of what 'should be'. If this new movie violates that vision, the reception could be bad.

Whizbang Dustyboots · Wednesday at 10:49 PM

Koloth said:
A lot of Middle Earth fans have a vision of what 'should be'. If this new movie violates that vision, the reception could be bad.

The Hobbit trilogy was a disaster, but it still made a ton of money. I think it'd be hard to do worse than those movies, given people definitely know the Hobbit much better than either the hunt for Gollum story (well, story elements) or the chapters of the Fellowship of the Ring that will be in this movie.

Zaukrie · Wednesday at 11:03 PM

Koloth said:
If it gets received much like the final season of Game of Thrones. HBO had to bring in writers off the bench after G.R.R.M quit writing GoT books. The final season is considered by many to be a botched ending.

A lot of Middle Earth fans have a vision of what 'should be'. If this new movie violates that vision, the reception could be bad.

That was bad writing.... Not because it wasn't Martin, because it was bad writing. Yes, 100 percent a huge portion of fans will complain. Studios should ignore them.....

doctorbadwolf · Wednesday at 11:04 PM

sevenbastard said:
IF we have to revisit Middle Earth, and thats a big IF, why not push something like a LOTR version of Rouge One?

Because that would be like peeing on Tolkien's grave?

MarkB · Wednesday at 11:20 PM

doctorbadwolf said:
Because that would be like peeing on Tolkien's grave?

What, setting an original story within that framework in general, or just that specific premise?

Heck, I ran a campaign about 20 years ago about another group investigating goings-on in southern Mirkwood concurrently with the events of The Hobbit, was I peeing on Tolkien's grave?

Tonguez · Wednesday at 11:37 PM

A gollum movie I can understand, he does have a compelling backstory of a simple hobbit who falls to murder and insanity

but Tom Bombardil is suppose to be a mystery, making him the center of a story seems like a terrible idea

Parmandur · Wednesday at 11:48 PM

Honestly not been that enthused for the Hunt for Gollum (though I will probably activate like some Soviet sleeper agent when the trailer drops, wlts be real), but Colbert is precisely the one who I would be interested in seeing his Tolkien Fanfic. And a focus on the Hobbit actors as middle aged fathers reminiscing on their adventures in the context of the Shire, and Tom Bombadil and the Wights....

I think I'm in.

Older Beholder · 2026-03-26T00:04:08+0000

Colbert is as passionate and knowledgeable about LotR as anyone, so I'm interested to see how this turns out.

I kinda skimmed the article, does it mention that Peter Jackson is directing, I assume because he was part of the announcement that that was the case, but didn't see it confirmed.