When will we see Middle-earth again? After the iconic Lord of the Rings trilogy in the early 2000s, Peter Jackson returned to this fantasy world in 2012-2014 with The Hobbit, which divided fans. Since then, the franchise based on the works of JRR Tolkien has not appeared on the big screen.
Is Lord of the Rings coming back to theaters?
So the question is: Will we one day see The License again on the big screen? The answer is yes! In February 2023, Warner Bros. announced the start of new Lord of the Rings movies! In August 2022, the Swedish company Embracer, which specializes in video games, bought Middle-earth Enterprises, the firm that owns the entire works of JRR Tolkien.
“I’m very happy that The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, two of the most epic fantasy franchises, have joined the Embracer family. This will allow a number of opportunities in terms of transmediality, but also a lot of synergy. The whole group”– said Lars Wingefors, the president of the Swedish company, in August 2022.
On February 23, 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery, through its CEO David Zaslav, announced a partnership with Embracer. This agreement was made to start production of new films around the Lord of the Rings franchise.
These feature films are under the direction of Warner subsidiary New Line Cinema, as well as two of Peter Jackson’s trilogies. “The Lord of the Rings is one of the greatest franchises of all time, we can’t wait”Delighted David Zaslav.
“Despite all the scale and detail lovingly captured in the two trilogies, the vast, complex and vibrant world imagined by JRR Tolkien remains largely unexplored in cinema. The opportunity to invite fans to delve deeper into the world of the ‘cinematic universe of Middle-earth’ is an honor and we are delighted to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and the Embracer in this adventure.”Added by Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdi, Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-presidents.
Our show Voix Ouf with The Hobbits VF from The Lord of the Rings
Was Peter Jackson involved?
Will Peter Jackson be involved in the production of these films? The director and his writing partners, Philippa Boyens and Fran Walsh, responded to the announcement in a column for Deadline. If they remain rather evasive and cryptic about their involvement, the American media will ensure it “If they didn’t say yes, they didn’t really say no”.
“Warner Bros. and Embracer have kept us informed every step of the way. We look forward to speaking with them to hear their vision for the future of the franchise.”, said the trio. This announcement is quite encouraging, as we know that the three artists were not involved in the production of the TV series The Rings of Power, which was released in 2022 on Prime Video.
An animated film is coming out this year!
The nature of the deal reached between Embracer and Warner Bros. has not been released. Will we have the rights to a new adaptation or different spin-offs of the original trilogy? We will know more in the coming months. Also, there is no release window for these projects, you will have to be patient. However, an animated film War of the Rohirrim is already scheduled for December 11, 2024.
This work will focus on the mighty King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand, and the legendary battle that helped shape Middle-earth. The action takes place about 250 years before the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The story will also develop a mysterious narrative around Helm’s Deep Castle. Note that Peter Jackson is not involved in this project. On the other hand, his collaborator and screenwriter Philippa Boyens is a consultant for the film directed by Japanese director Kenji Kamiyama.
The latter is an experienced and talented artist. He especially worked on the animated series Ultraman or Ghost In The Shell Stand Alone Complex. More than 20 years after the release of The Fellowship of the Ring, it’s time for the big screen to bring us back to Middle-earth.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
