The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powersignificantly changed a particular character, making it unlikely that their proper prequel story will ever be adapted. Of course, it would have been difficult for the Prime Video series to entirely avoid making changes to canon. Tolkien’s works set before Frodo’s story are written more like textbooks than novels, making a literal adaptation impossible. If Middle-earth’s Second Age events were to be brought to the screen, changes are a must. Still, it’s a bit disappointing thatRings of Power’s adjustments have now limited potential future movies.
In the case ofRings of Powerseason 2,one of the most significant changes revolved around the wizard Gandalf. The series officially confirmed that theStranger truly is the Grey Wizard—quite a surprise since Gandalf isn’t meant to arrive in Middle-earth until the Third Age (approximately 1,500 years afterSauron made the Rings of Power). Of course, ifRings of Powerhadn’t made this change, Gandalf would have had to be left out of the series entirely. As one of the most critical figures in Sauron’s defeat, it makes sense that Prime Video would want to include Gandalf. Still, there’s a downside.
Rings Of Power’s Stranger Makes A Proper Gandalf Prequel Unlikely
Rings Of Power Called Dibs To A Story Outside Its Territory
Before coming to Middle-earth, Gandalf was a beautiful Maia named Olórin. He was essentially an angel, and his life in Valinor revolved around learning compassion and wisdom from the demigod-like Valar. He was reluctant to come to Middle-earth as a wizard because he feared facing Sauron. However, he was nudged out the door by the Valar and began a long, fantastic journey in Third Age Middle-earth.ALord of the Ringsmovie that features this story and Gandalf as the central protagonist would have been fantastic. However, it seems unlikely now.
WhileRings of Poweris adapting part of Gandalf’s story, it has been significantly altered. His first introduction to Hobbits has been shifted, and Gandalf’s tale only picks up after his arrival in Middle-earth. While Warner Bros could still technically make a proper Gandalf prequel,it would be in direct competition with this aspect ofRings of Power. In a sense, Prime Video has called unofficial dibs on Gandalf’s story. If a different, more canon-faithful version of the tale were ever to make it to the screen, it would have to happen long enough afterRings of Power’s endingto justify a fresh start.
Rings of Powercould tell Gandalf’s full story through flashbacks, but this isn’t as effective as a prequel series focused entirely on the character’s canon tale.
Gandalf’s Full Story Perfectly Reflects The Themes Of Lord Of The Rings
A True Gandalf Prequel Would Be A Poetic Continuation Of The LOTR Movie Franchise
A Gandalf prequel movie would have been an excellent next step for theLord of the Ringsfranchise, not only because he is a beloved character with an interesting story but because his adventure perfectly reflects its overarching themes. The whole point of Bilbo and Frodo’s adventures is that they were the least likely of heroes. In Bilbo’s case, he didn’t even initially want to leave the comfort and safety of his home. Gandalf had to push him out the door, and the little hobbit’s adventures were pivotal in Sauron’s downfall. Intriguingly,this is precisely what happened to Gandalf.
Gandalf gave Bilbo the same sort of push the Valar gave him.
Gandalf hadn’t wanted to leave the safety and light of Valinor, but the Valar knew he had an important destiny to fulfill. Then, in Middle-earth, Gandalf gave Bilbo the same sort of push the Valar gave him. Frodo’s adventure inThe Lord of the Ringscontinues this idea of reluctant destiny, and he, Bilbo, and Gandalf traveling to Valinor together brings the story full circle.A Gandalf prequel would be a deliciously poetic extension of theLord of the Ringsfranchise, butRings of Powerhas so far missed these meaningful parallels. If it doesn’t make up for it in future seasons, the chance may be lost for years.
Even Without Rings Of Power, A Gandalf Prequel Might Have Been Difficult
Parts Of Gandalf’s Story Would Be Challenging To Adapt
Admittedly, Gandalf’s full story would have been difficult to adapt into a movie, even ifRings of Powerhadn’t arrived first. The MaiaOlórin is among the oldest beings in the Universe, created by theLord of the Ringsgod Eru Ilúvatar. The details of this are described mainly in Tolkien’s posthumousSilmarillion, and the rights to this are held by the author’s estate.Warner Bros, New Line Cinema, and Amazon do not have the rights to this book, which makes adapting the stories within difficult.
How To Read J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings Books In Order: Chronological & Release Date
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote more than just The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, but his Middle-earth books weren’t released in chronological order.
Prime Video has been able toget around the rights limitations by utilizing the Appendices ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which dives into some of the more ancient events of Middle-earth. Still, it’s not perfect. Some characters, places, and stories aren’t mentioned between these pages, so they can’t be adapted to the screen. While the Appendices ofThe Lord of the Ringsdo mention pieces of Gandalf’s story, there are a lot of holes to work around. Still, there might have been a way to make this work, butRings of Powergot there first.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Cast
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
