Amazon Prime Video’sThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powershould see an increase in viewership after the release of Warner Bros.‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. TheWar of the Rohirrimmovieis the first animeLord of the Ringsmovie, following in the footsteps of Ralph Bakshi’s animatedThe Return of the Kingin 1980. Directed by Japanese master Kenji Kamiyama, the new installment illustrates the benefits of adapting sidelined Tolkien stories for the screen, speaking to the appeal of Amazon’sRings of Power.
Many may be drawn to the five-season show once they have witnessed the wonders on offer in Kamiyama’sWar of the Rohirrim.Rings of Powerseason 1emerged to a mixed reception but has amassed a higher viewership in its second outing. Since August 2024,Rings of Power’s second season has been converting ambivalent audience members into bonafide fanswith its deep dive into Second Age Tolkien material. There are ultimately many reasons why those who likedWar of the Rohirrimshould turn toRings of Poweras their next watch.
War Of The Rohirrim & The Rings Of Power Both Adapt Lesser-Known Chapters Of Tolkien Lore, But TROP Does It Better
Both Productions Cover Tolkien Material That Has Never Been Adapted Before
War of the RohirrimandRings of Powerboth take lesser-knownMiddle-earth stories and significantly change them to fit into their runtimes, butRings of Powermay do it a bit better.Kenji Kamiyama’sWar of the Rohirrimadapts “The House of Eorl,” a short story fromLord of the Rings’appendices. This story was only very roughly sketched out by the source material, leaving the movie to fill in lots of the blanks and change the story thematically to fit its commercial goals. YetRings of Power’sTV format may be more forgiving to this approach.
It isn’t always clear howWar of the Rohirrimcommunicates Tolkien’s key themes.
Rings of Poweradapts material fromLord of the Rings’Second Age. BothRings of PowerandWar of the Rohirrimproductions thrive in the world created by legendary British author J. R. R. Tolkien. There is ample material for many more adaptations in Tolkien’s legendarium, butThe HobbitandLord of the Ringswere the easiest stories to adapt. However,Rings of Powerhas more screen timeto show how its original material tells the story Tolkien meant to tell,whereas it isn’t always clear howWar of the Rohirrimcommunicates Tolkien’s key themes.
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Rings of Powermay have seen backlash among Tolkien fans, butWar of the Rohirrimproves how good it actually is. The anime is great entertainment and hugely nostalgic, but arguably doesn’t capture the spirit of Middle-earth. Tolkien’s 1937 children’s bookThe Hobbitis very well-known and resulted in Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy, while the author’s masterpiece isThe Lord of the Rings. This three-part novel was also adapted into the very renowned movie trilogy by Jackson. However, all other Tolkien tales have far less dialogue and psychological detail, andRings of Powercompensated for this better thanWar of the Rohirrim.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3’s renewal means that one key J.R.R. Tolkien story is sure to come to TV screens soon.
It is very difficult to adapt any Middle-earth content that isn’tThe HobbitorLord of the Rings. The source material for bothWar of the RohirrimandRings of Powerlacks the clearly translatable elements that define the two main properties. However,Rings of Powerhas been able to create a strong narrative structurearound some key events gradually taking shape,whereasWar of the Rohirrimsometimes feels comparatively hollow. For instance,Rings of Powerseason 2explores Sauron’s infiltration of Eregion and the forging of theRings of Power, which was pure Tolkien and focused, powerful viewing.
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The Rings Of Power Has A Bright Future
There is room for many different series under the umbrella franchise ofLord of the Rings, butRings of Poweris looking particularly strong going into its third season. With five seasons planned, it could have been the case that the new Warner Bros. movies coming out over the next few years would diminish its impact, steal viewership away, or prove how much better it could have done things. But the opposite seems to be the case —War of the Rohirrimfans would love the showand even those who didn’t appreciate the movie could enjoy it.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimcame out on July 28, 2025.
“The House of Eorl” was supposed to communicate a sense of time, legend, family, and history. Acknowledging the context of the short story means understanding that it is meant to be read alongside Eorl’s family tree and the legends of other realms. However,War of the Rohirrimis anchored in its own time, more focused on telling a romance and war story that teases the origins of the War of the Ring. It touches upon the ancestry of Éowyn in her voice-over and its exploration of shieldmaidens, but could have delved deeper into Fréaláf and his link to Théoden.
The Rings of Poweris led by Morfydd Clark as Galadriel and Charlie Vickers as Sauron.
Meanwhile,Rings of Power’spremise is thematically integralto the all-important story ofLord of the Ringsas a whole. The central trilogy is about the dangers of extending one’s life unnaturally and how this relates to power and the seeking of it. The20 Rings of Powerdo extend life and give their bearers power, so the show has a clearer route to being Tolkienian in investigating them. The source material ofThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerdoesn’t always complement this, but even when this is so, it makes for a genuinely innovative fantasy show.
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.
