Netflix Reportedly Pitched an MCU Style ‘Lord of the Rings universe’ With Separate Gandalf, Aragorn Spinoffs – Completely Freaking Out Tolkien Estate

Lord of the Rings MCU
Featured Video

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power opened itself to average reception. The series was not much loved by the people but was simply a way to bring back Tolkien’s legacy to the modern world. However, Amazon Prime Video is not the only studio that tried to revive The Lord of the Rings franchise.

Advertisement

According to insider sources, Netflix had pitched a Marvel-esque series idea to the Tolkien estate. The insider also claims that the estate was left horrified.

Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings franchise.
Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings franchise

Netflix Wanted A Lord of the Rings Universe Like Marvel

Following the success of the latest, The Rings of Power, the showrunners of the show talked with The Hollywood Reporter. This is the first-time showrunners McKay and J.D. Payne talked about the challenges faced during the run of the series.

Advertisement
The Rings of Power received mixed reception for its premiere season.
The Rings of Power received mixed reception for its premiere season.

Based on your interests: ‘This notion is foundational to racism’: Deakin University Professor Perfectly Explains Why ‘racists like Tolkien and Middle-Earth’

The showrunners also talked about their hopes and aspirations for the second season of The Rings of Power and the negative reception that the first season of the series had garnered. During these conversations, it was also revealed that Netflix originally pitched the Tolkien estate to create a Lord of the Rings universe which was Marvel-esque in nature.

With ideas for a series on Gandalf and a drama based on Aragorn, Netflix wanted to eventually merge all the characters into each other’s storylines to create a finished tale of the likes of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings. The insider went on to say that “They took a Marvel approach and that completely freaked out the [Tolkien] estate”.

Advertisement

Eventually, the rights of making the series passed on to Amazon Prime Video who vowed that the Tolkien estate will be given a seat to handle J.R.R. Tolkien’s legacy.

You might also like to read: ‘You are all welcome here’: Original Lord of the Rings Actor Elijah Wood Decimates Racists Claiming The Rings of Power Failed Because of ‘Go woke, go broke’

The Rings of Power Nears Its End

The Rings of Power is nearing its season finale.
The Rings of Power is nearing its season finale.

Suggested reading: ‘People will believe there are orcs and wizards but not human actors’: Racist Backlash to POC Actors in The Rings of Power Blasted by Lord of the Rings Fans

Advertisement

With an average score of 6.9/10 on IMDB, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022-) managed to save the legacy of Tolkien but not gloriously. The series received a mixed reception with some controversies regarding racial diversity in the world of J.R.R. Tolkien.

The Rings of Power will feature its 7th episode on 7th October 2022 while the finale of the series will be released on 14th October 2022. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream on Prime Video.

Source: Twitter

Advertisement
Avatar

Written by Visarg Acharya

Articles Published: 2027

Visarg Acharya, Associate Content Writer, has been heavily involved in movies, series, and history. Having an experience of 2 years in the field of content writing, Visarg is a seasoned writer. Having a degree in Physics, Visarg Acharya has published a dissertation alongside a plethora of poems and short stories along the way.