While some viewers enjoyed the steamy nature of HBO's Game of Thrones, don't expect Amazon to follow suit with their Lord of the Rings series.
For a brief time, there were rumors that the producers had hired an intimacy coordinator to work on the set of Power of the Rings, causing concern among fans, who feared that the show would emulate the violence and sexual nature of HBO's Game of Thrones.
But showrunners Patrick McKay and JD Payne promise viewers their series will honor author J. R. R. Tolkien's vision. Indeed, they set out with the intention "to make a show for everyone, for kids who are 11, 12 and 13," McKay told Vanity Fair, "even though sometimes they might have to pull the blanket up over their eyes if it's a little too scary."
"We talked about the tone in Tolkien's books," he continued. "This is material that is sometimes scary—and sometimes very intense, sometimes quite political, sometimes quite sophisticated—but it's also heartwarming and life-affirming and optimistic. It's about friendship and it's about brotherhood and underdogs overcoming great darkness."
And while there are no members of the original cast appearing in the series—at least, as far as we know—there will be younger versions of Galadriel and Elrond played by Morfydd Clark (Cate Blanchett in the original) and Robert Aramayo (previously Hugo Weaving), respectively.
Little was known about the Power of the Rings as this is not based on a book, but rather the Appendices Tolkien wrote to explain the history of Middle Earth. According to Vanity Fair, the 150-page Appendices include "timelines, genealogies, and notes on language and culture" for the imaginary world. But the writers have taken some liberties, creating new characters—with the guidance of the Tolkien estate, of course—and casting people of color.
After much research and consulting with experts, the writers created a story about the "forging of the rings," according to McKay.
"Rings for the elves, rings for dwarves, rings for men, and then the one ring Sauron used to deceive them all," McKay explained. "It's the story of the creation of all those powers, where they came from, and what they did to each of those races."
Fans can see this origin story when Power of the Rings premieres on Amazon Prime Sept. 2.