Amazon's The Lord of the Rings series has added Game of Thrones alum Robert Aramayo to its growing cast list. The series, which is one of Amazon's most anticipated offerings, has revealed limited details so far beyond the fact that it will be set during Middle-earth's Second Age, which is prior to the events of the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. The most recent casting news was announced last month, when His Dark Materials actress Morfydd Clark was cast as a young Galadriel.
The Lord of the Rings was officially announced by Amazon in November 2017. Insiders speculated that the show's budget could reach $1 billion, which would make it the most expensive television show of all time. Amazon is reportedly already planning for at least five seasons of the show, and in November 2019, the show officially scored a season 2 renewal while in the midst of pre-production for the first season. Amazon has not set a release date for the show, but it is currently expected in 2021.
Deadline reported that Aramayo has been cast in the show's young hero role, currently being referred to as Beldor. This role was previously held by Will Poulter (Midsommar), but Poulter exited the show last September after scheduling conflicts. Aramayo is best known for playing young Ned Stark in Game of Thrones, and in 2020 he will appear in films such as Antebellum and The King's Man.
Aramayo is not the only Thrones alum to be cast in Lord of the Rings. Joseph Mawle, who played Benjen Stark in Thrones, joined the cast last October and will reportedly be playing the main villain Oren. Additional cast members include Markella Kavenagh and Ema Horvath. It is important to note that Amazon has not officially commented on any of the castings. Production is expected to begin in 2020, with a hiatus planned after shooting the first two episodes of season 1 to plan and write the scripts for season 2.
Considering how Amazon hopes The Lord of the Rings will be the next Game of Thrones, it's amusing how multiple cast and crew members have now joined the series. Thrones writer Bryan Cogman will serve as a consulting producer on Lord of the Rings. With so few details known at this time, it's hard to get a sense of whether Amazon's series will deliver on the high-fantasy elements and appease fans. The cast doesn't include any big name stars just yet, meaning Amazon is hoping the Lord of the Rings brand will be enough to draw in fans. Based on how beloved J.R.R. Tolkien's world is, though, it's looking like Amazon could have a massive success on their hands if all goes well.
Source: Deadline