The upcoming The Lord of the Rings TV series might be bringing back the movies’ secret weapon, ensuring that fans of Peter Jackson’s movies will feel at home with this new adaptation. The fantasy genre is packed with unique worlds with their own mythologies, and one of the richest and most beloved ones is that of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth from the novel The Lord of the Rings. The story and characters have been adapted to all types of media for decades, but the most famous one is Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy.
Jackson’s take on Middle-earth is the third film adaptation of The Lord of The Rings, and just like the novel, it was divided into three parts: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003). Due to its production value, performances, and more, Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is widely regarded as the greatest and most influential movie series ever, boosting the careers of its main cast and turning Peter Jackson into one of the most important names in the film industry. The Lord of the Rings trilogy made way for a prequel trilogy also directed by Jackson and based on Tolkien’s children’s book The Hobbit, which brought back most of the crew from the first trilogy, including composer Howard Shore.
What made the Lord of the Rings trilogy so groundbreaking and its impact so long-lasting is a combination of the talents and efforts of the whole production crew and the cast, and of course, music played a big role in the movies’ success. Shore’s involvement in The Lord of the Rings came as a surprise to many as he had worked in completely different projects before, as are David Cronenberg’s The Fly, Martin Scorsese’s After Hours, Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs, and David Fincher’s Seven. Shore’s work on The Lord of The Rings earned him three Academy Awards (two for Best Original Score and one for Best Original Song), and his work was key in creating the environment of Middle-earth, which makes him the movies’ secret weapon that could be brought back in Amazon’s TV series.
Howard Shore is reportedly in talks to compose music for Amazon’s upcoming Lord of the Rings TV series, adding a very important (and sentimental) link to Jackson’s trilogy. The feel of Middle-earth was possible thanks to the New Zealand vistas and Shore’s unforgettable score, so having him back as a composer can be a hook for fans of the movies. It’s important to note that Amazon’s Lord of the Rings is set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, years before the events of the movie trilogy and the novel, so it will introduce new characters, places, and events, holding little to no connection to Jackson’s trilogy. Shore coming back, then, is not only a link between both but also a good sign that the series can recreate the vibe of Middle-earth that the movies achieved and which played a key part in their success.
Howard Shore’s return to Middle-earth in Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings TV series is a huge step for the show and can even help fix the biggest mistake the series has made so far: changing locations from New Zealand to the UK for season 2. Shore would then be the series’ only link to the movie trilogy and the only element that can keep the feel of Middle-Earth if the settings are going to change, making him the secret weapon of both the show and the movies.