# New “Lord of the Rings “ movies coming! (2023 announcement) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [February 24, 2023, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272 "2023-02-24T02:35:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/101 "2025-12-19T19:07:14Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > They need to just stop until whoever is blocking the rights to the Silmarillion dies. Well, originally, that was almost undoubtedly led by Christopher Tolkien (who was pretty vocal in his dislike of the adaptations), but he died nearly six years ago. It’s pretty clear to me that the family, as a whole, currently has no interest in selling any additional film/TV rights to his works, especially _The Silmarillion_. The Wikipedia article on the [Tolkien Estate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien_Estate) indicates that the directors are/were Christopher, his widow Baillie (who is 84), and J.R.R.'s grandson Michael George Tolkien (who is 82). The estate’s disinterest in selling additional rights might, I suppose, change when the current leadership of the estate changes in the next few years (due to death or stepping aside), but I’m not sure that I’d count on it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/102 "2025-12-19T19:22:13Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > **The Hobbit** films turned a whimsical 300 page prequel book into a 9 hour CGI slog. The money guys in the studio forced Peter to turn it into a three part film. And there is lots of really good stuff in it also- the first of the three is quite nice and then they show the whole reason why Gandalf wanted Smaug out and why he left the dwarves- the Necromancer. Showing Galadriel at her power was fantastic. And nice to see Radagast. But yeah, too much CGI nonsense added in to pad an otherwise decent film. And of course after LotR we were expecting greatness. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > There were things I liked about them and things I didn’t. Some of the things that were bad about them were due to the circumstances under which they were made (Peter Jackson taking over from Beniciio Del Toro at the last minute and not having time to do things right; studio meddling). > > But I thought they were pretty good when they stuck to what was in the book Right. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/103 "2025-12-19T23:11:54Z")
> [@carlb](#): > > Get Winton Marsalis to write a huge, sweeping suite for the Music of the Ainur ( **I’ve always imagined it as a jazz-like piece** ). (emphasis added) But then you wouldn’t be able to tell when Melkor was doing his discordant bits. {d&r} ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/104 "2025-12-19T23:17:52Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > So assuming this new movie takes place shortly before FOTR, and given the human/hobbit age ratios, 44 is pretty much on target for Frodo. My point with Elijah Wood’s age is that he was a dewy-eyed youth when he made the LotR movies, and now he is clearly middle-aged, with rougher skin on a wider canvas. The amount of AI de-aging that would have to be done on him would, I’m afraid, end up looking grotesque. Might as well have AI just create the part without his participation. Or set him up with motion capture, so it could all be CGI, like Gollum himself. I haven’t heard his voice lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if it too hasn’t roughened over the years. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/105 "2025-12-19T23:21:39Z")
I doubt it, de-aging technology is much better than it used to be and Elijah Woods is a young looking guy already. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/106 "2025-12-19T23:24:39Z")
Well, we’ll see in the event. Even I will probably catch enough snippets in clips to have an opinion on how well whatever technique they use succeeded. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/107 "2025-12-19T23:27:40Z")
I thought what they did in [Captain Marvel](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vtiJQNUIHXg) was already nearly flawless, and that was like six years ago I believe. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/108 "2025-12-20T16:29:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > And nice to see Radagast. Not covered in birdshit, it wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/109 "2025-12-20T17:32:25Z")
Hot take: Frodo was too young in the original movies, and they should go with his actual age, which Woods should be able to play with no complex CGI. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/110 "2025-12-20T17:38:49Z")
I don’t remember Elijah Woods in _Dragnet_… ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/111 "2025-12-20T17:40:28Z")
Sorry, i corrected my typo. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/112 "2025-12-20T19:49:51Z")
Hobbits age more slowly than humans. Coming of age is, IIRC, 33, and in the books Frodo was 50. If Hobbit aging vs. human aging is linear, that’s about 27 or 28 in human years. That’s what Frodo should have looked like. But he didn’t. Using the same actor who looks 25 years older would be jarring, and I’d bet they won’t do it. They could get away with an age like 44 (human) if they used a different actor. They could make a more interesting movie if they used an all-new cast (I’d spot them Gollum though). But they have bankable stars willing to prostitute themselves again, so why not use them? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/113 "2025-12-20T21:00:12Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Not covered in birdshit, it wasn’t. Yeah, Radagast looked like some sort of homeless Santa Claus. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/114 "2025-12-20T21:17:49Z")
I just happened to stumble across a scene with Radagast on HBO, and what Jackson did with that is unforgiveable. There’s something juvenile in Jackson that often gives his movies a likeable playfulness, but then you also get that. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/115 "2025-12-20T21:55:45Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Yeah, Radagast looked like some sort of homeless Santa Claus. Which is how others looked upon him, and why his mission as a Wizard failed, and only Gandalf’s succeeded. He was the bird lover. > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > I just happened to stumble across a scene with Radagast on HBO, and what Jackson did with that is unforgiveable. Pretty realistic within that canon. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/116 "2025-12-20T22:05:47Z")
The Professor had more thoughts on that failure bit later on. Radagast did not fail, he did other. Remember, first and foremost he was a Maia of Yavanna and he sought to protect nature from Sauron. So while Saruman completely failed and Gandalf succeeded, Radagast more or less did a different thing. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/117 "2025-12-20T22:17:39Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Now remaking the Hobbit correctly would be excellent. The Beatles version? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/118 "2025-12-20T22:18:58Z")
My understanding is the Beatles were going to do The Lord of the Rings. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/119 "2025-12-20T22:32:02Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > My understanding is the Beatles were going to do The Lord of the Rings That’s my understanding, as well. As Peter Jackson describes in this BBC article, someone from Apple Music (their production company) had given the Beatles the LotR books while they were in India in 1968; they became interested in making a film adaptation. and wanted Stanley Kubrick to direct it. But, Tolkien himself apparently nixed it, as he didn’t want a rock group doing a film of his story. (It was a year later, in '69, when the Professor finally did sell the film rights to the books, to United Artists.) > **[Peter Jackson on how Tolkien stopped a Beatles LOTR film](https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59387182)** > > While making his Beatles series Get Back, the director learned about the Fab Four's letdown. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272/120 "2025-12-20T23:58:55Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Which is how others looked upon him, and why his mission as a Wizard failed, and only Gandalf’s succeeded. He was the bird lover. Yeah, I’m not going to quarrel with anyone for hating on the Jackson Radagast, but for me the portrayal worked. It got across his perceived “lightweightness” in terms of being able to understand or cope with problems of Peoples and big Serious Stuff like rings of power. Honestly, I would kind of like it if someday somebody adds to the Middle-earth story universe an account of how Radagast actually coordinated animal/bird/insect resistance during the Wars of the Ring. He may not have been much of a Peoples person, but he took seriously dangers to wildlife and ecosystems. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-lord-of-the-rings-movies-coming-2023-announcement/980272.md?page=7)