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Peter Jackson’s trilogy of films adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien’s original epic are among the most highly-regarded in all of fantasy filmmaking. It’s been nearly two decades since The Return of the King came out, though – while a new adaptation certainly has some fans anxious, others are simply hoping that the expensive project will do the series justice.

10 It Will Take Place Millenia Before The Hobbit…

Just about every media related to the Lord of the Rings mythos takes place during the actual Lord of the Rings narrative arc (including The Hobbit). There are some exceptions, notably in many spin-off video games, but generally, filmmakers and creators stick to the well-known arcs.

9 …During The Second Age of Middle-Earth

The Second Age of Middle Earth happens just a few centuries before the events of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In the Second Age, the civilization of Numenor still exists, and it is the age in which Sauron initially forged the rings of power, including the One Ring.

The Second Age spans nearly 3,500 years of time, and contains some of the most influential events in the history of Middle Earth. There’s a lot of lore to pull from, and ways to tie the new series into the stories fans already know.

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Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit took some inspiration from Tolkien’s other works, but it didn’t end up improving the movies altogether that much. While there’s troves of information available, it’s more about how the pieces are put together in the end.

7 It’s Filming In New Zealand, Just Like The Films

6 The Show’s Budget Is Likely Around $465 Million

It’s an insane figure, considering many Marvel blockbusters have had similar budgets. For perspective, the budget for an entire season of Game of Thrones was around $90 million apiece.

5 Five Seasons Are Going To Be Made

The span of time in the Second Age, along with the amount of storytelling potential in the expanded Tolkien lore, will have some breathing room with such a long time to be developed fully.

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3 …And A Tolkien Scholar Consults The Writers

In addition to the hands-on attitude of the Tolkien Estate, there is a specialist Tolkien Scholar who aids the staff and the estate alike. Tom Shippey is a consultant for the set who is there for the production to remain as accurate to the source material as possible.

The Tolkien Estate is deadly serious about preserving the revered fantasy worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien. As long as fewer liberties are taken with the source material than were seen in The Hobbit trilogy, fans will be satisfied.

2 The Two Showrunners Have Experience With Blockbusters

J.J. Abrams was reportedly a major influence on the decision to hire the writing duo, whose other notable credits include Jungle Cruise starring Dwayne “Can You Smell What The Rock Is Cooking” Johnson.

1 Only One Actor Returns From The Movies: Peter Tait (Shagrat)

Peter Tait played a minor role in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, that of Shagrat the orc, who discovers Frodo after he is debilitated by Shelob. He likely won’t be playing the orc again, though, as the events of the show take place far, far before the events of the War of the Ring.

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