“Lord of the Rings” star Bernard Hill revealed why he is not interested in watching Amazon’s spin-off series.
Hill played the role of King Théoden of Rohan in the trilogy.
During an interview with Metro, Hill was asked if he has watched the series on Amazon.
“No, not interested,” Hill replied.
He added, “It’s a money-making venture and I’m not interested in watching that or being in it. Good luck to them and all that stuff but it’s not like the real thing.”
When asked if the franchise would have been better if it were left alone, Hill said, “Completely, yes.”
He argued they “were pushing it when they made The Hobbit. The Hobbit’s a tiny book.”
Hill explained, “They did it well – they did it really, really well. They expanded it [but] I think you can only stretch a piece of elastic so far. I think they managed it in The Hobbit because there were some really good things in The Hobbit without a doubt.”
The series was released in September and is “set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings,” according to the Amazon description.
It continues, “This epic drama follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth.”
The “Lord of the Rings” star is not the only notable individual to criticize the series.
Twitter CEO Elon Musk tweeted after the show’s release, “Tolkien is turning in his grave.”
He continued, “Almost every male character so far is a coward, a jerk or both. Only Galadriel is brave, smart and nice.”
Almost every male character so far is a coward, a jerk or both. Only Galadriel is brave, smart and nice.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 5, 2022
The second season of the series is currently being produced in the U.K., as Variety reported.
Seven actors have been added to the show in recurring roles.
“Since its premiere, ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ has been bringing audiences together to experience the magic and wonder of J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnificent Middle-earth,” Vernon Sanders, head of global television for Amazon Studios, told Variety.
He told the outlet, to date, “Season one is the top Original series for Prime Video in every region and has been viewed by over 100 million people worldwide, a truly global hit that speaks to the universal nature of powerful storytelling. We welcome these wonderful actors to our ‘fellowship’ and look forward to telling more incredible Second Age stories in season two.”
