James Cameron is the man responsible for one of the most successful film franchises in recent years with Avatar. Yet as synonymous as Cameron is with those movies, he has also revealed that he is a fan of other major genre franchises — notably, The Lord of the Rings and the most recent adaptation from Prime Video, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The 2022 series is primarily based on J. R. R. Tolkien‘s The Lord of the Rings appendices, which detail the history of Middle-earth and provide the show with ample material to work with.
With two seasons released, the Tolkien-inspired series explores every element of Middle-earth, from Elves to Orcs to Dwarves to Harfoots (the precursors to Hobbits), creating an expansive story that any franchise would envy. Having praised the series on multiple occasions, it’s no surprise that Cameron has drawn inspiration from Prime Video’s adaptation for his own work. The Rings of Power has a lot to offer with its epic story, interesting characters, and thorough worldbuilding, making the fantasy series impossible to ignore.
What Is ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ About?
While fans are familiar with the destruction of the One Ring through Peter Jackson‘s popular films and Tolkien’s beloved book trilogy, the origin of the One Ring is not as well-known. This is the era that The Rings of Power focuses on, taking place hundreds of years before Frodo and exploring the conflict that shapes Middle-earth and the story that eventually plays out in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. With a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) at the center, The Rings of Power layers in important connections to the later story. The series’ introduction instantly reveals how much room Galadriel has to grow into the Lady of Lórien, as she is initially a determined and reckless fighter.
Galadriel isn’t the only lead, as the series depicts the evolution of the nomadic Harfoots, with a particular focus on Nori (Markella Kavenagh), who has a rare adventurous spirit. Meanwhile, the Dwarven prince, Durin IV (Owain Arthur), tries to ally with the Elves through his friendship with Elrond (Robert Aramayo), and the people of Númenor face the political division of their once great island kingdom. With so many storylines, The Rings of Power‘s expansive ensemble cast allows the story to span the entirety of the fictional world, featuring locations such as Khazad-dûm, Rhûn, and more. The series has proven somewhat divisive among fans, but it has a lot to offer, exploring parts of Tolkien’s world that have never made it to screens before and weaving a complex fantasy narrative like no other.
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James Cameron Has Taken Inspiration from ‘The Rings of Power’
James Cameron’s work certainly suggests he would enjoy an intricate story like The Rings of Power, but it’s especially interesting how he’s talked about the series. He’s admitted to being “mesmerised” by Clark’s Galadriel and referred to The Rings of Power as the best TV show he’s ever seen while also comparing the series to what he has been trying to achieve with the Avatar sequels. Cameron has specifically revealed his admiration for The Rings of Power‘s many storylines and overall approach to its expansive material, previously telling Variety, “I had to write my own ‘Silmarillion’ or ‘Lord of the Rings’ in the form of notes.”
However, The Rings of Power‘s creators didn’t have it easy either. Not only must they live up to the story as Tolkien wrote it, but the series does not have the rights to adapt everything Tolkien has written, requiring the writers to work around certain elements that they can’t mention. Despite this complication, The Rings of Power serves as an excellent example of how to explore a huge fantasy world, ambitiously telling important stories that span all of Middle-earth. While there’s still more to see from both The Rings of Power and the Avatar franchise, Cameron is right that the Prime Video series is a masterpiece that more people should be paying attention to.
