I've documented it well over several rants: Hollywood is spinoff crazy. Ever since "The Avengers", the shared universe model is king. We now have three Marvel universes in development, a DC universe, and forthcoming Harry Potter and Star Wars universes. I've already written at length about how I'd approach a shared Harry Potter world. Star Wars will be forthcoming. Today, however, I'd like to focus on that other huge fantasy epic: J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, already playing across two film trilogies in "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit."
"The Hobbit" trilogy is coming to an end this year, and I've recently learned of a potential title change from "There and Back Again" to "Into the Fire." While I prefer the former, the latter does sound more active and befitting of a trilogy closer. But no matter what it's called, this film will be tinted with sadness as it's the last Middle Earth film any studio can legally make. The Tolkien estate refuses to sell the film rights to "The Silmarillion", basically the Bible for Middle Earth that outlines its entire history, from the creation of the world up until the first defeat of Sauron. I think this is a shame, as "The Silmarillion" has massive cinematic potential.
Now, I've never actually read "The Silmarillion." My allegiance to Middle Earth is great, but it's not the undying loyalty I give to Marvel, DC, Harry Potter, or Star Wars. My entry point was the movies, and I only ever read "The Hobbit" and "Fellowship of the Ring." Maybe a die hard Tolkien fan would be better suited to write this, but I'm giving it my best shot anyway.
I may not know Tolkien's lore intimately, but I've done my research. There's so much material here to mine for movies that it'd be a shame to leave it untapped. Using my Harry Potter pitch as inspiration, I've mapped out six interconnected films, to mirror the six Middle Earth films we already have. These six movies would focus on different heroes, but together they'd serve as an excellent spin-off series that greatly ties in to the previous trilogies. So, shall we begin?
1) The War of the Jewels- Like every Middle Earth film before it, this one would begin with an extended prologue. This would, however, be the mother of all movie prologues. Here, the God of Middle Earth, known as Eru or Illuvatar, creates the world and populates it with angelic beings called Ainur. He teaches the Ainur a great music, which they would use to shape the world. One of the Ainur, Melkor, deviates to create his own music and plunges the world into chaos. The Ainur divide into two classes of beings, the Valar (gods or high angels) and Maiar (lesser angels). Melkor corrupts some of the Maiar into his service as Balrogs, while other Maiar remain with the Valar.
The prologue would end with the Valar moving to the continent of Aman, west of Middle Earth, and establishing their kingdom of Valinor. The first sentient race, that of the Elves, awakens. Some stay on Middle Earth, while others move to Aman with the Valar. The sun and moon do not yet exist, so light comes into the world thanks to Two Trees which illuminate Valinor. Our story would begin with our hero, the elf Feanor, prince of the Noldor tribe of Elves. Feanor uses the light of the Two Trees to create the Silmarils, jewels that burn with an inner light. Desiring the Silmarils, Melkor travels to Aman and cuts down the Two Trees with the help of Ungoliant, a massive spider who'd later spawn Shelob (from "Return of the King") and the spiders from "Smaug."
Melkor kills Finwe, Feanor's father, before departing for Middle Earth. He attacks the elvish kingdom of Doriath and barricades himself in his fortress of Angband, where he fashions the Silmarils into an Iron Crown. Desiring vengeance for his father and the return of the jewels, Feanor renames Melkor as Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, and rallies his people to sail to Middle Earth to get the Silmarils back. They slay their kin from a sister tribe to steal their ships, for which all the Noldor Elves following Feanor become cursed.
Feanor abandons some of the Noldor, who must cross Middle Earth on a huge ice path, one of whom is a young Galadriel (she could easily play a huge supporting role here). Eventually the Noldor all reach Middle Earth, and fight Morgoth at Doriath in the Battle-Under-Stars. They are triumphant, forcing Morgoth to retreat to Angband, but Feanor is killed by Balrogs. This would end the first film, as it concludes our hero Feanor's tragic story. His character arc would drive the film, as his conflict with Melkor/Morgoth would be visually spectacular to witness.
2. Of Beren and Luthien- This story is definitely the easiest to translate to film, as it has adventure, romance, and two lead characters whose story is almost Shakespearean in its telling. A new prologue would fill in the gaps between this film and the previous. It would explain how the Valar created the Sun and Moon to light the world in place of the fallen Two Trees, and how Men came into the world. One of these men, Beren, falls in love with Luthien, princess of the elven kingdom of Doriath from the previous film. Their love sparks the first human-elven romance, mirroring that of Aragorn and Arwen. Beren wishes to marry Luthien, but her father, Thingol, only consents if they bring him a Silmaril from Morgoth's Iron Crown. Determined, the two set off to Angband to retrieve one of the Silmarils.
They encounter Morgoth's second-in-command, the fallen Maiar Sauron, and the great werewolf Carcharoth, but manage to sneak into Morgoth's lair and cut one of the Silmarils from his crown. Carcharoth swallows the Silmaril, along with Beren's hand, but goes mad from the jewel burning through his body. Carcharoth is put down in the forests of Doriath by a great hound named Huan, but Beren dies from his wounds. Unable to live without him, Luthien binds herself to him to make her mortal, and travels to the Realm of the Dead to plea for Beren's life. They are both returned to life as mortal humans, content to live out the rest of their days. Their captured Silmaril becomes a family heirloom, passed down through generations.
3. The Children of Hurin- While this story isn't as simple as Beren and Luthien, it has the advantage of being the only "Silmarillion" tale to be expanded into a full-length novel. This means it's ripe for a movie, and thankfully the story and characters are perfect for film. Another tragic tale, this one recalling Oedipus, the film's prologue would be the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Beren and Luthien's theft of one of the Silmarils proved Morgoth wasn't invincible, and a huge army of Men, Elves, and Dwarves set out to destroy Morgoth. With the aid of the dragon Glaurung, Morgoth decimated his opponents and took over the entire North. In this battle Morgoth took the man Hurin captive, and cursed his family for his defiance.
Hurin's son, Turin Turambar, becomes a great hero, but has bad luck and a raging temper due to Morgoth's curse. Glaurung puts a spell on Turin's sister Nienor to make her forget her heritage. For a time, Turin and Nienor fall in love and become husband and wife. Turin eventually slays Glaurung in a climactic battle, but with the dragon's death the enchantment is lifted. Now knowing of their incestuous marriage, Nienor throws herself from a tower and Turin falls on his sword. The film would end on a tragic note, with Hurin finally released from Morgoth's service to see the death of his children.
4. The Light of Earendil- Fun fact, this is actually the very first Middle Earth story Tolkien ever conceived, in the form of a poem. This would signify the end of the First Age of Middle Earth and the final defeat of Morgoth. This film's prologue (or rather opening act) would be the siege of Gondolin, the last of the great elven cities to fall to Morgoth's wrath. Our main character is Earendil the Half-Elven, the son of another union between man and elf. Earendil flees Gondolin with his family as a child, and grows up to marry Elwing, the mortal granddaughter of Beren and Luthien. Elwing has inherited her grandparents' stolen Silmaril, which she and Earendil use to sail to Valinor.
Once there, they plead to the Valar to offer aid in defeating Morgoth. The Valar pardon the Noldor tribe of Elves who rebelled with Feanor so long ago, and utterly destroy Morgoth's forces in the War of Wrath. Earendil himself takes down Ancalagon the Black, the mightiest dragon in Middle Earth's history. The remaining two Silmarils are cast into the sea, after Feanor's descendants find they burn to their touch. Morgoth is destroyed permanently.
Earendil and Elwing have two children, Elrond and Elros, whose Half-Elven status means they could choose to either be human or elven. For his deeds in battle, Earendil's ship is enchanted by the Valar to fly, and he now roams the heavens with the last remaining Silmaril as the brightest star in the sky. The star whose light Galadriel will one day give to Frodo in the "Rings" trilogy.
5. The Fall of Numenor- Elrond and Elros, Earendil's two sons, set out on different paths. Elrond chooses to remain an immortal Elf, and settles Rivendell. His brother Elros, however, chooses to be a man, and becomes the first king of Numenor. This is a great island nation lying between Middle Earth and Valinor, given to men by the Valar. The Numenoreans, while still mortal, are blessed with long life, and hold power and wisdom to rival the High Elves. But in the absence of Morgoth, his chief lieutenant Sauron becomes the new Dark Lord.
Because he is a Maiar, Sauron still maintains a fair appearance, and he comes to Ar-Pharazon, the last king of Numenor, to be his adviser. Sauron corrupts Pharazon, convincing him that immortality is to be envied and that they could obtain it by attacking the Valar. Elendil, also of royal blood, tries to persuade Pharazon otherwise, but he chooses to attack Valinor anyway. The Valar punish the Numenoreans by sinking their great island kingdom, signifying the corruption of Man. Elendil manages to lead survivors away from the Deluge, and upon arriving in Middle Earth, Elendil sets up the kingdom of Gondor. This would be another film that ends in tragedy, but the origins of Gondor allow a great tie-in with "Rings" and allows the film to go out on a happier note.
6. The Rings of Power- Just as "The Light of Earendil" ended the First Age with Morgoth's defeat and "Return of the King" ended the Third Age with the final defeat of Sauron, this film will show the end of the Second Age with Sauron's first defeat. It will have the most ties to "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit", in many ways acting as an origins film for those trilogies. We'd be treated to three separate story strands. One involves Elendil's son Isildur marshaling Gondor's armies for the coming attack on Sauron. Elrond and Galadriel will also be involved here, helping to forge the Last Alliance of Men and Elves.
The second strand involves Sauron himself, as he influences the creation of the Rings of Power. 19 are initially created so he could corrupt the Elves, but they sense Sauron's influence and take them off, only keeping three. Sauron creates the One Ring to influence the other rings. He takes the remaining ones and gives them to nine kings of men and seven dwarf lords, among them Durin (Thorin's ancestor, with his ring explaining his line's immense greed). The men are corrupted into the Nazghul, Sauron's chief servants. With the One Ring in his possession, Sauron's power only grows, necessitating the creation of the Last Alliance. The third strand takes place in Valinor, where several Maiar, including one named Olorin, look on as Sauron's influence spreads.
The film concludes with a longer version of the battle against Sauron that serves as the prologue for "Rings". Elendil is killed in battle, and Isildur cuts off the One Ring. Olorin and other Maiar then see a montage of other events, including Isildur's death, the loss of the Ring, the Nazghul attacking Gondor, and the creation of the Rangers of the North. Realizing Sauron will one day return, the Valar instruct Olorin and four other Maiar to take physical form on Middle Earth as Istar, or wizards. Olorin becomes Gandalf, instructed with counseling the Free Peoples of Middle Earth in preparation of Sauron's return. Elrond and Galadriel, bearers of two of the three Elven Rings, give the third to Gandalf, and contemplate Middle Earth's future.
This would end my "Silmarillion" film series, creating the perfect set-up for the other two trilogies. While I can't say each film is wholly self-contained, they do each have their own heroes and stories, all mapping out the definitive history of Middle Earth. Some parts of the book would have to be removed or glossed over, but otherwise a lot of the major events are covered here.
If released over three or four years with two films per year, I could see this working. Peter Jackson may only be one of a group of directors brought on to make this work, but I see it being possible. The only other way to adapt his would be as a lengthy TV show, "Game of Thrones" style, but there are battles here that require a budget only film can provide. If brought to the screen in this format, I truly believe "The Silmarillion" could work, and make for a fantastic film series that tells the rest of Middle Earth's valued history.
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