Lord of the Rings prequel series: [SPOILER] might play a significant role

Amazon Prime’s Lord of the Rings series will be set 1,000 years before the films and will likely explore Sauron’s beginnings.

It seems like it has been eons since Amazon Prime officially announced that they were developing a Lord of the Rings television series, and in many ways, it has been. For three years, we’ve been waiting to learn more details about the impending Middle-earth television show.

According to a new, authenticated exclusive from TheOneRing.net, we finally have the official show description, confirmed by Amazon.

"Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone."

The official description offers some surprising new information on the series. Many fans have anticipated that the show would explore the origins of an established character like Aragorn, but it looks like Amazon is going back even farther in the universe’s history, specifically the Second Age of Middle-earth.

Proof of Sauron’s involvement?

While the description does not officially declare Sauron by name, many fans agree that he is “the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen.”

Reactions on social media have been mixed, although it seems most are positive. The description isn’t a complete surprise, as web sleuths and diehard Lord of the Rings fans have already surmised most of this information based on the few scraps Amazon has released.

Lots of social media users have joked that this will be the perfect opportunity to introduce a young, hot Sauron, given this would have been an early point in his existence when he could still inhabit a physical form.

As the outlet noted, Númenor, which was never mentioned in the film adaptations, will serve as a central location in the series and several other fantastic locations. Considering Amazon is spending upwards of $100 million on each season of the series, we’re all but guaranteed some spectacular visuals and cinematography as Amazon searches to establish their own Game of Thrones successor.

Considering many Tolkien fans and purists consider his works miles better than George R.R. Martin’s and the widespread distaste for GoT‘s ending, that shouldn’t be too difficult for the streamer.

The above description is quite lengthy, but it encompasses what will likely be a sweeping saga with a minimum of five seasons, each one with eight to ten episodes. Filming on the series will finally begin this month in New Zealand. Current plans are for the show to film the first two seasons back-to-back.

Are you looking forward to the Lord of the Rings television series? What do you think about the show description? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.