The canon of the “Lord of the Rings” movie and TV franchise has become a little complicated in recent years. Sauron’s war finally arrives in “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” Season 3, and with the show’s return, it’s worth asking: Is this series canonical to Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” films? We finally have a firm answer, and it’s … sort of (if we read between the lines).
In a recent interview with Screen Rant, “The Rings of Power” co-showrunner Patrick McKay addressed the canon question head-on without giving a simple “yes” or “no” answer. Still he made it pretty clear where things stand, explaining, “There is room in Middle-earth for everybody, and we’re fans of those films, and we hope it’s great.” (He was referring to the already controversial upcoming film “The Hunt for Gollum” with that last bit.)
In terms of the “Lord of the Rings” timeline, “The Rings of Power” is set thousands of years before the “Lord of the Rings” movies. So, in theory, they could work together. Speaking further though, McKay established that the show exists alongside the many interpretations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth books over the years and not necessarily as part of any other adaptation (including Jackson’s):
“So many talented artists in so many mediums over 75 years have interpreted this material, painted or drawn it, or put it in a song or made it into a film or an animated film. I think to sit on a shelf with all those other works, we are only too delighted for that to be our fate.”
He added that the movies and the show are “in conversation with one another.” Put simply, then, “The Rings of Power” is not strictly canon within the universe of Jackson’s films.
The Rings of Power isn’t strictly connected to the Lord of the Rings movies
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” brings the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history to life on-screen for the first time. Therefore, it’s centuries removed from both the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” books and Peter Jackson’s film adaptations alike.
Even so, it initially looked like Jackson was going to be involved with “The Rings of Power,” only for Amazon to ghost him while developing the Prime Video series. Why? In essence, it was apparently a contractual matter. In a statement issued in 2022, Amazon claimed, “In pursuing the rights for our show, we were obligated to keep the series distinct and separate from the films.” So, basically, “The Rings of Power” can’t, for legal reasons, be officially canonical to Jackson’s movies. Of course, Patrick McKay couldn’t just come out and say that, so he found a more diplomatic way to go about it.
Jackson, obviously, is the man that turned “The Lord of the Rings” into the one fantasy franchise to rule them all, as his adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s books became massive, beloved hits that have endured for decades. Still, while it makes sense that Amazon would, in theory, want him to work on “The Rings of Power,” it seems securing the rights for the show meant sacrifices had to be made.
Nevertheless, Jackson is producing (but not directing) “The Hunt for Gollum,” with Gollum actor Andy Serkis helming the movie himself. Warner Bros. is also developing another “LOTR” movie co-written by superfan Stephen Colbert, so this franchise has a future on the big screen as well.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is streaming now on Prime Video.
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