Lord of the Rings Shocker: Will Poulter Out
Paul Dailly
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Will Poulter is out of Amazon's forthcoming Lord of the Rings TV series.
Variety is reporting that scheduling conflicts will prevent the actor from being a part of the TV adaptation of the hit J.R.R. Tolkien novels.
While Amazon never officially confirmed Poulter's involvement in the first place, various outlets claimed he would be appearing in an undisclosed role.
However, the series is now looking for a replacement to join the other rumored cast members Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Maxim Baldry, and Ema Horvath.
Poulter's involvement was a big deal. The actor is coming off a highly praised role on Netflix's Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.
Amazon scored the TV rights to the franchise back in November 2017, and the deal includes a multi-season commitment and the option of expanding the franchise further via additional spin-off series.
Even more intriguing is that this TV iteration is said to take place before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, giving fans access to stories they have yet to hear about.
It is produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins, and New Line Cinema.
“The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,” Amazon scripted chief Sharon Tal Yguado said in a statement at the time of the series order.
“We are honored to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth.”
“We are delighted that Amazon, with its longstanding commitment to literature, is the home of the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings,” said a representative for the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins.
“Sharon and the team at Amazon Studios have exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s original writings.”
The series has already scored a second season order, and it's no surprise. This is a huge franchise, and one that will probably be a defining one for Amazon.
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Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
