Morfydd Clark scowling as Galadriel from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
By
Tom Russell
Published 44 minutes ago
Tom is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, with expertise covering all things Classic TV from hilarious sitcoms to jaw-dropping sci-fi.
Initially he was an Updates writer, though before long he found his way to the Classic TV team. He now spends his days keeping Screen Rant readers informed about the TV shows of yesteryear, whether it's recommending hidden gems that may have been missed by genre fans or deep diving into ways your favorite shows have (or haven't) stood the test of time.
Tom is based in the UK and when he's not writing about TV shows, he's watching them. He's also an avid horror fiction writer, gamer, and has a Dungeons and Dragons habit that he tries (and fails) to keep in check.
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Anticipation was sky-high when Amazon first announced plans to bring Middle-earth to television, but The Rings of Power quickly became one of the most divisive entries in the Tolkien adaptation canon. Debates have raged around everything from character arcs to pacing, and the show’s mixed reception has left Amazon’s long-term small-screen ambitions for The Lord of the Rings uncertain.
Yet despite The Rings of Power’s problems, none of them prove Amazon can’t handle fantasy. In fact, some of the strongest fantasy storytelling of the last few decades has been forged under the Prime Video banner. The twist is that Amazon’s biggest fantasy wins aren’t live-action, they’re animated.
If Amazon truly wants its next Lord of the Rings series to succeed, the clearest blueprint is already sitting in its library. The Legend of Vox Machina proves how beautifully animated fantasy can thrive on Prime Video. An animated Middle-earth show wouldn’t just work, it would excel, and Amazon already has the resources, talent, and pipeline to make it happen.
Prime Video's Next Lord Of The Rings Show Should Be Animated
Amazon’s Animation Success Shows How A New Middle-Earth Series Could Thrive
Wulf from The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
If Amazon hopes to continue fleshing The Lord of the Rings out into an expansive small-screen franchise, another TV show remains the best path forward. Live-action may be the obvious route, but The Rings of Power demonstrated how quickly such a project becomes a lightning rod for stylistic comparisons, lore debates, and inevitable contrasts with Peter Jackson’s iconic trilogy.
Animation, however, opens a completely different creative lane, one where Middle-earth can flourish without constantly being measured against cinematic giants. The Legend of Vox Machina has already proven the value of that approach. The show earned a rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, making it one of Prime Video’s most beloved original series.
That kind of acclaim doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from The Legend of Vox Machina’s combination of bold visuals, sharply executed world-building, and tonal flexibility that animated storytelling uniquely supports. Applying that same magic to The Lord of the Rings would allow Amazon to present Middle-earth with an artistic identity entirely separate from Jackson’s films or other prestige fantasy series.
It creates room for stylistic experimentation, something that live-action Tolkien adaptations have rarely embraced. While the animated theatrical feature The War of the Rohirrim received a more lukewarm response, its reception shouldn’t be taken as a reflection of animation’s overall potential. Amazon wasn’t involved in its creation, and a serialized format like a TV show naturally offers broader narrative and tonal breathing room.
In other words, a Middle-earth animated show wouldn’t just sidestep the traps that snared The Rings of Power, it could redefine how Tolkien’s world is portrayed on television. Prime Video has already proven animation works. Middle-earth is the perfect next step.
Some Of Prime Video's Best Fantasy Shows Are Animated
The Streamer's Strongest Fantasy Track Record Comes From Animation
The main characters looking dejected in The Legend Of Vox Machina
Amazon’s animated slate has quietly become one of the strongest pipelines in modern genre television. The Legend of Vox Machina remains the crown jewel, but it’s far from the only proof that Prime Video excels at animated fantasy. 2025’s The Mighty Nein continues the Critical Role legacy with the same mix of irreverence, emotional weight, and vivid magical spectacle that defined Vox Machina’s success.
Even beyond pure fantasy, Invincible has shown how animation under Amazon's wing can execute large-scale storytelling with staggering visual ambition while keeping the focus on character drama. The show blends cosmic scale with emotional intimacy, something that would translate seamlessly into the varied landscapes and mythic weight of Middle-earth.
Then there’s Hazbin Hotel, which, while tonally far removed from Tolkien, reinforces the idea that Amazon is willing to invest in visually distinctive animated worlds that push stylistic boundaries. Each of these series proves that Prime Video isn’t just good at animated fantasy; it’s exceptional at curating shows that balance humor, heart, and high-concept world-building.
If Amazon wants its next Lord of the Rings project to hit harder than The Rings of Power, leaning into the medium where it already dominates isn’t just logical, it’s the smartest creative move available.
How An Animated LOTR Show Could Fix The Rings Of Power's Problems
Animation Could Solve The Challenges That Held The Rings Of Power Back
An animated Lord of the Rings series would immediately eliminate one of The Rings of Power’s biggest hurdles: cost. The live-action show is one of the most expensive television productions ever mounted, making every creative decision high-risk and heavily scrutinized. Animation offers more flexibility, more experimentation, and far fewer logistical limitations, all while dramatically reducing budget pressure.
Middle-earth also contains some of the strangest, most mythic corners of Tolkien’s lore that stretch far beyond the scope of live-action practicality. Animation removes those constraints entirely. Want to explore the deep history of the Valar? Follow the blue wizards across impossibly surreal landscapes? Dive into First Age mythology without worrying about photorealistic CGI? Animation can handle it effortlessly.
Crucially, an animated Middle-earth series could embrace a more niche identity. It wouldn’t need to compete with live-action giants like Game of Thrones or strive to become Amazon’s next must-watch blockbuster. Instead, it could focus on storytelling depth, lore fidelity, and artistic innovation; areas where Tolkien’s world thrives.
By shifting mediums from live-action to animation, Amazon could shed the expectations that weighed down The Rings of Power and create something freer, bolder, and truer to the expansive imagination behind Middle-earth.
Will There Be More Lord Of The Rings Shows After The Rings Of Power?
Amazon Hasn’t Announced Any New LotR Shows, But The Door Isn’t Closed
Galadriel and Sauron standing together in a still from Rings of Power season 2
At the time of writing, Amazon has not announced any plans for a new Lord of the Rings television series beyond The Rings of Power. With season 3 still being developed, the studio hasn’t indicated whether it intends to expand Middle-earth further on the small screen. Given the divisive reception to The Rings of Power, Amazon may hesitate before committing to another large-scale adaptation.
However nothing suggests the door is fully closed either. Amazon still holds valuable rights to the Tolkien legendarium, and the success of its animated fantasy catalog makes the possibility of a new approach increasingly appealing. If the studio wants to refresh its Middle-earth strategy, animation could be the key to revitalizing interest without the risks that come with another prestige live-action gamble.
Whether Amazon chooses to continue expanding the franchise beyond The Rings of Power remains to be seen, but the potential for a bold new animated vision of Middle-earth is undeniably strong, and The Legend of Vox Machina proves Prime Video is better positioned than any studio to make it happen.
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The Rings of Power
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The Legend of Vox Machina
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The Lord of the Rings
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Too expensive I made the sauron movie though it's available it's about the humans orcs and elves manipulation of humans and other species. He's human in it. The rings represent a craft binding older chakra binding on christians. Excellent movie.
It should be available. But is probably not. Lich king means there's a queen it was a blood goblet not sure if he wrote it into the books. It's an allegory for okin as in Odin.
2025-11-24 17:59:51 Upvote Downvote Reply Copy