Elijah Wood comments on ‘Lord of the Rings’ reboot plans: ‘I hope it’s good’

One franchise to rule them all. Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery revealed its plans to mine J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” for more material. The newly formed studio, a combination of WarnerMedia and Discovery, said it would make multiple films with the property over the next several years, ostensibly rebooting the beloved series of films that grossed almost $3 billion worldwide and won several Oscars. The previous franchise’s filmmaking team – Oscar winners Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens – will not be involved directly in the features, but said in a statement they were kept “in the loop” about the Warner Bros. Discovery plans. “We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward,” Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens said.

That was good news for many “Lord of the Rings” fans and even some of the old cast members. Speaking to GQ to promote his scene-stealing turn on Season 2 of “Yellowjackets,” “Lord of the Rings” star Elijah Wood said he was “fascinated” and “excited” by the prospect of new films. 

More from GoldDerby

• 'Mrs. Maisel' team discusses the surprising Season 5 departures of two key characters

• 'Yellowjackets': Melanie Lynskey's killer turn in 'Digestif' is a dish best served with an Emmy

• 'Bupkis' trailer: The life and times of Pete Davidson and an all-star cast [Watch]

“I hope it’s good,” he added. “I’m surprised—I don’t know why I’m surprised because, of course there would be more movies.

Wood has been in the business since he was a child, so he understands better than most that studios are in the business of making money. Even for a property like “The Lord of the Rings,” he said, it’s no different. “Obviously at the core of that, is a desire to make a lot of money. It’s not that a bunch of executives are like, ‘Let’s make really awesome art,’” Wood said. “And, again, not begrudging anybody because, of course, it is commerce. But great art can come from commerce. So those two things are not mutually exclusive.”

“But Lord of the Rings didn’t come out of that place,” he added. “It came out of a passion for these books and wanting to see them realized. And I hope that that is ultimately what will drive everything forward with whatever these subsequent movies are. I just hope that it’s the same motivating factor at its core, whenever they hire a screenwriter and a filmmaker—that it is with reverence for Tolkien’s material and enthusiasm to explore it.”

“The Lord of the Rings” is just one of many franchises Warner Bros. Discovery hopes to resurrect in the near term. Just this week, the media company announced plans for a lengthy Harry Potter television series that would span multiple seasons (one season per book, with seven total books from author J.K. Rowling). The company has also sought to rebrand its superhero franchises with James Gunn coming on as co-lead of the DC films group. Gunn will direct a fresh take on Superman set for release in 2025. The studio is also expanding its Batman universe with a sequel to 2021’s “The Batman” and a television series spinoff focused on The Penguin with star Colin Farrell in the lead role.

PREDICT the 2023 Emmy nominees through July 12

Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?

SIGN UP for Gold Derby’s free newsletter with latest predictions

Best of GoldDerby

• 2023 box office hits: Every movie that made more than $100 million

• James McAvoy movies: 10 greatest films ranked from worst to best

• William Holden movies: 15 greatest films ranked worst to best

Sign up for Gold Derby's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.