The Lord of the Rings franchise has been adapted into various forms of media such as film, television, radio, video games, and stage plays. Even though Peter Jackson's movies and Prime Video's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power are the most popular adaptations, an animated film was released in 1978, which followed Frodo's early journey. However, there have been only a few attempts to animate J.R.R. Tolkien's world. Recently, a YouTube channel called AI Generated Art showcased a new medium for The Lord of the Rings through an '80s-style anime. Watch the video below to see the stunning result.
Could An Animated Lord Of The Rings Adaptation Work?
In the video, the characters from The Lord of the Rings are depicted in a style reminiscent of '80s anime. Sauron is portrayed as imposing and dark, while Frodo and Sam retain their innocent hobbit appearance from the beginning of the series. Other notable characters such as Gandalf, Gollum, Legolas, Gimli, Saruman, Witch-King, Elrond, and Aragorn also make appearances.
The magical and fantastical world of The Lord of the Rings could potentially be brought to life through animation, which would allow for a more cost-effective medium without sacrificing the intricate details of Tolkien's universe. While Peter Jackson's film trilogy utilized clever camera tricks and limited CGI to make the hobbits appear small, this approach posed challenges for both actors and crew. By utilizing animation, the creative team would have greater flexibility in showcasing the diverse range of characters and landscapes within the story.
Animation offers a solution to these challenges in a seamless manner. The voice actors would simply need to lend their voices to the characters, who could be easily manipulated to the appropriate size. Additionally, the production team would not have to worry about avoiding temporal inconsistencies that could lead to recasting or other complications. By sticking to the original timeline of The Lord of the Rings, the team could age the character models without the added burden of lengthy makeup sessions for actors. This approach would also ensure that the fantastical elements of the story can be accurately depicted with minimal reliance on special effects. With the upcoming fully animated film, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, the idea of AI Generated Art's vision for the series will soon become a reality as an anime.
Source: AI Generated Art