Tom Bombadil To Make Live-Action Debut In ‘Lord of the Rings: Rings Of Power’ Season 2

Tom Bombadil, one of the most iconic characters from the Lord of the Rings books, will finally make his transition to live-action, following his omission from past adaptations of Tolkien’s works. 

Making his debut in 1934 in The Oxford Magazine, Tom Bombadil has become one of the most beloved and peculiar characters in the history of J.R.R Tolkien’s works. He is described as a powerful but modest being. He gained most attention when he appeared in Tolkien’s 1954 novel The Fellowship of the Ring, where he interacted with the Hobbits on their way to Rivendell. 

Many book readers love and adore the character, but he has never received the same recognition from any of the feature film adaptations of the story. Peter Jackson left out the character from his 2001 adaptation, and Ralph Bakshi before him in the 1978 animated telling. 

Now, Prime Video’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power Season 2 has cast Rory Kinnear as the character. Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay were tasked with fitting the character into the lore of the show and its connection to the Peter Jackson films. Payne spoke to Vanity Fair about the task and why he was excluded from previous adaptations. 

“There’s a reason why he hasn’t been in prior adaptations, because in some ways he’s sort of an anti-dramatic character, he’s not a character who has a particularly strong agenda. He observes drama, but largely doesn’t participate in it. In The Fellowship of the Ring, the characters kind of just go there and hang out for a while, and Tom drops some knowledge on them.”

While McKay added:

“He has no clear dramatic function that would justify his inclusion in a really great movie adaptation. He’s whimsical and magical, and almost verging on silly. But also has the wisdom of the ages and the music of the spheres and deep emotional wells of ancient history and myth, and his conception and function are tied to Norse myths and have deep roots in European fairy tale…  he’s kind of the most Lord of the Rings thing in Lord of the Rings, and also the first thing you would cut if you were adapting it as a film. But we have the advantage of a television show, and hence we are going to find a way to tap into that.”

The showrunners also comment on making the character slightly more dramatic, saying he will be slightly more of an interventionist in comparison to Tolkien’s original works by around “5% or 10%.”

Arguably the most memorable part of the Tom Bombadil lore comes from the eighth chapter of The Fellowship of the Ring, “Fog on the Barrow-downs.” It follows the Hobbits as they get captured in the barrow of a wight. It’s another chapter that was omitted by adaptations, but if utilized would definitely enhance the depth of worldbuilding, especially with the added runtime of a show. 

Rory Kinnear, the actor who has just been cast in the role, is famed for his portrayal of Bill Tanner in the latest James Bond film series and his involvement as the antagonist in Alex Garland’s Men. 

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 begins streaming on Prime Video on the 29th of August, 2024, airing with a 3-episode premiere until October 3, 2024. The second season is directed by Charlotte Brändström, Sanaa Hamri, and Louise Hooper. 

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