We finally have our first proper look at Amazon's upcoming The Lord Of The Rings TV series, and it has absolutely not disappointed fans of the epic fantasy saga. There's also a release date, which luckily, isn't too far away for our elf eyes to see.
So, let's take a peek at the brand new image first, shall we? Posted by the show's official Twitter account, we see a lone figure draped in a flowing white robe, taking in a picturesque and sprawling cityscape.
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Exactly where in Middle-earth this is, is up for debate. The prevailing theories seem to suggest it's Valinor (that's the Undying Lands to you and me) where Frodo, the Elves and other members of the Fellowship go after completing their quest to destroy the One Ring.
There's also the possibility that it represents the city of Tirion, whose walls were known to be gleaming white, and it does somewhat match the description laid down by J.R.R. Tolkien himself. Artwork of the city was used on some covers of The Silmarillion, so we're also pretty certain of this.
Eagle-eyed fans have spotted two trees in the distance, which are being touted as the Trees of Valinor; Telperion and Laurelin which gave light to the world before being destroyed, creating the sun, the moon and the start of the First Age.
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Interestingly, this would set the image we've seen before the First Age, whereas the description of the show states that it takes place in the Second Age. Curious indeed.
It's very likely that this still is taken from a prequel or introduction to the show, much in the same way that The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring started with the defeat of Sauron at the end of the Second Age.
As for who the figure is? Well that's anybody's guess, currently. Some seem to think it might be Galadriel, though there's no real evidence to support the idea other than the fact that she was around at that time (she's in the show) and that the character has radiant and shiny blonde hair.
But, enough pouring over images for clues. We do have some steadfast information on exactly when we'll be able to watch the as-yet unnamed Lord Of The Rings TV series on Amazon Prime, and that is (drumroll please) September 2nd!..... 2022.
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Yes, that is over a whole year to wait, which is mildly disappointing for fans who were promised it would be with us this year. But the first series only finished filming this very week, so we can cut them some slack with all the work left to do to make it as epic as it deserves to be.
The show has cost Amazon a reported £465 million, which might make the likes of you and I wince, but is surely pocket change to CEO and pseudo-rocketman Jeff Bezos. If the series has the impressive scale of the lone image we've seen so far, I'm sure the money has been well spent.
It's already confirmed that the storyline will unfold over the course of multiple series', based around the trials and tribulations of the Second Age of Middle-earth. I just looked it up, and the Second Age lasted for 3441 years, so it's safe to say the showrunners will just about have a big enough window in which to work.
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We know for a fact that Galadriel will be in the series, though Cate Blanchett will not be reprising her role - instead Welsh actor Morfydd Clark will portray a younger Lady of Lothlórien. As much as concepts like 'youth' and 'aging' mean anything to a divine being, anyway.
While plenty of other acting talent has been announced, we're completely in the dark as to who will be playing who. There will be an ensemble of characters from The Silmmrillian and Tolkien's other works represented, though Amazon have taken artistic license and made their own unique folk, too.
One character we can be sure will make an appearance is the dreaded Melkor. Or Moregoth to his friends. Or Bauglir, The Black Foe, The First Enemy, The Black Hand, The Marrer, The Corruptor... Melkor has a lot of names - none of them good.
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He's one of the Valar (ancient, celestial beings) and he's one rude dude with a really bad 'tude. Remember Sauron? He basically does Melkor's bidding, so it's a safe bet the stakes will be high. The show's official description calls him "the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien's pen." Yikes.
'But what about the length of the season?' I hear you cry. Well, the first series is set to run for eight episodes and will likely be a staggered release to stop us from binging the whole thing in one sitting when it first comes out.
Maybe if we all promise to let Jeff Bezos go to space again he'll release the whole thing in one go. Imagine the marathons with this series tacked on to the The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy extended editions 4k re-release. It's a good time to be a nerd.
Featured Image Credit: Amazon / New Line Cinema