Surprising New Lord Of The Rings Adaptation Fixes A Tolkien Detail Peter Jackson Cut

Summary A Lord of the Rings musical is set to debut in the US in 2024, offering a unique return to Middle-earth's magical world.

The stage production will feature familiar characters and storylines from Tolkien's books, complete with original musical numbers.

Fans can expect a blend of new and familiar songs inspired by Tolkien's rich writing and poetry in this exciting adaptation.

An unexpected Lord of the Rings adaptation is coming to the United States in 2024, and its unique format restores an aspect of Tolkien's work that Peter Jackson's movies had cut. The film trilogy is still regarded as the figurehead of the on-screen franchise, but recent years have also seen new adaptations arise. Though these have been predominantly movies and TV shows, an off-screen version of Lord of the Rings is on the way, which makes a lot of sense considering the unique flavor of Tolkien's books.

Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy arrived in the early 2000s, and he eventually followed these up with the The Hobbit trilogy in the 2010s. From there, nearly a decade went by without any other adaptations until The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power—a prequel TV show—arrived on Prime Video in 2022. This year, the animated movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is scheduled to release in December, but there's also a lesser-known adaptation on the way.

Related Every Upcoming Lord Of The Rings Movie & TV Show The Lord of the Rings franchise has seen a resurgence in film and TV of late; here is every project coming out of Middle-earth in the near future.

A Lord Of The Rings Musical Is Coming To The United States In 2024

The Lord of The Rings - A Musical Tale Is Coming To Chicago In July 2024 (With An International Tour To Follow)

A Lord of the Rings musical opened in the UK in 2023, and in 2024, it's finally coming to the United States (via Deadline). Though not the kind of adaptation audiences are used to, the stage production serves as an exciting and unique return to Middle-earth, depending on sets and practical effects to bring the magic to life. Titled The Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale, the show will open at The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on July 19th and run through September 1st, with an international tour planned to follow.

Dates A Locations for the Lord of the Rings musical will be announced in June 2024.

The Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale will follow the same story as Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, beginning with Bilbo Baggins' eleventy-first birthday celebration at the Shire. It will continue from there through Frodo's journey with Sauron's One Ring and the Dark Lord's ultimate defeat. Of course, the stage production will be complete with musical numbers, which makes it unique compared to popular screen adaptations. However, in a way, a version of Frodo's story accompanied by music is far closer to how Tolkien wrote it.

Peter Jackson's LOTR Movies Cut The Many Songs Tolkien Wrote For The Books

Music & Lyrics Were A Frequent Feature Of Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings Books

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J.R.R. Tolkien loved writing lyrics and poems, and his Lord of the Rings books were stuffed full of them. It seemed that a character would stop to sing or recite poetry every few pages, from Bilbo to Aragorn and beyond. Though some of these songs made it into Jackson's movie trilogy (like Pippin's Return of the King song accompanied by Denethor's chewing), the vast majority were cut. However, by its very nature, the Lord of the Rings musical can bring these lyrics back to Middle-earth.

Music, in general, is highly significant to the Lord of the Rings lore, with the creation of Middle-earth's broader world owed to the gods singing the song of creation.

Music, in general, is highly significant to the Lord of the Rings lore, with the creation of Middle-earth's broader world owed to the gods singing the song of creation. For this reason, a Lord of the Rings musical makes a great deal of sense. Though Many of the songs in The Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale are original, with lyrics written by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus, Tolkien's writing and poetry were thrown into the mix as well, and his overall style served as heavy inspiration. So, while perhaps not as exciting as a screen adaptation, 2024's new Lord of the Rings is pretty intriguing.

Could The Lord Of The Rings Musical Be The Next Movie Adaptation?

The Arrival Of The Lord Of The Rings Musical In The US Could Inspire A New Movie

Custom image by Yailin Chacon

Technically, the Lord of the Rings musical isn't new. Prior to its UK revival in 2023, the production resided in Toronto in 2006 before moving to London's West End in 2007. Still, this is the musical's first time in the United States, and the international tour that will follow will bring the production to its widest audience yet. This, combined with the growing interest in other Lord of the Rings adaptations, could inspire movie versions of this production.

Ultimately, this would likely depend on how things go in Chicago, as well as the international tour. If the Lord of the Rings musical is a hit, then a Hollywood studio may decide that it is worth investing in an on-screen version. Only time will tell. For now, fans who appreciate the musical qualities Tolkien sewed in The Lord of the Rings will have to keep their ears open to hear when the production comes to a stage near them.