Amazon’s long-gestating Lord of the Rings TV series just confirmed a major movie character will be a part of the fun when it debuts.
Per Variety, Morfydd Clark (His Dark Materials) has been added to the cast as a young Galadriel, the elf played by Cate Blanchett in the Lord of the Rings movies.
This casting marks the first major character from the original J.R.R. Tolkien books to join the cast, so this is exciting news for lovers of the movies and books alike.
Amazon’s take on the books will actually take place before the events of the book and the movi trilogy, but given that elfs live for thousands of years, Galadriel being a part of the action makes a lot of sense.
Clarke is probably best known for her role of Sister Clara on HBO series His Dark Materials, which is currently airing its freshman season.
On top of that, the talented actress is set to appear as Mina on the upcoming Dracula adaptation at Netflix.
Aside from those roles, Clarke has also appeared on Patrick Melrose and The Alienist.
The cast of the sprawling epic already includes Game of Thrones veteran, Joseph Mawle, who is set as the show’s villain, Oren, as well as Markella Kavenagh, who is playing Tyra.
Will Poulter was initial attached to lead the cast as Beldar, but he recently departed the series due to scheduling conflicts.
Amazon landed the TV rights to Lord of the Rings back in November 2017, and the deal includes the option of expanding the franchise further via additional spin-off series.
The adaptation is produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins, and New Line Cinema.
“The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,” Amazon scripted chief Sharon Tal Yguado said in a statement at the time of the series order.
“We are honored to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth.”
“We are delighted that Amazon, with its longstanding commitment to literature, is the home of the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings,” said a representative for the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins.
“Sharon and the team at Amazon Studios have exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s original writings.”
The series has already scored a second season order, and it’s no surprise. This is a huge franchise, and one that will probably be a defining one for Amazon.
What are your thoughts on the news?
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.