"What's that? Oh, yes. It does seem I've upset some Middle-earth enthusiasts this day."
Last week’s announcement of Stephen Fry being cast as the Master of Laketown in Peter Jackson’s upcoming “The Hobbit” was great, and there was much joy in the Shire. But today’s announcement that Orlando Bloom will reprise his role as Legolas in “The Hobbit” is inspiring both joy and rage.
Comments on the news range from elated to furious on just about every site that’s posted about this. Why? ask the uninitiated. Well, Legolas isn’t actually in The Hobbit as written by Tolkien, and since the movie isn’t made yet and no one is exactly certain how Bloom’s character will be integrated into the film, already a rift has begun to spring up between the purists and fans of Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Sure, Bloom is beautiful. Yes, Legolas is a great character. Does that mean he needs to be in the prequel even though he technically isn’t? I’m not sure yet.
Personally, I trust Jackson to do justice to the source material. He’s maybe the ultimate Tolkien fanboy and I’m sure he has a legitimate (and faithful) interpretation of Bilbo Baggins’s story, which he is obviously trying to connect to the LotR movies for those who haven’t read the books. If that means including events from between The Hobbit and LotR, then I’m okay with that. But if this is a unforgivable ploy to get Bloom-swooning preteens to the box office, then I can’t say I approve. Do not want, Peter Jackson.
I’m on the fence. What do you think, Geeks?