Why Will Poulter Is a Perfect Fit for Amazon's 'Lord of the Rings' Show
Amazon hasn't confirmed anything yet, but this casting is just too good to ignore.
Amazon’s Lord of the Rings streaming series is still as mysterious as the depths of Khazad-dûm, but this week, the highly anticipated show made its first big casting announcement: Will Poulter. You might not recognize that name, but you probably know the actor. He starred in Midsommar as the comic relief guy who pees on that tree, and as the video game developer in Black Mirror: Bandersnatch with the wild P.A.C. Man conspiracy theories.
In short, Poulter has played some breakout supporting roles in two of the most interesting movies released in the past 12 months. So what does that mean for Amazon’s Lord of the Rings show? Well, it’s tough to see Poulter’s brand of biting comedy translate to Middle Earth. Unless, of course, he plays a hobbit.
Now, before you call me an idiot, I’m not comparing Poulter to Elijah Wood’s Frodo Baggins or Sean Astin’s Samwise Gamgee or even Martin Freeman’s Bilbo Baggins. He’s more like one of the other comic relief hobbits. You know the ones who are along for the ride, but much more interested in “second breakfast.”
What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper?
If you squint, Will Poulter even looks a bit like Dominic Monaghan, who played a hobbit in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies.
Of course, it’s also possible that Poulter could end up playing an elf (he’s got the spindly build for it) or even a regular old human. He might even be a wizard. As a young actor with real chops, Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series could be the true breakout performance he’s been waiting for — or another chance to make clever one-liners and pee on magic trees.
It’s tough to say for sure since we really know nothing about this show aside from the fact that it takes place during the Second Age. In Lord of the Rings lore, that refers to the time when Sauron created the One Ring and the other Rings of Power. So, in a way, Amazon’s show could be a prequel to The Hobbit, but we have no idea what kind of story it will tell in that setting.
Regardless, with Will Poulter on board, you can definitely expect a bit of humor from what many expect to be Amazon’s attempt at a Game of Thrones-level fantasy epic (the company even tapped GoT writer Bryan Cogman as a consulting producer).
As far as we know, the new series is still being written, but with casting news starting to bubble up, it may not be much longer before production begins in earnest and we get our first look at Will Poulter’s Lord of the Rings character.
