Prime Video's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has mostly been a hit with fans of Middle-earth, though the series certainly isn't without its detractors. While the actors who starred in the movies have shared supportive words for the prequel, Bernard Hill isn't among them.
The actor played King Théoden in Peter Jackson's movies, and when Metro asked if he's watched the show, he snapped back with, "No, not interested. It’s a money-making venture and I’m not interested in watching that or being in it. Good luck to them and all that stuff but it’s not like the real thing."
When the site later wondered if he believes The Lord of the Rings franchise should have simply ended when Jackson's trilogy did, Hill responded: "Completely, yes."
"I think they were pushing it when they made 'The Hobbit.' 'The Hobbit’s' a tiny book," he added. "They did it well – they did it really, really well. They expanded it [but] I think you can only stretch a piece of elastic so far. I think they managed it in 'The Hobbit' because there were some really good things in 'The Hobbit' without a doubt.”
While the actor is very much entitled to his own opinion, the majority don't agree with his point of view. Despite some online trolling, The Rings of Power has been a hit; it's a good job too, especially as it's the most expensive TV show ever made. Amazon has plans for at least five seasons, meaning it will eventually be an investment of over $1 billion.
The first season of the show concluded by revealing Sauron, setting the stage for us to learn more about the iconic villain's origin story in the coming years. There are also rumblings about more movies, likely with different actors playing big-name characters like Aragorn and Gandalf (something we're sure Hill would be similarly displeased about).
What's your take on these comments about The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power?