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The LOTR Movie Site
October 6, 1999

Concerning 'Fellowship' and Success

There has been a great amount of hype surrounding the upcoming Lord of the Rings movies. Many questions have been asked and points have been raised that show the seriousness to which these movies are being taken. Little do people realize that one of these films will not only be hallmark in movie making history, but also the most important movie made for the new millenium. That film will be the first one of three, The Fellowship of the Ring.

You could say the Peter Jackson has the weight of Middle-Earth riding on his shoulders. Not only does he have the monumental task of faithfully recreating Tolkien’s universe, but he must also balance factors such as fan base, studio politics, and most important, accuracy to the original Tolkien work.

Fans of Tolkien will either carry ‘Fellowship’ into legendary status and complete adoration, or they will drop it into the annals of soon-to-be-forgotten mistakes. No matter what its future status is, ‘Fellowship’ will be an instant blockbuster. Not only hardcore fans will go, but also the curious, and faintly amused, and even the critical will go see The Fellowship of the Ring. However, this does not guarantee its popularity in the long run. Far from it. In fact, ‘Fellowship’ may be the most praised film or the harshly criticised movie of the trilogy.

Hardcore fans will make up the majority of theatre-goers for this movie, and will also be most effective in determining its future viewability and popularity long after the other two movies have been made. Their opinion of ‘Fellowship’ could easily sway the success of the second and third films.

Why will ‘Fellowship’ be such a pivotal film?  Simply, it has more going for it than any other movie made. What other story as popular has made it to the big screen? What set of books has possibly the largest fanbase in the world? Tolkien’s works have been popular for over thirty years, and not by just one group of people…

Being a hardcore fan myself, I hope to God The Fellowship of the Ring is a gigantic success. After all, nothing else could possibly do Tolkien justice more than a rousing success in the box-office and expectant fans worldwide.