Amazon Middle Earth Show Forbidden to Contradict Tolkien and Avoid Rings Time Period

A question I had after it was announced that Amazon would produce a TV series set in Middle Earth, was why the Tolkien Estate would agree to it. The Estate has long had a disliked Hollywood and really hated the Peter Jackson versions of Tolkien's books (Hobbit I get, LOTR trilogy not so much). However, they do enjoy the financial windfall that came from such agreements. The agreement meant that something had to have been conceded so the Estate could hold its nose while cashing fresh new checks. As reported by Engadget, they were pretty significant concessions. The Tolkien estate has veto power over the show, the First Age & Third Age (aka The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings is in) is off limits, and published continuity must be maintained (so relevant info in the Appendices, The Silmarillion, etc.).

"The Tolkien estate will insist that the main shape of the Second Age is not altered," Tolkien scholar and series supervisor Tom Shippey told the German Tolkien Society. During this period, Sauron tries to reform Middle-earth for the better but falls into evil, becoming a powerful and oppressive ruler. "Sauron invades Eriador, is forced back by a Númenorean expedition, returns to Númenor. There he corrupts the Númenoreans and seduces them to break the ban of the Valar. All this, the course of history, must remain the same."

Shippey points out that although the broad strokes of the history of the Second Age are established, there are plenty of unanswered questions about the events of the period, such as what Sauron did after the fall of Morgoth. Amazon can take creative license to create its own story within this history, as long as it doesn't contradict Tolkien's writings.

The Tolkien estate maintains power of veto over any content in the show, Shippey says, and is willing to nix anything that doesn't fit with Tolkien's vision. The First Age and the Third Age of Middle-earth (in which the books are set) are both "off-limits" to the TV show, so don't expect to see hobbits, Gondorians or many familiar faces in the new adaptation.

Amazon must have really wanted this show. The Tolkien Estate has long been difficult to work with as very demanding with the viewpoint that the text is sacrosanct and any attempt to convert it to film should be a near 1 to 1 translation. As someone that has read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and tried to read other Tolkien works, a one to one translation would have made for horrible and incredibly boring viewing.

I have always said that JRR Tolkien is a gifted world builder but a below average writer. For example there were entire sections of The Lord of the Rings that served no purpose or function. For example when get bored look up Tom Bombadil. Die hard Tolkien fans still have not forgiven Peter Jackson for not including this character in the films. The reason is simple - he served no purpose. Its clear Tolkien liked the concept of the character, write some stuff, got bored of him, and never circled back to him within the story. It was an easy cut to make when translating the text to film. All the coincidences in The Hobbit movies where everyone just seems to get lucky? Yeah that wasn't just from the movies, it was built into the book. Why figure out clever solutions when can just deux ex Machina your way out which Tolkien did many many times in the book. Absolutely nothing wrong with irrelevant characters and luck as a solution. Books do it all the time. Movies and TV shows, on the other hand, should actively try to avoid doing that (easier said then done of course).

I do not envy the team that already has the difficult task of taking the very dry material that is Middle Earth lore and turn it into entertaining television. A difficulty that is now compounded by trying to pass muster of the Tolkien Estate that has the contractual position of not having to compromise on their own vision of that lore.