Lord of the Rings trilogy screenwriter Philippa Boyens explains why she chooses not to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy was released from 2001 to 2003, with Boyens and Fran Walsh serving as his writing partners for all three installments. The trio reunited for the more divisive The Hobbit trilogy, and the next adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s work didn’t come until 2022 with Prime Video’s The Rings of Power series. The show, which was created by Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, chronicles Sauron’s rise during the Second Age.

During a recent interview with Empire (via SlashFilm), Boyen reveals that she hasn’t watched The Rings of Power. According to the writer and producer, Tolkien’s fantasy world is highly complex, and that makes adaptations challenging:

“I haven’t watched it, and I’ve done that quite deliberately because I’m not about to pass judgment on anybody else’s attempt to go back into that world.”

Boyens further explains, however, that a key driver in her decision not to watch The Rings of Power is to avoid having it influence her as she works on her own Middle-earth projects. She also makes clear that she’s not against watching the show in the future, perhaps when she’s less involved in the franchise. Check out her comment below:

“But the real reason to stay away is because we don’t want any cross-contamination. I don’t want to feel that it has influenced our storytelling. Hopefully one day I will watch it. I just need to get my own arse out of Middle-earth first!”

What Boyens Not Watching The Rings Of Power Means For Her Lord Of The Rings Projects

Lord Of The Rings’ Franchise Future Explained

The Rings of Power season 2 reviews have been generally positive, and the show has been a big viewership hit for Prime Video. A season 3 of the streaming show isn’t the only Middle-earth content in the works, however. Boyens produces and has a “story by” credit on The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, an anime movie set to release in theaters in December.

The Rings of Power season 3 hasn’t yet been officially greenlit, but Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke has expressed her intention to fulfill McKay and Payne’s 5-season plan for the show.

In addition to this animated return to Middle-earth, Boyens is also set to play a major role in the live-action arm of the Lord of the Rings franchise. Andy Serkis is now confirmed to direct The Hunt for Gollum, which is tentatively scheduled to release in 2026 and will tell a story set during the events of Fellowship of the Ring. Boyens produces this film alongside Jackson and Walsh, and will also co-write the script with Walsh. This is an addition to a second live-action film, which doesn’t yet have a title or any story details.

With these live-action projects set to feature many creatives from the original trilogy, it’s clear that they will be attempting to recapture the magic of those films in this new era. Boyens not watching The Rings of Power is clearly part of this effort to ensure that the new films have that original trilogy feel to them.

Our Take On Boyens Not Watching The Rings Of Power

Different Interpretations Of Tolkien’s Source Material Is A Good Thing

Though The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power hasn’t been as universally acclaimed as Jackson’s trilogy, the response, particularly for season 2, has been generally positive. The show is largely attempting to follow its own path and present its own version of Middle-earth, distinct from Jackson’s, and this is for the best. With Boyens seemingly intent on ensuring that her upcoming Lord of the Rings projects remain separate from Prime Videos’, audiences will get two very different interpretations of Tolkien’s source material, and the world that he created is so vast that there’s certainly room for this.