Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power showrunner Patrick McKay had the perfect response to critics who say that the clothes on the show look too new.
"I certainly don’t agree with that note," he said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "I think we are always talking about a lived-in world, and we’re always talking about adding breakdown [to give costumes a more worn-in look]." He then said to the interviewer, J. D. Payne, "also: That’s not a bad shirt you got on. Is it new? Guess what? Sometimes clothes are new."
The Rings of Power has seemingly been subject to immense criticism from audiences ever since its release. So much so that Amazon had to put a hold on reviews to make sure the show was not being intentionally review-bombed. Much of the criticism cited the fact that the show strays too far from its source material. Some audiences members also complained that the show's pacing was too slow.
As an example of one of these differences is Galadriel, played by Morfydd Clark. In the lore, the character is characterized as peaceful. But even before the show premiered, fans of the novels appeared to take issue with her appearance in several action-packed scenes. In response to these criticisms, Clark reminded audiences that The Rings of Power takes place long before the events The Lord of the Rings. "I would say that her serenity is hard-earned," she said, adding "I don’t think you get to that level of wisdom without going through things."
Amazon's Half a Billion Dollar Show
Since it premiered, audiences have warmed to The Rings of Power and filming for the second season is already underway. Season 1 cost Amazon nearly half a billion dollars to produce, a decision that publications in New Zealand, where the season was filmed, referred to as a "significant fiscal risk."
One industry insider highlighted the magnitude of this fiscal risk, explaining that the show was "It's too big to lose." An Amazon partner added, "The show is exceptionally important to them. It’s a branding opportunity for Amazon to show that they can deliver something with a patina of quality in terms of audience, critical and cultural reception, which they have not yet had.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter