Lord of the Rings book fans, your time has come. Tom Bombadil will officially make his screen debut soon in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2.
Prime Video announced today that Rory Kinnear will play the character from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels. Though Tolkien’s work has been adapted in various projects over the years, The Rings of Power will mark the first time the character of Tom Bombadil has made the jump to the screen.
“He’s whimsical and magical, and almost verging on silly. But also has the wisdom of the ages and the music of the spheres and deep emotional wells of ancient history and myth, and his conception and function are tied to Norse myths and have deep roots in European fairy tale,” said co-showrunner Patrick McKay. “So weirdly, he’s kind of the most Lord of the Rings thing in Lord of the Rings.”
Prime Video revealed a first look at Kinnear in the role with a few set images. Check them out below.
“Tom is sort of a curiosity within that structure because while it is darker, Tom Bombadil is singing and saying lines that could be nursery rhymes from children’s poems. So, he sort of defies the tonal shift of the rest of the season and is a real point of light amidst an otherwise sea of darkness,” added co-showrunner J.D. Payne.
Here’s the official character description of Tom Bombadil provided by Prime Video:
Rory Kinnear plays “Tom Bombadil” a figure of unknown origin in Tolkien’s works. He projects a timeless wisdom, often propelling characters in a direction to see things more clearly and helping them better understand the wide world around them. In the lore, he claims to be as old as Middle-earth itself, possessing wisdom far beyond the reaches of others. Essential to the spirit of discovery and of the search for meaning, Bombadil is famously clad in yellow boots, blue jacket, and a feathered hat, and prone to enigmatic expressions in singsong verse.
Kinnear is an Olivier Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated actor, known for roles in features like The Imitation Game and Daniel Craig’s James Bond films. His TV credits include The Diplomat, Penny Dreadful, and Our Flag Means Death. He also recently played Churchill in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres exclusively on Prime Video August 29.
So, are you a book fan excited to see Tom Bombadil’s TV debut? Let us know in the comments.
