Peter Jackson to Release The Silmarillion as a TV Series

The naysayers said it couldn’t be done.

But then again, Peter Jackson has proven everyone wrong before. Remember The Hobbit? Three movies from nineteen chapters. I mean, Jackson really is the expert at making a Misty Mountain from a Hobbit Hole.

“I really just make it up as I go along,” Jackson has stated, “I can turn two paragraphs into two hours of screen time.”

His next project? The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien’s history of Middle-Earth. The Silmarillion was edited and published by his son Christopher Tolkien, who has famously stated that he hates Jackson’s very commercialized adaptations. Christopher has shockingly given his blessing to the project. Perhaps this is due to the change in format?

That’s right: Middle-Earth is now coming to the small screen! The network? What better network to release an epic high fantasy series than HBO? When can we expect to see the series? Not until after Game of Thrones season six.

“We don’t want fans to confuse Game of Thrones storylines with Silmarillion storylines,” Jackson explained.

Jackson’s current plan is to focus on the Quenta Silmarillion and release an hour-long episode per chapter. For reference, here’s a list of chapters, or rather, upcoming episodes:

  1. Of the Beginning of Days
  2. Of Aulë and Yavanna
  3. Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor
  4. Of Thingol and Melian
  5. Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië
  6. Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor
  7. Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor
  8. Of the Darkening of Valinor
  9. Of the Flight of the Noldor
  10. Of the Sindar
  11. Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor
  12. Of Men
  13. Of the Return of the Noldor
  14. Of Beleriand and its Realms
  15. Of the Noldor in Beleriand
  16. Of Maeglin
  17. Of the Coming of Men into the West
  18. Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin
  19. Of Beren and Lúthien
  20. Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad
  21. Of Túrin Turambar
  22. Of the Ruin of Doriath
  23. Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin
  24. Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath

As for me, I’m particularly excited to see episodes 19 (“Of Beren and Lúthien”) and 21 (“Of Túrin Turambar”).

Which episodes are you most excited to see? Share in the comments!

If you’ve made it this far and you’re of the more gullible sort, you should know that this was written as an April Fool’s joke. It feels good to be writing again after a three-month hiatus! Now that my “busy season” is over, I hope to write more regularly. Keep up with the news and reviews posted on FictionRow by following on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks!