With the announcement of a second upcoming Lord of the Rings movie in the works written by Stephen Colbert, Philippa Boyens, and Peter McGee, and the release of its synopsis, speculation about what the movie will be about is only just beginning.
The synopsis in the Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema press release about The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past is: “Fourteen years after the passing of Frodo – Sam, Merry, and Pippin set out to retrace the first steps of their adventure. Meanwhile, Sam’s daughter, Elanor, has discovered a long-buried secret and is determined to uncover why the War of the Ring was very nearly lost before it even began.”
For reference, let’s take a look at the timeline that is mentioned.
Fourteen years after Frodo’s departure means the movie takes place in S.R. 1435/Fourth Age Year 14.
Elanor the Fair is born March 13, S.R. 1421, the same year that Frodo sets sail for the Undying Lands in September. Her birth day is also the start of the Fourth Age of Gondor.
Elanor will be fourteen years old at the time Shadow of the Past will take place, giving the film a young female lead.
The Appendices of The Lord of the Rings tells us where the remaining Fellowship Hobbits are and what they are doing around this time.
Three years before the movie is set to begin, in S.R. 1432, “Meriadoc, called the Magnificent, becomes Master of Buckland.”
One year before the movie, in S.R. 1434 “Peregrin becomes the Took and Thain. King Elessar makes the Thain, the Master, and the Mayor Counsellors of the North-Kingdom. Master Samwise is elected Mayor for the second time.”
A year after the movie is set to take place, in S.R. 1436 “King Elessar rides north, and dwells for a while by Lake Evendim. He comes to the Brandywine Bridge, and there greets his friends. He gives the Star of the Dúnedain to Master Samwise, and Eleanor is made a maid of honour to Queen Arwen.”
Seven years after the movie, in S.R. 1442 “Master Samwise and his wife and Elanor ride to Gondor and stay there for a year.”
As to some speculation, might the events that will take place in The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past be what brings Aragorn, and presumably, Arwen, north to visit the Hobbits? Is something that Elanor does in the movie the reason that she is given the position of “maid of honour” to Arwen? Does the secret she discovers have any connection to why she goes to Gondor later?
And does this mean that we will catch a glimpse of Annúminas, the once capital city of the Kingdom of Arnor founded by Elendil on Lake Evendim? Could Viggo Mortenson and Liv Tyler reprise their roles as Aragorn and Arwen since they will be fourteen years older in this film than at the end of the Return of the King?
Most importantly, what cameos will Peter Jackson and Stephen Colbert have in Shadow of the Past?
This is indeed an exciting time to be a Lord of the Rings fan.
