Showrunners Discuss Tom Bombadil’s Appearance in ‘The Rings of Power’ Season 2: “There’s a reason why he hasn’t been done before”

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power became a massive hit on Amazon despite facing significant criticism. Renewed for a second season, which premiered on August 29, 2024, the show has been praised by both fans and critics as a major improvement. With exciting developments on the horizon, particularly concerning recent revelations from the showrunners, there’s much to look forward to.

One of the highly anticipated additions in Season 2 is Tom Bombadil, portrayed by the acclaimed Rory Kinnear. Known for his intriguing role in Tolkien’s work, Bombadil’s inclusion has generated considerable excitement among fans.

While we’ve previously covered Kinnear’s and other cast members’ insights into the character, this report will focus on the showrunners’ perspectives on Tom Bombadil and what makes him such a compelling figure.

In a recent interview with GQ, showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay provided insights into the upcoming season of The Rings of Power, hinting at some exciting changes. While the interview covered many topics, this report will focus on their comments about the role of Tom Bombadil and the impact Rory Kinnear is expected to have in Season 2.

P: There’s a reason why he hasn’t been done before, because in some ways his character defies drama. He’s an anti-dramatic character.

M: He’s not interested in the adventure. He’s just there to hang out! It was a challenge to incorporate him but we found that he fit right in as someone who can help the Stranger realise his own potential. I cannot wait for fans to see that episode, because I think what Rory Kinnear does is magic!

Source: GQ

As evident, the showrunners are clearly enthusiastic about the new season. This enthusiasm aligns with an earlier interview where McKay shared his thoughts on Tom Bombadil, stating:

M: I wouldn’t say pressure so much as an opportunity. Tom Bombadil is enigmatic, whimsical, eternal being, and he’s around during this story. The idea that our characters might stumble across him, hopefully in the most delightfully unexpected way, was always appealing to us. (…) We have to throw love to our amazing casting director Theo Park. We described what we wanted to do with this character, how we saw them fitting into the story, and she was like, “Rory Kinnear.” We had one conversation with him, he was in Cornwall directing an opera. Tom Bombadil’s his wife’s favorite character, and he’s just a delight to work with. He’s funny but he has these dramatic chops, he sings – he sings a couple times – and really he’s sort of exactly what you want.

Source: The Wrap

All of this has us eagerly anticipating Tom Bombadil’s debut in the series, which promises to be exceptional!

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