Beatles’ Lord of the Rings Musical Pitch Rejected by Kubrick: Fans Thankful

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Summary

  • The Beatles were almost cast in a Lord of the Rings film, with Paul McCartney as Frodo and John Lennon as Gollum.
  • Director Stanley Kubrick rejected the idea, deeming a musical adaptation with Beatles songs “unfilmable.”
  • Fans are relieved the Beatles didn’t star in the movie, grateful for the epic adaptation by Peter Jackson.

Approximately two decades ago, Peter Jackson presented fantasy enthusiasts who hadn’t read the books with the universe of The Lord of the Rings, through a live-action interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic trilogy. These legendary films would later reshape the perception of fantasy movies, earning numerous awards for their remarkable storylines, moving soundtracks, and visual splendor.

Many viewers consider “The Lord of the Rings” to be one of the greatest films ever created, consistently ranking high among film enthusiasts’ favorites. While this is a topic open to discussion, it’s clear that Peter Jackson’s epic portrayal garnered immense praise for its breathtaking scenery, grand battles, and deep mythology. Interestingly, before audiences embarked on their adventure with hobbits, elves, dwarves, and wizards to destroy the One Ring, a renowned 1960s music group, The Beatles, were almost cast in a “Lord of the Rings” movie directed by Stanley Kubrick.

The Beatles Almost Starred in a Lord of the Rings Adaptation (And Thankfully, They Didn’t)

On Reddit, a fan of “Lord of the Rings” shared an interesting tidbit: back in the day, The Beatles were slated to star in and produce their own film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic. This idea emerged nearly four decades before Peter Jackson brought it to life on screen. Specifically, Paul McCartney was going to portray Frodo, Ringo Starr would be Samwise, John Lennon took the role of Gollum, and George Harrison was set to play Gandalf. Given The Beatles’ immense popularity during that era, associating their name with any project was essentially a ticket to success. Yet, it wasn’t the ideal choice for such a legendary literary work.

Instead of being haunted by the chilling scores composed by Howard Shore, The Lord of the Rings could have been a musical with original songs from a band. Given the dark and ominous atmosphere of Middle Earth, such a change would have been disconcerting and rather absurd. This unorthodox idea was presented to renowned director Stanley Kubrick, known for films like Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange, Eyes Wide Shut, and The Shining. Fortunately for us, Kubrick found the proposal equally preposterous as we did, dismissing it as “unfilmable.

You can now preorder the stunning 4K collection of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, offering an immersive journey through Middle Earth. The release is scheduled for March 18th.

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2025-01-31 14:56