Back in September, Amazon’s mysterious Lord of the Rings TV show drafted Will Poulter to join its cast. However, it turns out he won’t be visiting Middle-Earth anytime soon. Variety is now reporting that Poulter has vacated his role in the series.
Poulter’s character was never disclosed, but he was expected to portray one of the series’ leads. Apparently, “scheduling conflicts” are to blame for Poulter’s decision to exit the show. This actually isn’t the first time such a conflict has forced Poulter to drop out of a high-profile gig. He was the original choice to play Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the 2017 remake of It before Bill Skarsgard filled the role instead. Amazon is already searching for Poulter’s replacement on Lord of the Rings.
RELATED: Amazon Orders The Lord of the Rings Season 2
Lord of the Rings is currently in pre-production in the franchise’s longtime home of New Zealand. Despite this latest setback, Amazon remains committed to ensuring the series’ longevity. Last month, the streaming service ordered a second season of the show. Once the first two episodes of the inaugural season have been shot, the series will go on hiatus for a few months so the writers can plot out more installments.
JD Payne and Patrick McKay are developing Lord of the Rings with Game of Thrones veteran Bryan Cogman serving as a consulting producer. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom director J.A. Bayona is still attached to helm multiple episodes. Over the last few months, the producers have cast Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, and Maxim Baldry in unknown roles. The most recent addition is Ema Horvath, who joined the series this week.
What are your thoughts on Will Poulter leaving Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: The Hobbit (Graphic Novel)
