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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Tue, 3:01am
Post #1 of 13
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Variety: Ana Taylor-Joy confirmed for The Hunt for Gollum
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Variety confirms previous reports that Anya Taylor-Joy has been cast as an Elf in the Andy Serkis-directed The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
Anya Taylor-Joy to Star in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt For Gollum’ as an Elf
Taylor‑Joy joins a standout ensemble of new cast members, including Kate Winslet (Marigol), Jamie Dornan (Strider) and Leo Woodall (Halvard). The Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee is set to play the role of Seren, a Sindar [sic] Elf of the Woodland Realm, who is described as “a trusted and lethal agent of King Thranduil.” Warner Bros. will release “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum” worldwide on December 17, 2027.
So, Seren is either an original character who might be substituting for Tauriel, the role originated by Evangeline Lilly for Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy, or her name is a placeholder for Tauriel herself. It is more likely the former as Tauriel was said to have been a Silvan Elf, not a Sinda.
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Jenny Blake Isabella
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OldestDaughter
Gondor
Tue, 12:57pm
Post #2 of 13
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Actually happy she's going to be a new character completely
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I was hoping to see her as a new character and not a recast of Arwen or Tauriel, so so far I am very hopeful.
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Chen G.
Gondor
Tue, 3:13pm
Post #3 of 13
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The whole notion that Seren is a codename never had much weight
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I see people still saying it's a cover for Arwen or Tauriel. I guess there's a ...1% chance of that, but 99% is we should it at face value.
The whole character codename thing is a Rings of Power thing. As far I know, these filmmakers never did that. The audition tapes for this film are "Strider", "Young Smeagol." The casting calls for The Hobbit were "Master of Laketown", "Primula Brandybuck", "Bilbo Baggins."
Seren is, it seems, just Seren. As you say, she's Sinda where Tauriel was Silvan, and if you brighten up the artwork you can see she's blonde, unlike the uniformally auburn Silvan Elves. It kinda reads like earlier drafts of Tauriel ("Itarille") in a way.
I hadn't seen much of Taylor-Joy's work, but I enjoy the Dune crossover and its nice to have something like a marquee name in there. She's English (kinda) and has done literary adaptations and plenty of period films, so she fits. Really, it's quite a gala cast, but not in a bad, distracting way!
(This post was edited by Chen G. on Tue, 3:15pm)
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Tue, 4:35pm
Post #4 of 13
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Seren is, it seems, just Seren. As you say, she's Sinda where Tauriel was Silvan, and if you brighten up the artwork you can see she's blonde, unlike the uniformally auburn Silvan Elves. It kinda reads like earlier drafts of Tauriel ("Itarille") in a way.
I hadn't seen much of Taylor-Joy's work, but I enjoy the Dune crossover and its nice to have something like a marquee name in there. She's English (kinda) and has done literary adaptations and plenty of period films, so she fits. Really, it's quite a gala cast, but not in a bad, distracting way!
Yes, I remember the rumors that Saoirse Ronan was being considered for the role of Itaril, before the character became Tauriel. Itaril was also meant to be a Wood-elf. In fact, here is the original casting call:
ITARIL - female, A woodland Elf, this character is one the Silvan Elves. The Silvan Elves are seen as more earthy and practical. Shorter than other elves, she is still quick and lithe and physically adept, being able to fight with both sword and bow. Showing promise as a fighter at a young age, ITARIL was chosen to train to become part of the Woodland King’s Guard. This is the only life she has ever expected to live, until she meets and secretly falls in love with a young ELF LORD. This role will require a wig and contact lenses to be worn. Some prosthetic make-up may also be required. LEAD. AGE: 17-27.
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Jenny Blake Isabella
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Chen G.
Gondor
Tue, 4:47pm
Post #5 of 13
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I think the Saoirse Ronan thing was a red herring. Just look at the age quota on the casting call you cited: Ronan would have been a little too young for the part. My understanding is they always had eyes for Lilly for this role.
Itarille really was Tauriel, but with subtle but significant differences. She seems to have been closer to Thranduil. From his audition script: "Itaril, my fighter, my golden-eyed assassin. You have skill and cunning: you could go far." I guess that's really where the comparison to Seren comes forth to me: sure sounds "trusted and lethal" to me!
Also, the love story at that point was with some Elven emissary who, it seems, would have acted as a go-between for Thranduil and Elrond. Aidan Turner read for this part - from his audition script: "My lord, Thranduil is wise, but in this instance his judgement is clouded" - and the love story "migrated" with him. Seren sounds like an emissary of sorts!
(This post was edited by Chen G. on Tue, 4:48pm)
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Tue, 6:52pm
Post #6 of 13
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In 2011 Saoirse Ronan would have been 17. That was at least within the range of the casting call for ITARIL. I don't see any reason why she might not have been under consideration.
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Jenny Blake Isabella
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Chen G.
Gondor
Tue, 6:57pm
Post #7 of 13
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The casting calls originally came out in 2010
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Even in 2011 she would have barely cleared the bottom age quota for the part. My understanding this part was always one of those roles where Peter, Fran and Philippa were like "THIS actress, nobody else" with Lilly. She was "it" for them; which of course doesn't mean they didn't talk to other people, if nothing else because when they originally contacted her, Lilly was bedridden after childbirth: I know they met Eva Green, for example. Ronan might have also been one of those "lets see if this could work."
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
Tue, 11:35pm
Post #8 of 13
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Well, there will certainly be things to discuss on tonight's TORn Tuesday, thanks to this casting announcement and the recent discovery of a Tolkien manuscript.
And, yes, Saoirse would have been 16 when the casting announcement for ITARIL was made, but it would have been a while before shooting would have begun. And I think that Peter would have been willing to overlook the difference regardless. It's all academic now in any case. Doesn't the role go back to when Guillermo del Toro was still signed to direct the Hobbit films?
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Jenny Blake Isabella
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
12:59am
Post #9 of 13
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A good argument is being made in TORN Tuesday that Seren might be Arwen using a "traveling name". What do you think about that?
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Jenny Blake Isabella
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Chen G.
Gondor
10:55am
Post #10 of 13
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There's...lets say, a %1 chance Seren is a pseudonym
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If it weren't for the veritable industry of character codenames drummed-up by Amazon, nobody would take Seren to be anything but the character's name. These filmmakers don't do codenames: The Aragorn auditions were under "Strider", the young Smeagol auditions were under "Young Smeagol." It's just not their thing.
If you brighten up the artwork for Seren, she's blonde. The character description is of a Sindar Elf from Mirkwood. Arwen is none of those things. It also doesn't really work for Tauriel, either.
It's a new character, in all probability. There's no reason to think its Arwen except for wishful thinking or, put more bluntly, for clicks.
(This post was edited by Chen G. on 11:04am)
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Otaku-sempai
Immortal
1:34pm
Post #11 of 13
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Not a Pseudonym But a "Traveling Name"
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If it weren't for the veritable industry of character codenames drummed-up by Amazon, nobody would take Seren to be anything but the character's name. These filmmakers don't do codenames: The Aragorn auditions were under "Strider", the young Smeagol auditions were under "Young Smeagol." It's just not their thing.
If you brighten up the artwork for Seren, she's blonde. The character description is of a Sindar Elf from Mirkwood. Arwen is none of those things. It also doesn't really work for Tauriel, either.
It's a new character, in all probability. There's no reason to think its Arwen except for wishful thinking or, put more bluntly, for clicks.
The argument is that Arwen might be using a traveling name just as Aragorn did in Rohan and Gondor when he was known as Thorongil, and Frodo as Mister Underhill. She might go by the name Seren partially for her own safety and perhaps also to assert some independence from her father Elrond. Maybe for other reasons as well.
“Hell hath no fury like that of the uninvolved.” - Jenny Blake Isabella
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DGHCaretaker
Rohan
3:34pm
Post #12 of 13
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The argument is that Arwen might be using a traveling name just as Aragorn did in Rohan and Gondor when he was known as Thorongil, and Frodo as Mister Underhill. She might go by the name Seren partially for her own safety and perhaps also to assert some independence from her father Elrond. Maybe for other reasons as well.
This is way too clever; Seren should be taken simply at face value.
Screen Rant is an Access Media site that I generally dismiss as click-bait apologists for those who give them the nicest swag. They claimed yesterday in a published article headline that "Anya Taylor-Joy's Lord Of The Rings Movie Casting Is Officially Dividing Fans." Heh, I wonder what makes it "official." Their claim is that fans are concerned that Seren is just another Tauriel - the "worst" mistake from The Hobbit. So I guess y'all are divided. Ha!
But this attempt to bury Seren more deeply into a plot cover story makes me think twice and consider this really is a fan rationalization to cope with something they don't like, but want to.
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OldestDaughter
Gondor
4:14pm
Post #13 of 13
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I've seen the same thing with people on Discord thinking Seren is a codename for Arwen
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Them trying to say that oh, well its Strider and Seren, so it has to be Aragorn and Arwen. I really don't think that, I just think Seren is a new character, not Arwen in disguise.
That being said, I am looking forward to how they are going to use Seren in the story, maybe she will be the new captain of the guard since Tauriel isn't in it. (I'm curious to see if they will give verbal closure to what happened to Tauriel after the Hobbit trilogy. I always headcanoned that she eventually left for the Grey Havens, when Frodo and Sam saw the Wood Elves walking through the deep woods between the Shire and Farmer Maggot's, that she was one of those elves. But I guess we will see if she will get a mention and Seren is her new replacement).
I'm not really big on Hollywood keeping casting the same characters across so many franchises (Zendaya and Pedro Pascal come to mind, and I think Pedro is a decent actor, but would love to see newer faces or less popular faces in the spotlight) But I don't feel that way with Anya. I think she's a good actress, and she has an ethereal beauty befitting an elf, so I think she will be a good pick in the Middle-earth film universe.
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