The reveal ofMenstar Rory Kinnear asthe live-action Tom Bombadilin the upcoming second season ofRings of Powerhas been met with some harsh criticism fromLord of the Ringsfans. Taking to social media following the first images of Kinnear inRings of Powerseason 2, those who have been awaiting the arrival of the beloved Tom Bombadil in live-action have taken issue with the depiction of the Tolkien character.
Many have targeted their criticism at Bombadil’s lack of a smile in all the images, with the all-powerful character usually depicted looking pretty happy-go-lucky. “The fact that our first official image is of him completely straight-faced instead of smiling isn’t a good sign,” says one disappointed fan, with another adding, “Tom Bombadil would never have such a serious expression as this.”
First introduced by J.R.R. Tolkien in his 1934 poemThe Adventures of Tom Bombadil, the character later appeared inThe Lord of the Ringsnovels. Bombadil’s origins remain mysterious to this day and have frequently been the subject of much debate, thanks in large part to his immunity to the influence and darkness of the One Ring.
Bombadil largely remains on the outskirts of events in theLord of the Rings, with many now questioning how the character will be folded into thedrama inherent inThe Rings of Power. “The overall feel of the Amazon show is big, important, serious - don’t know how they would square that with Bombadil,” says another reaction to the recent reveal. Others, meanwhile, have taken issue with the costume, with one fan saying, “This cannot be real. This looks like a Party City costume.”
You can check out more reactions to the Tom Bombadil reveal below…
Not All the Reactions to Rings of Power’s Tom Bombadil Have Been Bad
The Rings of Power
This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and takes viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
Thankfully, not all the reactions to the new images have been negative, with one fan excited to see Tom Bombadil in live-action and saying, “my god i am so excited to hear what @bearmccreary is cooking up for tom bombadil. this is the best combination i’ve ever heard of.” While another simply adds, “Bombadil is Bombadilling alright!”
Tom Bombadil will be introduced inThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2. Portrayed byPenny Dreadfulstar Rory Kinnear, showrunners J. D. Payne and Patrick McKay have explained why they think the much-loved character has largelybeen left out of Tolkien adaptations.
“There’s a reason why he hasn’t been in prior adaptations, because in some ways he’s sort of an anti-dramatic character. He’s not a character who has a particularly strong agenda. He observes drama, but largely doesn’t participate in it. In The Fellowship of the Ring, the characters kind of just go there and hang out for a while, and Tom drops some knowledge on them.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerbrings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’sThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Ringsbooks, and takes viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 2 is scheduled to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on June 19, 2025.
