Streaming: Who Will Have A Better Prequel, Game of Thrones or Lord Of The Rings?

Later this year, two of the bigger franchises in history are returning to the small screen. Both Lord of the Rings (Amazon) and Game Of Thrones (HBO Max) are giving fans what they want, more. Both are prequels to the beloved series with Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon. Each streamer is throwing a bunch of money at the respective series, but which of the two should fans be more excited for?

There’s plenty to look out for when it comes to these shows but they both face a similar challenge. When it comes to both Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, they both had characters that fans absolutely adored. Will either of the series live up to the hype of the characters before them? For Lord of the Rings, who will be the Legolas, Aragorn, or Gandalf? In House of the Dragon will there be characters as beloved as the Starks? By the middle of its run, Game of Thrones already had fan favorites (who was yours, and why was it Arya Stark?). If either show fails to deliver on characters that audiences can’t hope but to root for, their respective show will be on a very short leash.

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Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before the Fellowship first journeyed towards Mount Doom. Don’t expect to see too many familiar faces but the story should be a familiar one. Based on an early synopsis of the show, the plot is a bit more familiar. It should take place in the time period described in the first 10-15 minutes of Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring with the Rings of Power created and used to establish power throughout the land. Amazon has more of a gamble as LotR will be the most expensive television show ever made at almost $500 million dollars for one season ($465million to be exact).

However, Game of Thrones is gambling just as much with House of the Dragon. Everyone loved Game of Thrones but almost no one loved the ending. Some were content with it, but most hardcore fans assumed they phoned it in towards the end. It seemed like an awful lot of fanfare for a very minimal payoff. For the years we all committed to the show fans expected more. House of the Dragon might face a bit of unfair scrutiny out of the gate unless it floors us quick. House of the Dragon takes place only 300 years before the original Game of Thrones story. We should get familiar houses but still not have characters we know. The story unfolds as a period of fighting in the House of Targaryen and early promo work already shows dragons will be involved.

Both shows have a very loyal fan base that will criticize to no end if either show gets it wrong. Between the two, Game of Thrones is still fresh in people’s minds and the scars of disappointment are still there. For that reason alone, House of the Dragon may have a shorter leash. However, Lord of The Rings won’t be given a free pass either. House of the Dragon arrives in August 2022 and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in September 2022. Which show are you more excited about?