The Lord of the Ringsis frequently lauded as the best work of fantasy literature of the last century. The trilogy of books written by J.R.R. Tolkien took the world by storm upon their publishing in the 1950s, and their cultural relevancy has only continued to grow with time. While there have been numerous attempts at adapting bothThe Lord of the Ringsand its predecessor,The Hobbit, over the years, the most famous example is undoubtedly the trilogy of films directed by Peter Jackson in the early 2000s.
TheLord of the Ringsfilm trilogy, starring Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn and Ian McKellen as Gandalf in addition to an outstanding andendless supporting cast, is often considered one of the best cinematic works of this century so far. These three films are some of the biggest that the 2000s have to offer, and their influence continues to be felt today with films such as Denis Villeneuve’sDune: Part Twoand James Cameron’sAvatar.
In large part, Jackson’s film trilogy has also been praised for how it adapts Tolkien’s novels. While the author’s stories were generally considered to be unfilmable for decades after their publication, Jackson and the rest of the crew on the films managed to do the impossible.
The films mostly stick close to the original source material, though there are a handful of key ways in which they differ from the books. One specific way is that there are a handful of key supporting characters that were omitted from the movies for one reason or another. Here are eight of the most prominent examples of characters from theLord of the Ringsbook that were left out of Jackson’s movies.
8Elladan and Elrohir
First and foremost are the characters of Elladan and Elrohir. These twin brothers were some of the most prominent Elven characters in Tolkien’s books. They were the sons of Elrond and brothers to Arwen, which also made them the grandsons of Galadriel and Celeborn.
Given the starring roles of their kin throughout all three movies, it’s surprising that Elladan and Elrohir were removed entirely from the story, as the two are neither seen nor mentioned. On top of that, the two were very close friends and companions to Aragorn in the original books, and they are frequently seen as active participants in the War of the Ring, as they joined Aragorn to venture the Paths of the Dead and fought alongside him in both the Battle of the Pelennor Fields and the climactic Battle of the Black Gate.
Why the Sons of Elrond Were Omitted
Elladan and Elrohir were likely left out of the films for simplicity’s sake. The role of their sister Arwen was given more narrative focus in the movies, and including Elladan and Elrohir would’ve just meant that there were two more characters for audiences to keep track of in an already crowded cast. While the twins do a lot to further develop Tolkien’s world and the relationships of the characters within it, their impact on the primary plot was minimal, so they were likely some of the first characters to hit the cutting room floor.
Related:Lord of the Rings: 11 Great Moments from the Movies that Weren’t in the Books
7Fatty Bolger
Fredegar “Fatty” Bolger is an important character in the early chapters ofThe Fellowship of the Ring, primarily those set within the Shire. He isanother primary hobbit character, and he was a good friend of Frodo, Merry, Pippin and Sam. In the books, he is just as involved in Frodo’s departure from The Shire as the core trio of other hobbits that went on to play key roles in the story, and he’s even aware of Frodo’s possessing the One Ring.
Bolger helps Frodo with his preparations to leave Hobbiton, and he stays behind in Buckland in order to keep up appearances and mask the sudden departure of his friends from The Shire. In doing so, he has his own encounter with the Nazgûl. Much later, he also plays a role in the rescue of the Shire during the book’s famous ending that was left out of the films, The Scouring of the Shire.
Fredegar Bolger Is Seen Briefly, Only in the Extended Editions
Although the character does not factor into the story of the films at all, Fatty Bolger is included, however briefly, in the Extended Edition ofThe Fellowship of the Ring. He can be seen during Bilbo’s birthday celebration, and the old hobbit even greets him by name at one point. In this scene, he is portrayed by Tom Walsh, who is screenwriter Fran Walsh’s uncle. The character’s role in the story was likely downplayed in order to keep the focus on the central four hobbits – Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry – who would continue to be lead characters throughout all three films.
Next on the list is a character who, in the books, was of importance to the story during its time in the Kingdom of Gondor. Beregond was a Guard of the Citadel in Minas Tirith, and he and his son, Bergil, formed a close connection to the hobbit Pippin during his time there. Additionally, he was also a loyal follower of Prince Faramir, played in the films by David Wenham.
In the book, Beregond bravely abandons his post and fights other soldiers of Gondor in order to save Faramir from being burned alive by his father, the Steward, Denethor. He is also present during the Battle of the Black Gate, after which he is named Captain of the White Company, Faramir’s personal guard.
The Guard of the Citadel Was Almost in The Return of the King
In the books, Beregond and his son Bergil do a lot to further establish the culture and people of Minas Tirith and Gondor. Unfortunately, they were cut simply because there wasn’t enough room for them inThe Return of the King, which was already three hours long. That said, Beregond almost made a cameo-like appearance in the film, as the actor Ian Hughes says he was cast as Beregond and even delivers one line in the final film, though his character was shifted to be a man named Irolas in post-production.
5Tom Bombadil
The fan-favorite character of Tom Bombadil is one of the most joyful yet perplexing aspects of Tolkien’sLord of the Ringsfilms. The four journeying hobbits encounter Bombadil while leaving the Shire and making for the village of Bree. They find themselves ensnared by the roots of the semi-sentient tree known as Old Man Willow, only to be saved by Bombadil, who sings a magical song to free them.
The hobbits then join Bombadil at this home, where they meet his mysterious companion, the river spirit Goldberry. It’s an odd detour in theFellowship of the Ringnovel, but it makes for one of themost memorable segments of the whole trilogy. Interestingly, Bombadil, who claims to be as old as the world itself, proves himself to be completely immune to the One Ring’s temptations during this chapter.
The Most Famous Character to Not Be Adapted
Almost everyone who has read Tolkien’s books has absolutely loved Bombadil, and there are endless theories as to who he actually is – ranging from the in-universe god above all, Eru Ilúvatar, to even an embodiment of Tolkien himself. Despite the character’s popularity, Bombadil has never appeared in any of the major adaptations ofThe Lord of the Rings. That said, Jackson did pay some homage to the character in the Extended Edition ofThe Two Towers, as some of his dialogue is lifted directly and given to the Ent named Treebeard.
4The Grey Company
Next on the list is not one character, but actually a group of characters that are known as The Grey Company. This group consisted of many of the remaining Dúnedain Rangers, descendants of the ancient Númenóreans. The Grey Company, specifically, was made up of the remaining men from the northern kingdom of Arnor, and they were led by Aragorn, heir to Isildur’s throne.
They are essentially Aragorn’s family in many ways, and they are his one consistent connection to his royal roots. Throughout the books, the Grey Company – which frequently traveled with Elrond’s sons, Elladan and Elrohir – assist Aragorn throughout the War of the Ring. They traversed the Paths of the Dead, fought in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, and followed Aragorn in the Battle of the Black Gate.
Aragorn Was the Only Dúnedain Seen in the Movies
The films pay little attention to the fact that Aragorn is a Dúnedain, beyond one conversation he has with Éowyn in the Extended Edition ofThe Two Towers. The films present Aragorn as if he was a lone wanderer of the woods, perhaps even the sole remaining Dúnedain Ranger. Including the Grey Company in the films may have undercut this approach to some degree, as it would have established Aragorn as someone who is already a strong leader, instead of that being a role he gradually grows into over the course of the films.
3Ghân-buri-Ghân
The character of Ghân-buri-Ghân is a bit of a deeper cut, as he is not someone that has sparked a ton of discussion online like Tom Bombadil, nor does he play a substantial role in Tolkien’s story. However, he does represent a further aspect of the world-building of Middle-Earth. Ghân-buri-Ghân was the chief of the Drúedain, a harsh forest-dwelling people that lived in the Drúadan Forest in Gondor.
The Drúedain were frequently the victims of abuse from both Orcs and Men, as their stature and broken speech resulted in them being viewed as lesser men. Ultimately, they played a crucial part in helping the Rohirrim reach Minas Tirith in time for the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. For this, Aragorn granted Ghân-buri-Ghân and the Drúedain complete domain over the Drúadan Forest after he was crowned King.
The Drúedain Were Left Out Entirely
When bringingThe Lord of the Rings, and specificallyThe Return of the King, to life on screen, the decision was made to cut Ghân-buri-Ghân and the Drúedain from the story altogether.The Return of the Kingwas already an immensely packed movie, and introducing an entirely new culture and society (especially one that doesn’t have much impact on the story) would’ve been too much.
Still, there are some reports that the New Zealand actor Wi Kuki Kaa had been cast as Ghân-buri-Ghân very early in the films’ development, but the role was written out of the script later in the process.
Related:Lord of the Rings: Characters We’d Love to See in Future Seasons of The Rings of Power
Prince Imrahil was another key character in the Kingdom of Gondor as it was brought to life in Tolkien’s novels. He was a great leader and warrior who served as the ruler of Dol Amroth, the primary southern port city of Gondor, during the rule of the Steward Denethor.
The sister of Imrahil, Finduilas, was married to Denethor and mother to Boromir and Faramir, making Prince Imrahil brother-in-law to Denethor and Uncle to Boromir and Faramir. He was a much-needed inspiring and heroic leader in Gondor prior to the arrival of Aragorn, and he played a key part in defending the southern reaches of the kingdom. He aided in the battles of the Pelennor Field and the Black Gate, and he subsequently served as a key advisor to Aragorn.
The Films Focused on Minas Tirith
There are a few primary reasons why Imrahil was not featured in Jackson’s films. Chief among them was the decision to have the depiction of Gondor focused almost entirely on the city of Minas Tirith, rather than exploring the broader kingdom of Gondor. When following the story of the primary characters, there was little reason to visit the other regions of Gondor, such as Dol Amroth. Additionally, the key characters from Gondor were minimized to some extent, with focus given almost solely to Denethor and Faramir, leaving little room for others, such as Imrahil or the aforementioned Beregond.
1Glorfindel
Finally, one of the most famous characters to be cut from Jackson’sLord of the Ringsfilms is Glorfindel, the legendary Elf who played a key role in Middle-Earth and Tolkien’s stories going all the way back throughThe Silmarillion. InThe Lord of the Rings, Tolkien depicted Glorfindel asa great hero among Elveswho was living in Rivendell at the time.
He helped to save the hobbits and Aragorn from their pursuit by the Nazgûl early inThe Fellowship of the Ring, and he sat in on the Council of Elrond as well. In fact, Glorfindel was seriously considered when the Council was deciding who the members of the Fellowship of the Ring would be, though he was ultimately passed over as his presence would draw too much attention to the mission of secrecy.
The Legendary Elf’s Role Was Replaced
Glorfindel is seen on a couple of occasions throughout Jackson’sLord of the Ringstrilogy, though it is only ever as an unnamed character with no speaking lines in the background of a few shots. Specifically, he can be seen in the prologue inThe Fellowship of the Ring, as well as traveling alongside Arwen to the Grey Havens and at Aragorn’s coronation in Minas Tirith at the end ofThe Return of the King.
However, his primary role and deeds from the books were instead filled by Arwen in Jackson’s films, as it served as a natural introduction to her character and gave her more agency in the story being told.
