!!! STORY SPOILER !!!
All evidence points to the fact that Peter Jackson and collaborators are trying to stick as closely as possible to Tolkien’s original storyline in their film adaptation. We do know that the love story between Arwen and Aragorn will be beefed up for dramatic effect, which in turn makes it necessary for the role of Arwen to be expanded as well (though she will not be a member of the Fellowship, as has been rumored). The death of Boromir will be moved from the beginning of The Two Towers to the ending of The Fellowship of the Ring. Sauron’s active involvement will be increased so that he will have more of a presence in the movies, a requirement for the visual impact that is provided by a tangible villain. Reports and some early artwork, however, indicate that the increased presence of Sauron will be an advantage to the film, not a drawback. The character of Rosie will be expanded slightly, in order to allow us to see the origins of her relationship with Sam before his departure from the Shire. There will be several additional changes that will be necessary for the dramatic structure of the films; for example, The Two Towers will intercut back and forth between the adventures of Sam and Frodo and the happenings with the other characters in various locations, instead of being divided down the middle like the structure of the novels. Also, events that were told through flashbacks in the books will have to be told visually in the movies, such as the defeat of Sauron during the Second Age, Isildur’s death, Gollum’s history with the Ring, and Gandalf’s imprisonment by Saruman at Isengard. The important thing to remember is that literature and film are two entirely different mediums of storytelling, and that changes are inevitable and necessary in order to translate the written word properly to the structure and flow of film.

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!!! STORY SPOILER !!!
Since there is no possible way to bring every single element of the novels to life in the films, mostly due to time constraints, some aspects and characters that are not crucial to the advancement of the story will have to be left out of the adaptations. Jackson has assured fans that any character removed from the story will be "clean lifts," not merges with other characters. One of the biggest (and most controversial) changes will be the absence of Tom Bombadil, an understandable omission since the first film will have plenty of other characters and plot elements to keep the story going. Jackson has also stated that the journey of the hobbits to Rivendell at the beginning of the novels will be made briefer to tighten up the flow of the story, but not entirely omitted. Early indications also point to the fact that some, but not all, of the songs found in the novels will be used in the films.

Jackson himself says it best: "The intention is to make it neither childish, nor overly dark ... a good solid action adventure with intelligence and depth." The goal is to create a movie with a historical Braveheart-type feel that has the elements and visual magic of a great fantasy story, without going overboard in the mumbo-jumbo department. He also says that he is interested in the friendship and self-sacrifice themes of the novel, as well as the mortality vs. immortality angle.

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Peter Jackson has stated that all of the languages found in the books will be represented in the film trilogy. Elvish will apparently play a substantial role, with English subtitles being used for audiences who aren’t fluent in that particular language. Expert linguists from around the world have been hired to help ensure that the proper pronunciation is used.

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Reportedly, much of Tolkien’s original dialogue from the novels has been adapted word-for-word in the screenplays. The most famous quotes are sure to make an appearance in the screen version.

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There is no definite information about plans for incorporating the story of The Hobbit in The Lord of the Rings films. However, the first film in the trilogy will apparently feature flashbacks that will familiarize audiences with the history of the Ring, and it is safe to assume that any flashbacks of this type will include a summary of the story of The Hobbit. Exposition may also be used; for example, Gandalf could briefly recount Bilbo’s adventures to Frodo or to the Council at Rivendell, thereby explaining that chapter in the Ring’s history to audiences. Either way, we can safely assume that Jackson and company will make sure that viewers are kept up to speed with the story of the Ring.

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The film version is an adaptation of the trilogy, not a literal word-for-word translation, and it will be difficult to achieve a balance that satisfies diehard fans of the trilogy as well as audience members who are not familiar with Tolkien's written word. Jackson said it best in his interview with Ain't It Cool News: "You shouldn't think of these movies as being The Lord of the Rings. The Lord of the Rings is, and always will be, a wonderful book - one of the greatest ever written. Any films will only ever be an interpretation of the book. In this case my interpretation." Many Tolkien purists will need to take these words to heart and see the films with an open mind in order to enjoy them.

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