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MIDDLE EARTH — With all the talk lately about new adaptations of "Lord of the Rings," it's not too out there to imagine a popular director like Wes Anderson one day getting to put his spin on telling the stories of Middle Earth.
But is it a good idea?
Fans of the quirky director's films such as "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The Darjeeling Limited" and "Moonrise Kingdom" appreciate his tendency to use deadpan dialogue delivery — the actors seem to be told to put as little emotion as possible into their lines — distinctive color palettes, wide-shot exteriors and miniature sets.
He also tends to cast the same actors and actresses in many of his projects, one of the most prominent being the beloved Bill Murray.
Those elements all come together in a satirical trailer envisioning what an Anderson "Lord of the Rings" retelling might look like.
"In the quaintest corner of Middle Earth, embark on an epic journey unlike any you've experienced before," the trailer promises.
The video creators have cast Timothee Chalamet as Frodo Baggins, Murray as Gandalf (seen in a generated image staring into the camera blankly), Willem Dafoe as Smeagol and Owen Wilson as Sauron, among other casting choices that I must say are spot on for what would indeed create a "Whimsical Fellowship," as the imaginary film would be called.
Does it look good? Maybe not. But would I go see it if it was real? Most definitely.










