Abandoning Sinking Ship? Fans Think Adar Recast Points to RoP's Downfall
The Rings of Power's orcs no longer have a leader.
Joseph Mawle will no longer portray Adar in The Rings of Power, with the first season's villain now recast by Amazon.
Instead, Sam Hazeldine will step into the role.
Amazon has not clarified the reasons behind the sudden recast, and neither did Mawle in his good-bye statement.
"I loved my time exploring middle earth and diving into Tolkien's mythology. I'm so honoured that the character was liked. He cared deeply about telling you his story. Though as an actor it remains my wish, my job description to explore new characters and worlds," the actor said, adding that he wishes "all the best to cast and crew for season 2" and promising to "cheer from the sidelines."
However, fans were quick to come up with their own suggestions. Some people theorized that Mawle's character should have been killed off in the end of the season, but then Amazon changed its mind, and the actor could not fit in the schedule.
Others have a more radical view of the recast. According to them, Mawle is "abandoning sinking ship", and The Rings of Power will "only get worse" after the actor's departure.
Many have hailed him as the best part of the show, and people now fear that Adar's character will be drastically reduced and even killed off potentially. Adar's storyline was one of the few arcs that pretty much everyone enjoyed.
Amazon, however, did not elaborate on whether the change of the actor will affect the character's journey in the second season. Currently, the shooting for The Rings of Power season 2 is ongoing, with the show set to pick up on the stand-off between Galadriel and Halbrand (who turned out to be Sauron), as well as the mystery of the Stranger, and the threat posed by newly-formed Mordor.
The Rings of Power 2 premiere date remains to be scheduled.