We list of things we know about Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series is surprisingly long and still very incomplete. We know that the series is likely to have a hefty first season, as well as what the casting directors are looking for in their presumptive hobbits. And now we know that at least one of the thrilogy’s major stars wants absolutely nothing to do with it.
Hugo Weaving, who played Elfin leader Elrond, has made it clear he has no interest in heading back to New Zealand to film the TV show Amazon is putting in the universe that won a ton of Oscars and grossed billions of dollars at the box office.
A Variety interview highlighting Weaving’s latest role, a gritty adaptation of Shakespeare’s Measure For Measure, touched on whether he would be interested in the Amazon series that’s rumored to be bringing back a number of roles from the three movies. He was, shall we say, less than enthused.
“No way. Absolutely no,” Weaving tells Variety in a recent phone interview about whether or not he would don the elf ears as Elrond again, considering the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” Amazon series.
That said, he did mention that he’s interested in reprising his role as Agent Smith from The Matrix. As Weaving explained, he loved filming the epic movies that brought the Lord of the Rings books to life for millions of fans but has had “more than enough” of that universe for his lifetime.
“‘Matrix’ might have happened,” he says. “But ‘Lord of the Rings,’ no, I would never — I’m not interested in that at all. Look, I loved being in New Zealand with all those great people, and it was like going back to a family but actually, to be honest, I think everyone had more than enough of it.”
The piece also dives into why he’s been taking roles on projects taking place in his home country of Australia, which is certainly interesting and close to where the fantasy epics he wants no part of were filmed. He just probably won’t be taking any calls from New Zealand anytime soon.