With lush landscapes, epic battles, and a story already beloved by fantasy literature fans, Peter Jackson’s epic “Lord of the Rings” films were considered must-sees in the early 2000s and remain highly regarded to this day.
But one person didn’t fully experience the impact of this must-see cinematic experience: the Oscar-winning director himself.
“When I was making The Lord of the Rings, I always felt like I was one of the unlucky people who didn’t get to see it as a surprise release,” the 60-year-old director recently told The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. “By the time it came out, I’d been obsessed with it for five or six years, so not being able to see it like everyone else was a huge loss for me.”
Jackson explained that he was looking for a creative solution at the time that would allow viewers to watch the film with fresh eyes, without all the pesky production spoilers of the past, due to missing out on a key piece of pop culture.
“I’ve actually seriously considered getting a hypnotherapist to put me under hypnosis so I can just sit back and enjoy myself and forget about all the movies and work I’ve done over the last six or seven years,” he confessed.
He said he “didn’t go through with” the idea, but went so far as to contact renowned mentalist Derren Brown about the possibility.
“He thought he could do it,” Jackson added.
Of course, when it comes to the next Lord of the Rings movie, he’ll have no problem starting watching it right away along with the rest of the first-time audience.
That’s because Jackson isn’t working on Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Ring of Power, a prequel that will take fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s tale back to Middle-earth, set in the time when the precious Rings of Power were first formed.
The series is set to premiere on Prime Video on September 2nd.
