The split from like to dislike among our Facebook readers is running at nearly 4 to 1 in favour of the dislikes. Clearly they’re not enamoured with this look. A small sample of the feedback from our Facebook page shows the depth of reader dismay, and the extent of their bemusement:
Antecedent of Beorn?
Priscilla. So, they turned him into a porcupine?
Marilu. I don´t get Peter sometimes. He made Thorin look more handsome and younger than he is in the books, and he made (so far from this look) Beorn look uglier-weirder than he actually looks in the books/pictures/paintings etc.
Claire. It’s an ’80s Kajagoogoo mullet.
Megan. I always pictures him more like Gerard Butler in 300… But fuzzier/hairier. I’m not liking this image at all.
Jen. Not loving it.
Davidson. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. He looks like David Bowie with a skunk tail on the back of his head
Faye. Gonna be honest, I hate it.
Ashford. What? that’s not even close to what Beorn should look like. Is the art department trying to make up for not being able to give Ian McKellen the huge eyebrows that are actually in the book?
Some were much more positive, or at the very least willing to give it a go, wait for a high-resolution image and see how the Beorn pans out in full motion and in the cinema. And at this point, because we’ve only seen a low-resolution image, that might be a smart option.
Antecedent of Beorn? Laura. Having basically seen Beorn and BRIAN BLESSED as one and the same forever, it’s a bit of a shock… but I’ll give it a go.
Patricia. I think he kind of looks like a porcupine too, in the books he is a large hairy man, he can turn into a bear. We’ll see I hope I am not disappointed – he is a cool character.
Tristan. I like it. He needed to look distinguishable while still maintaining a wildness and belongingness to PJ’s Middle-earth. I think this look achieves that.
Rich. I don’t like this much, but I will reserve judgement, until I see him in context.
Jordan. I think Beorn looks quite unique in a good way.
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