In an ambitious endeavor combining classic literature with modern technology, Middle-earth Enterprises today unveiled Bridging the Ages, an innovative initiative that employs a cutting-edge AI system—codenamed Silmadur—to compose new narratives and expand upon the works of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Drawing on decades of fan curiosity and meticulously sourced Tolkien archives, Silmadur’s mission is to fill the long-surmised gaps in Middle-earth lore, while offering subtle, modernized readings of the original texts.
To create Silmadur, a specialized team of Tolkien scholars, archivists—including staff from TheOneRing.net—and AI experts spent two years assembling a comprehensive digital library of source materials. The dataset encompasses The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, as well as early drafts, marginalia, personal letters, lecture notes, and lesser-known writings. Previously unreleased texts, once locked away in private collections, were added alongside appendices, genealogical charts, and decades’ worth of fan analyses. By drawing on this extensive treasury, the developers aimed to ensure that Silmadur faithfully mirrors the depth and tone of Tolkien’s original vision when crafting new passages.
EXCERPT 1: “At sunrise, a solitary figure stood at the borders of Fangorn, holding a single bloom of yellow niphredil. Some say it was Quickbeam himself, tending a secret garden of the Entwives—at last discovered across the river.” – Silmadur’s ‘lost chapter’ on the fate of the Entwives
“Our hope is to illuminate corners of the legendarium that Tolkien left tantalizingly unexplored,” says Thomas Cressman, a representative for Middle-earth Enterprises. “From the lost lineages of Elven lords to passing mentions of vanished cities, there are countless threads, begging to be woven into a fuller tapestry.”
The Bridging the Ages initiative also involves creating “light-touch” revisions to Tolkien’s original texts—expanding genealogies, clarifying linguistic nuances, and elaborating on references left intentionally vague. The team insists that all of this respects Tolkien’s style while carefully modernizing certain language choices.
EXCERPT 2: “In a letter addressed to Aragorn, just days after the coronation, Éowyn recounted how dreams of the Witch-king’s final shriek still haunted her… until Faramir reminded her that courage can live on beyond fear, lighting a path through any darkness.” – Silmadur’s exploration of Éowyn and Faramir’s early marriage
“Far too often, fans get locked into gatekeeping over what can and can’t be done with these stories,” reflects Calisuri, co-owner and co-founder of TheOneRing.net. “We live in an age of creativity and technology—why not use an advanced AI trained on the entire Tolkien corpus to bring hidden narratives to light? It’s not about replacing the original texts – nothing will ever do that – but about enriching them for a new generation of readers.”
While Bridging the Ages and Silmadur remain in early development, those involved hinted that future plans include an AI-generated supplement to The Silmarillion—complete with newly “unearthed” letters between legendary Elven figures—and additional chapters that reach beyond the conclusion of The Lord of the Rings. Middle-earth Enterprises will share select previews of these expansions exclusively on TheOneRing.net in the months ahead.
For more details on this evolving project, and for a first look at Silmadur’s creations, stay tuned to TheOneRing.net. Additional updates, including genealogical diagrams and in-depth explorations of minor characters, are expected soon.
Come join the Southern California TORn staff and Tolkien fans on Saturday, September 18, 2021, as we celebrate Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ shared birthday in Griffith Park. The party will kick off at Noon, and run until about 6 pm. The biggest difference this year will be NO POTLUCK. Please bring enough food and drink for yourself and the group you will be attending with. As always, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, and maybe a popup for shade are all good things to bring in order to stay comfortable. We are returning to the Mineral Wells section of Griffith Park, which is near the Harding Golf Course. Please head to the Baggins Birthday Bash Facebook event page for directions and a map. https://www.facebook.com/events/193623342558178/
While this event is scheduled for Saturday, September 18, the dual issues of COVID restrictions and/or Wildfires could become an issue this coming week. Should LA County trigger a restriction of large gatherings or a Wildfire trigger evacuations in the region of Griffith Park, we will post a Cancelation notice to the FB page first, and if there is time, post here on the main website as well.
As for COVID restrictions, the LA County guidelines recommend masking outdoors only in the case of a Mega Event, and that has only happened once. We are recommending everyone have a MASK with them, ready to wear near groups of people and remove when eating and drinking. The outdoor setting should afford us more than enough space to social distance if it makes you feel comfortable. We would PREFER if everyone attending was fully vaccinated, but none of us are qualified to verify the CDC card, so we won’t be asking.
Amazon will get an additional 5% from more New Zealand’s Screen Production Grant, Reuters reports today.
(Reuters) New Zealand said on Friday it has agreed to give Amazon (AMZN.O) extra rebates on its expenses for the filming of “The Lord of the Rings” TV series in the country, hoping to reap multi-year economic and tourism benefits.
Amazon will get an extra 5% from New Zealand’s Screen Production Grant in addition to the 20% grant the production already qualifies for, the government said in a statement.
Amazon is estimated to be spending about NZ$650 million ($465 million) filming the first season of the show, for broadcast on its Amazon Prime streaming platform, meaning it would be eligible for a rebate of about NZ$162 million ($116 million), the government said.
“The agreement with Amazon … generates local jobs and creates work for local businesses,” Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash said in a statement. “It will enable a new wave of international tourism branding and promotion for this country.”
The first season entered production in Auckland last year with more than 1,200 people employed. Approximately 700 workers are indirectly employed by providing services to the production, the government said.
U.S.-based Amazon media officials weren’t immediately available for comment outside regular U.S. business hours.
SO … you heard Amazon’s working on a Lord of the Rings TV series or a Middle-earth TV Series, or something, and now you want to be ‘read and ready’ when the show premiers (sometime later this year, we hope!). But you don’t know Tolkien from Tookish? Get your pens, pencils, or pixels handy! This is your Reading List to help you prepare! With the understanding that this list will go way beyond the scope of what Amazon has purchased the rights to work with, here’s what you Need to Read:
The Basics
The Lord of the Rings: Especially allll that stuff after the story ends, known as the Appendices. VERY IMPORTANT! The Appendices are the source from which Amazon is generating, or on which they are basing, their storytelling; but reading them on their own will be of little worth if you have no context or passion for Middle-earth.
[Ed’s note – if you have a REALLY short amount of time, your ‘Cheat’s guide’/last minute revision is Appendix A I (i) ‘Numenor’ and Appendix B ‘The Tale of Years – The Second Age’.] [Amazon.com]
After visiting the wintry lands of Hobbits, Rohirrim, and Dwarves, we set sail for lands to the west before once more returning to the shores of Middle-earth.
Holidays in Middle-earth are based on the turning of the seasons, as they are in our own world. Yule, as Tolkien named the winter celebration in his novels, is led off by the Winter Solstice. The history of Yule can be traced back thousands of years to the Norse peoples, whom we know J.R.R had an affinity for. During this holiday, the Yule log (an entire tree fed gradually into the fireplace), decorated trees, wassailing (caroling), and roasting of wild boar were the centerpieces, from which current traditions are derived.
As we relax beside the crackling fire,
And the wind tosses branches in the pine,
Into a snow globe of Middle-earth, let us peer
Upon the festive winter holidays in the Shire,
Icicles on the Golden Hall that sparkle and shine,
The sound of sleigh bells in Ithilien drawing near,
The frost-glint upon holly and fields of briar,
The sumptuous fare on which the Elven-folk dine.
'Tis a time of joy in Middle-earth, for Yuletide is here.
– Mithril
