AI art is officially bringing Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings together. The two franchises have both produced immense success, having grown out of the imaginations of their respective creators, George Lucas and J. R. R. Tolkien. Both have also secured billions at the box office and serve as tent pole franchises for Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery respectively, leading to multiple spinoffs.
Ahead of the release of The Rings of Power season 2, Instagram user wouldyou_watchthis used AI to imagine Lord of the Rings characters in the Star Wars universe. The images reveal just how the franchises could appropriately merge. Check it out below:
The AI-created images feature a Jedi Master Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, a Padawan Frodo, a Grand Master Gandalf with a truly fascinating lightsaber, and a terrifying Darth Sauron. Gandalf and Sauron are the most stunning additions, as every spark of power translates well to the genre of the Star Wars universe.
Could Lord of the Rings Work In Science Fiction?
In developing Lord of the Rings and its characters, Tolkien created lore that has been dominating the fantasy genre for decades. The depth of Middle-earth is so immense that concepts invented for the universe have worked their way into the popular lexicon. Orcs are now commonly understood elements of fantasy, but it was Tolkien who gave the creatures their name and general appearance. With so many classic fantastical ideas premiering in it, the franchise is profoundly linked to fantasy in every way.
Star Wars has many elements of fantasy, but it largely functions as science fiction. The characters are constantly launching around the galaxy in spaceships and encountering alien races. There are even attempts to explain the Force scientifically through the Midi-chlorians. If the Fellowship and Sauron are to merge with that universe, they will need to adapt to a science fiction-based reality. Gandalf will need lightsabers, Gimli will need blasters, and Sauron can lead the Empire.
Unfortunately, simply planting the Fellowship in the Star Wars universe cannot properly honor the world that Tolkien created. Tolkien’s franchise is memorable because of how definitive it was for the entire fantasy genre. Nearly every modern fantasy work ties back to Frodo and the Fellowship in some way. Science fiction was defined long before Frodo’s first steps on his long journey. Changing the genre would destroy its foundational legacy. While it can be exciting to imagine, it is difficult to see how The Lord of the Rings could merge with Star Wars without ruining that important history.
