Galadriel and Saruman both appear inThe Hobbitmovie franchise, despite not having roles inJ.R.R. Tolkien’s book— and there’s a good explanation for that. WhileThe Lord of the Ringsmoviesmake a few significant changes to Tolkien’s source material, they’re considered more faithful adaptations of his work thanThe Hobbitfilms. Despite each ofThe Hobbitmovies making around $1 billion at the worldwide box office (viaThe Numbers), they’re often criticized for their approach to the book.
Given the decision to turn one novel into three feature-length films,The Hobbitbeing different from Tolkien’s novel isn’t all that surprising. But the alterations and additions receive a lot of attention, and one point of contention is the inclusion of characters whoappear inThe Hobbitmovies but not Tolkien’s book. Among these characters are Galadriel and Saruman, with Cate Blanchett and Christopher Lee both reprising their roles.Jackson has both characters reappear in his second trilogy, and while this diverges from the book, it actually fits with Tolkien’s greater lore.
Galadriel & Saruman Were Part Of The Hobbit’s Expansion
The decision to adapt Tolkien’s 1937 book as three separate films is part ofwhat went wrong withThe Hobbit,as the source material doesn’t really lend itself to an expansion. Bilbo Baggins' adventure is fairly straightforward, and there isn’t much emphasis on the battle sequences or greater politics in the novel. But Jackson’s trilogy needs to add such things, as filling out three films using just one 300-page book is no easy feat.This is why Galadriel and Saruman appear in the trilogy, despite their absence in the original story.
Adding Galadriel and Saruman makes sense beyond simply filling the movies' runtimes.
These characters are part of the expansion effort — and they’re among the better additions to the films, considering they’re at least pulled from Tolkien’s writings. Some characters inThe Hobbittrilogy were invented solely for the films, so drawing a few from the legendarium feels tame by comparison. And in terms of Warner Bros. building a fantasy franchise around Middle-earth, adding Galadriel and Saruman makes sense beyond simply filling the movies' runtimes. It also improves the connection between Jackson’s projects, adding toThe Hobbit’s appeal.
Galadriel & Saruman Helped Prove Connectivity To Lord Of The Rings
Peter Jackson Was Keen On Bringing Back Members Of The Original Cast
Given the mainstream success ofThe Lord of the Ringsmovies,it’s no surprise that Jackson would want to play up their connection toThe Hobbittrilogy.The director was clearly eager to bring back members of theoriginalLord of the Ringscast, even adding Orlando Bloom’s Legolas to the story. Having Blanchett and Lee make appearances allows for even more continuity between Jackson’s two series, helping him to build out a proper fantasy universe based onThe Lord of the Rings. Additionally, these familiar characters played by well-known stars undoubtedly prove a draw for fans of the prior films.
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Galadriel’s inclusion has the added benefit of attaching another female character toThe Hobbit’s roster, too — something the book is fairly short on. WithThe Lord of the Ringsboasting heroines like Arwen and Éowyn, it makes sense forThe Hobbittrilogy to lean further into that strength. And we know that Jackson wanted to make the gender divide more equal (viaSlate), so including Galadriel is a means of addressing the source material’s absence of women. The same can be said of Tauriel’s introduction.
Galadriel & Saruman In The Hobbit Does Fit Tolkien’s LOTR Canon
Both Characters Are Where The Legendarium Says They Should Be
Although Galadriel and Saruman don’t feature inThe Hobbitnovel,it doesn’t go against Tolkien’s canon to include them in the films. The author’s writings in his appendices andUnfinished Talesreveal the details of both characters' whereabouts duringThe Hobbit’s timeline. And Jackson works them into his story without diverging from Tolkien’s history. The author’s legendarium confirms that both are part of the White Council when Bilbo’s journey unfolds, thus making sense of their involvement in the Dol Guldur story.
The Hobbit Movies Made Many Questionable Changes, But I’m Glad They Added One Character Who Wasn’t In The Book
I might be an old-school Tolkien scholar but I’m no prescriptivist, and this is one of the few changes to The Hobbit I actually found myself enjoying.
So, while some of the additions to expandThe Hobbitmovies are unpopular, Galadriel’s and Saruman’s roles shouldn’t raise any eyebrows. For Tolkien fans, they offer a glimpse of his greater lore, showing aspects of Middle-earth’s history that wouldn’t otherwise be put on-screen. And for those unfamiliar with the legendarium, they give theLord of the Ringscharacters a backstory that wouldn’t otherwise be obvious. Either way,The Hobbittrilogy benefits from their inclusion, even if it marks a distinct change from the source material.
