AI Twists Lord Of The Rings Into A 1980s Sci-Fi Movie (And It Kind Of Rules Them All)
AI has the potential to enhance healthcare services, streamline supply chains, and automate agriculture. However, there is no greater usage of artificial intelligence in the world as we know it than as a way to rework classic IPs into curiously odd new iterations. Case in point: a trailer released by YouTube channel Aesthetic AI that transports J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth stories into a classic sci-fi setting.
The video, concisely titled "Lord of the Rings as an 80s SciFi Movie," is over two and a half minutes long and set up as a series of AI-created stills of various Sci-fi-Middle-earth mashups. It is brimming with fascinatingly fresh versions of characters, races, and places fit to entertain fantasy and sci-fi fans, alike.
From the jump, the music stands out — and it's all-in on the sci-fi side of the equation. It consists of airy, suspended chords punctuated by alternating notes from a string, wind, and percussion ensemble. With this as an audible backdrop, we're shown a handful of objects and locations throughout the footage that follows, including The Shire and Rivendell. The former consists of a distinct blend of the green pastures of Tolkien's world and the sandy tundra of Tatooine. Rivendell is shown twice and is much bigger than its Middle-earth equivalent. One version even looks like it's floating, giving it Cloud City vibes.
We also get a shot of the One Ring to Rule Them All — presumably exerting power on a galactic scale in this case. The bauble is a beefier piece of jewelry covered in permanent carvings presented in a blocky, unreadable format. While these items and environments are fun, though, it's the characters that really hit home.
We see many iconic Middle-earth characters in a galactic environment
The trailer includes four versions of Sauron. Four. It opens on two of these, featuring the Dark Lord in spikey, sci-fi black armor. We also see him later in his Jacksonian "glowing eyeball" form — at least, if it was the engine of the U.S.S. Enterprise on a darker timeline. (For the record, the eyeball facade isn't even what Sauron actually looks like under that armor.) The intimidating orange, glowing sphere is shown twice, nestled into a larger, wider Barad-dûr situated on an imposing edifice and replete with flying saucer-esque lines of windows at its base.
We also see Wizards, presented as old men with "ancient wisdom" vibes. Saruman is fairly recognizable as the White Wizard, but Gandalf has distinct Obi-Wan overtones. He also channels some Spock vibes, particularly in one shot where his AI-mashed hand is held up in a symbolic gesture, echoing the Leonard Nimoy-created Vulcan Salute.
The rest of The Fellowship of the Ring is also present and accounted for. We see Frodo wielding a lightsaber Sting. "Back to the Future" Sam has a face that looks an awful lot like Michael J. Fox. Legolas and Gimli get some screen time, too. The elf has alien vibes and elaborate face armor, while Gimli (one of two characters that John Rhys-Davies played in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy), in contrast, is one of the less inspired translations, as he feels too similar to Peter Jackson's adaptations.
Boromir is also fairly uninspired, although he does display some interesting alien garb and unknown cultural markings. Arwen and Aragorn show up, too, transmitting a distinct Princess Leia and Han Solo (or at least some bounty hunter in the Star Wars universe) nuance.
We also get Middle-earth groups and galactic races
Along with individual characters, we get several shots of various groups and races. Multiple hobbit photos are shown, with the Halflings surrounded by various other creatures — including some that invoke the memory of Jawas and Yoda. Ringwraiths are also displayed, conveying some serious Sith connotations via their hooded cloaks and the occasional lightsaber.
One of the most blatant (and admittedly entertaining) mashups is a dual shot of a cave troll as a rancor. The blend is perfectly terrifying and followed by even more horror as we see two iterations of a sci-fi Balrog, which looks like the result of a Lovecraft fan writing a spin-off for "The Dark Crystal."
We also get plenty of orcs and goblins. These are shown in a menagerie of alien imagery, including as little green aliens and larger gray-skinned creatures. Some have glowing eyes, and one shot features them in stormtrooper-like formation with blaster-shield blended weapons. There is even one orc-like creature with distinct Chewbacca overtones wielding what appears to be a crossbow — appropriate in both universes. However, the weapon is difficult to make out (again, those AI hands).
The video ends with a series of horizontal poster shots — the same kind you get on the classic Star Wars VHS tapes. The titles and credits are in alien jargon, but the clear message is that we're looking at a three-part narrative presented in trilogy form — a narrative style that both Middle-earth and Star Wars have mastered. "The Lord of the Rings" is rightfully part of the high-fantasy world. Yet, Aesthetic AI's video shows that, when given the right blend of creativity and AI power, Tolkien's fantasy treasure trove could make for a fun chapter in the realm of sci-fi, too.