Balrog - Adaptations

Adaptations

For movie adaptations of the book, the issues regarding Balrog wings and size needed to be resolved. The Balrog in Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated version resembled a winged lion complete with a mane, who walked upright, not much larger than man-sized but considerably heavier, and it did fly.

Peter Jackson's film adaptations of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, released in 2001 and 2002 respectively, ultimately decided on a very large, winged monster that resembled lava covered with a dark crust. During the fight with Gandalf, however, the Balrog could not (or at least did not) fly. Jackson's films used the design of Tolkien illustrator John Howe, which had previously appeared in licensed merchandise. Howe explained the presence of wings in the tie-in book The Art of the Fellowship of the Ring: "It doesn't say they don't have wings, so why not? That was Peter's tongue-in-cheek approach, too!" Concept art was drawn up for a "slime Balrog", but it was not used in the film for budgetary reasons.

Balrogs also appear in computer and video games based on The Lord of the Rings.

In the real-time strategy game The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth, and its sequel, both based on Jackson's movies, the Balrog can use its wings, although only in short leaps. In the role-playing game The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age, also based on the Jackson movies, the Balrog uses its wings to fly into the air, and comes crashing down, sending a tremendously damaging shockwave of flames at the player. In another game based on Jackson's movies, The Lord of the Rings: Conquest, the Balrog is a playable hero.

Balrogs also appear in games unconnected to the New Line franchise. The Minions of Sauron may summon Balrogs in the real-time strategy game The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring. In The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, the player can fight Thaurlach, a Balrog invented for the MMORPG. Due to Thaurlach's imprisonment over several thousands of years (which has consequentially weakened him), it is no longer nearly as powerful as a normal Balrog, and players are capable of defeating it with the help of an ancient elf. Durin's Bane also makes an appearance in The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria in a flashback mission, where it is shown to be far more powerful than any of the other enemies in the game. In this mission, players have no choice but to flee from it. In a late update to The Lord of the Rings Online: Siege of Mirkwood, the player can actually combat Durin's Bane, as part of a dream sequence in which the player and his/her allies take the place of Gandalf, chasing him up the Endless Stair to Zirakzigil.

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