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The Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen was a main player in one of the most successful film franchises ever, but he hasn’t appeared in a “franchise” film sense. Why? He told Vanity Fair that he has nothing against these types of movies, but finds them to be too predictable and simply not very well-written, so he’s avoided them since The Lord of the Rings.
“I don’t really look for or avoid any kind of genre or any size budget. I just look for interesting stories,” he said, as reported by Variety. “It doesn’t matter to me what the genre is or what the budget is or who’s making them. I would never do a movie just because so-and-so is directing it. It has to be about the story. And if I think I’m right for the character, that always comes first.”
In terms of appearing in another franchise film, Mortensen said he’s “not against it,” but it would have to be “a great character” that he saw potential in. That hasn’t happened since The Lord of the Rings, though.
“They’re not usually that good. I mean, to me, they’re not usually that well-written. They’re kind of predictable,” he said of franchise films.
Mortensen went on to say he might change his mind if times get tough on the financial side for him. “I mean, of course, there’s always the issue of if I run out of money,” he said.
Mortensen, of course, was never even supposed to be in The Lord of the Rings. Director Peter Jackson cast Stuart Townsend as Aragorn and filming got underway with with the Irish actor. However, Jackson quickly decided that Townsend was not right for the role and, convinced by his son, Mortensen flew to New Zealand at the last minute to play what would become a career-defining role.
Following The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Mortensen appeared in films like Hidalgo, A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, The Road, Captain Fantastic, and Green Book. He earned Academy Award nominations for his leading roles in Eastern Promises, Captain Fantastic, and Green Book.
Mortensen’s newest movie is The Dead Don’t Hurt, which he wrote, directed, and stars in. The film has a Lord of the Rings connection, as Mortensen used Aragorn’s sword from The Lord of the Rings in the movie.
Mortensen has said he would consider coming back to play Aragorn under certain terms. As it happens, there is a new Lord of the Rings movie coming out about the hunt for Gollum, and Aragorn the character would seemingly be involved in that story.
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