The great thing about being a Lord of the Rings fan is that there is always something to look forward to.

There are so many people out there who are so invested in the extensive lore of Middle-earth that they want to keep the party going for as long as possible, and they find all manner of different ways to do that. For a start, the entertainment industry cannot get enough, and there is always some kind of release around the corner for sneaky little hobbitses to look forward to. A prime example is The Hunt for Gollum, which will reportedly begin filming next week in New Zealand.

The truth is that Tolkien was so skilled in his worldbuilding and storytelling that the universe he created is almost able to run on the imagination of its greatest appreciators alone. Although, of course, all of this would be unthinkable if he hadn’t written those iconic books to begin with. To fans at least, a world that doesn’t have any LOTR in it is something that they find hard to picture.

A part of the reason for this is the way in which the narrative of Tolkien has woven its way into internet culture as we know it. Few people know their way around a meme format like a dedicated modern LOTR fan, and we all benefit from that because we get to enjoy the silly humor that it produces on a regular basis. It is the gift that keeps on giving.