Not long ago, in a shire far, far away, we'd learned that Amazon's planned LORD OF THE RINGS series would cost the studio upward of $500 million to produce. Now, while that amount of coin would certainly pay for a fair bit of Gandalf's signature pipeweed, The Hollywood Reporter is now saying that the venture could cost Amazon over $1 billion, once all is said and done. It's also being reported that the series will consist of five seasons, though the planned spinoff shows could be introduced as a part of that number.
As preparations for the show ramp up, we've also learned via THR that Amazon now has two years to start production on the series, which could spell trouble for the endeavor, seeing as a show of this magnitude will undoubtedly require a fair amount of time to set up. It's also worth noting that the deal includes access to materials from New Line and Warner Bros., should Amazon feel the need to use anything from the films as well as the timeless series of novels. There's also the matter of Peter Jackson's involvement with the new series project, which up until this time still remains unclear. As the story goes, Jackson's attorney was not privy to the 2017 rights negotiations but in recent times has served as a go-between in the Amazon conversation on Jackson's behalf.
"It’s very much a creature of the times,” Nelson says of the Amazon deal. “We are in an era where streamers are bidding up the price of programming. I think Amazon is taking a page out of the studios’ emphasis on franchises. They also are realizing that with the overproduction of television, you need to get the eyeballs to the screen, and you can do that with franchise titles.”
What do you think about all of this LORD OF THE RINGS business? Are there more stories to tell after Jackson's Director's Cut versions of the trilogy? Are you hoping that certain characters who were set aside for the films will appear as a part of the series? Are there any songs or fantasy locations you're looking forward to visiting on the small screen when Amazon's LORD OF THE RINGS series arrives? You know where the comments section is, so let's hear what you've got to say.