Amazon Announces Plans For A ‘Lord Of The Rings’ TV Show
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November 13, 2017“Lord of the Rings” fans, rejoice! Amazon is turning it into a TV show!
According to reports, the show will be a prequel to “The Fellowship of the Ring.”
In its quest to launch a hit fantasy series of the Game of Thrones caliber, Amazon has closed a massive deal — said to be close to $250 million — to acquire global TV rights to The Lord of the Rings, based on the fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. The streaming service has given a multi-season commitment to a LOTR series in the pact, which also includes a potential spinoff series.
The LOTR original series, a prequel to Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, will be produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust; HarperCollins; and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which produced the hugely successful LOTR movie franchise.
No details about the deal were disclosed, but it believed to be dwarfing any TV series pact to date with a whopping price tag attached.
Amazon, Netflix and HBO had been approached by the Tolkien estate, who had been shopping the project. It came with an upfront rights payment said to be in the $200 million-$250 million range, and I hear Amazon landed the rights by paying close to $250 million. That is just for the rights, before any costs for development, talent and production, in proposition whose finances industry observers called “insane.” It is a payment that is made sight unseen as there is no concept, and there are no creative auspices attached to the possible series. On top of that, the budget for a fantasy series of that magnitude is likely to be $100 million-$150 million a season.
That’s a pretty hefty price tag…
“The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Scripted Series at Amazon Studios. “We are honored to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth.”
Set in Middle Earth, the television adaptation will explore new storylines preceding Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring.
“We are delighted that Amazon, with its longstanding commitment to literature, is the home of the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings,” said Matt Galsor, a representative for the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins. “Sharon and the team at Amazon Studios have exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s original writings.”
People don’t know how to feel about this.
Amazon is OFFICIALLY making that LORD OF THE RINGS TV series: “Set in Middle Earth, the television adaptation will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. The deal includes a potential additional spin-off series.”
— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) November 13, 2017
As a huge #Tolkien fan…not sure if I should be excited or horrified at new Lord of the Rings series announcement… #LotR pic.twitter.com/OFXrRLZWch
— Nick Brisbon (@NBrisbon) November 13, 2017
amazon announcing lord of the rings prequel without any writer attached? pic.twitter.com/3Z5cvAXu9s
— Chloe 🌸 (@meltonwhiz) November 13, 2017
amazon: prequel to lord of the rings coming soon 😉
fandom: don’t do this… please stop
amazon: pic.twitter.com/niAF2IhNZc— georgia 💫 (@astudyinpinkk) November 13, 2017
When Amazon have announced a Lord of the Rings TV series 😂 pic.twitter.com/3FF5s5Omcg
— Ali (@TvvitterGod1) November 13, 2017
Whether we like what’s happening with Lord of the Rings or not pic.twitter.com/fzOaAAgEcJ
— SadAltGrl (@ErinLea7) November 13, 2017
Amazon is going to make a Lord of the Rings series you say? pic.twitter.com/brStiRBADZ
— Paul (@Mr_PaulRehm21) November 13, 2017
Not everything has to be a movie or a tv show. Tolkien’s books are right there. If you are interested in the story before lord of the rings or even before the hobbit just pick up a book and read. It’s all out there, all his stories are waiting to be read.
— Lindsey (@hobbitlindsey) November 13, 2017
I’ll be mad if they ruin the Lord of the Rings.
Don’t mess with my nerd side. pic.twitter.com/MzHohnmpuY— Mad Queen (@cersei_got) November 13, 2017
I’m not watching the “Lord of the Rings” show if you’re bringing in new actors to play the characters. I better see Elijah Wood as Frodo I don’t care how old he looks
— Lily Graceellterins (@LGraceellterins) November 13, 2017
I like “Lord of the Rings” just as much as the next guy, but Amazon really needs to be careful with this one. Hardcore fans are picky.
Hey Amazon, the new Lord of the Rings show is an awesome opportunity to redo this classic fantasy story with lots of female characters and people of color in it!
— Molly Knox Ostertag (@MollyOstertag) November 13, 2017
Annnnnnnnnnnnd ruined.
This is either going to be awesome or terrible. There’s no happy medium. People will love it or hate it.
h/t Deadline
