News The Lord of the Rings (TV Series)

Doctor Omega

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Warner Bros. Television and the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien are in talks with Amazon Studios to develop a TV series based on the author’s “The Lord of the Rings” novels.



 
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Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Amazon Confirms “Lord of the Rings” Prequel Series


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Amazon has confirmed that it has acquired the global television rights to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” property and have made a multi-season commitment to adapt it. Set in Middle Earth, the television adaptation will explore new storylines that take place prior to ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’ in a deal that includes a potential additional spin-off series.

The upcoming Amazon Prime Original series will be produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line Cinema. Matt Galsor, a representative for the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins says: “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.”

The upcoming Amazon Prime Original will be available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online.
 

Gavin

Member: Rank 6
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I can't see how a prequel series would work. Sure there's a lot of story ideas but if you're looking at the history of the characters in LOTR then you've got a series of unconnected stories with characters that don't meet until Fellowship of the Ring. I suppose it would be possible to have the focus on Gandalf as he could (potentially) interact with many of the characters individually but I'm not really sure where the story would go.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
McKellen Open To Reprise Gandalf For Amazon


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Sir Ian McKellen will always be remembered for his turn as the wizard Gandalf in both “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” films, and the actor was recently asked for his opinion of Amazon’s upcoming TV series based on Tolkien’s Middle Earth saga.

Appearing on Graham Norton’s BBC Radio 2 show (via the NME), he was asked if it was going to be annoying to have another Gandalf around to which he responded:

“What do you mean, another Gandalf? I haven’t said yes because I haven’t been asked. But are you suggesting that someone else is going to play it? Gandalf is over 7000 years old, so I’m not too old.”

The new series reportedly won’t be a re-adaptation of Tolkien’s novels, rather focusing on “unexplored stories” from Middle-Earth so it’s not clear if Gandalf will even have a role in the series.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Amazon’s “Lord of the Rings” To Run Five Seasons


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Amazon’s planned small screen adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” is looking to become easily the most expensive TV series ever made.

In November last year we learned Amazon Studios beat out Netflix for a $250 million rights deal with the Tolkien estate, publisher HarperCollins and New Line Cinema for them to make a TV series based on the world of Tolkien and with elements and material from ‘Rings’ in it (so it’s not technically a remake so much as a spin-off).

Now THR has some more details about said deal, indicating that the commit includes no less than five seasons of television, as opposed to the standard one or two season orders other TV show makers hand out. With the cost of casting and production of the five seasons, the whole endeavour’s negative cost looks to be coming in at no less than $1 billion.

There’s also another factor in play – they can not hesitate. Part of the deal is that Amazon has guaranteed they’ll begin production on the series within two years. Amazon is also reportedly looking at the idea of a potential spin-off already. Filmmaker Peter Jackson isn’t involved at this point, but there’s nothing stopping him from being either and his lawyer has indicated he has already had “a dialogue” with Amazon.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Peter Jackson Mulls DC Or “Rings” Return


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Filmmaker Peter Jackson has been keeping quiet in the years since “The Hobbit” trilogy was released, but now he’s reportedly weighing between two quite different options for his near future work slate.

A tweet by TheOneRing.Net reports that discussions are underway with Jackson and his New Zealand crew about whether to play in the DC Universe with a superhero film, or to return to Middle-Earth to be a part of the upcoming massively budgeted Amazon TV series based on Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” literary universe.

The obvious question is which DC property is Jackson considering? Many of the immediate ones have helmers in place, as do some in development, though one possibility is the long-rumored “Man of Steel” standalone sequel.

It has previously been reported that Jackson is considering joining Amazon’s series which is expected to cost the online retail and streaming giant somewhere in the realm of around a billion dollars once the bills are all added up.

Jackson will be returning to screens in a producing capacity later this year with the “Mortal Engines” film opening late Summer.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Amazon’s Salke On Jackson & “Rings” Series


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Many are still debating the merits of Amazon’s upcoming TV series adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” tales. The streaming giant plans to spend around $1 billion on production of numerous seasons of the series which will serve as the cornerstone of their efforts to catch up with Netflix.

Amazon Studios programming chief Jennifer Salke recently spoke with Deadline and opened up a bit more about the series. First up, she was asked to confirm whether Peter Jackson was involved in any capacity. She says ‘maybe’:

“The Peter Jackson conversations, right now we’re right in the middle of them. It’s like, how much do you want to be involved, how little? I know there’s been some discussion, and he’s even said some things, but as far as I’m aware, the latest is that we’re just in a conversation with him about how much or how little he would be involved.”

She confirmed the plan is for one big ‘Rings’ series, not multiple ones, and it won’t be either a remake OR completely fresh: “I think you can know that we’re not remaking the movies, but we’re also not starting from scratch. So, it’ll be characters you love.”

The new “Lord of the Rings” series isn’t expected to debut until 2020.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Jackson Denies “Rings” Series Involvement


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It seemed unlikely, but now it is certain – Peter Jackson isn’t involved with the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” TV series being developed by Amazon.

Instead, JD Payne and Patrick McKay are developing the new show inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Jackson says he can’t wait to see what they come up with. Speaking with ComicBook.com during “Mortal Engines” promotion, Jackson says:

“I was a guy who didn’t get to see the Lord of the Rings like everybody else because I had to make it, so I’m looking forward to seeing somebody else’s take on the Tolkien world.”

Jackson adds he isn’t protective of the franchise and won’t be upset if Payne and McKay’s vision differs from his own. Amazon is reportedly pumping around a billion dollars to produce several seasons of the series which is expected to take place after “The Hobbit” and before the events of ‘The Fellowship of the Ring’.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke says that there is “no timetable” in place in regards to the streaming giant’s much talked about planned TV series based on “The Lord of the Rings” franchise.

JD Payne and Patrick McKay are developing the series, which has a multi-season commitment, with the studio saying they are “making great progress” on the show. But they’re also taking their time with it and so aren’t in a rush to meet a start of production date.
 

Doctor Omega

Member: Rank 10
Set in Middle-earth, the TV series is set to explore new storylines that precede the events depicted in “The Fellowship of the Ring”. A handful of social media handles for the series have been revealed including one unveiling the famed map of Middle Earth from the novels.

https://twitter.com/LOTRonPrime/status/1096408805905117185/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1096408805905117185&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.darkhorizons.com%2Famazons-lord-of-the-rings-series-not-rushing%2F
 
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