Lifestyle
Amazon Obtains the Rights to Make a New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Series
After Peter Jackson adapted Middle Earth to dazzle movie screens across the globe, audiences fell in love with seeing live action versions of their favorite fantasy book characters. Now, Amazon plans to bring their own version of “The Lord of the Rings” into peoples’ homes with a new, multi-season deal.
“‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,” CNN quotes Sharon Tal Yguado, head of the scripted series for 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.”
The Verge writes that the new series will act as a prequel to “The Lord of the Rings,” so Amazon will be able to “…create its own characters and take on the world,” and that way, they won’t be stepping on the toes of previous Middle Earth franchises. They can choose to focus on in-depth character development and get a bit more “soap-opera-y” to appeal to a wide audience.
According to rumors, this deal didn’t come cheap, so Amazon is definitely banking on this series being a hit. The rights were priced at $200-$250 million.
