Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ TV series gets season 2 renewal before filming the first one
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Amazon Prime Video is confident that you’re going to love its “Lord of the Rings” prequel series, so much so that the streaming service renewed the fantasy show for a second season — all before it even finished pre-production on the first one.
Details are scarce on what the series will be about, but the summary on IMDb currently describes it as “Lord of the Rings based TV-series, set during the 3,441-year period, known as the Age of Númenor, or the Second Age.”
According to the online database’s records, production hasn’t been finalized for the first two episodes.
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JD Payne and Patrick McKay, who both worked on “Star Trek Beyond,” were confirmed as showrunners and writers last year.
The full cast list hasn’t been revealed, however, a report earlier this week from independent New Zealand-based newspaper Stuff Limited said the series’ casting call is now considered “urgent.”
News that Amazon Prime Video had acquired the rights to create a televised adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s renowned trilogy was first announced in November 2017. It cost the streaming giant $250 million to acquire those rights and may cost “$500 million or more for two seasons,” according to insiders who spoke with Reuters in 2018.
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If this estimate is true, Amazon’s “Lord of the Rings” series could be the most expensive TV project of all time.
Peter Jackson’s three-part film adaption earned the franchise over a billion dollars domestically, according to records from Box Office Mojo. These numbers derived by its loyal fan base can mean a big return for Amazon, which has more than 100 million Amazon Prime subscribers.
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On the flip side, the excitement surrounding the series may be a sore spot for WarnerMedia Entertainment’s late entrance into the streaming game with HBO Max – which is set to launch in May 2020.
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 29: John Stankey, President & Chief Operating Officer of AT&T and Chief Executive Officer of WarnerMedia, speaks onstage at HBO Max WarnerMedia Investor Day Presentation at Warner Bros. Studios on October 29, 201 …
Warner Brothers played an essential role in producing the film adaptions under its subsidiary New Line Cinema, however, it did not hold the TV rights, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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Luckily for the Burbank-based entertainment company, the Tolkein estate and Amazon agreed to keep Warner Brothers affiliated with the ambitious project with potential for crossovers and spinoffs as reported by Variety.
A release date has not been set for the series.
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Deadline was the first to report the news of a season two renewal.