In what is rumored to be a major $250 million deal, Amazon has acquired the global television rights to The Lord of the Rings, based on the beloved fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, with a multi-season commitment, the company announced Monday.
According to a press release issued by Amazon, the upcoming television adaptation will, of course, be set in Middle Earth and explores new storylines preceding The Fellowship of the Ring. And, as if that weren’t enough, the deal is also said to include a potential additional spin-off series.
“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.”
Amazon Studios is producing the new series in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins, and New Line Cinema.
“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.”
The series will be an Amazon Prime Original and, therefore, will be available for Prime members to stream at no additional cost to their membership.