Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ TV series gets season 2 renewal before filming the first one
By Cortney Moore | FOXBusiness
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Deadline was the first to report the news of a season two renewal.
