Amazon Studios has officially signed a deal with Warner Bros. to make a Lord of the Rings TV series for its Amazon Prime streaming service.
The announcement that Amazon has acquired global television rights to the Lord of the Rings franchise, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's novels, was made on Monday following negotiations made between the two companies earlier this month. The retail giant has confirmed a multi-season deal for the upcoming TV series that will be produced by Amazon Studios alongside New Line Cinema (Warner Bros. division) and the Tolkien Estate and Trust.
Amazon's new series will be set in the world of Middle-Earth but will take place before the events of Tolkien's novel, The Lord of the Rings. The deal also includes possible spin-offs set in the same world.
Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Scripted Series, Amazon Studios, said the following in a statement:
"The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen. 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."
Matt Galsor, a representative for the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins, said the following in a statement:
"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. 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 announcement was made four months after Warner Bros. and The Tolkien estate settled an $80 million lawsuit after a 5-year battle.
"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 HarperCollins and Tolkien Estate and Trust. "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."
I'm not a huge fan of studios milking a popular franchise with new projects based on non-canon stories but with Tolkien's massive amount of material we haven't seen yet, who knows? Maybe the TV series will reveal a treasure for the fans to enjoy.
Are you excited to see Amazon's Lord of the Rings TV series?
Read more: Lilly Collins In Talks To Star In Biopic About J.R.R. Tolkien
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