Widely considered to be the father of the epic fantasy genre, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings paved the path for modern mega-franchises like Harry Potter and Star Wars. Filled with engaging characters, vivid locations, and memorable quotes, adapting the novels into movies was a legendary feat that cemented Peter Jackson as an auteur among directors. After enjoying a comfortable run at the box-office with numerous Academy Award wins, the visionary director further adapted The Hobbit as a trilogy. Now, Amazon Studios is currently producing a series that is considered to be the most expensive television show ever made.
With a budget of $500 million, The Lord of the Rings show is committed to having five seasons. As the shooting was halted due to the CoVID-19 pandemic, the show is confirmed to have begun production once again in New Zealand, where the movies were earlier directed. Earlier rumored to be set as a prequel to the movies, now it has been confirmed that the series will be set 3000 years before the movies. According to the official synopsis, the series is set in the Second Age of Middle Earth. As the series is already confirmed for a second season, the official synopsis can be read below:
Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.
Developed by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay for the streaming platform, the first two episodes of the first season are directed by Spanish director J.A. Bayona. Though Amazon Studios has revealed the list of actors confirmed to appear in the series, their characters are yet to be released. As the official synopsis has confirmed that the show will have ‘the greatest villain that ever lowed from Tolkien’s pen’, Sauron will be back to terrorize Middle Earth, but this time in his physical form.
The Lord of the Rings is set to be released in 2021.
Source: TheOneRing.net
