HBO Chief Explains Why They Let Go of 'The Lord of the Rings' TV Remake
"The Lord of Rings" is coming to TV screens. But to many people's surprise, HBO will not be producing the adaptation. Network CEO Richard Plepler explained why.
In a recent interview with Variety, the TV executive said: "I'd rather own our IP [intellectual property] 100%... and I'd rather have the ability to work with a product that is inextricably linked to our brand."
J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" is undeniably one of the biggest franchises both in literature and in film, and it has managed to maintain its fan base over the years. This is why when rumors spread that it was finally going to have its own TV adaptation, many placed bets on which TV network would produce the project.
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However, Amazon Studios confirmed last month that they had acquired the rights to the show with "a multi-season commitment," and the possibility of making TV spinoffs that would be distributed around the world.
Plepler was also asked to comment on the nearly $250 million that Amazon shelled out to acquire "The Lord of the Ring's" TV rights and jokingly said: "If I'm Jeff Bezos, that's Monopoly money." Bezos is Amazon's founder and CEO.
Plepler was also confident that its television lineup was filled with successful titles. However, he maintained that there was no way of predicting whether a show "will hit the zeitgeist like 'Sopranos' did, like 'Game of Thrones' did."
One of the popular shows from HBO is "Westworld," and production for its second season is underway. In the same interview, Plepler shared about 13 million viewers tuned in for the show's season 1 -- way more than how "Game of Thrones" performed in its first season.
HBO also takes pride in having shows that feature some of the best actors and actresses. Plepler took "Big Little Lies'" main cast members as an example. The mini series was headlined by actress Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, and Shailene Woodley. Meanwhile, HBO also worked with Robert De Niro who starred in "The Wizard of Lies."
Overall, Plepler believes they have a promising year ahead despite losing the chance to distribute one of the biggest TV adaptations to date.
