'Lord of the Rings' News: Amazon Closes Deal to Produce TV Series Prequel and 'Potential' Spin-offs
Amazon recently closed a deal to produce and stream the talked-about prequel TV series adaptation of the very popular franchise "The Lord of the Rings."
The franchise was originally conceived by the notable author J.R.R. Tolkien before it crossed the movie screens. This week, Amazon confirmed in a news release that it had "acquired the global television rights" to release the highly anticipated adaptations in "a multi-season commitment."
The project will be produced by the company's Amazon Studios, which will collaborate with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins, and New Line Cinema of Warner Bros. Entertainment.
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Amazon Studios executive Sharon Tal Yguado shared her excitement over the upcoming project and called "The Lord of the Rings" a "cultural phenomenon."
Meanwhile, it was also revealed that the upcoming TV show's plot will focus on the events that happened before the timeline of "The Fellowship of the Ring." This was the first literary installment in the "Lord of the Rings" saga and was released as a movie in 2001. This gives fans a hint that the Amazon series will feature a story that takes place before the Ring made its way to Frodo Baggins.
Amazon's press release did not mention how much acquiring the rights cost them, but according to Deadline, the deal incurred nearly $250 million. The staggering price also covered some "potential spinoff series."
Deadline added that though the Tolkien estate had also offered the TV rights to Netflix and HBO for $200 million to $250 million, Amazon was the one that came forward and willingly paid nearly $250 million just for the rights to produce the TV series prequel.
Matt Galsor, the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins' representative, said in a statement: "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."
