Amazon has announced it has acquired global television rights to The Lord of the Rings, a multi-season commitment which will see the new series debut exclusively for Prime Video subscribers.
The new series will be produced by Amazon Studios, alongside Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment.
“The Lord of the Rings is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen,” said Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Scripted Series, Amazon Studios in an issued statement to iPhone in Canada. “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 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.”
The new television series will be set in Middle Earth, exploring new storylines preceding The Fellowship of the Ring; the deal includes a potential spin-off series as well.
Amazon Prime Video is included free with Amazon Prime subscriptions, which costs $79 CAD per year (and half price for students).
