Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic classic, The Lord of the Rings, should rejoice as Amazon is now recreating it into a TV series to spread the magic on small screen.
The TV series is touted to be the most expensive show ever made, at a cost of at least $1 billion. New Zealand will reprise its starring role as Middle Earth in the show, as Amazon Studios confirmed that it will film its new Lord of the Rings series on its shores.
The country – where Peter Jackson filmed the original Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies – beat rival Scotland to be named the production location.
Storyline: According to a news report in BBC, Amazon Studios, which bought the rights to the television series two years ago, said the new adaptation will explore fresh storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Fellowship of the Ring.
In a statement recently, the firm said pre-production had started and shooting in Auckland would begin in the coming months. “As we searched for the location in which we could bring to life the primordial beauty of the Second Age of Middle-earth, we knew we needed to find somewhere majestic, with pristine coasts, forests, and mountains,” the firm said.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie. #LOTRonPrime pic.twitter.com/7TuQh7gRPD
— The Lord of the Rings on Prime (@LOTRonPrime) March 7, 2019
Cast: According to media reports, Australian actress Markella Kavenagh will take on the role of Tyra – an entirely new character who is separate from J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved books. Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf in the original trilogy, has expressed interest in reprising his role.
Orlando Bloom, who played Legolas, doesn’t think that he’ll be appearing in the forthcoming series. “I like to think of myself as ageless but…I don’t know where I would fit in that world, really,†he told in an interview. “If you’re saying there’s Legolas, they’ve probably got a 19 year-old kid who’s ready to go,†he added.
Number of seasons: Amazon has committed to producing five seasons of Lord of the Rings TV series as part of its $250 million rights deal.
