Despite the backlash it received for the first trailer, Amazon Studios is still going all-in with its wildly ambitious The Lord of the Rings series – officially dubbed The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power – which has only been double-confirmed with reports the first five seasons have been “fully planned out.”
“Across those five seasons, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power will weave a story of Elves, Dwarves, Harfoots, and more set against an epic backdrop of major events from the history of Middle-earth – from the forging of the rings to the rise of Sauron,” reveals Empire.
RELATED: Amazon’s ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Series Is Abandoning NZ For Season 2
“It was like Tolkien put some stars in the sky and let us make out the constellations,” showrunner JD Payne explained to the publication.
“In his letters, Tolkien talked about wanting to leave behind a mythology that ‘left scope for other minds and hands, wielding the tools of paint, music and drama.’”
“We’re doing what Tolkien wanted. As long as we felt like every invention of ours was true to his essence, we knew we were on the right track.”
Considering the hefty financial investment behind this much-hyped undertaking, you can understand why Amazon is so keen to milk the property for all its worth. Acquiring the rights from Tolkien’s estate alone sapped US$250 million / $360 billion from old man Bezos’ coffers.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, history’s most expensive series is expected to cost well beyond US$1 billion / AU$1.4 billion all up; with current estimates placing the cost of the first two seasons alone at around US$500 million / AU$720 million. For reference, Peter Jackson’s original film trilogy only required approximately US$280 million / AU$400 million.
Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before the events of JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, depicting the “heroic legends” of Middle-earth’s fabled Second Age history. Transporting audiences 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 — featuring “the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen,” who threatens to consume the world in darkness: the Dark Lord Sauron.
Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters as they confront this long-feared re-emergence of evil. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor and the furthest reaches of the map – “these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.”
RELATED: ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Middle-Earth Collector’s Edition Will Cost You $1,500
In terms of onscreen talent, here are some of the more notable names featured in the XL ensemble cast:
- Robert Aramayo (Game of Thrones)
- Owain Arthur (The Palace)
- Nazanin Boniadi (Homeland)
- Tom Budge (The Pacific)
- Morfydd Clark (Pride & Prejudice & Zombies)
- Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Mandalorian)
- Ema Horvath (The Gallows Act II)
- Markella Kavenagh (Romper Stomper)
- Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones)
- Tyroe Muhafidin (Treasure Maps & Tinned Spaghetti)
- Megan Richards (Wanderlust)
- Dylan Smith (Total Recall)
- Charlie Vickers (Medici)
- Daniel Weyman (Gentleman Jack)
Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has been directed by Charlotte Brändström and produced by Christopher Newman. Showrunners John D. Payne and Patrick McKay of Star Trek Beyond fame have also served as executive producers of the series alongside Lindsey Weber, Callum Greene, J.A. Bayona, Belén Atienza, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Bruce Richmond, Sharon Tal Yguado, and Wayne Che Yip.
Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is scheduled to premiere on September 2nd of 2022 – check out the teaser trailer below.
