Amazon to Adapt J.R.R. Tolkien’s Globally Renowned Fantasy Novels, The Lord of the Rings, for Television with a Multi Season Production Commitment
Television adaptation, exploring new storylines preceding J.R.R.
Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, slated to debut exclusively
on Prime Video
SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced it has acquired the global
television rights to The Lord of the Rings, based on the
celebrated fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, with a multi-season
commitment. The upcoming Amazon Prime Original will be produced by
Amazon Studios in cooperation with the 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. “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.”
“We are delighted that Amazon, with its longstanding commitment to
literature, is the home of the first-ever multi-season television series
for The Lord of the Rings,” said Matt Galsor, a representative
for the Tolkien Estate and Trust and HarperCollins. “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.”
Set in Middle Earth, the television adaptation will explore new
storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the
Ring. The deal includes a potential additional spin-off series.
A world-renowned literary work, and winner of the International Fantasy
Award and Prometheus Hall of Fame Award, The Lord of the Rings
novels was named Amazon customers’ favorite book of the millennium in
1999 and Britain’s best-loved novel of all time in BBC’s The Big Read in
2003. Its theatrical adaptations, from New Line Cinema and Director Peter
Jackson, earned a combined gross of nearly $6 billion worldwide.
With an all-star cast that included Elijah
Wood, Viggo
Mortensen, Ian
McKellen, Liv
Tyler, Sean
Astin and Orlando
Bloom, The Lord of the Rings trilogy garnered a combined 17
Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
The upcoming Amazon Prime Original will be available for Prime members
to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs, connected
devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online with
other Amazon Prime Originals online at Amazon.com/originals,
at no additional cost to their membership. Eligible customers who are
not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime.
For a list of all Amazon Prime Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
The series will be a global release for members to watch via the Prime
Video app or online at PrimeVideo.com
in more than 200 countries and territories.
About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers
customers the greatest choice in what to watch and how to watch it.
Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:
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Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including
popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning
Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent,
The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship, and kids
series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as
part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available
to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the
globe at www.primevideo.com. -
Amazon Channels: Over 100 video subscriptions to networks
like HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV, and more, available
to Amazon Prime members in the US as add-ons to their membership. To
view the full list of available channels, visit www.amazon.com/channels. -
Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new
release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or
purchase for all Amazon customers. -
Instant Access: Customers can instantly watch anytime, anywhere
through the Amazon Video app on compatible TVs, mobile
devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online.
For a list of all compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream. -
Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic
Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content.
In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast
free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more
than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with
Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading
with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalog with
Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games
and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning
Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To
sign-up for Prime or to find out more, visit: www.amazon.com/prime.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than
competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational
excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping,
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information, visit www.amazon.com/about
and follow @AmazonNews.
About New Line Cinema
Building on five decades of innovation and creativity, New Line
Cinema continues its long and successful history of producing
critically acclaimed hit films that resonate with both mainstream and
niche audiences around the world. New Line became a unit of Warner Bros.
Entertainment in March 2008. The company maintains separate development,
production, and business affairs operations, but coordinates those
functions with Warner Bros. to maximize film performance and operating
efficiencies.
Contacts
Amazon.com, Inc.
Media Hotline, 206-266-7180
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr
