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Amazon Sets ‘The Lord of the Rings’ TV Series With Multi-Season Commitment

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
http://deadline.com/2017/11/amazon-...tv-series-multi-season-commitment-1202207065/

In its quest to launch a hit fantasy series of the caliber of Game of Thrones, Amazon has closed a deal to acquire the global TV rights to The Lord of the Rings, based on the fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, with a multi-season commitment. The original series will be produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros.

Amazon, Netflix and HBO had been approached by the Tolkien estate, who had been shopping the project. It came with an upfront rights payment said to be in the $200 – $250 million range, though some sources say the fee could be slightly below $200 million

I...didn't think this would actually happen. Amazon has been chasing a Game of Thrones hit for awhile, but I didn't think they'd actually pay out. Yeah, it's Lord of the Rings but $250 M JUST for the rights. That's enough to scare off pretty much every studio
 

3rdman

Member
http://deadline.com/2017/11/amazon-...tv-series-multi-season-commitment-1202207065/





I...didn't think this would actually happen. Amazon has been chasing a Game of Thrones hit for awhile, but I didn't think they'd actually pay out. Yeah, it's Lord of the Rings but $250 M JUST for the rights. That's enough to scare off pretty much every studio

I think its too early for this. Not to mention the movies (extended versions) did a pretty good job of including all the random details. The Hobbit was a mistake and if forced to extend a story beyond, its a good indication of what we could expect.

Personally, I'd love to see them (or Netflix) tackle Harry Potter instead. It's already easily broken into 7 chapters (years) and there is plenty of material for 12-20 episodes per year. I'd love to see HP with the minutiae to include everything missed in the movies...but I digress.
 

OrionFalls

Member
Personally, I'd love to see them (or Netflix) tackle Harry Potter instead. It's already easily broken into 7 chapters (years) and there is plenty of material for 12-20 episodes per year. I'd love to see HP with the minutiae to include everything missed in the movies...but I digress.
A series set in the Harry Potter universe - but featuring no, or very little, actual Harry Potter - could work great. It could feature multiple characters in the HPEU, and be set during the events of the series, but we see it from their perspective. Or maybe a “Young Sirius” series.
 

JimiNutz

Banned
That's crazy money.
I wonder how the production values are gonna stack up compared to the movies. I've never really read the books, is there THAT much more content that wasn't covered in the movies or are they gonna have to add loads of stuff to pad it out?
 

LordPezix

Member
Hell yes, I hope it brings back that weird fuzzy childhood feeling again.

Like I love GoT, but LoTR just has honest good hearted fantasy feel. It will be a nice change of pace from incest sex.
 

Nategc20

Banned
Big mistake on Amazon's part. Nobody wants this. Make an original elven/orcish/medieval/dragons/trolls/Kings/ epic adventure journey or adopt many of the books in the Kindle library to pluck from. Like what good can come from this? I'm betting no Emmys or nothing from this project. It'll be trash and a waste of talent and money. The Netflix/streaming model just doesn't work for building hype and how many people are hyped for lord of the fucking rings in 2017? It'll be a waste, I'm calling it.
 

Nere

Member
Big mistake on Amazon's part. Nobody wants this. Make an original elven/orcish/medieval/dragons/trolls/Kings/ epic adventure journey or adopt many of the books in the Kindle library to pluck from. Like what good can come from this? I'm betting no Emmys or nothing from this project. It'll be trash and a waste of talent and money. The Netflix/streaming model just doesn't work for building hype and how many people are hyped for lord of the fucking rings in 2017? It'll be a waste, I'm calling it.

Everybody cares for lord of the rings? You will be surprised how many people care about it and hold the movies in really high regard.
 

T.v

Member
They have the support of the Tolkien estate? That's genuinely surprising considering Christophers harsh stance on the trilogy and especially after seeing what they did to the hobbit.
In any case, I will be cautiously optimistic about this, but my expectations will be kept very, very low. Wonder what the setting will be.
 

Atrus

Gold Member
LotR might be a bit too fantastical. Game of Thrones started off being mostly about people and their screwed up backstabbing plots that had unpredictable and surprising outcomes, at least compared to other shows of the time. Westworld is a success due to a similar narrative and mystery.

LotR started mostly for children and, if a prequel, would have smaller stakes than the films defeat of Sauron while potentially requiring budget killing cgi.

We'll see how it turns out I guess.
 

Taker666

Member
I wasn't interested in the idea of a remake...but the idea of a prequel series set between The Hobbit and LOTR is far more enticing.
 

Scopa

The Tribe Has Spoken
I’m happy with anything new to do with LotR. I just hope they make it a mature series and not just a show for kids and give it the effort it deserves. The price they paid would suggest they are taking it seriously.
 

jadedm17

Member
I think its too early for this. Not to mention the movies (extended versions) did a pretty good job of including all the random details. The Hobbit was a mistake and if forced to extend a story beyond, its a good indication of what we could expect.

Personally, I'd love to see them (or Netflix) tackle Harry Potter instead. It's already easily broken into 7 chapters (years) and there is plenty of material for 12-20 episodes per year. I'd love to see HP with the minutiae to include everything missed in the movies...but I digress.

As loving Fantastic Beasts and excited to see where it goes I have to wholeheartedly agree: Harry Potter feels like it opens itself to much more to be told then LOTR imho.
 

llien

Member
There always is that "series vs high budget movie" issue, when you have already seen the movie.. I'll give it a try, but am sceptical.

The Hobbit was a mistake and if forced to extend a story beyond, its a good indication of what we could expect.
I still enjoyed TH a lot, to be honest, perhaps because I find the world so fascinating and all visuals in the movie were so great.
 
This could be very interesting...i'm actually interested.

Just do a non campy Xena-esque show traveling around and it could actually be great
 

Sosokrates

Report me if I continue to console war
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Amazon has more money than God now so I doubt they care what the price tag is.

I always wondered if a director in charge of a half billion dollar operation ever thinks about that. How could you not?
 

Herne

Member
Given the Tolkien Estate's wariness of any media adaptations of the property I'm surprised they're going ahead with this. Maybe Amazon has proved they'll bend over backwards to accommodate their requests for as good or accurate an adaptation they want.

I...didn't think this would actually happen. Amazon has been chasing a Game of Thrones hit for awhile, but I didn't think they'd actually pay out. Yeah, it's Lord of the Rings but $250 M JUST for the rights. That's enough to scare off pretty much every studio

Not with Bezos desperate to get something to take the fight to Netflix with, and LOTR is certainly one of the biggest properties they could get to do that.

So does this deal include the rights to The Silmarillion?

Going in with high expectations, aren't we? :D
 

Croatoan

They/Them A-10 Warthog
Why? Aren't there tons of great fantasy properties to do instead of rehashing movies from a decade ago?

Sword of Truth, Mistborn, the Dresdon files, and the like would all be better than LoTR again.
 

Xero

Member
Why? Aren't there tons of great fantasy properties to do instead of rehashing movies from a decade ago?

Sword of Truth, Mistborn, the Dresdon files, and the like would all be better than LoTR again.
2 of those have already had tv adaptions. so instead of rehashing lotr you would prefer rehashing somethibg else?
 

frogger

Member
I think it is going to fail. It can't be more epic than the movie. The movies were very good already. I read the book about 15 years ago, and found it is a very boring read. Unless they change the plot significantly, stretching it out in several seasons will make it even more boring.
 
I think it is going to fail. It can't be more epic than the movie. The movies were very good already. I read the book about 15 years ago, and found it is a very boring read. Unless they change the plot significantly, stretching it out in several seasons will make it even more boring.
This is going to be an entirely different story line set to take place before the FOTR, so there's a good chance Hobbit incest sex will be included. Does that excite you?
 
LotR might be a bit too fantastical. Game of Thrones started off being mostly about people and their screwed up backstabbing plots that had unpredictable and surprising outcomes, at least compared to other shows of the time. Westworld is a success due to a similar narrative and mystery.

LotR started mostly for children and, if a prequel, would have smaller stakes than the films defeat of Sauron while potentially requiring budget killing cgi.

We'll see how it turns out I guess.

Yeah, I find the human drama far more interesting than the fantasy elements of GoT. LotR seems incredibly boring in comparison.
 

Kremzeek

Member
If Amazon had any balls they would have bought the rights for the Dragonlance series.

The original trilogy is still a masterwork, and the world is bursting for exploration.
 

Biske

Member
If Amazon had any balls they would have bought the rights for the Dragonlance series.

The original trilogy is still a masterwork, and the world is bursting for exploration.

My man. Give me some of those Twins Chronicles and shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.


I think you could do an awesome Lord of the Rings series, interested to see where this goes.
 

Setmeni

Member
As loving Fantastic Beasts and excited to see where it goes I have to wholeheartedly agree: Harry Potter feels like it opens itself to much more to be told then LOTR imho.

You read any of the books or just watched the movies? Between all the content cut from the movies, The Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and numerous other works and short stories by Tolkien and his son the world is teeming with ideas and stories to make adaptions out of.
 

CD'S BAR

Member
No interest in a series, but The Hobbit made into a single movie without all the bullshit would be great. Anyway we'll probably get that in the next 5-10 years.
 

aaronsan

Banned
Everybody cares for lord of the rings? You will be surprised how many people care about it and hold the movies in really high regard.

I care about it and hold it in high regard, and will never watch this show. So I agree with his main points.

Well, except for the Tom Bombadil episode(s), that I'll watch. Because that shit should have been in the movies.

Not even the director's cuts? For shame!!!!!
 

Nategc20

Banned
Everybody cares for lord of the rings? You will be surprised how many people care about it and hold the movies in really high regard.
Everybody? Lol. What concept or story from the Lord of the rings universe would make an appealing TV show? I wouldn't had watched the Hobbit if that was a TV miniseries or show.I'm not seeing a huge success here. Points to Amazon for actively trying tho.
 
Why? Aren't there tons of great fantasy properties to do instead of rehashing movies from a decade ago?

Sword of Truth, Mistborn, the Dresdon files, and the like would all be better than LoTR again.

Mistborn would have been their GoT for sure. It could go beyond that. Just going for Tolkien is the easiest, laziest play ever.

Whoever does Mistborn properly is going to have the next big thing.
 

Aintitcool

Banned
Jeff Bezos is pretty crazy. He said he wanted Game of Thrones, he bought the rights to the original. Now he just has to do is hire HBO writers and LOTR trilogy art and production crew which also designs some kickass exclusive to amazon merch and, more. He will be able to beat game of thrones.
 

T.v

Member
I care about it and hold it in high regard, and will never watch this show. So I agree with his main points.

Well, except for the Tom Bombadil episode(s), that I'll watch. Because that shit should have been in the movies.

Not even the director's cuts? For shame!!!!!

I love Tom Bombadil, but he would not have fit in the movies at all. Including Tom Bombadil would have been disastrous for the pacing of the movies, and would have only left a majority of viewers confused. Tom Bombadil as a character is too out of place and inconsequential to have fit into the movies.

Everybody? Lol. What concept or story from the Lord of the rings universe would make an appealing TV show? I wouldn't had watched the Hobbit if that was a TV miniseries or show.I'm not seeing a huge success here. Points to Amazon for actively trying tho.

The LOTR universe is vast, and there is a trove of material to work with. Problem is, I'm not sure what material this deal gives them access to, and it will most likely feature a lot of made up content and we all know how that turned out with the Hobbit.
 

T.v

Member
Double post, but I don't think a new thread is warranted here.
http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2017/11/15/104426-in-historic-move-christopher-tolkien-resigns-as-director-of-tolkien-estate/
Christopher Tolkien, son of J.R.R. Tolkien has steppef down as director of his estate. Christopher was always very, very protective of his fathers work, which made this deal so surprising. With this news the deal makes a lot more sense. The rest of the estate seems much less protective so this might have some serious ramifications for future projects. No doubt this will embolden some studios to make a move.
 

Xero

Member
I care about it and hold it in high regard, and will never watch this show. So I agree with his main points.

Well, except for the Tom Bombadil episode(s), that I'll watch. Because that shit should have been in the movies.

Not even the director's cuts? For shame!!!!!

no, he shouldn't have, and I question anyones ideas that think tom bombadil would fit into the narration of the movies, without bloating already long movies unnecessarily.
 

Nipo

Member
Jeff Bezos is pretty crazy. He said he wanted Game of Thrones, he bought the rights to the original. Now he just has to do is hire HBO writers and LOTR trilogy art and production crew which also designs some kickass exclusive to amazon merch and, more. He will be able to beat game of thrones.

Game of thrones will be finished by the time this series airs.
 
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