Amazon's Lord Of The Rings series is drawing in ever closer. While its production is still largely being kept under wraps, as more information is released fans can get a much better idea of what to expect when this fantasy epic finally hits their screens.

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The streaming service has been working on the project for a number of years to really get it perfect. While audiences are excited for it to debut, there's still a great deal more to learn about the final release itself. Even within the last year, many new details have surfaced, indicating production changes and other shifts within the narrative and creative team.

Length Of Run

Frodo leaves in a boat and Sam chases after him

Amazon is clearly banking on the project being a massive success and is therefore already planning for a long-term strategy. This still isn't too common amongst TV studios and streaming platforms, however it can be seen with a few other major franchises.

Reports currently indicate that Amazon is eyeing at least a 5 season run, with each series looking to be around 8 to 10 episodes long. While runtimes of each episode remains to be seen, it's likely to fall around the 50 minute mark. It's a lot of content for fans to get hyped about!

Time Period

Aragorn on the Lord of the Rings Cover

The Amazon show has already been revealed to take part in the Second Age of man, which is a complicated period of history during the Middle-Earth timeline. Everything audiences know about this era has come from the source material itself.

With so much unknown about this time period as well though, it gives the creative team a lot of room to explore with great freedom. Certain events such as the forging of the rings and Sauron's return happened throughout this era, which will impact the narrative.

Premise

Frodo, Gollum and Sam looking on

Fans are eagerly anticipating another range of truly iconic scenes, however, a lot of the story is being kept very secretive in order to avoid spoilers for viewers. It has taken a long time to get a synopsis revealed for the show, but that time has finally come.

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"Amazon Studios’ forthcoming series brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings,' and will take viewers 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, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness."

Budget

Frodo holding the ring in Lord of the Rings

There's a lot of expectations being put on the show and fans certainly have many demands. Amazon is definitely not holding back though when it comes to the financial requirements of a franchise this well known. It seems the Studio is leaving nothing to chance.

The budget for the show is actually $465 million, which is one of the most expensive shows of all time. Amazon have tried to justify such a huge amount of money by suggesting that it's really about building up an infrastructure which can stand the test of time and last as a brand.

Shooting Locations

A house in The Shire

The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit are both visually stunning movies and that's due in large part thanks to the practical locations they shot in. The new TV show will be doing something similar and shooting on location as much as they can.

The team has therefore excitingly returned to New Zealand, which has become famous for housing Middle-Earth. However, all of the sets from the original movies are not being used, due to either being torn down or not fitting this production; all new sets are being created instead.

Connections To The Films

Lord of the Rings Return of the King Gandalf, Legolass, Aragon and Rohan

By all accounts, this appears to be a production entirely separate from the main film universe. While nothing has been completely confirmed nor denied, thanks to the time period, the lack of shared characters, and a new creative team, this could be a standalone series.

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That doesn't mean it can't be part of the same continuity down the line, but it appears the connections are minimal with the films and the show being kept at arm's length from one another to allow for as much creative freedom as possible.

Cast

Lord of the rings the return of the king HD vs 4k

The Amazon show is deep into production and therefore many cast members have already been revealed. It looks as if the show is going to have a massive team of actors trying to bring this fantastical world together. None of their roles have been revealed thus far though.

According to IMDb, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Maxim Baldry, Ian Blackburn, Kip Chapman, Anthony Crum and Maxine Cunliffe amongst so many others have already been added to the cast list. The show is combining both the talents of character actors and relatively unknowns for these roles.

Detailed World Building

Lord Sauron Lord of the rings fellowship of the ring

One of the other reasons Amazon has given the show such a huge budget is that it's hoping to continue to build a really cohesive world. Perhaps looking to create its own shared universe down the line, it's a priority for the studio to forge a believable Middle-Earth.

Perhaps it's the depth of the characters involved or the realistic nature of the sets and props, but clearly, there will be no stone left unturned as the production looks to emulate some other recent successes within the fantasy and sci-fi genres.

Creative Team

Aragorn and Theoden of Rohan

Any show needs fantastic writers, experienced directors, expert producers, and talented showrunners. Lord Of The Rings has seemingly found those things in a range of established names, each of which will bring something unique to the table.

Early on it was revealed that JD Payne and Patrick McKay would serve as creators, producers, and showrunners for the series. The writing team has also since expanded to include talents like Jason Cahill, Justin Doble, and Helen Shang. Wayne Che Yip also came aboard, directing four episodes of the show.

Release Date

Aragorn crowned as king of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings

There's currently no release date for the Amazon series of Lord Of The Rings and right now it's uncertain as to when one could be revealed. Thanks to the ongoing global situation, the production for the show was on unsteady ground for some time.

This may have left a delay in the release date, however, sources suggest that it will be released at some point before the end of the year. If that is not the case then it will undoubtedly release in 2022 as one of Amazon's most premium shows so far.

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