The Tolkien Estate reportedly didn't want Peter Jackson to be involved with Prime Video's upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Based on J. R. R. Tolkien's epic fantasy novels, The Rings of Power is set to mark the third major live-action adaptation of the beloved source material after Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy. The highly-anticipated series takes place hundreds of years before the events of Jackson's trilogy, chronicling the rise of evil in the Second Age of Middle-earth.

The show is created by Patrick McKay and John D. Payne. The two have previously gone on record about the fact that, while they admire Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, they're not looking to compete with it with The Rings of Power. Trailers for the show tease a massive scope and scale, showcasing massive battles and gorgeous landscapes. In addition to the show's reported production budget of $1 billion spread across 5 seasons, Amazon paid the Tolkien estate a hefty $250 million back in 2017 to secure the television rights for The Lord of the Rings.

Related: Rings Of Power Looks Like Jackson's LOTR Trilogy (& That's A Good Thing)

According to a new report from THR detailing Jackson's lack of involvement in the upcoming show, the Tolkien estate seems to have played a significant role in keeping the director away. While the showrunners and the studio have high regard for Jackson and his adaptation, there were legal concerns about keeping Jackson's films and the TV show separate, considering the films are owned by Warner Bros. One Amazon executive, Sharon Tal Yguado, was reportedly interested in having Jackson come on board in some capacity, but she ended up leaving the company in 2019. Crucially, however, it was the Tolkien estate that pushed for Jackson to not be involved, likely for creative reasons.

Peter Jackson on the set of The Hobbit with his hand raised.

Initial trailers for The Rings of Power tease at least a few nods to Jackson's trilogy, but the show does appear to be distinct in many ways. Unlike Jackson's The Lord of the Rings movies, the Tolkien estate has been heavily involved in the production of The Rings of Power, with consultants reportedly present on set to ensure the faithfulness of the adaptation. Despite sharing the same source material and many of the same characters and locations, The Rings of Power already looks visually distinct from Jackson's movies, featuring a vastly different presentation of the familiar elements.

Although the new report doesn't include any concrete reasoning behind the Tolkien estate's desire to keep Jackson away from the project, the estate has been publicly critical of Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy in the past. The late Christopher Tolkien, son of J. R. R., previously criticized Jackson's films for their heavy emphasis on battle scenes and apparent misinterpretation of the books' themes. Despite the T0lkien estate's reported desire to avoid any involvement with Jackson in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the director's original The Lord of the Rings trilogy is still a beloved adaptation to many fans and it remains to be seen if the series will see the same level of acclaim.

More: The Rings Of Power's Orcs Are Avoiding A Crucial Hobbit Mistake

Source: THR