The streaming service confirmed on Monday that is has obtained the rights for the epic fantasy book series The Lord of the Rings. The multi-season television rights deal tales from J.R.R. Tolkien‘s Middle Earth will be a prequel to the Fellowship of the Ring.
Sharon Tal Yguasdo, head of scripted series for Amazon Studios, said in a statement that the streaming service is “thrilled to be taking ‘The Lord of the Rings’ fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth,” especially because the book series is a “cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen.”
Amazon Studios will produce the series working with the Tolkien estate and trust, HarperCollins, and the Warner Bros. division New Line Cinema.
“We are delighted that Amazon, with its long-standing commitment to literature, is the home of the first-ever multi-season television series for The Lord of the Rings,” Matt Galsor, representing the Tolkien estate and trust and HarperCollins, said in a statement.
This announcement marks the studio’s biggest acquisition to date.
