The Lord of the Rings - TV Series

[SirBalon]

Amazon wants to turn The Lord of the Rings into the next Game Of Thrones

 

Amazon Studios has been looking for a way to duplicate HBO’s success with Game of Thrones, and the company may have found a solution: adapting J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings into a TV series. Variety reports that the company is currently in talks with Warner Bros. Television and the late author’s estate, and while discussions are said to be in “very early stages,” it is clearly a high priority, with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos himself involved in the negotiations.

Amazon isn’t the only looking into the rights, according to Deadline, which reports that the Tolkien Estate is looking to sell the television rights to the iconic fantasy series to the tune of $200-250 million, and has approached Netflix and HBO as well. There appears to be some strings attached: the rights might not encompass all of the characters in the story. HBO has reportedly passed on the project. 

Amazon Studios has unexpectedly found itself in the midst of a transition. Earlier this year, Bezos reportedly got involved with the creative direction of the studio, tasking the group with finding high-profile dramas like the hit HBO series that could have a broad, global appeal. Then last month, Amazon Studios executive Roy Price resigned in the wake of sexual harassment allegations, a move that led to additional resignations and a reshuffling of the studio’s executive ranks.

If finding the next Game of Thrones is the goal, it’s hard to imagine a property more suited to the task then Tolkien’s series. The Lord of the Rings tells the story of Frodo Baggins, a young Hobbit who is tasked with destroying an artifact called the One Ring in the hopes of saving the world of Middle-earth. The books have been adapted multiple times over the years, with the most commercially — and critically — successful adaptation coming in the form of Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. (Jackson’s films adapting The Hobbit were markedly less successful.)

While the adaptation is far from certain — the deal hasn’t even been closed yet — this is the kind of project that could bring Amazon Studios a significant amount of attention, and draw in viewers across the world. While Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu have all made huge strides as original content creators, Amazon has yet to score with a far-reaching, cultural conversation piece the way that Netflix has with something like Stranger Things. 

While The Lord of the Rings would certainly check all the Game of Thrones boxes when it comes to fantasy and adventure, it is also worth noting that the books aren’t really known for being filled with the kind of sex-and-violence antics that HBO’s show has become synonymous with. On the other hand, Rings has one huge advantage: the books are actually finished.

[Cicero]

I'd be all for it if it were a adaptation of the similarion or what ever the book was called 

[SirBalon]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

I'd be all for it if it were a adaptation of the similarion or what ever the book was called 

I was thinking like that...  I was brought up on Tolkien and infact done an extensive thesis on his works back at uni.  I'd love to see the whole thing done and not just LOTR.  The Silmarilion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with maybe even The Children of Hurin could be adapted to make loads of seasons.

[Fairy In Boots]

To me the films were great, why not tackle an untapped project like Mistborn, Malazan, wheel of time or even do a fucking accurate Dark Tower. I can see why HBO passed this seems stupid

[Harry]

15 minutes ago, Fairy In Boots said:

To me the films were great, why not tackle an untapped project like Mistborn, Malazan, wheel of time or even do a fucking accurate Dark Tower. I can see why HBO passed this seems stupid

Yep. Agree. Take a bit more of a risk with something that would be fresher to audiences.

The Lord of the Rings movies were spot on, and couldn’t be improved.

Harry Potter also was pretty good as movies, although I think there is more volume in the text to be spun off than LOTR and the movies cut everything off pretty short.

[Fairy In Boots]

The wheel of time I think would work but you’re going to have to tone down the childlike elements and ramp up the darker elements to get over. 

The Dark Tower if tackled faithfully could go global. 

Malazan probably too high fantasy to break through to mainstream. 

Mistborn could work Sanderson is probably the best in the genre at present. 

[Harry]

7 hours ago, Fairy In Boots said:

The wheel of time I think would work but you’re going to have to tone down the childlike elements and ramp up the darker elements to get over. 

The Dark Tower if tackled faithfully could go global. 

Malazan probably too high fantasy to break through to mainstream. 

Mistborn could work Sanderson is probably the best in the genre at present. 

 I've heard a wheel of time series had been signed on to.... maybe it was Sony that had secured rights and signed something to get the ball rolling...

[Fairy In Boots]

2 hours ago, Harry said:

 I've heard a wheel of time series had been signed on to.... maybe it was Sony that had secured rights and signed something to get the ball rolling...

I’ll believe it when I see it, it’s been “happening” that many times now. 

 

It’s going to need to sex up the Aes Sedai and sack off skirt twitching. But if they did it in a gritty tone I could see the likes of Rand, Perrin, Lan & Matt cauthorn becoming mainstream cultural figures.

if they were to do it also, they need to flesh out the Asha’man story, it’s the area I felt really suffered from Jordan’s death as Sanderson just tied it up where I thought the power struggle between Logan & Taim needed more focus. 

[Guest]

Won't everyone know what happens though?

[Harry]

3 hours ago, Gunnersauraus said:

Won't everyone know what happens though?

Sometimes thats the point. 

And other times they'll take advantage of that to mix it up by throwing in some controversial shit. like a three was between Frodo, Samwise and Smeadle.

Or that the ring of power is not intended to be worn on one's finger. 🤔

[SirBalon]

4 hours ago, Gunnersauraus said:

Won't everyone know what happens though?

For the people that tend to read books, that happens to them on 90% of cases with cinema and tv mate.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, SirBalon said:

For the people that tend to read books, that happens to them on 90% of cases with cinema and tv mate.

True. 

[SirBalon]

Amazon beat Netflix and HBO for billion dollar rights to The Lord of The Rings series

 

Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and the rest of Middle Earth are making the switch to the small screen after Amazon announced it has committed to a multi-series adaptation inspired by JRR Tolkien’s classic fantasy novels.

The television adaptation will tell new stories based in the period preceding The Fellowship of the Ring, the novel that provided the basis for the first part of Peter Jackson’s film trilogy.

A Lord of the Rings series had been rumoured, but on Monday the streaming service confirmed it had acquired rights to Tolkien’s work and would be pursuing the project with a potential spin-off.

“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, Amazon’s new head of scripted programming, who took on the role after the resignation of Roy Price last month amid sexual harassment allegations. 

“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.”

Matt Galsor, a representative for the Tolkien estate and trust and the publisher HarperCollins, said: “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.

“Sharon and the team at Amazon Studios have exceptional ideas to bring to the screen previously unexplored stories based on JRR Tolkien’s original writings.”

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the move comes as Amazon attempts to find a challenger to HBO’s Game of Thrones, and establish a big-name franchise after a run of poorly received scripted programmes.

The news comes after Disney announced it was working on a live-action Star Wars TV project led by The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, which will feature completely new characters in “a corner of the galaxy that Star Wars lore has never before explored”.

Jackson’s cinematic adaptations of The Lord of the Rings grossed nearly $6bn worldwide, winning 17 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

[Cicero]

Stupid. Won't be any good if they use different actors. 

Why not just the similarion? That would be incredible. 

[Spike]

Fuck off and die.

The movies were perfect. 

Make something new.

Twats.

[The Artful Dodger]

Just read the books, better than any film/tv show.

[Devil-Dick Willie]

Looking garbage already. Sets and costumes straight out of a generic cosplay fanbook, black skinned elves and beardless dwarfs, armored Galadriel, and a plot thread about a single mum with a forbidden love. 

[Cicero]

I bet it’ll be feminism that’s defeats Sauron. 

[Devil-Dick Willie]

10 hours ago, Cicero said:

I bet it’ll be feminism that’s defeats Sauron. 

Or single mums of disabled minority children rising up and cancelling him. 

[Spike]

Tolkienn’s family HATED Jackson’s movies and I can only imagine how thoroughly sad they will be with this show. The CGI already looks dated

[Rick]

Isn’t half a lot of complaining going on over this already. We’ve seen some pretty footage which doesn’t look too dissimilar to anything Peter Jackson brought to the table, yet people are finding issues with the look? We don’t know exactly what the story is, but we do know that it’s set hundreds of years before the Hobbit & LOTR trilogy, but the way some people are whinging, you’d of thought they had made Gandalf a woman and Legolas a black midget. These are new characters aren’t they? People need to chill their tits. 
 

The teaser trailer looked good to me, certainly enough to peak my interest and I’ll be sure to be watching when it’s out. 

[Cicero]

12 hours ago, Spike said:

Tolkienn’s family HATED Jackson’s movies and I can only imagine how thoroughly sad they will be with this show. The CGI already looks dated

TTT and ROTK is understandable but they hated the Fellowship? The Fellowship is a genuine masterpiece for me and the closest thing to Tolkienn's novels. 

[Spike]

53 minutes ago, Cicero said:

TTT and ROTK is understandable but they hated the Fellowship? The Fellowship is a genuine masterpiece for me and the closest thing to Tolkienn's novels. 

https://www.indiewire.com/2013/01/christopher-tolkien-trashes-peter-jacksons-lord-of-the-rings-says-films-lack-beauty-and-seriousness-of-the-books-102485/

Amazing how ugly the sets and CGI are already.

[Spike]

1 hour ago, Rick said:

Isn’t half a lot of complaining going on over this already. We’ve seen some pretty footage which doesn’t look too dissimilar to anything Peter Jackson brought to the table, yet people are finding issues with the look? We don’t know exactly what the story is, but we do know that it’s set hundreds of years before the Hobbit & LOTR trilogy, but the way some people are whinging, you’d of thought they had made Gandalf a woman and Legolas a black midget. These are new characters aren’t they? People need to chill their tits. 
 

The teaser trailer looked good to me, certainly enough to peak my interest and I’ll be sure to be watching when it’s out. 

Yes we do. It is based on one story from the Silmarillion and they aren’t new character at all. 

 

[Spike]

lThe Hobbit was beyond mangled and that is a simple story. The Silmarillion is vague, lore dense, and is closer to an oral history of events.  This will be awful.