Here’s everything you need to know about Amazon’s adaptation of Lord of the Rings, including its possible release date, confirmed cast and more.
The Lord of the Rings will soon make its way to Amazon Prime Video in the form of a TV series, but it’ll be a while before we see the fruits of those labours. Work on the show is ongoing, but Amazon has finally announced a release date: September 2,2022. We’ve already been treated to two film trilogies – one is better than the other, admittedly – but this is the first instance where a live-action Lord of the Rings TV show has been attempted, and it’ll depict an era we haven’t seen on screen before. So, what do we know about the series so far? The latest tidbits come from a current and past Lord of the Rings actor, while unwelcome news about stunt injuries on set have began to crop up once more. Below, you’ll also find sections relating to other news and rumors surrounding Amazon’s Lord of the Rings, including a possible release date, cast, potential plot details and more. Let’s waste no more time, then, diving into everything worth knowing about Lord of the Rings season 1 on Amazon Prime. At the moment, there isn’t one, but filming has been underway since February 2020 (per Stuff.co.nz) so you would hope we’d hear something soon. Production on the series hasn’t been without its issues. For one, stunt injuries have apparently been common on set, and it seems that those early fears being rectified haven’t completely gone away. Stuntwoman Elissa Cadwell was injured just days into filming the first two episodes and, in more recent times, the New Zealand Herald and Variety have carried quotes from « furious » stunt personnel about the dangerous work they’ve had to carry out during production. Amazon has gone on record to state that it takes the health and safety of all cast and crew « extremely seriously », but it’s clear that not everything is rosy on set. Here’s hoping that things improve from here on out. Meanwhile, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic also caused production to shut down in New Zealand in March 2020 (per New Zealand Herald). In July 2020, though, New Zealand government minister Phil Twyford granted exemptions to seven film and TV productions. This allowed cast and crew members to enter the country during the pandemic while its borders remained closed to non-New Zealanders. The Lord of the Rings was one such project, and pre-production recommenced in July 2020 (h/t Stuff.co.nz). Filming resumed in late September, according to Deadline, with principal photography starting up again in January 2021 following a two-break Christmas break (h/t New Zealand Herald). Hunters director Wayne Che Yip will direct four of the series’ eight episodes, with the British-Chinese helmer following J.A. Bayona in the directorial hot seat. Bayona directed the series’ first two instalments, including the pilot episode, and production on these wrapped on December 23 (h/t ComicBook.com). Another directorial addition is Charlotte Brändström. The Swedish-French director, whose credits include Netflix’s The Witcher and Jupiter’s Legacy, as well as Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle, has been drafted to direct two of season 1’s episodes. With principal photography still ongoing in New Zealand, we shouldn’t expect Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series to arrive anytime soon. If filming wraps within the next few months, it’s possible that the TV show could land in Q4 2021. It would be well-timed, on Amazon’s part, if its Lord of the Rings series arrived for the winter TV schedule. It’ll be 20 years since The Fellowship of the Ring movie arrived in theaters, so lining up the TV show’s premiere for that date would be the perfect anniversary gift. All of this depends on how long the filmmaking process will take, though, and whether reshoots will be necessary. According to Benjamin Walker, who was part of the show’s December 2020 cast announcements, it could be a while before we see season 1 air. Speaking to Collider, in June 2021, about how much longer it’ll take to film season 1, Walker said: « It is a bit nebulous at this point. We’ve been here a long time and they’ll let us go when they’re done with us. » Australian actor Tom Budge has already left the TV show after Amazon Studios decided to go in a different direction with his character. If there are other adjustments needed during filming, we could see the series further delayed, which would push its release date back. Morfydd Clark, who will portray a young Galadriel in Amazon’s Lord of the Rings, also spoke to Esquire (in April 2021) about her involvement. Clark explained that she would be filming in New Zealand for « a few months » before being able to return home. Clark also seemingly admitted that she was locked in for five seasons of Amazon’s production, which tallies with reports that Amazon want this to be a long-running TV series. Despite comments to the contrary, however, our predicted 2022 release seemed like it would be on track if a new leak is to be believed. According to the Fellowship of Fans Twitter account, principal photography on season 1 is due to end on July 30 – although there’s been no official confirmation on this from Amazon. This is a week earlier than the series’ initial August 6 wrap date, but only takes the main run of filming into account. As we said, reshoots may be necessary but, right now, it seems that Amazon’s Lord of the Rings is in the final stretch of filming. Check out the tweet below and make your own minds up: But in a single tweet, Amazon put all our doubts to rest: the first season will debut on September 2,2022.
