It’s rare for a TV show to know how it will end before it even begins. But given the exorbitant price tag attached to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Amazon probably didn’t want to roll the dice on any uncertainty. That’s why the series’ producers took their time to come up with a plan. While speaking with Empire, co-showrunner JD Payne teased the show’s future beyond its upcoming first season. Amazon’s Lord of the Rings
When Amazon secured the rights to make a Lord of the Rings series in 2017, it made a five-season commitment right off the bat. In other words, it sounds like we don’t have to worry about the show getting cancelled anytime soon. Which means the creators could stretch a number plot threads from the first season all the way to the journey’s end.
“We even know what our final shot of the last episode is going to be,” said Payne. “The rights that Amazon bought were for a 50-hour show. They knew from the beginning that was the size of the canvas – this was a big story with a clear beginning, middle and end. There are things in the first season that don’t pay off until Season 5.”
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The Rings of Power remains one of the most highly-anticipated new shows of the year. However, it’s also one of the most controversial. A lot of LOTR fans still think expanding on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world is akin to sacrilege. Regardless, Payne firmly believes the author would have given them his blessing.
“It was like Tolkien put some stars in the sky and let us make out the constellations,” added Payne. “In his letters [particularly in one to his publisher], Tolkien talked about wanting to leave behind a mythology that ‘left scope for other minds and hands, wielding the tools of paint, music and drama.’ We’re doing what Tolkien wanted. As long as we felt like every invention of ours was true to his essence, we knew we were on the right track.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will premiere on Amazon Prime on September 2.
Are you excited to see how the story unfolds across five seasons? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
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