Breaking news from Middle-earth: Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series has already been renewed for a second season, TVLine’s sister site Deadline is reporting.
Inspired by the fantasy book series by J.R.R. Tolkein — which were famously adapted into a big-screen trilogy in the early 2000s — Amazon Studios’ TV series is currently in pre-production in New Zealand. Per this report, the writers’ room is already being reassembled to begin breaking stories for Season 2.
Little has been revealed about the show’s plot, but here’s what we do know: Joseph Mawle, best known for playing Benjen Stark on Game of Thrones, will portray a villain named Oren. Additionally, Will Poulter (Black Mirror) will star as a young hero named Beldar, while Markella Kavenagh (Picnic at Hanging Rock) will play a character named Tyra. The series will explore new storylines preceding the events of The Fellowship of the Ring.
While this is certainly good news for fans looking forward to the new series, it isn’t entirely unexpected. When Amazon first announced plans for a Lord of the Rings show in 2017, it did so with a multi-season commitment. (And don’t be too surprised when you start hearing news about spinoffs in development.)
Are you excited for Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series? And are you more likely to check it out now that you’ve been guaranteed a second season? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.
Yawn.
Is this show ever going to happen? It’s been just over 2 years and they are just assembling the writers room?
The show is currently in pre-production in New Zealand; scripts are already written. The comment was that the producers are “re-assembling” the writers room for season 2.
Okay, I apologize. I misread that they were just assembling to start on the scripts for season 1.
Reassembling the writer’s room for season 2.
There’s just been an urgent casting call for extras – hobbits and elves by the sound of it. So if filming isn’t already underway it will be starting very soon.
OK, but where is season 1?
i’ll watch. I have a soft spot for Lord of the Rings and they are gonna throw a lot of money at this so you know it’s gonna look good. Can’t believe it’s been almost 20 years since Lord of the RIngs was released.
I suspect this is a trick to make the contracts cheaper. It could be that they feel they can renew contracts at a lower rate if the show hasn’t proven a hit yet. It could also help to keep staff and actors around in case they want to renew, with the intention they can always cancel later.
Completely original characters…why are they slapping the “Lord of the Rings” name on something with hardly any connection to what Tolkien wrote?