Amazon used the Super Bowl as an opportunity to release a teaser trailer for “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” its upcoming television series based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The series will expand on the franchise’s mythology, taking place centuries before “The Hobbit” begins. The first footage does not reveal much plot, instead focusing on scenery from the world of the show. But the message to fans is clear: Get ready to return to the Middle Earth.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” was created by Patrick McKay and John D. Payne, with a cast that includes Peter Mullan, Benjamin Walker, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson.
An official synopsis for the show reads: “Prime Video’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ brings to screens for the very first time the heroic legends of the fabled Second Age of Middle-earth’s history. This epic drama is set thousands of years before the events of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ and will take viewers back to an era in which great powers were forged, kingdoms rose to glory and fell to ruin, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the finest of threads, and the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness. Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Númenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone.”
The series represents one of the biggest risks that Amazon has taken since it started producing original content. The tech company made a five-season commitment to the show as part of its $250 million deal to secure the television rights to the iconic fantasy series.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” is also expected to be the most expensive TV show ever produced. The move comes as Amazon Prime continues to double down on producing genre content, including a revival of “The Expanse” and the upcoming “Blade Runner 2099.” If the company is committed to making sci-fi and fantasy one of their main niches in the streaming wars, it needs to stick the landing on “Lord of the Rings.”
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” will begin streaming on Amazon Prime on September 2. Watch the teaser trailer below:
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