Amazon to Film ‘Lord of the Rings’ TV Series in New Zealand

Amazon’s “Lord of the Rings” TV series will film in New Zealand, the studio revealed Tuesday, adding that “pre-production has started, and production on the series will begin in Auckland in the coming months.”

The decision probably doesn’t come as a shock to anyone who knows New Zealand is closely tied to adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels, as the Peter Jackson-directed “LOTR” film trilogy was famously shot in New Zealand.

The upcoming Prime Video series “set in Middle-earth, the television adaptation will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Fellowship of the Ring,” according to Amazon.

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“As we searched for the location in which we could bring to life the primordial beauty of the Second Age of Middle-earth, we knew we needed to find somewhere majestic, with pristine coasts, forests, and mountains, that also is a home to world-class sets, studios, and highly skilled and experienced craftspeople and other staff. And we’re happy that we are now able to officially confirm New Zealand as our home for our series based on stories from J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Lord of the Rings,'” showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay said in a statement. “We are grateful to the people and the government of New Zealand and especially Auckland for supporting us during this pre-production phase. The abundant measure of Kiwi hospitality with which they have welcomed us has already made us feel right at home, and we are looking forward to deepening our partnership in the years to come.”

Along with Payne and McKay, executive producers include J.A. Bayona — who will also direct the first two episodes — and his partner Belén Atienza, as well as Lindsey Weber (“10 Cloverfield Lane”), Bruce Richmond (“Game of Thrones”), Gene Kelly (“Boardwalk Empire”), Sharon Tal Yguado, Gennifer Hutchison (“Breaking Bad”), Jason Cahill (“The Sopranos”) and Justin Doble (“Stranger Things”).

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