Amazon Studios announced today that its series based on The Lord of the Rings will shoot in Aukland, New Zealand in the coming months. The TV adaptation will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring.
“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” said showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.
J.A. Bayona will direct the first two episodes of the series as well as produce alongside his partner Belén Atienza.
Executive Producers are 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).
“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” said J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.