TV: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - Amazon Prime Series

[RobBrown4PM]

Amazon is Open to Peter Jackson Being Involved in Their 'Lord of the Rings' Series [TCA 2019]

I have hope in PJ after he returned to his methodical ways with They shall not grow old. He caved/buckled/got lazy with the Hobbit and got burnt by it.

 

[John Price]

 

[Bubba Thudd]

I will probably never see it.
I'd like to.
I pay too much for the channels I get, plus Netflix, etc.
I don't steal shows/streams (aka, pirate).

 

[The Shadow]

Looking forward to it!!!

 

[beowulf]

So looks like the first season alone has cost nearly half a billion to make.

Amazon Studios is spending an astonishing $465 million to make its Lord of the Rings prequel show... specifically, the show’s first season. That’s over $150 million more than Peter Jackson’s three Lord of the Rings movies cost to make. That’s more than the gross domestic product of 10 countries. That’s a lot.

 

[Osprey]

Most of that, $250M, was for the rights alone. That leaves a little over $200M for the season, itself. In comparison, the first season of Game of Thrones cost $60M and the last cost $90M.

 

[discostu]

So looks like the first season alone has cost nearly half a billion to make.

Amazon Studios is spending an astonishing $465 million to make its Lord of the Rings prequel show... specifically, the show’s first season. That’s over $150 million more than Peter Jackson’s three Lord of the Rings movies cost to make. That’s more than the gross domestic product of 10 countries. That’s a lot.

It's been such a questionable of production decision from the beginning. How many people are so eager to watch a LOTR prequel that's worthy of that investment.

I understand they're trying to establish a must see series to anchor their streaming service, but this has been so over the top.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

It's been such a questionable of production decision from the beginning. How many people are so eager to watch a LOTR prequel that's worthy of that investment.

I understand they're trying to establish a must see series to anchor their streaming service, but this has been so over the top.

In 2021, probably not as many as would have been in 2007 or so, but LOTR is still a huge brand.

Enough people will be curious and give it a shot, IMO. If the show is good, the investment will be justified. It is a big risk though.

 

[RandV]

It's been such a questionable of production decision from the beginning. How many people are so eager to watch a LOTR prequel that's worthy of that investment.

I understand they're trying to establish a must see series to anchor their streaming service, but this has been so over the top.

I think you have to look at this like a video game console maker sinking a lot of money into an exclusive title. It's not about making the most money off the specific product, but more about increasing your platform brand which is a harder to measure effect.

So you have it right in the first half of your last line, just that it's usually not the mindset for the film & TV industry.

 

[beowulf]

I think you have to look at this like a video game console maker sinking a lot of money into an exclusive title. It's not about making the most money off the specific product, but more about increasing your platform brand which is a harder to measure effect.

So you have it right in the first half of your last line, just that it's usually not the mindset for the film & TV industry.

That mindset seems to be changing, at least with the streaming platforms as they all try and sign up big name book or video game, etc. franchises as tentpoles for their service.

Disney+ has all the Marvel shows and Star Wars plus all the other Disney peoperties


Netflix has recently paid big for the Knives out sequels also have the Witcher season 2 coming and a prequel show . They also supposedly want to create a franchise of movies like the Fast and the Furious movies from 6 Underground. And in the superhero space the are trying to go big with Jupiter's Legacy, Bird Box universe. supposedly they want to expand and try and create a universe based on the upcoming Army of the Dead
also have several video-game adaptations in the works, including:

• A live-action "Resident Evil" series that "will tell a brand new story across two timelines," Netflix said. "Supernatural producer and writer Andrew Dabb is serving as showrunner.
• Content based on the "Assassin's Creed" game franchise. The first series in the works will be a live-action series, but Netflix's deal with game developer Ubisoft also allows Netflix to develop animated series and anime based on the games.
• A "Tomb Raider" anime series set after the events of the recent video-game trilogy that rebooted the character.
• A new Sonic the Hedgehog 3D animated series called "Sonic Prime" that will debut in 2022.

Amazon has LotR and Wheels of Time also coming. Also more The Boys and Jack Reacher. Supposedly the have the sreaming rights for Star Trek Picard

And on and on.

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

I think you have to look at this like a video game console maker sinking a lot of money into an exclusive title. It's not about making the most money off the specific product, but more about increasing your platform brand which is a harder to measure effect.

So you have it right in the first half of your last line, just that it's usually not the mindset for the film & TV industry.

Yup

You look at a streaming service like Netflix. They spent a lot of money putting out original content, some real good shows and movies, to the point where if something is a "Netflix Original", it catches the consumers eye.

Then Disney+ comes in and drops a show like The Mandalorian, which is pretty critically acclaimed and successful. Then they drop Wanda Vision. Right away, it shows the consumer that "Disney+ Original" is something to look out for.

Amazon hasn't quite produced that quality "Prime Original" title that makes you stop and consider watching those tags. I'll scroll through and see the movies marked as that, and it doesn't make me feel any kind of way. You invest half a billion dollars into making an epic LoTR show...it's going to catch my eye. And it's going to give me a reason to give your brand a chance. And if it's good, I'll be on the lookout for the next Prime Original.

 

[Osprey]

Amazon hasn't quite produced that quality "Prime Original" title that makes you stop and consider watching those tags. I'll scroll through and see the movies marked as that, and it doesn't make me feel any kind of way. You invest half a billion dollars into making an epic LoTR show...it's going to catch my eye. And it's going to give me a reason to give your brand a chance. And if it's good, I'll be on the lookout for the next Prime Original.

They use the term "Amazon Original," but you still make a good point. They don't have anything that appeals to a really wide audience. Their series originals seem to appeal only to certain viewers, like Jack Ryan does to older males and The Expanse does to nerds. They could use something that appeals to all ages and demographics and LotR could well be that.

 

[Cole Caulifield]

Yup

You look at a streaming service like Netflix. They spent a lot of money putting out original content, some real good shows and movies, to the point where if something is a "Netflix Original", it catches the consumers eye.

Then Disney+ comes in and drops a show like The Mandalorian, which is pretty critically acclaimed and successful. Then they drop Wanda Vision. Right away, it shows the consumer that "Disney+ Original" is something to look out for.

Amazon hasn't quite produced that quality "Prime Original" title that makes you stop and consider watching those tags. I'll scroll through and see the movies marked as that, and it doesn't make me feel any kind of way. You invest half a billion dollars into making an epic LoTR show...it's going to catch my eye. And it's going to give me a reason to give your brand a chance. And if it's good, I'll be on the lookout for the next Prime Original.

If anything amazon has more quality original shows than Disney :

Jack Ryan
Bosch
The boys
The expanse

And they have 5-6 lesser ones, but the above is quality can't miss stuff for me.

 

[beowulf]

If anything amazon has more quality original shows than Disney :

Jack Ryan
Bosch
The boys
The expanse

And they have 5-6 lesser ones, but the above is quality can't miss stuff for me.

I'd have to agree but don't forget Disney+ is less than a year old and is just starting with the original content. Amazon has had years now to put shows out.

 

[Tawnos]

If anything amazon has more quality original shows than Disney :

Jack Ryan
Bosch
The boys
The expanse

And they have 5-6 lesser ones, but the above is quality can't miss stuff for me.

None of those have had anywhere near the reach as Stranger Things or The Mandalorian. And don't get me wrong, The Boys and The Expanse are both high quality... though, the level to which The Expanse is associated with Amazon is questionable as well. I haven't watched the other two shows, but at least in my circle not a single person has ever mentioned either of them.

I think quality alone isn't quite enough here. There needs to be a wider appeal to gain some real traction for the Amazon Original brand. It's no different than, say, For All Mankind for Apple. It's a really great show, but there's no traction.

I'll also mention that Stranger Things really hit at the right time. I don't think it'd get the same kind of traction in the current streaming environment. LotR has a good chance to do it.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

If anything amazon has more quality original shows than Disney :

Jack Ryan
Bosch
The boys
The expanse

And they have 5-6 lesser ones, but the above is quality can't miss stuff for me.

Is the Expanse really considered an original show though? Most of the series aired on Cable.

 

[Osprey]

Is the Expanse really considered an original show though? Most of the series aired on Cable.

Amazon calls it an "Amazon Original" and it's a show that viewers need Amazon to watch, so I'd say that it counts for the purpose of this discussion. Besides, LotR isn't technically original to Amazon, either.

 

[beowulf]

Is the Expanse really considered an original show though? Most of the series aired on Cable.

I guess it really depends on budgets and who is producing it. Netflix have a number of shows they call Netflix Originals or whatever but are on BBC or whatever tv station first. But in most cases Netflix co-produces the shows.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Pretty sure once these platforms buy the shows rights they call it an original, or whatever, which just means exclusive, like Cobra Kai

 

[Tawnos]

I guess it really depends on budgets and who is producing it. Netflix have a number of shows they call Netflix Originals or whatever but are on BBC or whatever tv station first. But in most cases Netflix co-produces the shows.

Co-produces in terms of helps fund or co-produces in terms of doing the work that goes into making a show? My understanding is that it was more the former (funding) than the latter... could be wrong though. And the funding comes in exchange for US distribution rights. The Star Trek shows are all in a similar boat. Discovery is carried by Netflix overseas, and Netflix can stamp their logo on it, but they're not really involved in making the show beyond funding.

The Expanse is a bit of a weird case, because the show was created by, and canceled by, Syfy. Amazon picked it up and didn't change all that much about the show itself. They're making it, so it's a Prime Original... but is it really? That's in a grey area when it comes to streaming brand that other shows aren't. The LotR show will not be started by someone else and then continued by Amazon. It'll be Amazon from the start.

 

[IceNeophyte]

And here I thought The Hobbit was the LOTR prequel.....

 

[beowulf]

Most of that, $250M, was for the rights alone. That leaves a little over $200M for the season, itself. In comparison, the first season of Game of Thrones cost $60M and the last cost $90M.

So nope the $250M is not part of the almost $500M price for the first season.


Oh, and of note, that $465 million reportedly doesn’t include the $250 million Amazon spent to get the rights to the franchise. (For what it’s worth, $465 million is also less than the cost of Jeff Bezos’ recently acquired “superyacht.”) So, indeed, a lot people are going to have to watch. Basically, all the people.

What Salke says makes sense, of course. Streamers are spending big money to bring in audiences to help sustain those investments. Plus, that $465 million will include lots of sets, props, costumes, and basic needs that won’t have to be paid for in full again. So maybe next season is closer to $200 million or something like that.

Amazon Explains Lord of the Rings' Giant Budget

 

[Richard]

I didn't finish the Hobbit movie trilogy and I find prequels boring. Who the hell were Amazon negotiating against that they paid 250M for something I doubt anyone wanted.

And how is this going to be a successful show? If you turn it into Game of Thrones, you will have all the fanboys whining and not watching. If you keep it true to the original source material, literally no one but fanboys will watch.

Plus, Gandolf made Lord of the Rings, the movies, watchable.

 

[beowulf]

I didn't finish the Hobbit and I find prequels boring. Who the hell were Amazon negotiating against that they paid 250M for something I doubt anyone wanted.

And how is this going to be a successful show? If you turn it into Game of Thrones, you will have all the fanboys whining and not watching. If you keep it true to the original source material, literally no one but fanboys will watch.

Plus, Gandolf made Lord of the Rings, the movies, watchable.

ok...you do know that your above opinion is in the minority right?

 

[Richard]

ok...you do know that your above opinion is in the minority right?

No, it really isn't.

Wait to you see how many seasons this venture lasts.