Amazon has recently stated its plans to produce a television show based on the novel and mega-blockbuster movie series Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien.

  The move comes after Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, a self-professed high-fantasy fan, stated his intention to produce a long-running fantasy tv show. He plans to make the show similar to other popular fantasy shows, like Game of Thrones, to try and compete with other online streaming services, like Netflix and HBO.

   The series is expected to become one of the most expensive TV shows ever produced with the rights itself going for $200-250 million. This will make it even more expensive than Amazon’s previous high-budget purchase, Washington Post.

  Sharon Tal Yguado, head of scripted series for Amazon Studios says, “We are honored to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking The Lord of the Rings fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth.”

  There hasn’t been anything revealed about the cast or plot yet as the news is fairly recent. However, the series is reportedly to be based on the period between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, making it a prequel to  The Lord of the Rings and a sequel to the Hobbit. There have also been rumours that the show will include a spin-off series based on one of the characters from the novels.

  Many die-hard fans are shocked by the fact that The Lord of the Rings is becoming a television show. Etenesh Abebe (10), a big fan of the novels, said, “While the movies were still okay, I still don’t think you can just take Tolkien’s words to the silver screen. He wrote in a way that just can’t be expressed through spoken dialogue.”  

  Many are also offended by the fact that Amazon is planning on making the show like Game of Thrones as it may tarnish The Lord of the Rings’ universe’s reputation.

  Another The Lord of the Rings fan, Lindsey Kim (10), said, “I feel like they’re making this into a money ploy and that they may add unnecessary mature elements.”

  It is unwise to jump to any conclusions about the show yet, as not much information about it has been released, but we can hope that the show will do the original series proud. Either way, it will be exciting to see one of the world’s most beloved series return to the screen.