Amazon confirms production of 'Lord of the Rings' television series

Amazon says series will explore new storylines that precede JRR Tolkien's 'The Fellowship of the Ring'

Amazon.com Inc on Monday said it bought the global television rights to 'The Lord of the Rings' for a series to premiere on its streaming service Prime Video.

The move underscores a shift by Amazon to produce shows with broader appeal than in the past, to encourage more people to sign up for its shopping and streaming club Prime.



Amazon said the series will explore new storylines that precede author JRR Tolkien's 'The Fellowship of the Ring,' the first installment in the famed fantasy trilogy.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy was written by JRR Tolkien as a fantasy novel which was later adapted into a movie. The story revolves around the One Ring to rule all the other Rings of Power to control the Middle-earth.

The story’s central characters includes wizards, hobbits, dwarves, elves and other magical creatures with supernatural powers. The trilogy has been awarded with over ten Oscars and ranks amongst the top-ten movies of all times.