Lord of the Rings: Amazon announce TV series showrunners

JD Payne and Patrick McKay have got the highly-coveted job

Jack Shepherd
Monday 30 July 2018 10:58 BST
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Amazon took a huge risk when they spent $250 million on the rights to The Lord of the Rings with no writers on board the project, many fans asking: who would eventually helm the hugely expensive property?

After scouring the world for the correct showrunners, the studio finally has an answer.

JD Payne and Patrick McKay have managed to take the position. While their resume looks a little sparse – neither has any previous TV work – their upcoming projects are particularly exciting, having been part of the Godzilla vs. Kong and Star Trek 4 writers rooms, along with writing the upcoming Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson Jungle Cruise for Disney.

“The rich world that J.R.R. Tolkien created is filled with majesty and heart, wisdom and complexity,” a statement from the writing duo reads.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Amazon to bring it to life anew. We feel like Frodo, setting out from the Shire, with a great responsibility in our care — it is the beginning of the adventure of a lifetime.”

While unconfirmed, the upcoming series is said to centre on a young Aragorn, the story derived from Tolkien’s appendices and notes rather than being a direct adaptation of the novel. Each season – five of which are expected – will reportedly focus on a different character.

Jennifer Salke, Amazon Studios’ new executive, has previously confirmed the series will not retell the main events of the Lord of the Rings novels, but also insisted that the stories will feature characters we recognise. She also hinted at when we can expect the series to finally reach Amazon, saying: “It’ll be in production in two years; [on the air in] 2021 is the hope. But there are other people who wish it was 2020.”

The initial news of a Lord of the Rings series came as a surprise to many. The Tolkien estate had a fraught relationship with the studio who adapted the story with Jackson, New Line, engaging in a legal battle in 2012. The author’s heirs filed a lawsuit against the filmmakers after characters from the series appeared on slot machines and other games. An undisclosed settlement was met out of court.

Tolkien’s son, Christopher, has also been a vocal critic of the filmed adaptations, at one stage saying: “They gutted the book, making an action film for 15 to 25-year-olds.” Christopher resigned from the Tolkien estate on the 31 August last year, only weeks before the Amazon deal was made official. Simon, who has been having the discussions with Amazon, is Christopher’s oldest son.

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