WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Amazon Studios has announced it will shift production of all future seasons of the “Lord of the Rings” television series to the UK, the New Zealand government said on Friday (local time).
New Zealand’s Mountains, Meadows and Forests are famous for its “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogy set in the country by Oscar-winning director Peter Jackson.
Filming for Amazon’s epic multi – million dollar fantasy series is currently underway in New Zealand, but New Zealand’s Economic Development Minister Stuart Nash said the studio plans to shift future footage to the UK.
“The decision was reported to the government yesterday,” Nash said in a statement, adding that he was disappointed with the move.
“Amazon Studios has announced that post-production work for Season One will continue in New Zealand until June 2022. However, Season Two will be filmed in the UK as part of the studio’s strategy to expand its production space and consolidate its presence in the UK,” he added.
Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Amazon Studios announced earlier this month that the TV version of “The Lord of the Rings” is scheduled for release in September 2022.
The New Zealand government says Amazon is spending about $ 465 million to film the first season of the series.
Amazon Studios is set to run five seasons of the show, making it one of the most expensive TV series.
The first season of Amazon will be available in more than 240 countries, with new episodes released weekly.
The epic fiction takes place thousands of years before the events described by author JRR Tolkien in his books “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”.
(Report by Praveen Mano)
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