Amazon’s “Lord of the Rings” Series Heads to New Zealand

Elijah Wood in "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"

Lord of the Rings returns to New Zealand. 

The Amazon TV show is returning to the film franchise’s original shooting location. The three hit films made by Peter Jackson were largely shot in New Zealand. 

Produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, The Lord of the Rings television series is to be the most expensive ever made, and is estimated to cost of at least $1 billion.

“We knew we needed to find somewhere majestic, with pristine coasts, forests, and mountains, that also is a home to world-class sets, studios, and highly skilled and experienced craftspeople and other staff,” said showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.

“As we searched for the location in which we could bring to life the primordial beauty of the Second Age of Middle-earth, we knew we needed to find somewhere majestic, with pristine coasts, forests, and mountains,” the production added.

Production on the series is scheduled to begin in Auckland in the coming months.