'Lord of the Rings' Series To Be Filmed in New Zealand

The mega project for Amazon is taking huge steps towards the completion of the shoot and going in production. The show is all set to be shoot in the country of New Zealand. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The show that is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels and the film trilogy has already started pre-production in the country that was also home to the feature films. Production in Auckland is expected to begin in the coming months.

"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, 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. "We’re happy that we are now able to officially confirm New Zealand as our home for our series based on stories from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings."

The pair added: "We are grateful to the people and the government of New Zealand and especially Auckland for supporting us during this pre-production phase. The abundant measure of Kiwi hospitality with which they have welcomed us has already made us feel right at home, and we are looking forward to deepening our partnership in the years to come."

Set in Middle-earth, the TV adaptation of the iconic property will explore new storylines preceding Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring. The theatrical adaptations, directed by Peter Jackson, earned a combined gross of nearly $6 billion worldwide and garnered a combined 17 Academy Awards, including best picture.

The new series will see J.A. Bayona (Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom) direct the first two episodes and also serve as executive producer, alongside his partner Belén Atienza.