Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings TV series, Rings of Power is on its way to our screens next month. The latest on-screen production based on the works of J.R.R. Tolkien has been on the minds of many to see if it lives up to its predecessor, the Oscar Award-winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, the man who directed that as well as The Hobbit trilogy, Peter Jackson has revealed the connection he has had with the new big-budget series.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jackson has revealed that he had been contacted by Amazon for his input into the new series, he was also expecting to receive scripts for the project but he was never contacted again after that. Speaking on The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Jackson revealed that he and Fran Walsh, writer and producer of the famed trilogy were to be consulted. “They asked me if I wanted to be involved — [Walsh] and I — and I said, ‘That’s an impossible question to answer without seeing a script,’” he said. “So they said, ‘As soon as we get the first couple scripts, we’ll send them to you.’ And the scripts never showed up. That’s the last thing I heard, which is fine. No complaints at all.”
Amazon Studios who are producing The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power have offered a response to Jackson’s comments:
“In pursuing the rights for our show, we were obligated to keep the series distinct and separate from the films,” said the statement sent to The Hollywood Reporter. “We have the utmost respect for Peter Jackson and ‘The Lord of the Rings’ films and are thrilled that he is looking forward to watching ‘The Rings of Power.'”
The reply from Amazon would seem to explain that the reason for the break in communication had to do with rights issues with Warner Bros. who own the rights to the trilogies. It would seem that Amazon was looking to avoid any form of conflict, so the new series is not seen as a prequel to Oscar-winning films. Jackson for his part has said that he holds no grudge against Amazon neither does he wish the series ill stating that he would be watching the series while adding:
“I’m not the sort of guy who wishes ill will. Filmmaking is hard enough. If somebody makes a good film or TV show, it’s something to celebrate. The one thing I am looking forward to is actually seeing it as a perfectly neutral viewer.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power epic cast also includes Charlie Vickers, Markella Kavenagh, Nazanin Boniadi, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Tyroe Muhafidin, Maxim Baldry, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur, Trystan Gravelle, Sir Lenny Henry, Ema Horvath, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Leon Wadham, Daniel Weyman, and Sara Zwangobani.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres September 2.