Amazon Studios has confirmed that the shooting location for its upcoming The Lord of the Rings series, based on the J.R.R. Tolkien novels, will take place in New Zealand, just like the original trilogy.
Pre-production on the series has already begun, with production said to kick off in a matter of months in Auckland, a major city in New Zealand’s North Island.
“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. And 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,” showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay said in a statement.
The showrunners also thanked the government of New Zealand and the city of Auckland for their support and hospitality during the pre-production process.
While story and character details in Amazon's The Lord of Rings series were not revealed, it was confirmed the television adaptation will take place before The Fellowship of the Ring and during the Second Age of Middle-Earth. In a recent report, retired professor and Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey told a German-language fansite that, "there’s supposed to be 20 episodes for the first season."
Amazon Studios' Lord of the Rings has yet to receive a premiere date.