The first season of Amazon’s Lord of the Rings TV series will cost roughly NZ$650 million ($465 million USD). Amazon will be provided a $160 million rebate due to the expense, which requires it to partner with local firms and investment into R&D sectors such as drones, costume design, and healthcare. Originally announced two years ago, the series is expected to run for five seasons and include a potential spin-off series.
This is fantastic, it really is. I think what we have got out of Amazon in terms of the MOU and the industry and how we’re going to train people and our ability to use the footage for tourism, the ability to leverage off a lot of what Amazon is doing is fantastic. This will be the largest television series ever made. They would work closely with MBIE and with our industries to look at where innovation can occur depending on where it is needed in a particular series.
Sources: Radio New Zealand, Stuff