Amazon has confirmed the main cast for its upcoming Lord of the Rings TV show. We first heard that the company was looking to turn the works of J.R.R. Tolkien into a series back in 2017 and work has been taking place behind-the-scenes to make it happen ever since. Now, we know who will be heading to Middle Earth, with filming expected to begin next month.
Announced cast members include Robert Aramayo (Galveston), Owain Arthur (Hard Sun), Nazanin Boniadi (Hotel Mumbai), Tom Budge (Gallipoli), Morfydd Clark (Crawl), Ismael Cruz Cordova (Miss Bala), Ema Horvath (The Gallows: Act II), Markella Kavenagh (The Gloaming), Joseph Mawle (Ripper Street), Megan Richards (Wanderlust), Dylan Smith (Treadstone), Charlie Vickers (Medici), Daniel Weyman (Gentleman Jack), Tyroe Muhafidin and Sophia Nomvete. Some of these names had been confirmed previously, with Clark said to be playing a younger version of Galadriel and Aramayo taking on a lead role that had originally gone to Will Poulter. Amazon also says they still have roles to cast in the future.
J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are set to serve as writers and showrunners on the Amazon Prime original series. Executive producers on the series include Lindsey Weber, Bruce Richmond, Gene Kelly and Sharon Tal Yguado. Gennifer Hutchison, Jason Cahill and Justin Doble will also serve as writers and producers. Payne and McKay had this to say in a joint statement.
"After undertaking an extensive global search, we are delighted finally to reveal the first group of brilliant performers who will take part in Amazon's The Lord of the Rings series. These exceptionally talented women and men are more than just our actors: they are the newest members of an ever-expanding creative family that is now working tirelessly to bring Middle-earth to life anew for fans and audiences worldwide."
Little is known by way of specifics about the show yet. We know it will tell new stories not covered in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit movies. At one point, the show's account revealed a map that teased the show will take place during the Second Age, which concludes with the fall of Sauron. The map was shared with the following message.
"One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."
Amazon made a multi-season commitment to the show when they made their deal with the Tolkien estate. Some estimates have pegged the final cost for the series, when all is said and done, at $1 billion or more. J.A. Bayona (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) has signed on to direct the first two episodes of the series, which doesn't yet have an official title. We'll be sure to keep you posted as any further details are made available. This news comes to us via Variety.