Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ to Cost $465 Million: “This Will Be the Largest Television Series Ever Made”

Amazon is spending big bucks on their Lord of the Rings series. The upcoming fantasy show will cost NZ$650 million — or $465 million U.S. dollars — for just the first season, The Hollywood Reporter reports. While the new number is shocking, it’s even more surprising considering previous reports, which pegged the show’s cost at $500 million for multiple seasons.

Stuart Nash, New Zealand Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, confirmed the news to Morning Report. “What I can tell you is Amazon is going to spend about $650 million in season one alone,” he said. This is fantastic, it really is…this will be the largest television series ever made.”

The numbers for Amazon’s Lord of the Rings were first reported by the New Zealand outlet Stuff, and also indicated that the show would possibly film in New Zealand for five seasons and is already planning a potential spin-off.

Although Amazon is using a staggering budget for Season 1, it’s likely production costs would go down in subsequent seasons, THR points out. Between sets, costumes and props, the cost to create and establish a new world is much higher at first, but decreases as the seasons go on. By comparison, Game of Thrones, another fantasy series, cost HBO about $100 million each season, but costs rose from $6 million to $15 million per episode when Season 8 rolled around.

While Amazon’s eligibility for a $116 million rebate has stirred up controversy in New Zealand and the show has been deemed a “significant fiscal risk” by the country’s treasury, proponents argue that The Lord of the Rings series will bring in tourism and increase local spending.

Amazon first announced plans for its Lord of the Rings series in 2017, and began production on the show last year. While the series had to halt production due to the Covid pandemic, it resumed in September. Amazon has already renewed the series for Season 2, and cast 20 new actors in December, who joined previously announced cast members Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Tom Budge, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, and Daniel Weyman.

Where to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring