Talk about ambition, Amazon Prime Video's upcoming The Lord of the Rings show already has at least five seasons planned.
The 'The Lord of the Rings' prequel spin-off series is based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books. However, unlike Peter Jackson's live-action adaptations, the spin-off series will be set hundreds of years back during the Second Age. Instead of seeing the evil Dark Lord Sauron as the powerful all-seeing eye that watches over Middle-Earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will feature his rise through the ranks alongside the forging of the titular Rings of Power.
With only a few months to go before the prequel's debut on September 2, the showrunners had a chance to talk with Empire to reveal their grandiose plans for the series.
According to JD Payne, whose previous writing experience includes Star Trek: Beyond, Godzilla Vs. King Kong, and Jungle Cruise, among others, they have already mapped out the entire story of The Rings of Power. JD Payne explained that Amazon had bought the rights "for a 5-hour show" and that the story had a "clear beginning, middle and end." Finally, JD Payne revealed that there will be "things in the first season that don't pay off until Season 5."
TLDR; you'll be binging The Rings of Power well onto the next decade.
The Rings of Power isn't the only high fantasy show, or prequel, premiering in the next few months. The first season of House of the Dragon and its Balerion-sized production budget will hit HBO and HBO Max on August 21.
