Six years ago, when TV viewers were captivated with White Walkers, dragons and the fate of Westeros in HBO’s hit show “Game of Thrones,” Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made it clear he wanted a blockbuster franchise for his streaming service.
Amazon Studios didn’t need to look too far. Television rights were becoming available to the popular fantasy trilogy “The Lord of the Rings,” and Bezos was a passionate fan of author J.R.R. Tolkien’s work. The billionaire mogul, according to two sources familiar with the discussions, wrote a note to the various rights holders, including the author’s heirs, expressing his affinity for the material and indicated that Amazon would handle the adaptation of the books with care.
On Thursday “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” premieres on Amazon Prime Video, bringing back to life the Middle-earth of Tolkien’s lore, where dwarves, elves, humans and harfoots (ancestors of the hobbits) dwell.
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