'Lord of the Rings' TV series coming to Amazon Prime

ENTERTAINMENT

'Lord of the Rings' TV series coming to Amazon Prime

The Associated Press Published Monday, November 13, 2017 2:55PM EST

A hopeful man reads a 'Lord of the Rings' book as he joins hundreds of people queuing outside the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London Monday, Sept. 18, 2006. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

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NEW YORK -- Amazon says it has acquired the global television rights to "The Lord of the Rings," based on the fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, with a multi-season commitment.

Set in Middle Earth, this TV series will explore new story lines preceding Tolkien's "The Fellowship of the Ring." The deal includes a potential additional spin-off series, Amazon said Monday.

"The Lord of the Rings" canon was named Amazon customers' favourite book of the millennium in 1999. The three films directed by Peter Jackson earned a combined gross of nearly $6 billion worldwide.

No launch date or cast members for the new series was announced by Amazon.