The upcoming Lord of the Rings television series made a signature acquisition as Amazon announced that director Juan Antonio (J.A.) Bayona has been hired to direct the first two episodes of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy drama, according to Deadline.
In the same vein as Peter Jackson’s cinematic trilogy opus, Bayona’s depiction of Middle-earth will take place after The Fellowship of the Ring and explore new plotlines surrounding the creatures and beings of Tolkien’s universe. Bayona refers to his depiction of the series as the “wonders of the Second Age, with a never before seen story.” He will also serve as an executive producer alongside partner Belen Atienza. The Lord of the Rings series will be written by a team of scribes including JD Payne, Patrick McKay, Breaking Bad alum Gennifer Hutchison and Game of Thrones‘ Bryan Cogman.
Bayona made his directorial debut with The Orphanage in 2007, executive produced by Guillermo de Toro, who worked on early stages of the Hobbit trilogy. His recent works include lat year’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which grossed $1.3 billion worldwide at the box office.
The Lord of the Rings television series currently has a multi-season deal in place with Amazon Studios and the Tolkien Estate and Trust worth approximately nine-figures. New Line Cinema will be producing the series alongside Amazon. A release date has yet to be determined.
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