Amazon’s first season of its Lord of the Rings shows The Rings of Power will cost $715 million — or 5.1 million annual Prime subscriptions — according to reports by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, citing people familiar with the production budget and other details. In addition to building its own set replicating Tolkien’s world of Middle-earth, the e-commerce giant has worked with New Zealand’s government to create a new filming incentive program to increase production in the country and lure other entertainment industry work away from international competitors like Canada and Australia. Is this just money well spent?
Why did they spend so much?
The New Lord of the Rings Show is based on a TV show that ran for six seasons and cost $250 million to produce. The show aired in 2001 and 2002. So, while it’s been over 15 years since that first season aired, it still ranks as one of the most expensive TV shows ever made. With this perspective, $715 million for a single season may not seem so outrageous after all.
Amazon’s Lord of the Rings Show will release 6 episodes every year – instead of 24 per season like Netflix’s Marvel series – which might account for some of the increased costs. It also takes more time to film 6 episodes than just 24 because crew members have to plan longer between projects.
What do they get out of it?
But at the end of the day, money isn’t what’s fueling Amazon. As more people sign up for Prime memberships, it increases the number of active buyers. These Prime members will be there to purchase other items from Amazon besides just Lord of the Rings products. With a loyal base, these new viewers and buyers may actually exceed the cost of production.
Will it make a profit?
Amazon’s New Lord of the Rings Show Costs More Than Just Money: With the first season of their show to cost $715 million, it doesn’t seem likely that this will be profitable for them anytime soon. Even if there is a huge response from fans, its doubtful that it will return a profit any time soon. It seems like Amazon is trying to compete with Game of Thrones (perhaps) as it has long been the go-to show for fantasy and medieval-type series. Although not similar in tone or story, Lord of the Rings still has the same kind of legacy with its epic battles and intricate lore.
How can other digital shows learn from this?
What can we learn from this new Lord of the Rings show? For starters, the show is not for everyone. That said, it does provide a lesson for other digital show-makers who want to go with a large cast, complex plot, and dynamic cinematography style – all of which cost money. Amazon has shown that production matters and costs should be considered before an endeavor begins in earnest.
Will any other TV series spend as much money as Lord of the Rings?
$715 million. That’s the cost of Amazon’s first season of its Lord of the Rings show ‘The Rings of Power.’ This is more than just the standard TV show; this is the scope of an epic production with casting, costumes, cinematography, stunts, VFX work, etc. Most of this budget goes to the actors who play important characters. It’s difficult to find any other TV series that will spend as much money as Lord of the Rings. Netflix has also jumped into high-end productions recently with a $1 billion dollar series commitment and we’re eagerly awaiting what that means for other shows on their site like The Crown or Altered Carbon (which costs around $7 million per episode).
And if so, what kind of content would it be?
Amazon’s New Lord of the Rings Show Costs More Than Just Money. The show’s budget exceeds that of Game of Thrones, which came in at $120 million for its first six episodes, and some are saying the price tag might be too much to pay.