Amazon Studios just announced the filming location for its upcoming Lord of the Rings prequel show. And after searching far and wide it settled on… drumroll please… New Zealand!
Showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay released the following statement on the momentous decision:
As we searched for the location in which we could bring to life the primordial beauty of the Second Age of Middle-earth, we knew we needed to find somewhere majestic, with pristine coasts, forests, and mountains, that also is a home to world-class sets, studios, and highly skilled and experienced craftspeople and other staff.
And we’re happy that we are now able to officially confirm New Zealand as our home for our series based on stories from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. We are grateful to the people and the government of New Zealand and especially Auckland for supporting us during this pre-production phase. The abundant measure of Kiwi hospitality with which they have welcomed us has already made us feel right at home, and we are looking forward to deepening our partnership in the years to come.
Now, doesn’t it feel like there’s something missing in there? Some fact? Some link between New Zealand and Lord of the Rings? Hmmmm…
Oh right, PETER JACKSON FILMED ALL OF HIS LORD OF THE RINGS AND HOBBIT MOVIES THERE.
I mean, come on. We are very happy that Amazon Studios made this decision but, it couldn’t have been an especially difficult decision. Lord of the Rings and New Zealand go together like Hobbits and hairy feet. In fact, it would’ve been much more shocking if the show didn’t film there.
According to the press release “Pre-production has started, and production on the series will begin in Auckland in the coming months.”