Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

An unexpected journey: Amazon shifts $1bn Lord of the Rings  from New Zealand to UK

An unexpected journey: Amazon shifts $1bn Lord of the Rings from New Zealand to UK

AMAZON Studios is moving production of its $1billion Lord of the Rings television series from New Zealand to the UK in a major coup for British film industry.
The first of the five scheduled seasons, a back story set in Middle Earth thousands of years before the events depicted in JRR Tolkien’s books, was filmed in locations around Auckland last year and is due to premiere on Prime Video next September.

But the tech giant today announced it will shift the entire production to the UK when filming for the second season begins in June, having struggled with shortages of studio space and rows with the government over tax breaks.

Strict Covid policies also remain in place which mean the country’s borders are effectively closed until the end of the year, leading to 14-day quarantine periods for the mostly UK-based actors or crew entering the country.

The surprise decision came as a disappointment in New Zealand, which has built a lucrative tourist industry from the success of Peter Jackson’s blockbuster quarter of Hollywood movies.

While no details have been announced about where in the UK units will be based, location scouting for the original series took place in Scotland with areas visited including the Isle of Skye, Perthshire, and Loch Lomond.

Amazon and Creative Scotland also held talks about using new studios which are under construction in Leith, Edinburgh.

An Amazon spokesman said the move "aligned with its strategy of expanding its production footprint and investing in studio space across the UK.”

Amazon Studios' Vernon Sanders said: "We want to thank the people and the government of New Zealand for their hospitality and dedication and for providing The Lord of The Rings series with an incredible place to begin this epic journey."

The UK offers attractive rebates for TV series that cost more than $1m an episode to shoot, which has helped to draw high-profile Amazon productions including Good Omens and Sex Education.

The total price tag for the first season came in at a reported $450million , which is around five times the budget for a typical season of Game Of Thrones.

New Zealand Film Commission chief executive David Strong said: “It’s a shame and I feel for everyone who has put their hearts into this production. Season two was expected to begin later in 2022, so our role now is to work hard to keep the Kiwi screen sector employed.”

UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "Thousands of high quality jobs all across the UK will be created and supported by The Lord of the Rings television series so this is very exciting news."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×