Lord of the Rings Amazon series hires Jurassic director J.A. Bayona
From Isla Nublar to Middle-earth: Orcs aren't that different from dinosaurs, are they?
Finally, some news on Amazon's big-bucks Lord of the Rings series. J.A. Bayona, who directed 2018's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, is directing the first two episodes of the much-anticipated show, the company announced on Wednesday.
"J.R.R. Tolkien created one of the most extraordinary and inspiring stories of all time, and as a lifelong fan it is an honor and a joy to join this amazing team," Bayona said in a statement. "I can't wait to take audiences around the world to Middle-earth and have them discover the wonders of the Second Age, with a never-before-seen story."
The Barcelona-born filmmaker also directed The Orphanage, The Impossible, and A Monster Calls. Bayona and his producing partner Belén Atienza will also serve as executive producers on the show. J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay will write the series.
Amazon bought the global TV rights to author J.R.R. Tolkien's (it's pronounced Tol-KEEN) Lord of the Rings saga back in 2017. Plans are for a multiseason series set in that pre-Fellowship of the Ring time period called The Second Age. Since the company has two years from November 2017 to begin production, we're expecting more news in the next few months.