“Lord of the Rings” will come back to the big screen with a new series of movies currently being developed at Warner Bros…
Oh my precious.
A new set of “Lord of the Rings” movies are currently in the works after Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav made the announcement during an earnings call with investors on Thursday.
It’s unclear at this time if the new films will completely reboot the “Lord of the Rings” universe or somehow expand further on the films from director Peter Jackson but a return to Middle-Earth is imminent.
“Following our recent acquisition of Middle-earth Enterprises, we’re thrilled to embark on this new collaborative journey with New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, bringing the incomparable world of J.R.R. Tolkien back to the big screen in new and exciting ways,” Lee Guinchard, CEO of Freemode, said in a statement.
“We understand how cherished these works are and working together with our partners at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures, we plan to honor the past, look to the future, and adhere to the strongest level of quality and production values.”
Freemode is the company that struck a deal for “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” to be developed into a series of films that grossed over $5 billion at the global box office while also earning a Best Picture win at the Academy Awards for “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,” which was released back in 2003.
“Twenty years ago, New Line took an unprecedented leap of faith to realize the incredible stories, characters and world of The Lord of the Rings on the big screen. The result was a landmark series of films that have been embraced by generations of fans,” Warner Bros Pictures Group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy said.
“But for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film. The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honor, and we are excited to partner with Middle-earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure.”
After teaming with Jackson on the six previous films set in the world created by author J.R.R. Tolkien, it appears that Warner Bros. is at least involving the famed director in the process to create new “Lord of the Rings” movies.
“Warner Brothers and Embracer have kept us in the loop every step of the way,” Jackson and his writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens said in a statement to Deadline. “We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward.”
That statement doesn’t make it clear if Jackson and his team will be directly involved in the new “Lord of the Rings” films, although it obviously doesn’t rule them out either.
Considering the accolades and money earned for both the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” films, it would seem crazy not to get Jackson involved in some way but then again Warner Bros. hasn’t said anything about what story these films will tell.
Is this a complete reboot with plans to tell the entire “Lord of the Rings” story over again? Or perhaps dig even deeper into more Middle-Earth stories created by Tolkien.
That remains to be seen but get ready because more “Lord of the Rings” films are on the way.
