Amazon officially announced it's making a 'Lord of the Rings' TV series, as it searches for an epic hit like 'Game of Thrones'

Amazon announced Monday that it had acquired the rights to adapt "The Lord of The Rings," J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel series, into a multi-season TV series.

Amazon Studios will produce the original series, which the company said will "explore new storylines" preceding the Tolkien novels, which were adapted into an Oscar-winning film series (starting with "The Fellowship of the Ring" in 2001).

The announcement follows a recent strategy shift at Amazon Studios.

Roy Price, the former head of the studio, said in September that Amazon would be pursuing a "big show" in the vein of "Game of Thrones." (Price resigned in October following sexual harassment allegations made against him).

Sharon Tal Yguado, the head of scripted series at Amazon Studios, provided the following statement on Monday:

"'The Lord of the Rings' is a cultural phenomenon that has captured the imagination of generations of fans through literature and the big screen. We are honored to be working with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line on this exciting collaboration for television and are thrilled to be taking 'The Lord of the Rings' fans on a new epic journey in Middle Earth."

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