Lord of the Rings to shoot S2 in UK
NZ lockdown rules may have cost the nation its most lucrative production of all.
- Published by David Knox
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In a major blow for the New Zealand production sector The Lord of the Rings will shoot its second season in the United Kingdom.
Filming of the first mammoth season cost $US465 million for Amazon Studios ($A632m).
According to the Hollywood Reporter the show’s steep cost was a key factor in the decision, with sources saying that the UK will be a more economical choice moving forward.
With roughly half the cast being from the UK, NZ’s strict lockdown policy appears to have been a significant factor in the decision making, with continual 14 day quarantines and limits on those attending sets.
“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,” said Vernon Sanders, vp and co-head of TV, Amazon Studios. “We are grateful to the New Zealand Film Commission, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Tourism New Zealand, Auckland Unlimited, and others for their tremendous collaboration that supported the New Zealand film sector and the local economy during the production of season one.”
Season One post-production will continue in New Zealand through to June 2022, and pre-production on Season Two will begin concurrently in the UK after the first of the year.
The series will premiere Friday, Sept. 2, 2022.
Just 385 sleeps to go…
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One Response
I hope the shows producers have planned ahead with their outdoor location continuity, there isn’t many parts of the UK that look like an NZ backdrop, though obviously GoT was made in Ireland, so I suppose they could go there. You have to wonder why a budget of $465 million even got past the drawing board stage, it is totally ridiculous cost by any standard for a TV series, even James Cameron only spent 250 million in NZ for Avatar 2, and he will get his money back.