© New Line Cinema / Courtesy of Ever
Warner Bros. will release The first installment of her new “The Lord of the Rings” films is due in 2026.
“It’s a huge hit,” said David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, during a press conference, said “Lord of the Rings” trilogy director Peter Jackson and his writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing the film and “will be involved every step of the way” on the unnamed title. Earnings call on Thursday.
Zaslav said the project is currently in the early stages of script development and will “explore storylines that have not yet been told.”
“The Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful and respected franchises in history and presents a huge opportunity for the theatrical business,” added the WBD president.
Warner Bros. announced first reported in February 2023 that newly installed studio executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdi had brokered a deal to produce “multiple” films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved books. The projects will be developed through the WB New Line Cinema label. Freemode, a division of Embracer Group, has closed the deal for the adaptation rights to books including “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” under a venture called Middle-earth Enterprises.
The original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, directed by Jackson, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide; Jackson’s subsequent trilogy based on Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” matched those revenues.
Jackson’s first trilogy, “LOTR,” starred Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, and Cate Blanchett. This trio of films has been nominated for 30 Academy Awards and won 17, including Best Picture for 2003’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
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