Lord of the Rings: Peter Jackson Says Amazon Series Never Contacted Him

By Spencer Perry

Ever since Amazon announced their intention to make a TV series set in the world of The Lord of the Rings, a show that will come to fruition very soon with The Rings of Power, there was curiosity from fans on if Peter Jackson would be involved in some capacity. Having directed the trilogy of movies adapting the three books and then another trilogy based on The Hobbit (and some other Tolkein tales), plus winning three Academy Awards for his work on the films, it seemed like a no brainer. Jackson himself expressed an interest in taking a look and lending a hand too, but now has revealed that Amazon totally ghosted him.

"They asked me if I wanted to be involved – [writer-producer Fran Walsh] and I – and I said, 'That's an impossible question to answer without seeing a script,'" Jackson revealed on The Hollywood Reporter's Awards Chatter podcast. "So they said, 'As soon as we get the first couple scripts, we'll send them to you.' And the scripts never showed up. That's the last thing I heard, which is fine. No complaints at all." Jackson reiterated the story in an episode of THR's The Business podcast as well, noting they asked if he was interested, he asked to the see the scripts, and then nothing else happened. Jackson harbors no ill-will though, saying that literally and confirming he plans to watch the show.

"I'll be watching it," he added. "I'm not the sort of guy who wishes ill will. Filmmaking is hard enough. If somebody makes a good film or TV show, it's something to celebrate. The one thing I am looking forward to is actually seeing it as a perfectly neutral viewer." 

For those wondering why Amazon wouldn't seek the help of Jackson, the trade reports that sources indicate r J.R.R. Tolkien's estate was against having him involved in the series. Christopher Tolkien, who passed away in 2020, has previously spoken at length about his dissatisfaction with the Jackson movies. There's also the potential that a legal headache might have been caused if Jackson, who made his films with New Line Cinema, was involved with Amazon's new TV series.

In a statement an Amazon Studios rep has the following to say about Jackson's reveal: "In pursuing the rights for our show, we were obligated to keep the series distinct and separate from the films. We have the utmost respect for Peter Jackson and The Lord of The Rings films and are thrilled that he is looking forward to watching The Rings of Power."

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power debuts on Prime Video on September 2nd. Prime Video has renewed the show for its second season.  

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