Warner Bros. Discovery Exec Addresses When The Lord of the Rings Films Can Be Expected
One of the most revered live-action franchises is headed back to the big screen, with Warner Bros. recently announcing plans to make more Lord of the Rings movies. The news was broken by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, who teased that the studio and New Line Cinema will be partnering with the franchise's new rights holder, Embracer Group, on new films. While speaking during a panel at Morgan Stanley's investor conference, Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels teased that these new Lord of the Rings films will come to fruition "over time."
"David made a promise, quote unquote, very early on to revitalize some of that iconic, tentpole IP and we're starting to make progress," Wiedenfels explained (via Variety). "It's exciting to see how people are coming in and out and how the creative community is embracing this opportunity to work with us. That's going to bear fruit, over time."
What will the new Lord of the Rings movies be about?
Plot details are currently unknown about the new Lord of the Rings movies, especially with the general story of The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit being told onscreen in films helmed by Peter Jackson. In a recent statement to Deadline, Jackson, as well as his co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, revealed that they are "in the loop" with these new plans.
"Warner Brothers and Embracer have kept us in the loop every step of the way," the Oscar-winning trio said. "We look forward to speaking with them further to hear their vision for the franchise moving forward."
Who owns the Lord of the Rings rights?
Last August, the IP rights for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were purchased by Embracer Group, with plans to extend the franchise even further. Prior to that purchase, Prime Video developed the first season of a television show in the franchise, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which has already been greenlit for a second season..
"I am truly excited to have The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, one of the world's most epic fantasy franchises join the Embracer family, opening up more transmedia opportunities including synergies across our global group," said Lars Wingefors, Founder and Group CEO Embracer Group, at the time. "I am thrilled to see what lies in the future for this IP with Freemode and Asmodee as a start within the group. Going forward, we also look forward to collaborating with both existing and new external licensees of our increasingly stronger IP portfolio."
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