New Zealand will reprise its starring role as Middle Earth with confirmation Amazon Studios will and film its new Lord of the Rings television series on its shores.
Filming of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films was marred by controversy in New Zealand over the so-called “Hobbit Law”, which barred film contractors from collectively bargaining, and later overcrowding at tourist hotspots connected to the films.
This new billion-dollar deal may not be without its own cost to New Zealand ratepayers, with government film subsidies offering a rebate of up to 25%.
The deal is seen as a win for the New Zealand film industry and a coup for the government, which had been involved in months of negotiations with Amazon while it weighed up location options.