One does not simply ignore the greater potential of J.R.R. Tolkien's novels.

Peter Jackson's recent "The Lord of the Rings" films did not mark the first adaptation, and there's no reason for them to mark the last.

According to Variety, Warner Bros. Television and the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien are in talks with Amazon Studios to develop a series based on the "Lord of the Rings" books. Sources added to Variety that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos himself is getting personally involved in the negotiations, which is not common for him.

Everything is still the very early stages at this point, with no writers attached to the project or any deals. It's too soon to say what will happen.

It was only in July that Warner Bros. offshoot New Line Cinema and the Tolkien estate settled an $80 million lawsuit after a five-year battle over profit participation from Jackson's LOTR and "The Hobbit" films. So apparently, if talks are being held now between Warner Bros. and the family, the relationship must be on smoother ground.

Before Jackson's 21st Century take on Tolkien, you may recall the series of adaptations in the 1970s. There was the 1977 animated special "The Hobbit," by Rankin/Bass; the 1978 Ralph Bakshi animated film "The Lord of the Rings," based on the first two LOTR books; and the 1979 Rankin/Bass animated film "The Return of the King."

[Via: Variety, THR]

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