The Television Critics Association summer press tour arrived on the heels of Comic-Con this week, and Amazon's presentation for its Prime Video service was packed with news, including a host of behind-the-scenes announcements for its Lord Of The Rings adaptation.
The series, which will chronicle stories that take place many years before the events seen in either the Hobbit or LOTR movie trilogies, has writers JD Payne and Patrick McKay running the show, alongside JA Bayona as executive producer and the director who will set the tone fo the series, handling the first two episodes.
We already knew that Game Of Thrones veteran Bryan Cogman was aboard, and joining him are the likes of 10 Cloverfield Lane's Lindsey Weber (above left), Thrones' Bruce Richmond, Boardwalk Empire alumnus Gene Kelly (above middle), Amazon's former head of genre Tal Yguado, Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul writer Gennifer Hutchinson, The Sopranos' Jason Cahill and Stranger Things' Justin Doble (above right). Also headed to the writers' room? Toy Story 4 co-writer Stephany Folsom, Ron Ames (The Aviator), Hannibal's Helen Shang and writing consultant Glenise Mullins.
And the new writing hires are just the tip of the creative additions, with costume designer Kate Hawley, Oscar-winning production designer Rick Heinrichs, fellow Oscar-owner Jason Smith (as visual effects supervisor), Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey and legendary concept artist/illustrator John Howe, who worked on all of the Rings movies.
"This team is our Fellowship – assembled from around the world, all walking the road together to try and accomplish something far greater than any of us could on our own," Payne and McKay said in a statement. "We feel humbled and extremely lucky to be surrounded by such inspiring and talented women and men."
They'll be the people making sure that Amazon's $250 million investment in the rights to the JRR Tolkien canon pays off. So, you know, no pressure.