Amazon Studios to Move Lord of the Rings Production to U.K.
13 August 2021 - 11:00AM
Dow Jones News
By Stephen Wright
WELLINGTON, New Zealand--Amazon Studios will move filming of its
Lord of the Rings series to the U.K. despite New Zealand's offer of
substantial extra subsidies to continue shooting the television
show in the same place as the fantasy film trilogy.
The New Zealand government said Friday that Amazon's decision to
end production in New Zealand after completion of the first season
next year was part of a commercial move by the online-commerce
giant to expand its U.K. production space.
Amazon would no longer qualify for an additional 5.0% subsidy of
the first season's 664 million New Zealand dollars (US$465 million)
production cost, it said.
New Zealand earlier this year said Amazon's subsidy would be
increased to 25% from 20% if production remained in the
country.
"The international film sector is incredibly competitive and
highly mobile. We have no regrets about giving this production our
best shot with government support," said New Zealand's Minister for
Economic Development Stuart Nash.
Director Peter Jackson's films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's books
on the mythical Middle Earth gave New Zealand a significant tourism
boost before the pandemic and also helped to establish a local film
production and special effects industry.
Write to Stephen Wright at stephen.wright@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 12, 2021 20:47 ET (00:47 GMT)
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