by Pierre Lorenz on August 1, 2019

Much about the plot of the upcoming Lord of the Rings Amazon series is not yet known. The

only thing known is that the plot will take place in the Second Age of Middle-earth, and that

Sauron is likely to play a central role. Those who have not read the books will know the

Second Age of Middle-earth at least from the Lord of the Rings prologue in The Companions.

However, there are now voices that expect legal problems in the conduct of this series. Like

Tolkien Researcher Tom Shippey, who in an interview illustrates how marketing rights have

been distributed since the death of the Lord of the Rings creator. The rights to the Tolkien

Legacy are divided between the Tolkien Estate and Middle-earth enterprise.

Whereas the Middle Earth Enterprise owns the rights to the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit

films, the remaining rights are entirely in the hands of the Tolkien estate.

Due to the fact that the plot of the upcoming series takes place in the second age of Middle-

earth, the Tolkien Estate has the final word. Basically, this means that Amazon is not allowed

to change any key data about Sauron's rise. All interpretations of the production team must

be in the spirit of the original. The artistic freedom seems to be clearly restricted, after all,

the Tolkien Estate keeps the veto right on fundamental decisions.

It is not known whether Amazon, on the other hand, spoke to Middle Earth Enterprises

regarding material of the third age.

How exactly Amazon designed the series will certainly be seen soon. The release of the

Amazon Lord of the Rings series is scheduled for 2021.