Sir Peter Jackson isn't currently involved in Amazon's $200m Lord of the Rings series, but that may be changing soon.
The streamer recently acquired the rights from the Tolkien estate to create an original story set before the events of The Fellowship of the Ring, which Jackson turned into an Academy Award-winning film in 2001.
A new profile from The Hollywood Reporter notes that while Sir Peter had no involvement in Amazon's original deal with the Tolkien heirs, his attorney Peter Nelson has recently opened a dialogue between the filmmaker and Amazon about the project.
"It's very much a creature of the times," Nelson said. "We are in an era where streamers are bidding up the price of programming. I think Amazon is taking a page out of the studios' emphasis on franchises.
"They also are realising that with the overproduction of television, you need to get the eyeballs to the screen, and you can do that with franchise titles."
Sir Peter Jackson's love affair with the work of JRR Tolkien extended to three Lord of the Rings films and, years later, another trilogy based on the author's prequel story The Hobbit.
Naturally, many members of his ensemble Lord of the Rings cast have been asked about potential involvement with the Amazon series. Sir Ian McKellen seems ready to reprise his role as Gandalf, whereas Andy Serkis isn't sure if he'd be willing to play Sméagol/Gollum again.
"I don't know if I'd want to go back into the Lord of the Rings realm," he admitted.
"I feel like I've spent a large chunk of my life doing that. I'll say good luck and I think fresh eyes are probably a good thing."
It was reported last year that Amazon only got its, ahem, precious hands on a Lord of the Rings show after HBO turned down an offer to make it.
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