Some of J.R.R. Tolkien's characters lived to be more than 6,000 years old. The author's legacy may last even longer.
"The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," which starts streaming Thursday on Amazon Prime, is the latest highly anticipated journey to Middle Earth. Its $500 million budget for the first season makes it the most expensive TV series in history — and a bit of a gamble.
But those signing the checks have done their homework. Two of Tolkien's novels — "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" — are among the top 10 bestselling novels of all time. Peter Jackson's original film trilogy, which concluded with the Oscar-winning "The Return of the King," grossed nearly $3 billion.