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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Entertainment
Neal Justin

New 'Lord of the Rings' TV series shows the precious power of JRR Tolkien

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.

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