Warner Bros. will release the first of its new batch of “The Lord of the Rings” films in 2026.
Original “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy filmmaker Peter Jackson and his writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing the movie and “will be involved every step of the way” on the unnamed title, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an earnings call Thursday.
The project is currently in the early stages of script development and will “explore storylines yet to be told,” Zaslav said.
The WBD chief added: “‘Lord of the Rings’ is one of the most successful and revered franchises in history and presents a significant opportunity for theatrical business.”
Warner Bros. first announced in February 2023 that then-newly-installed studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy had brokered a deal to make “multiple” films based on the beloved J. R. R. Tolkien books. The projects will be developed through WB label New Line Cinema.
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The original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, helmed by Jackson, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide; Jackson’s follow-up trilogy based on Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” matched those grosses.
More to come…
