Is Amazon’s Lord of the Rings at risk of losing viewers in New Zealand? It was recently announced that Amazon Studios will be moving the filming of its Lord of the Rings series from New Zealand to the UK. The first season of the upcoming fantasy epic was shot in the beautiful terrain found in the Oceania country, but the second season will be moving to pastures new. Kiwis have always been proud of their connection to J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle Earth, and there is a chance that this move could risk angering viewers in the country.
Amazon May Have to Change Tact to Attract Viewers
The Lord of the Rings series has long been touted as Amazon’s answer to Game of Thrones. When the HBO fantasy finished airing, other networks quickly scrambled to cash in on the readymade audience and create something similar. The studio may need to copy various other elements from GOT’s successful model if it is to succeed, though, especially in New Zealand.
Many Kiwis will have been planning to watch Lord of the Rings so that they can see the famous filming locations in the country. But now that it is moving, viewers will need a different motivation to watch. One of the reasons for GOT’s popularity was its franchise model, which spread out into related games. Among the most popular was the Game of Thrones slot from Microgaming.
With sites like BetPal New Zealand highlighting the prevalence of gambling in the country, a Lord of the Rings-themed slot game could help to win some viewers over. Aside from the bonuses on offer at the various online casinos in the country, this could be a major draw to bring players in. After playing the game, these people may then want to explore the world in more detail by watching the series and vice versa.
Why did the Filming Location Change?
One of the reasons why Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings took the world by storm in 2001 was down to the choice of filming location. The stunning and varied landscape of New Zealand represented the spots in Middle Earth perfectly, and the country became forever associated with the saga. It went on to be used in the Hobbit series as well, and Amazon kept that theme going with the first season of its series.
Recently, it was announced that after twenty years in the country, New Zealand will no longer be the home of Lord of the Rings. The production company has moved its operations to the UK as part of a plan to expand its studio space in the country. Aside from filming the Rings series, Amazon plans to create several other UK-based films and series over the next few years. The UK has a hilly landscape and vast countryside, like New Zealand, so the shift of locations should be unnoticeable for viewers.
There is a chance that Amazon’s Rings series may lose viewers in New Zealand, who could feel betrayed by the location change. The studio will have to go to great lengths to keep these people interested, and this could be done by releasing related material that will appeal to them.
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