Amazon Prime Video’s ambitious show is the latest major production to proceed amidst the labor dispute. Despite the ongoing WGA strike, production of the highly anticipated television series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is forging ahead, albeit without the expertise of executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is a TV series based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy novels. Produced by Amazon Prime Video, the show is set in Middle-earth. It promises to delve deeper into the history and mythology of the iconic realm, revealing untold stories and new characters.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” will move forward with production, but without the services of executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay.https://t.co/MOuKv26GBB pic.twitter.com/KngeZtLNCH
— Variety (@Variety) May 4, 2023
Producers Take The ‘Show Must Go On’ Approach
According to Variety, the grandiose fantasy series still has 19 days of filming left. Still, due to the WGA strike regulations, executive producers J.D. Payne, Patrick McKay, and other writer-producers cannot engage in any writing-related activities during production while the strike persists. This includes being involved in any creative decision-making processes on set. Fans were clearly not happy to learn about the new developments.
i do not think they were adding anything good let’s be real https://t.co/M07iuL3NwX
— let hayley be hayley (@hayleyglyphs) May 5, 2023
Without the showrunners??? Lmao oh lord, this is literally the absolute WORST idea you could possibly have. https://t.co/eQp8MjuSnp
— ✨️jai🦇{they}✨️ (@jaistiel) May 4, 2023
“but without the services of executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay”
So it might actually have a chance at being good.
— Thor Odinson (@Thor_Odinson) May 5, 2023
oh god this is gonna end up being funnier https://t.co/lJP7K9K6qr
— Spy~💜 (@sam1tron) May 4, 2023
this genuinely makes me upset and worried for the final product of season 2. they aren't gonna lose anything by waiting. https://t.co/bH0eomqgQs
— tangerine druids! ☽☾ integrity: 6.0 🩷🤍 (@snapdragondruid) May 5, 2023
Instead, the show’s non-writing executive producers, such as Lindsey Weber and directors Charlotte Brändström, Sanaa Hamri, and Louise Hooper, supervise the U.K.-based shoot. The crew is also playing an essential role in overseeing production.
A source has revealed that The Rings of Power production has involved several units, including night shoots, throughout the season, reflecting the ambitious cinematic scale of the show. Executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay had also meticulously collaborated with the production team beforehand to ensure that their possible absence due to the ongoing writers’ strike would have minimal impact on the show’s quality.
An Industry-wide Shutdown In The Offing
The ongoing writers’ strike is already putting immense pressure on current film and television productions. The situation is further complicated by the upcoming June 30 contract deadline for SAG-AFTRA and the DGA. Failure to reach a new agreement between these guilds and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers could result in actors and directors joining the writers’ strike. This could potentially trigger a drastic industry-wide shutdown.
Production of The Rings of Power” relocated from New Zealand to the UK for its eight-episode second season, which commenced filming on October 3, 2022. The series boasts a lineup of top-notch executive producers, such as Callum Greene, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, and Gennifer Hutchison. Charlotte Brändström is a co-executive producer, Kate Hazell, and Helen Shang are producers, and Andrew Lee, Matthew Penry-Davey, and Clare Buxton are co-producers.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power caused a stir in the entertainment industry when it was released last year. However, a recent report hinted that a significant portion of its initial audience has disengaged from the series and failed to watch all the episodes. It remains to be seen if this trend will continue with the second season.
Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: Variety
