The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power attracts 25m viewers on day one
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was watched by more than 25 million viewers across the globe on the first day it was released on Prime video, according to Amazon.
The hugely anticipated series that is reported to be the most expensive television show ever made has broken all previous Prime Video records and has become “the biggest premiere in the history of Prime Video”.
The streaming service, which is available in 240 countries and territories across the globe, released The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, on Monday evening US time (Tuesday morning at 2am in the UK). The show, which is set several thousand years before the events of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit which have been brought alive by Peter Jackson on the big screen in two trilogies in the past two decades, has been well-received by fans and critics all of whom are impressed by the sheers scale and production values of the project.
The first two episodes are available to watch, with subsequent episodes released weekly over the coming months with the finale airing on October 14th.
Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, said: “It is somehow fitting that Tolkien’s stories – among the most popular of all time, and what many consider to be the true origin of the fantasy genre – have led us to this proud moment. I am so grateful to the Tolkien Estate – and to our showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, executive producer Lindsey Weber, cast and crew – for their tireless collaborative efforts and boundless creative energy. And it is the tens of millions of fans watching – clearly as passionate about Middle-earth as we are – who are our true measure of success.”
Fantasy fans have been treated to an embarrassment of riches in the last few weeks with not just this epic drama arriving, but also the much-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon arriving on HBO. Incidentally, House of the Dragon racked up a record audience for HBO, so it looks like both service’s decisions to go with huge-budget fantasy franchises are paying off.
- Love Doctor Who? Get all the latest Doctor Who news and views from Screen OD
- Looking for some entertainment? Have you tried our general knowledge quiz questions and answers yet? Or browse all the Screen OD quizzes.
- Want to supercharge your streaming? Take a look at our guide to Netflix secret codes for TV and movie fans
- Love TV and movies? Try Screen OD on YouTube...
