Amazon's 'The Rings of Power' Trailer Breaks 7M Views, Series Budget Over $1B

The trailer for Amazon's 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' debuted during Super Bowl 2022 and quickly amassed over 7 million views on YouTube. The series, with an unconfirmed budget exceeding $1 billion, is poised to become the most expensive television series ever made, surpassing 'Game of Thrones.' Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before the events of 'The Lord of the Rings,' the show will span five seasons and feature at least 22 characters. The narrative centers on the forging of the Rings of Power, as described by co-creator Patrick McKay. The series draws from Tolkien's 'The Silmarillion.' Morfydd Clark portrays a younger, vengeful Galadriel. Creators McKay and J.D. Payne, high school friends and longtime Hollywood collaborators, were chosen by Amazon from many candidates. The series introduces diverse characters, including Arondir, the first Black elf, played by Ismael Cruz Córdova, and Disa, the first Black dwarf princess, played by Sophia Nomvete. Executive producer Lindsey Weber stated that Tolkien's stories are for everyone. The project is driven by Jeff Bezos's personal passion for Tolkien, according to Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke. The series has faced criticism from some fans over its casting choices.