Is 'The Rings of Power' a 'Cash Grab'? Showrunners Slam Back at Money Milking Accusations
"The Rings of Power" showrunners defend their "earnest" production amidst online backlash and accusations.
Based on the novel, "The Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien, the Amazon prequel series "The Rings of Power" recently released the eighth and final episode for the duration of its first season. The fantasy series has been the subject of numerous controversial headlines, including the showrunners' decision to cast people of color in the show, which some critics believe was not aligned with the vision of the late author, J.R.R. Tolkien.
In a new narrative, some critics accuse "The Rings of Power" production of milking money out of the show. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne expressed their thoughts on the accusations against the Amazon series and clarifies that their production is an "earnest" one.
"Some of what's been hardest to hear is the cynical point of view that this is a cash grab," McKay shared in the interview. "It's like, oh my God, the opposite. This is the most earnest production. This is not a paycheck job for anybody. This is a labor of love."
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'The Rings of Power' Budget
It's no secret to fans just how big of a budget the "Lord of the Rings" prequel was given. The project was reported to have "TV's most expensive series with 5 seasons" with a whopping budget of 1 billion dollars, which is more expensive than HBO's "Game of Thrones".
Amazon bought the television rights for "The Lord of the Rings" in November 2017 for 250 million dollars, with plans to produce a five-season production commitment. With that big of a budget going into production, it would come as no surprise how critics continue to mention it in their reviews.
"Bad television is always with us, and it is forgivable: what else can you do? It is not forgivable to take the work of a scholar like Tolkien and turn it into this, for money, and call it tribute. It is the opposite: it is theft."https://t.co/Ppw51tHmj0
— Wanjiru Njoya (@WanjiruNjoya) October 3, 2022
Showrunners' Measure of Success
Additionally, showrunner J.D. Payne expressed that despite the online backlash the series has been receiving, they choose to focus on a different measure of success.
"When we talk about the measure of success, what matters to us is if it's entertaining enough that people are digging into it and debating it. Some things get an immense amount of critical acclaim and win tons of awards and are forgotten the next year," Payne added. "Conversely, some things don't get a lot of love yet become classics being watched 60 years later. I think it'll take a while for the dust to settle."
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