The financial size of this LOTR TV project is massive.I wonder if the art and design for such a TV series would be based on the art from the original films, or would it be started fresh. The latter would seem financially unfeasible.
Potential $200-250 million rights fee (just for the rights to launch the project).
Then $100-150 million production costs for each season.
I'd imagine much of the art/design will be new but they may make things somewhat similar to the movies for continuity.
I'm interested in what this means for theme parks though. A theme park package could be extremely expensive looking at those LOTR TV costs.
We could be talking something like $200m for US parks rights for a 40 year time frame and then $400-600m in build costs across IoA and 3rd dry park.
Either way, Middle Earth = $. Tolkien Estate is definitely going to be willing to participate at these values. The 2020s could be huge for them with a combined TV and theme parks launch.