Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings show just got a major boost from the New Zealand Government. As reported by New Zealand outlet RNZ, the agreement between Amazon and New Zealand see’s the consumer giant receive over $100m in grants. Under a Memorandum of Understanding Amazon will get an extra 5 percent from the Screen Production Grant in addition to the 20 percent grant the production already qualifies for.
Amazon is also said to be spending up to $650Million ($450M USD) on one season of the show. That’s pretty staggering, but it must be true, because this is what Minister for Economic Development and Tourism Stuart Nash said.
“But what I can tell you is Amazon is going to spend about $650 million in season one alone. I think what we have got out of Amazon in terms of the MOU and the industry and how we’re going to train people and our ability to use footage for tourism, the ability to leverage off a lot of what Amazon is doing, is fantastic. The bottom line is if we want a film industry in this country, part and parcel of that is government subsidies. Where’s the downside?”
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Given that figure, and the terms of the deal, the outlet works out Amazon should be due to net around $160Million from the deal. This, is exactly the reason the decision was made to film The Lord of the Rings show in New Zealand and not Scotland, whose brand new studio was aiming to court the production. There is no way Scotland would be able to afford those kind of financial rewards though. Trust me, I live there.
Still, up to $650Million on one season alone. It’s clear Amazon are prepared to throw money at this. However good writing can hide a low budget. a big budget rarely can hide bad writing. So we will wait and see. As for New Zealand, they get to remain the ‘Home of The Lord of the Rings’, despite having zero connection with the story until Peter Jackson, a native, decide to make his movies there. Note to Scotland, if you want that sweet LOTR tourism business, you gotta pony up.
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