“The Rings of Power”: That’s why “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson was ghosted by the series makers

The fans’ expectations are high because the original, Oscar-winning “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy from star director Peter Jackson set standards and shaped subsequent generations of fantasy films. The demands on the responsible series creators Patrick McKay and JD Payne are correspondingly high, because they are following in big footsteps. It is all the more surprising that one name is missing from the list of those involved: Peter Jackson. He, who is responsible for ensuring that Gandalf, Gimli, Bilbo, Legolas and Co. are who we know and love on the big screen, was even asked if he wanted to be on The Rings of Power like Jackson himself revealed to the online magazine “Gamerant”. Jackson then asked to see the scripts – and never heard back from Amazon. Despite being simply “ghosted” by the studio, he said he wasn’t mad at all and would definitely watch the series. “Filmmaking is hard enough. When someone makes a good film or series, it should be celebrated.” Amazon has now said in an official statement: “We were legally obligated to keep the series distinct and separate from the films. We have the utmost respect for Peter Jackson and the Lord of the Rings films and are delighted that he will watch The Rings of Power.”