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Amazon's billion-dollar 'Lord of the Rings' series resumes filming in New Zealand

Lord of the Rings (Credit: Amazon Prime)
Lord of the Rings (Credit: Amazon Prime)

The massive budget Lord of the Rings series from Amazon has resumed filming in New Zealand, it's been confirmed.

According to Deadline, cameras are rolling once again after the production was forced into hiatus in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.

The show is among a number of productions which were given border exemptions by the New Zealand government in July.

Read more: Will Poulter drops out of LOTR series

Based on material granted by the Tolkien estate, the show has been approved for five-seasons, with a $250 million-per-season budget in place.

Filming is taking place in West Aukland, with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and A Monster Calls director J.A. Bayona making the first two episodes.

MADRID, SPAIN-May 21: J.A. Bayona attends 'Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom' World Premiere at WiZink Center on May 21, 2018 in Madrid, Spain. May21, 2018. Credit: Jimmy Olsen/Media Punch ***NO SPAIN*** /IPX
J.A. Bayona (Credit: Jimmy Olsen/Media Punch)

Though little is known about where the plot will be heading, the action is set during the Second Age of Middle Earth, in the period before the Fellowship of the Ring books.

So far, an understated cast is in place, including British actors Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur and Nazanin Boniadi.

Read more: LOTR series ‘banned’ from certain storylines

Black Mirror star Will Poulter was forced to drop out of the production in July due to scheduling conflicts, but has said that the show will be ‘incredible’.

It's not the only major project being filmed in New Zealand.

James Cameron recently announced that filming on Avatar 2 is now complete, with work on Avatar 3 now '95%' complete too.

That production was also hit by the lockdown, with Cameron returning to to the set in May. The movies are due out in December, 2022 and 2024 respectively.