Amazon at TCA: Lord of the Rings Cast Revealed, Jack Reacher Series a Go, and More!

Amazon is the latest network to take to the Television Critics Association winter press tour.

As expected, there were some big announcements, and we've rounded them up for you in one post.

The long-gestating Lord of the Rings TV series finally has a confirmed cast!

New additions to the eight-episode first season include Owain Arthur (Casualty) and Nazanin Boniadi (Counterpart), who join Robert Aramayo (Game of Thrones‘ Young Ned), Tom Budge (The Wrong Girl), Morfydd Clark (His Dark Materials), Ismael Cruz Córdova (Berlin Station, Ray Donovan), and Markella Kavenagh (Picnic at Hanging Rock).

They join a cast that already includes Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones), Megan Richards (Wanderlust), Dylan Smith (I Am the Night, Into the Badlands), Charlie Vickers (Medici), Daniel Weyman (Silent Witness), Sophia Nomvete, Tyroe Muhafidin, and Ema Horvath.

Additionally, production is slated to get underway in February, and the series will “explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring.”

“After undertaking an extensive global search, we are delighted finally to reveal the first group of brilliant performers who will take part in Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings series,” Said showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne said in a statement.

“These exceptionally talented women and men are more than just our actors: they are the newest members of an ever-expanding creative family that is now working tirelessly to bring Middle-earth to life anew for fans and audiences worldwide.”

Meanwhile, Jack Reacher is getting the TV series treatment at Amazon Prime. The streamer has placed a series order for a series based on the character from Lee Child's novels.

The freshman season will follow The Killing Floor, the first Jack Reacher novel. Casting will be announced at a later date.

“Lee Child has created an incredible character and world,” Nick Santora, the series showrunner, said in a statement. “It will be the goal of every writer, producer, actor, executive and crew member to capture the essence of Mr. Child’s books – and luckily Lee has been there, and will continue to be there, to help guide us along the way in this series. He is the pulse of Reacher.”

Added Child, “It’s been great so far, but really, the fun starts here. By now I know these guys, and Reacher is in the perfect hands, believe me.”

Lee Child’s Jack Reacher book series is a global phenomenon with one of entertainment’s most well-known heroes, and a perfect fit for Amazon Studios’ slate of bold, character-driven series,” Jennifer Salke said.

“We look forward to expanding the of the Jack Reacher universe and bringing more thrilling action to our Amazon Prime Video audience.”

Elsewhere, the streamer confirmed that Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Quantico) will star opposite Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) in Citadel, a global event series from Joe and Anthony Russo (The Avengers, Captain America).

The series is being billed as a “global event multi-series” with Jonas and Madden leading the American version of the series, while other casts will fill out local-language editions in Mexica, Italy, and India.

What are your thoughts on all this Amazon news?

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