Get ready Lord of the Rings fans: Amazon has picked up the rights to turn the popular books into a television series.
The series is already slated to go at least five seasons, and it won’t be cheap: Amazon expects to spend at least $1 billion on its production. That price tag will make it the most expensive TV show in history, The Hollywood Reporter reports.
Amazon was originally in a bidding war with Netflix for the rights to the novels. Amazon won that battle, but at a cost of 250 million.
The contract requires Amazon to start production of the show within two years and run the show for five years, thus the 5-season commitment up front.
Netflix’s series The Crown is currently the most expensive television show ever made, at a cost of roughly $157 million.