Filming for the new Lord of The Rings TV series is expected to begin in August, it has been reported.
According to a TV industry source, the £1 billion series will start shooting in just a few months, with a studio in Scotland earmarked as the base for much of it.
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Speaking to the Daily Record, the source said: "Lord of the Rings producers are hoping to start filming at the new studio from about August to November.
"A lot of arrangements are already in place. All that remains now is for it to be up and running in time - so the clock is ticking.
"It's anticipated production will return for another three months from next March (2020). There could be more after that. It's a massive contract and a gigantic boost for the studio and for Scotland."
The site, close to Edinburgh, is no stranger to big budget blockbusters and was used to film part of Marvel's Avengers: Infinity War.
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Despite having been announced last year, still not much is known about the plot of the long-awaited series.
Fans have instead been left guessing on the potential storyline, with Twitter posts from Amazon Prime's official Twitter account hinting it could be a prequel to the original trilogy, taking place during Middle-earth's Second Age and the forging of the rings.
One of the most recent posts said: "One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne. In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie," which fans think could mean the series will be set before the movies.
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The quote comes from an inscription on the Dark Lord Sauron's One Ring, which says:
"Three rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for mortal men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne;
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie."
The verse was accompanied by a marked map of Middle-earth and then a link to an interactive version of the map for people to explore.
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Unsurprisingly, fans have been getting very excited about what this could mean.
One fan wrote: "So best bet would be that the show will take place in the mid to late second age, when the rings of power are first forged and Sauron rises to power. The show might just end where the movies start off."
While another said: "Calenardhon is used in place of the name Rohan. This is an interesting usage which implies either that the map was made by the people of Gondor (or the Dúnedain of the North,) or alternatively was made prior to the founding of Rohan (Rohan was just a province).
"Is it possible that we may be getting to see the legendary battle between the men of Gondor, men of Eorl (the first Rohirrim,) and the Balchoth of the East? The founding of Rohan? The Oath of Eorl?? Maybe."
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It's hoped the new series will hit screens by 2021.
Featured Image Credit: New Line CinemaTopics: UK News, TV and Film, Interesting, UK Entertainment, Lord Of The Rings