Warner Bros. Television and the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien are in talks with Amazon Studios to develop a series based on the late author's The Lord of the Rings novels.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is said by sources with knowledge of the situation to be personally involved in the negotiations, which are still in very early stages, reports Entertainment Weekly.
No deal has been set.
The studio and the Tolkien estate have been shopping a series based on the classic fantasy novels and their assortment of hobbits, wizards, and warriors, sparking a competitive situation from which Amazon has emerged as the frontrunner.
Representatives for Amazon and Warner Bros. declined to comment.
The late author's series was previously adapted for the big screen by director Peter Jackson in the form of three films, culminating in 2003's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, which won Best Picture - among its 11 Oscars - and collected more than $1 billion at the box office.