Amazon Prime Video’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ has become the world’s most expensive TV show. The first season, which premiered in 2022, cost Amazon a whopping Rs 8300 crore ($1 billion), including production, marketing, and rights. Each of its 8 episodes costs more than several Bollywood blockbusters, making it the most expensive show in television history.
Rs 480 Crore Spent Per Episode
Reports suggest that the production of Season 1 alone amounted to Rs 3800 crore ($465 million), with each episode costing around Rs 480 crore ($58 million). This price surpasses even high-budget films like Brahmastra Part One ($45 million), Singham Again ($42 million), and Jawaan ($36 million).
Costlier Than ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
Interestingly, the budget for one season of ‘Rings of Power’ also exceeds the production cost of major Hollywood films. ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens,’ one of the most expensive films ever made, cost around $447 million, less than the full budget of this Amazon series. Even the combined budget of Peter Jackson’s original ‘Lord of the Rings Trilogy’ was only $260 million, far lower than this spinoff show.
Indian Cinema Lags Behind in Budget
When compared with Indian films, the difference in scale is vast. Kalki 2898 AD, RRR, and Adipurush—among the costliest Indian productions—were made with budgets between $70-75 million (around Rs 620 crore). This means the total cost of a single episode of ‘Rings of Power’ is higher than the production budget of these Indian blockbusters.
Story of the Rings of Power
Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, ‘The Rings of Power’ follows the origin of 19 magical rings. These powerful rings were given to different races—elves, dwarves, and humans—granting their wearers dominance over their realms. The story explores the challenges faced by these races and the impact of the rings on their lives.
This ambitious project by Amazon Prime has set a new benchmark in production costs, proving that television can now rival even the biggest cinematic blockbusters in terms of scale and expense.
