A TV series based on The Lord of the Rings is great news for the Wakatipu, whether or not it gets filmed here, film and tourism insiders say. Nomad Safaris co-owner David Gatward-Ferguson says interest in the fantasy trilogy's film locations will endure for generations anyway, but it would be ''brilliant'' if the series went ahead. It would work with the film trilogy's distributor New Line Cinema, the Tolkien estate and publisher HarperCollins to produce the series, which would run on its streaming and shopping club Prime. Film Otago Southland executive manager Kevin Jennings said he was trying to find out more about the TV series, with the big question being where it would be filmed. Although there was no sign interest in the region's LOTR locations was fading, the series could only be good news.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 22, 2017 16:06 UTC