Those who want to see the new Prime Video streaming series Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in a theatrical setting will have the chance to do so at select Cinemark locations before the series premieres on the streamer, Variety reports. This comes after a week of mostly negative streaming news filled with cancellations and programming being pulled.
The Rings of Power is an epic tale, so it seems natural that some episode or two from the series would be adapted for the big screen. The first two episodes of The Rings of Power will premiere on Prime Video on September 2, but on August 31, Tolkien enthusiasts will be able to view them two days early in select Cinemark theatres.
Tickets to the early access event will go on sale on August 22 at 9 am PT, and each one will come with a $10 concessions coupon. However, there is a catch: Members of Cinemark Movie Rewards, the theatre chain’s loyalty programme, are the only ones who may purchase tickets to the event. Amazon is distributing the series internationally to a wide variety of nations, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Argentina, Colombia, Australia, and New Zealand, where it will be shown in Cinemark theatres. Amazon may be trying to drum up interest and discussion about the show by screening at least the first two episodes.
After all, the show’s budget is rumoured to be above $400 million, and it already has orders for future seasons. With a cast that includes Benjamin Walker, Morfydd Clark, Robert Aramayo, Maxim Baldry, Charles Edwards, Daniel Weyman, Markella Kavenagh, Owain Arthur, Lenny Henry, Nazanin Boniadi, and Ismael Cruz Cordova, and a director credit list that includes Wayne Yip, J.A. Bayona, and Charlette Brandström, The Rings of Power has the following official synopsis, as “In an unprecedented move, the legendary Second Age of Middle-earth will soon be brought to the big screen in a new series from Amazon Studios. This epic drama takes place thousands of years before The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and will transport viewers to a time when great powers were forged, kingdoms rose and fell, unlikely heroes were tested, hope hung by the thinnest of threads, & the greatest villain that ever flowed from Tolkien’s pen threatened to cover all the world in darkness.
This series begins in an era of relative peace and follows a diverse group of characters—some old, some new—as they face the return of evil to Middle-earth. These nations and characters will leave legacies that endure long after they are gone, from the depths of the Misty Mountains to the majesty of the woodlands of the elf-capital of Lindon to the magnificent island kingdom of Nmenor and beyond. The Rings of Power’s release date is set for September 2 on Prime Video, with further episodes debuting every Friday thereafter. Visit Cinemark’s website to sign up for free and learn more about the early-access theatrical screenings available to Cinemark Movie Rewards members.