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UPDATED: After an extensive search, feature writers JD Payne and Patrick McKay have been tapped by Amazon Studios to develop and write the company’s high-profile _The Lord of the Ring_s
series, an adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic, which was brought to life by Peter Jackson in his blockbuster movie franchise.. As Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke previously has
suggested, creating the big-scope fantasy drama will involve a writers room. Payne and McKay were selected from a shortlist of scribes considered for the job, most of them from features, in
the talent search, overseen by Amazon’s head of genre Sharon Tal Yguado. Payne and McKay are rising feature writers who recently worked on_ Star Trek 4_ for producer J.J. Abrams. I hear
Abrams was one of a number of high-profile filmmakers and producers who recommended the duo for the _LOTR_ job. With the search for lead writers completed, the development of the series is
moving to the next stage with the set up of . writers room to collaborate on Payne and McKay’s vision. It is unclear yet — but possible — that any of the other writers who made it to the
short list for the gig would be invited and that the project would bring in a showrunner. “We are really excited to move right into the next phase of the development process, which is
building the world,” Salke said during the Amazon executive panel. Conversation continue with Jackson about a potential involvement and about possibly filming the series on his sets in New
Zealand. “The rich world that J.R.R. Tolkien created is filled with majesty and heart, wisdom and complexity,” Payne & McKay said. “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with
Amazon to bring it to life anew. We feel like Frodo, setting out from the Shire, with a great responsibility in our care — it is the beginning of the adventure of a lifetime.” _The Lord of
the Rings_ series, which has a multi-season commitment in a rights deal with the Tolkien estate believed to be close to $250 million, is based on the fantasy novels by Tolkien. It will be
produced by Amazon Studios in cooperation with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which produced the Peter Jackson
movies. Set in Middle Earth, the TV series will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s _The Fellowship of the Ring. _There has been speculation of some creative restrictions
imposed by the rights holders on what can be done and what can’t be done in a_ LOTR_ TV series. In an interview with Deadline last month, Salke said, “I think you can know that we’re not
remaking the movies, but we’re also not starting from scratch. So, it’ll be characters you love.” JD Payne and Patrick McKay have been working together since meeting on the high school
debate team more than two decades ago. Their most recent projects include writing_ Star Trek 4_ for Paramount and producer J.J. Abrams, adapting_ Jungle Cruise_ for Disney and stars Dwayne
Johnson and Emily Blunt, and setting up their original, 2017 Blacklist drama script _Escape_ with producer Mike DeLuca. They are repped by Verve, Kaplan Perrone, and Hansen Jacobson.