LOTR: The Rings Of Power Reaches 25 Million Viewers In First 24 Hours

Amazon Studio's The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power had a massive debut on Prime Video. Amazon has announced that the show reached "25 million global viewers" in its first 24 hours. This made The Rings of Power the "most watched series premieres on Prime Video," Amazon said. The streaming service released the first two episodes of The Rings of Power on September 1. The remaining episodes in Season 1 will drop on Fridays at 12 AM ET.

"It is somehow fitting that Tolkien's stories--among the most popular of all time, and what many consider to be the true origin of the fantasy genre have led us to this proud moment," Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke said (via Deadline). "I am so grateful to the Tolkien Estate--and to our showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, executive producer Lindsey Weber, cast and crew--for their tireless collaborative efforts and boundless creative energy. And it is the tens of millions of fans watching-- clearly as passionate about Middle-earth as we are--who are our true measure of success."

Season 1 wraps up on October 14, and it will be followed by four additional seasons to come. The creative team already has all five seasons mapped out, including the final shot.

The Rings of Power is the most expensive TV show ever produced, and Amazon wasn't the first company trying to make a deal for the rights. Netflix and HBO were also reportedly interested, with Netflix said to have been planning a main show and multiple spinoffs before Amazon closed the deal.

The Lord of the Rings film, TV, video game, and theme park rights--among others--are now owned by Embracer Group. The company has said it is now considering movies based on Aragorn, Galadriel, Gandalf, and other popular Middle-earth characters.

For more on The Rings of Power, check out GameSpot's Rings of Power review and what other critics think.