Amazon's proposed 'Lord of the Rings' prequel could cost more than all three movies

Chief Executive Officer of Amazon Jeff Bezos attends The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 7, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. SAN FRANCISCO -- Nobody ever said original programming was cheap, but an internal Amazon document shows just how expensive it can be -- to the tune of $500 million for a new prequel series of "The Lord of the Rings." Amazon said in November it plans to create a multi-season prequel based on the beloved book series and blockbuster movies that came out of it. Insiders put the cost just for rights at $250 million. Now comes word from a leaked document obtained by Reuters that Amazon could spend another $250 million on production and marketing for the series, bringing the total cost to $500 million.