Peter Jackson To Help Amazon Trim New ‘Lord Of The Rings’ Episodes Down To Just 14 Hours Each

SEATTLE, WA—A new report indicated Monday that Amazon producers are in talks with Peter Jackson to bring the famed director onto the company’s upcoming Lord of the Rings show, so that he can help showrunners trim each episode down to just 14 hours each.

Not wanting the series to become plagued with bloated episodes and pointless, extra-canonical subplots, Amazon producers reportedly contacted the director of the three Lord of the Rings films and trilogy of Hobbit movies to help them “keep things nice and lean.”

“Restraint is essential in any modern adaptation of Tolkien’s universe, so we’re going to bring Jackson on to help make sure each episode is trimmed of all the fat,” a source said. “Having shaved a brisk, 300-page children’s book into a trilogy of three-hour films, he’s the perfect man for the job.”

“We can’t wait to learn at the feet of the master of brevity and minimalism,” the source also said.

Jackson’s editorial sensibilities will reportedly help writers and directors stay focused on the “meat” of the story line, rather than taking up valuable screen time with pointless action scenes or plots that were barely mentioned in Tolkien’s books. After purchasing the expensive rights to produce the streaming television series, Amazon producers began to grow worried that the show could become an overlong, convoluted mess, but are confident that with Jackson on board, that won’t be a problem.