The Amazon group announced on Saturday September 3 that the big budget series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, based on the works of JRR Tolkien, had achieved the day before, September 2, the best launch in the history of its platform. streaming, Prime Video. “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power drew more than 25 million viewers worldwide on its first day (Friday), breaking all previous records, marking the biggest premiere in Prime Video history,” said said in its press release the Amazon group, which broadcast the first two episodes. “In a way, it makes sense that it’s Tolkien’s stories, which are among the most popular of all time and which many consider the true origin of the fantasy genre, lead us to this proud moment,” s congratulated Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon Studios. With this flagship production, Prime Video intends to challenge HBO and its prequel to the cult Game of Thrones series, House of the Dragon, which began broadcasting on August 21. HBO had also assured that it was its best launch, with nearly 10 million viewers in the United States alone. The series, which will air until October 14, is crucial for Amazon, which wants to exist in the ultra-competitive streaming landscape, where Netflix, Disney + and HBO Max are already fighting a tough battle. The Rings of Power is set during Tolkien’s “Second Age” in Middle-earth, thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien’s cult trilogy that has already been adapted for film. Amazon paid $250 million to buy the rights, and some $465 million was spent on the first season alone. The group having committed to five seasons, the final sum should far exceed one billion.