Fire halts filming at studio housing 'LOTR: Rings of Power'

Fire breaks out at U.K. studio during ‘Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power’ series shoot

A blond woman wearing armor walks toward the viewer with a sword over her shoulder as fire erupts behind her

By Jonah ValdezStaff Writer

April 3, 2023 3:44 PM PT

A small fire broke out Monday at Bray Studios in the United Kingdom where the most expensive TV show ever — Amazon Prime Video’s series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” — is being shot.

Fire crews were called to the studio, located near Windsor, about 15 miles west of London, around 12:26 p.m. after reports of a fire, the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement.

“Upon arrival, crews discovered a fire in a single-story storage workshop located away from the filming set,” the fire service said. “Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus used three hose reels and a main jet to extinguish the fire.”

Firefighters spent about 4½ hours battling the blaze, which was on the perimeter of the studio lot. Filming of the show had stopped as a precaution for only about an hour before resuming. No evacuations were ordered for the cast and crew.

The origin of the fire was under investigation, but Variety reported that the cause was suspected to be electrical.

Photos published by the Daily Mail showed fire crews at Bray Studios, along with shots of an elaborate castle set where the “Lord of the Rings” prequel is shooting its second season.

The first season of the series cost $700 million to produce. With a younger forest elf, Galadriel (Morfydd Clark), as the lead, “The Rings of Power” is set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth and takes place thousands of years before the stories told in “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.”

After its September 2022 release, the show performed well among critics and viewers, breaking Prime Video streaming records. “The Rings of Power” is scheduled for a total of five seasons.

Production for its first season took place in New Zealand, the home of its film-franchise predecessors. But in 2021, Amazon Studios moved the show’s production to the U.K. for various reasons, including tax incentives, the urging of the Tolkien estate and issues with pandemic-era policies in New Zealand.

Filming for Season 2 began in the U.K. in October. The new season is expected to be released in early 2024.