Middle Earth returns as Amazon teases Tolkien spin-off

The 60 second teaser trailer features sweeping landscapes and the familiar species of elves, dwarves and hobbits from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings".

It is introduced by a female hobbit-like character saying "Haven't you ever wondered what else is out there? There's wonders in this world beyond our wondering."

According to Vanity Fair, these creatures won't be known as hobbits in the series, but rather harfoots, the ancestors of the hobbits.

Despite the fact the show is set thousands of years before the stories of 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' in the Second Age of Middle-Earth, it will feature both new and familiar characters.

Welsh actor Morfudd Clark is shown as Galadriel in the trailer, a elven character played by Cate Blanchett in Peter Jackson's adaptations.

The trailer also shows the first Black characters to feature in a Tolkien story, with the elven character of Arondir, played by Ismael Cruz Cordova, and the dwarven Disa, played by Sophia Nomvete.

According to a press release from Amazon, who worked closely with the Tolkien estate on the production, the show begins in a time of peace, which is shaken by "the long feared reemergence of evil to Middle-Earth".

'The Rings of Power' in the title of the series seem to allude to the rings created by an elven race for Sauron, an evil presence in Middle Earth.

Three were assigned to the elves, seven for the dwarves and 9 for mankind. To control Middle Earth, Sauron created for himself one ring to rule them all.

Amazon reportedly bought the rights to some of the appendices of Tolkien's work for $250 million.

The appendices were included in Tolkien's third book in the trilogy "The Return of the King" and feature histories about Middle Earth as well as detailed family trees.

Amazon spent about $465 million filming the first season of the show, according to government officials in New Zealand, where the series was filmed. The company is expecting to make five seasons of the show, making it one of the most expensive TV series ever.

'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power', which is reported to be the most expensive television series ever, will be released on Amazon on September 2.