“We’ve been here a long time,” says American actor Benjamin Walker. “It is a bit nebulous at this point."

American actor Benjamin Walker, who hesitantly agreed to star in Amazons billion-dollar Lord of the Rings series, says no one knows when the cast will finally get to leave New Zealand.
Weve been here a long time, he said, when asked in a Collider interview how much longer filming would take.
Amazon has been filming in Auckland, and across New Zealand. Sources close to the production have said hundreds, if not about a thousand people have been required for filming. The large cast and crew have spared no expense on the first season of this highly-anticipated television series.
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Actor Benjamin Walker says hes been in New Zealand a long time and doesnt know when hell get to leave again.
In an interview with Collider, Walker said the productions commitment to doing whatever it takes meant the cast had no clue when they would get to leave New Zealand.
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Filming started in February 2020, and there was still no date set for when the first season would launch. It was expected to premiere sometime next year.
Asked when filming was due to finish, Walker said: It is a bit nebulous at this point. We’ve been here a long time, and they’ll let us go when they’re done with us.
Amazons Lord of the Rings was expected to be the most expensive television series ever made. It was initially predicted to cost $1.3 billion.
Production has been incredibly tight-lipped.
The Kumeu base for Lord of the Rings.
In an unusual step, Amazon commissioned a second season of Lord of the Rings in November 2019 before filming had even started for season one.
The cast included actors such as Joseph Mawle, who played Game of Thrones’ Benjen Stark.
JD Payne and Patrick McKay were the lead writers for the series, alongside another Game of Thrones alumni, Bryan Cogman.
Walker said Payne convinced him to join the series by calling from hospital, while his partner was giving birth.
The Kumeu set of the new Lord of the Rings series is hidden behind dirt walls and containers
He pitched the part and pitched the commitment, which is large. And I could hear on the phone that there was a PA system and a lot of noise in the background, and I still wasn’t sure.
And I said, J.D. where are you? And he said I’m in the hospital. And I said, Are you okay? and he goes, No. My wife’s having a baby.
Filming had been based at Kumeu Studios in West Auckland, as well as at other locations around the country.