Amazon’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ draws 25 million viewers in series debut

Amazon.com Inc. said its “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” series drew more than 25 million viewers worldwide on its first day. 

The series, based on the universe created by J.R.R. Tolkein and set a few thousand years before the events of “The Hobbit,” was the biggest-ever debut on the tech giant’s Prime Video service, Amazon said in a statement Saturday. 

Amazon does not release viewership data for most of its shows. But streaming services are starting to disclose more information to tout their success and signal their scale to advertisers. Amazon will work with Nielsen to release data for its upcoming production of “Thursday Night Football.” 

Amazon has invested an estimated $1 billion on the project, including $250 million for the rights to the franchise, in an effort to compete against streaming giants such as Netflix Inc. and Walt Disney Co.’s Disney+. The series was launched in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide this month, and new episodes will be released weekly through Oct. 14.    

Streaming services are increasingly turning to blockbuster shows to draw viewers as competition heats up. Netflix credited the new season of “Stranger Things” released earlier this year for reducing subscriber losses, while Warner Bros Discovery Co. last month launched “House of the Dragon,” the prequel to its hit “Game of Thrones” series. 

—Bloomberg News