Director Wayne Che Yip boards Amazon 'Lord of the Rings' series, to helm four episodes

Yip, best known for his work on shows such as ''Hunters'' and ''Doctor Who'', will tackle four episodes of the fantasy epic show, which is currently filming in New Zealand. 

He follows executive producer JA Bayona, who directed the first two episodes of the Amazon Originals series, led by showrunners JD Payne and Patrick McKay. 

''It is a true honour to be invited into the world of Tolkien by JD & Patrick and Amazon Studios. Every day I look forward to working with the incredible team here in New Zealand as we humbly contribute to the legacy of the greatest stories ever told,'' Yip said in a statement. 

The latest iteration of the ''Lord of the Rings'' franchise is set in Middle-earth, thousands of years before the events of author JRR Tolkien’s original ''Lord of the Rings'' and ''The Hobbit'' novels. 

''Beginning in a time of relative peace, the series follows an ensemble cast of characters, both familiar and new, as they confront the long-feared re-emergence of evil to Middle-earth. 

''From the darkest depths of the Misty Mountains, to the majestic forests of the elf-capital of Lindon, to the breathtaking island kingdom of Numenor, to the furthest reaches of the map, these kingdoms and characters will carve out legacies that live on long after they are gone,'' the official logline read. 

The show will feature an ensemble cast of Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Nazanin Boniadi, Tom Budge, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Ema Horvath, Markella Kavenagh, Joseph Mawle, Tyroe Muhafidin, Sophia Nomvete, Megan Richards, Dylan Smith, Charlie Vickers, and Daniel Weyman. 

Amazon has made a multi-season production commitment to the TV series. 

It will be produced by Amazon Studios in collaboration with the Tolkien Estate and Trust, HarperCollins, and New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros Entertainment.